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, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a 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 with our habitation which is from heaven,

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

if indeed, having been 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 who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by 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 who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

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.

So we are always confident, knowing that while 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, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. The Judgment Seat of Christ

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

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to 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 each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether 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 well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. Be Reconciled to God

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 do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast 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 if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

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 compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;

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 He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who 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.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

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 anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have 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.

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given 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).

that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to 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 were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be 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 made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.