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

Our body is like a house we live in here on earth. When it is destroyed, we know that God has another body for us in heaven. The new one will not be made by human hands as a house is made. This body will last forever.

2 F or most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven;

Right now we cry inside ourselves because we wish we could have our new body which we will have in heaven.

3 i f so be that being clothed we will not be found naked.

We will not be without a body. We will live in a new body.

4 F or indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

While we are in this body, we cry inside ourselves because things are hard for us. It is not that we want to die. Instead, we want to live in our new bodies. We want this dying body to be changed into a living body that lasts forever.

5 N ow he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.

It is God Who has made us ready for this change. He has given us His Spirit to show us what He has for us.

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

We are sure of this. We know that while we are at home in this body we are not with the Lord.

7 f or we walk by faith, not by sight.

Our life is lived by faith. We do not live by what we see in front of us.

8 W e are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

We are sure we will be glad to be free of these bodies. It will be good to be at home with the Lord.

9 T herefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.

So if we stay here on earth or go home to Him, we always want to please Him.

10 F or we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

For all of us must stand before Christ when He says who is guilty or not guilty. Each one will receive pay for what he has done. He will be paid for the good or the bad done while he lived in this body.

11 K nowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.

Because of this, we know the fear of God. So we try to get men to put their trust in Christ. God knows us. I hope that your hearts know me well also.

12 F or we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

We do not want to sound as if we think we are so important. Instead, we are making it easy for you to be proud of us. In that way, you will be able to tell them about us. They always talk about the way people look, but do not care about their hearts.

13 F or if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.

Are we crazy to talk like this? It is all because of what God has done. If we are using our minds well, it is for you.

14 F or the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.

For the love of Christ puts us into action. We are sure that Christ died for everyone. So, because of that, everyone has a part in His death.

15 H e died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.

Christ died for everyone so that they would live for Him. They should not live to please themselves but for Christ Who died on a cross and was raised from the dead for them.

16 T herefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

So from now on, we do not think about what people are like by looking at them. We even thought about Christ that way one time. But we do not think of Him that way anymore.

17 T herefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun.

18 B ut all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;

All this comes from God. He is the One Who brought us to Himself when we hated Him. He did this through Christ. Then He gave us the work of bringing others to Him.

19 n amely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

God was in Christ. He was working through Christ to bring the whole world back to Himself. God no longer held men’s sins against them. And He gave us the work of telling and showing men this.

20 W e are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

We are Christ’s missionaries. God is speaking to you through us. We are speaking for Christ and we ask you from our hearts to turn from your sins and come to God.

21 F or him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Christ never sinned but God put our sin on Him. Then we are made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.