2 Corinthians 5

(Romans 8:18–27)

1ForG1063 we knowG1492 thatG3754 ifG1437 theG3588 earthlyG1919 tentG4636 weG1473 live in is dismantledG2647, we haveG2192 a buildingG3619 fromG1537 GodG2316, an eternalG166 houseG3614 inG1722 heavenG3772, not built by human handsG886. 2ForG1063 inG1722 thisG3778 tent we groanG4727, longingG1971 to be clothed withG1902 ourG1473 heavenlyG3588G1537G3772 dwellingG3613, 3becauseG1487G1065G2532 when we are clothedG1746, we will not be foundG3756G2147 nakedG1131. 4ForG2532G1063 while we areG1510 inG1722 this tentG4636, we groanG4727 under our burdensG916, becauseG1909G3739 we do not wishG3756G2309 to be unclothedG1562 butG235 clothedG1902, so thatG2443 our mortalityG2349 may be swallowed upG2666 byG5259 lifeG2222. 5AndG1161 it is GodG2316 whoG3588 has preparedG2716 usG1473 forG1519 thisG3778 veryG846 purpose and has givenG1325 usG1473 theG3588 SpiritG4151 as a pledge of what is to comeG728.

6ThereforeG3767 we are always confidentG3842G2292, althoughG2532 we knowG1492 thatG3754 while we are at homeG1736 inG1722 theG3588 bodyG4983, we are awayG1553 fromG575 theG3588 LordG2962. 7ForG1063 we walkG4043 byG1223 faithG4102, notG3756 byG1223 sightG1491. 8We are confidentG2292, thenG1161, andG2532 would preferG2106G3123 to be awayG1553 fromG1537 theG3588 bodyG4983 andG2532 at homeG1736 withG4314 theG3588 LordG2962. 9SoG1352 we aspireG5389 toG1510 pleaseG2101 HimG846, whetherG1535 we are at homeG1736 in this body orG1535 away from itG1553. 10ForG1063 weG1473 mustG1163 allG3956 appearG5319 beforeG1715 theG3588 judgment seatG968 of ChristG5547, thatG2443 each oneG1538 may receive his dueG2865 forG4314 the thingsG3739 doneG4238 inG1223 theG3588 bodyG4983, whetherG1535 goodG18 orG1535 badG5337.

Ambassadors for Christ

11ThereforeG3767, since we knowG1492 what it means to fearG5401 theG3588 LordG2962, we try to persuadeG3982 menG444. What we are is clearG5319 to GodG2316, andG1161 I hopeG1679 it is clearG5319 toG1722 yourG4771 conscienceG4893 as wellG2532. 12We are not commendingG3756G4921 ourselvesG1438 to youG4771 againG3825. InsteadG235, we are givingG1325 youG4771 an occasionG874 to be proudG2745 ofG5228 usG1473, so thatG2443 you can answerG2192G4314 those whoG3588 take prideG2744 inG1722 appearancesG4383 rather than inG1722 the heartG2588.

13IfG1535 we are out of our mindG1839, it is for GodG2316; ifG1535 we are of sound mindG4993, it is for youG4771. 14ForG1063 Christ’sG5547 loveG26 compelsG4912 usG1473, because we are convincedG2919G3778 thatG3754 OneG1520 diedG599 forG5228 allG3956, thereforeG686 allG3956 diedG599. 15AndG2532 He diedG599 forG5228 allG3956, thatG2443 those whoG3588 liveG2198 should no longerG3371 liveG2198 for themselvesG1438, butG235 for HimG3588 who diedG599 forG5228 themG846 andG2532 was raised againG1453.

16SoG5620 fromG575 now onG3568 weG1473 regardG1492 no oneG3762 according toG2596 the fleshG4561. AlthoughG2532G1487 we once regardedG1097 ChristG5547 in this way, we do so no longerG3765. 17ThereforeG5620 ifG1487 anyoneG5100 is inG1722 ChristG5547, he is a newG2537 creationG2937.1 TheG3588 oldG744 has passed awayG3928. BeholdG2400, the newG2537 has comeG1096!

18

All thisG3956 is fromG1537 GodG2316, whoG3588 reconciledG2644 usG1473 to HimselfG1438 throughG1223 ChristG5547 andG2532 gaveG1325 usG1473 theG3588 ministryG1248 of reconciliationG2643: 19thatG3754 GodG2316 wasG1510 reconcilingG2644 the worldG2889 to HimselfG1438 inG1722 ChristG5547, notG3361 countingG3049 men’s trespassesG3900 against themG846. AndG2532 He has committedG5087 toG1722 usG1473 theG3588 messageG3056 of reconciliationG2643.

20ThereforeG3767 we are ambassadorsG4243 forG5228 ChristG5547, as thoughG5613 GodG2316 were making His appealG3870 throughG1223 usG1473. We implore youG1189 on behalfG5228 of ChristG5547: Be reconciledG2644 to GodG2316. 21God madeG4160 Him whoG3588 knewG1097 noG3361 sinG266 to be sinG2662 on our behalfG5228G1473, so thatG2443 inG1722 HimG846 weG1473 might becomeG1096 the righteousnessG1343 of GodG2316.