2 Corinthians 5:8

2 Corinthians 5:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Context of 2 Corinthians 5:8

6So then, being always filled with good courage and confident hope, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him. 10For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].

2 Corinthians 5:8 word by word

θαρροῦμεν δὲ καὶ εὐδοκοῦμεν μᾶλλον ἐκδημῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ σώματος καὶ ἐνδημῆσαι πρὸς τὸν κύριον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• We are confidentθαρρέωtharrheō · be confidentG2292
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• willingεὐδοκέωeudokeō · to delightG2106
• ratherμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
• to be absentἐκδημέωekdēmeō · be awayG1553
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the bodyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• to be presentἐνδημέωendēmeō · be homeG1736
• withπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 5:8

• 2 Corinthians 5:6So then, being always filled with good courage and confident hope, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—
• 2 Corinthians 12:2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
• Luke 2:29“Now, Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to leave [this world] in peace, According to Your word;
• Acts 21:13Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart [like this]? For I am ready not only to be bound and imprisoned, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
• Philippians 1:20It is my own eager expectation and hope, that [looking toward the future] I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
• 2 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good and worthy and noble fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith [firmly guarding the gospel against error].
• 2 Peter 1:14knowing that the laying aside of this earthly tent of mine is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
• 2 Peter 3:11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be [in the meantime] in holy behavior [that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer] and in godliness [displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God],
• 2 Corinthians 5:9Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him.
• Psalms 16:11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
• Psalms 17:15As for me, I shall see Your face in righteousness; I will be [fully] satisfied when I awake [to find myself] seeing Your likeness.
• Psalms 73:23Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.
• Matthew 25:21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’
• John 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.
• John 17:24Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given to Me [as Your gift to Me], may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 5:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8We are confident - We are of good courage, notwithstanding our many difficulties; because we have this earnest of the Spirit, and the unfailing testimony of God. And notwithstanding this, we are willing rather to be absent from the body - we certainly prefer a state of glory to a state of suffering, and the enjoyment of the beatific vision to even the anticipation of it by faith and hope; but, as Christians, we cannot desire to die before our time.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8We are confident - 2 Corinthians 5:6. We are cheerful, and courageous, and ready to bear our trial. Tyndale renders it: “we are of good comfort.” And willing rather to be absent from the body - We would prefer to die. The same idea occurs in Philemon 1:23. “Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; which is far better.” The sense is, that Paul would have preferred to die, and to go to heaven; rather than to remain in a world of sin and trial. To be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-10The idea of eternal hope is promising, with heavenly bodies replacing our dying ones. The God of resurrection will raise us and present us with all believers (4:14). Paul faced challenges in Ephesus, which inspired this statement about resurrection hope (1:8–11). His body's weakness reminded him of life after death, when our earthly body will be taken down in death and decay (see 1 Corinthians 15:42–57; Philippians 3:20–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. willing--literally, "well content." Translate also, "To go (literally, migrate) from our home in the body, and to come to our home with the Lord." We should prefer to be found alive at the Lord's coming, and to be clothed upon with our heavenly body (2Co 5:2-4). But feeling, as we do, the sojourn in the body to be a separation from our true home "with the Lord," we prefer even dissolution by death, so that in the intermediate disembodied state we may…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 5:8

• Death
• Love
• Man

In the dictionaries

• Appear
• Constrain
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Earthly
• Faith
• Groan
• Man
• Pray
• Reconcile
• Sin

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings