2 Corinthians 5 - 6
The Temporal and Eternal
5For we know that if 1the aearthly btent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house cnot made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For indeed in this we agroan, longing to be bclothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4For indeed while we are in this tent, we agroan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be bclothed, so that what is cmortal will be swallowed up by life. 5Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who agave to us the Spirit as a 1pledge.
6Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that awhile we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7for awe walk by faith, not by 1sight— 8we are of good courage and aprefer rather to be absent from the body and bto be at home with the Lord. 9Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be apleasing to Him. 10For we must all appear before athe judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for 1his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11So then, knowing the afear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we 1have been made manifest to God; and I hope that we 2have been bmade manifest also in your consciences. 12We are not aagain commending ourselves to you but are giving you an bopportunity to boast of us, so that you will have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13For if we 1are aout of our mind, it is for God, or if we are of right mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ acontrols us, having concluded this, that bone died for all, therefore all died. 15And He died for all, so that they who live would no longer alive for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
16Therefore from now on we recognize no one 1,aaccording to the flesh; even though we have known Christ 2according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is ain Christ, he is ba new creation; cthe old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18Now aall these things are from God, bwho reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the cministry of reconciliation, 19namely, that aGod was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, bnot counting their transgressions against them, and 1He has 2committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20So then, we are aambassadors for Christ, bas God is pleading through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be creconciled to God. 21He made Him who aknew no sin to be bsin on our behalf, so that we might become the crighteousness of God in Him.
Commendable Ministers of God
6And aworking together with Him, bwe also plead with you not to receive cthe grace of God in vain— 2for He says, “aAt the acceptable time I listened to you,And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—3agiving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4but in everything acommending ourselves as bministers of God, cin much perseverance, in afflictions, in distresses, in hardships, 5in abeatings, in imprisonments, in bdisturbances, in labors, in sleeplessness, in chunger, 6in purity, in aknowledge, in bpatience, in kindness, in the cHoly Spirit, in dunhypocritical love, 7in athe word of truth, in bthe power of God; by cthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8by glory and adishonor, by bevil report and good report; regarded as cdeceivers and yet dtrue; 9as unknown and yet well-known, as adying and yet behold, bwe live; as 1punished and yet not put to death, 10as asorrowful but always brejoicing, as cpoor but making many rich, as dhaving nothing and yet possessing eall things.
11aOur mouth 1has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our bheart is opened wide. 12You are not restrained 1by us, but ayou are restrained in your own 2affections. 13Now in a like aexchange—I speak as to bchildren—open wide to us also.
14aDo not be unequally yoked with bunbelievers; for what cpartnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15Or what aharmony has Christ with 1Belial, or 2what has a bbeliever in common with an cunbeliever? 16Or awhat agreement has a 1sanctuary of God with idols? For we are ba sanctuary of cthe living God; just as God said, “dI will edwell in them and fwalk among them;And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17“aTherefore, bcome out from their midst and be separate,” says the 1Lord.“And do not touch what is unclean,And I will welcome you.18“aAnd I will be a father to you,And you shall be bsons and daughters to Me,”says the 1Lord Almighty.