-
5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands,eternal in the heavens. 5:2 Here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly dwelling, 5:3 so that by putting it on we may not be found naked. 5:4 For while we are still in this tent, we sigh with anxiety;not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be furtherclothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5:5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 5:6 So we are always of good courage;we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 5:8 We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 5:9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to whathe has done in the body. 5:11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men;but what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 5:12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who pride themselves on a man's position and not on his heart. 5:13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God;if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all;therefore all have died. 5:15 And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 5:16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. 5:17 Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 5:18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 5:19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrustingto us the message of reconciliation. 5:20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.