2 Corinthians 5:1

2 Corinthians 5:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
• New International Version (NIV)For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Context of 2 Corinthians 5:1

Our bodies are like a tent that we live in here on earth. One day, that home will come to an end. But we know that God will give us a new home. It is not a house that a human builder has built. God has built it for us in heaven and we will live there for ever. 2Now, while we are in our body here on earth, we cry inside ourselves. We want to go and live in our house that is in heaven. 3That will be like new clothes that we put on. When we go to live there, we will not be without clothes and ashamed.

2 Corinthians 5:1 word by word

Οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ ἐπίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σκήνους καταλυθῇ, οἰκοδομὴν ἐκ θεοῦ ἔχομεν, οἰκίαν ἀχειροποίητον αἰώνιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• earthlyἐπίγειοςepigeios · earthlyG1919
• houseοἰκίαoikia · homeG3614
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• tabernacleσκῆνοςskēnos · tentG4636
• were dissolvedκαταλύωkataluō · to destroy/lodgeG2647
• we haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a buildingοἰκοδομήoikodomē · buildingG3619
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• not made with handsἀχειροποίητοςacheiropoiētos · not man-madeG886
• eternalαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the heavensοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 5:1

• Job 19:25As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that, in the end, he will stand on the earth.
• Psalms 56:9When I call to you for help, my enemies will turn back. I am sure of this: God is with me, to fight for me.
• 2 Timothy 1:12That is why I have these troubles. But I am not ashamed to be in prison. I have believed in Christ and I know him well. I know that I can trust him to keep his message safe. God has given me the authority to speak that message to people at this time. Christ has the power to keep it safe until that great day when he comes back.
• 1 John 3:2My friends, we are already children of God. We do not yet know clearly what we will become. But we do know this: when Christ returns to this world, we will become like him. We will be like him because we will see him as he really is.
• 1 John 5:19We know that we belong to God. We know that Satan rules all the people who belong to this world.
• 2 Corinthians 5:4While we still live in our bodies here on earth, we cry inside ourselves. Many difficult things happen to us. We do not really want to take off our old body. But we do want to put on our new body, like new clothes. When that happens, we will no longer need our old body which had to die. Instead we will have a new body that will live for ever.
• 2 Corinthians 4:7God has given to us the gift to speak his message. But we ourselves are very weak. It is like we are keeping his valuable gift in clay pots. So it is clear that the great power of God's message comes from God himself. It does not come from us.
• Genesis 3:19You will have to work hard for a long time before you have any food to eat. You will do this for your whole life until you die. Then you will return into the ground. That is where you came from. I made you from the soil of the ground, and you will become soil again.’
• Job 4:19God used clay to make bodies for us who are humans. We came from the dust of the earth. We are as weak as moths.
• 1 Corinthians 15:46The spiritual body does not come first. No, what is human comes first. Then, after that, what is spiritual comes.
• 2 Peter 1:13While I am still alive on this earth I will continue to make sure that you remember them. I think that it is right for me to do that.
• Job 30:22You take hold of me and you carry me away, like a strong wind that blows. You use a storm to destroy me.
• 2 Peter 3:11Certainly, God will destroy everything in this way one day. So think about how you should live now. You should be the kind of people that God is happy about. You should show that you belong to God.
• John 14:2There are many rooms in my Father's house. I will go now so that I can prepare a place for you there. If it was not true, I would not have told you this.
• 1 Corinthians 3:9Apollos and I work together as God's servants. You are like God's field that we work in. You are also like a building that belongs to God.
• Hebrews 11:10We see that Abraham was waiting to live in God's special place. That is the city that God himself has built. God has made it very strong so that it will be there for ever.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 5:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1If our earthly house of this tabernacle - By earthly house, the apostle most evidently means the body in which the soul is represented as dwelling or sojourning for a time, and from which it is to be liberated at death; for as death dissolves the tabernacle, it can then be no habitation for the soul. The apostle also alludes here to the ancient Jewish tabernacle, which, on all removals of the congregation, was dissolved and taken in pieces; and the ark of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1For we know - We who are engaged in the work of the gospel ministry. Paul is giving a reason why he and his fellow-laborers did not become weary and faint in their work. The reason was, that they knew that even if their body should die, they had an inheritance reserved for them in heaven. The expression “we know” is the language of strong and unwavering assurance. They had no doubt on the subject. And it proves that there may be the assurance of eternal…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The apostle's hope and desire of heavenly glory. (1-8) This excited to diligence. The reasons of his being affected with zeal for the Corinthians. (9-15) The necessity of regeneration, and of reconciliation with God through Christ. (16-21) Verses 1-8 The believer not only is well assured by faith that there is another and a happy life after this is ended, but he has good hope, through grace, of heaven as a dwelling-place, a resting-place, a hiding-place…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. 1-212Co 5:1-21. The Hope (2Co 4:17, 18) OF Eternal Glory in the Resurrection Body. Hence arises his ambition to be accepted at the Lord's coming judgment. Hence, too, his endeavor to deal openly with men, as with God, in preaching; thus giving the Corinthians whereof to boast concerning him against his adversaries. His constraining motive is the transforming love of Christ, by whom God has wrought reconciliation between Himself and men, and has committed to…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 5:1

• Body
• Building
• Death
• Heaven
• House
• Life
• Man
• Resurrection
• Testimony

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Appear
• Building
• Constrain
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Death
• Earthly
• Faith
• Groan

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