1 ¶ For we know that if the earthly house of this our habitation were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For 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.

2 F or in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven,

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

3 i f so be that we shall be found clothed and not naked.

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

4 F or we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, for we do not desire to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon with life swallowing up that which is mortal.

For 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].

5 N ow he that has made us for this same thing is God, who has likewise given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

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

6 T herefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord

So 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.

7 ( for we walk by faith, not by sight).

For 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.

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

we 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.

9 T herefore we also procure, whether present or absent, that we may please him.

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

10 F or we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive according to that which they have done in the body, good or evil.

For 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].

11 T herefore being certain of that terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Therefore, 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).

12 ¶ For we do not commend ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf that ye may have something to answer those who glory in appearance, and not in heart.

We 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.

13 F or whether we are fools, it is unto God; or whether we are sane, it is for your cause.

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

14 F or the charity of the Christ constrains us because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all are dead:

For 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;

15 A nd that he died for all that those who live should not live from now on unto themselves, but unto him who died and rose again for them.

And 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.

16 ¶ Therefore from now on we know no one according to the flesh: and even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no longer.

Consequently, 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.

17 T herefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are made new.

Therefore 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!

18 A nd all this by God, who reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

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

19 f or certainly God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them and having placed in us the word of reconciliation.

It 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).

20 N ow then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did exhort you by us; we beseech you in Christ’s name, be ye reconciled to God.

So 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.

21 F or he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

For 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.