1 F or we know that if the tent which is our earthly home is destroyed (dissolved), we have from God a building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

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.

2 H ere indeed, in this, we sigh and groan inwardly, because we yearn to be clothed over with our heavenly dwelling,

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3 S o that by putting it on we may not be found naked (without a body).

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4 F or while we are still in this tent, we groan under the burden and sigh deeply (weighed down, depressed, oppressed)—not that we want to put off the body (the clothing of the spirit), but rather that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (our dying body) may be swallowed up by life '> after the resurrection].

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

5 N ow He Who has fashioned us for this very thing is God, Who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6 S o then, we are always full of good and hopeful and confident courage; we know that while we are at home in the body, we are abroad from the home with the Lord.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

7 F or we walk by faith '> regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

8 w e have confident and hopeful courage and are pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and be at home with the Lord.

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

9 T herefore, whether we are at home or away from home, we are constantly ambitious and strive earnestly to be pleasing to Him.

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

10 F or we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil '> what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

11 T herefore, being conscious of fearing the Lord with respect and reverence, we seek to win people over. But what sort of persons we are is plainly recognized and thoroughly understood by God, and I hope that it is plainly recognized and thoroughly understood also by your consciences (your inborn discernment).

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

12 W e are not commending ourselves to you again, but we are providing you with an occasion and incentive to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who pride themselves on surface appearances '> on the virtues they only appear to have], although their heart is devoid of them.

For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

13 F or if we are beside ourselves, it is for God and concerns Him; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit,

For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

14 F or the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that One died for all, then all died;

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 A nd He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake.

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

16 C onsequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a human point of view. even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now we know Him no longer.

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

17 T herefore if any person is in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 B ut all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 I t was God in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against their trespasses, and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 S o we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor and be reconciled to God.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 F or our sake He made Christ to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become '> endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.