2 Corinthians · Bible in Basic English
2 Corinthians 5 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 For we are conscious that if this our tent of flesh is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in heaven.
1 For 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.
2 For in this we are crying in weariness, greatly desiring to be clothed with our house from heaven:
2 For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,
3 So that our spirits may not be unclothed.
3 if indeed being clothed, we will not be found naked.
4 For truly, we who are in this tent do give out cries of weariness, for the weight of care which is on us; not because we are desiring to be free from the body, but so that we may have our new body, and death may be overcome by life.
4 For 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.
5 Now he who has made us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a witness of what is to come.
5 Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.
6 So, then, we are ever without fear, and though conscious that while we are in the body we are away from the Lord,
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;
7 (For we are walking by faith, not by seeing,)
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are without fear, desiring to be free from the body, and to be with the Lord.
8 We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
9 For this reason we make it our purpose, in the body or away from it, to be well-pleasing to him.
9 Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.
10 For we all have to come before Christ to be judged; so that every one of us may get his reward for the things done in the body, good or bad.
10 For 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.
11 Having in mind, then, the fear of the Lord, we put these things before men, but God sees our hearts; and it is my hope that we may seem right in your eyes.
11 Knowing 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.
12 We are not again requesting your approval, but we are giving you the chance of taking pride in us, so that you may be able to give an answer to those whose glory is in seeming, and not in the heart.
12 For 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.
13 For if we are foolish, it is to God; or if we are serious, it is for you.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.
14 For it is the love of Christ which is moving us; because we are of the opinion that if one was put to death for all, then all have undergone death;
14 For the love of Christ compels us; because we judge thus: that one died for all, therefore all died.
15 And that he underwent death for all, so that the living might no longer be living to themselves, but to him who underwent death for them and came back from the dead.
15 He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
16 For this reason, from this time forward we have knowledge of no man after the flesh: even if we have had knowledge of Christ after the flesh, we have no longer any such knowledge.
16 Therefore we know no one according to the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
17 So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have come to an end; they have truly become new.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
18 But all things are of God, who has made us at peace with himself through Christ, and has given to us the work of making peace;
18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 That is, that God was in Christ making peace between the world and himself, not putting their sins to their account, and having given to us the preaching of this news of peace.
19 namely, 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.
20 So we are the representatives of Christ, as if God was making a request to you through us: we make our request to you, in the name of Christ, be at peace with God.
20 We 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.
21 For him who had no knowledge of sin God made to be sin for us; so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
21 For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Cross references (21)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Job 19:25–26; 1 John 3:2; 2 Peter 1:13–14; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Hebrews 9:24
- 2 Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 15:53–54; Romans 7:24; 2 Corinthians 5:3–4; Philippians 1:23
- 3 Genesis 3:7–11; Revelation 16:15; Revelation 3:18; Exodus 32:25
- 4 1 Corinthians 15:53–54; 2 Corinthians 5:2; Isaiah 25:8; 2 Peter 1:13
- 5 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13–14; Romans 8:23; Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 3:24
- 6 Philippians 3:20–21; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 13:14; Psalm 39:12; Hebrews 11:13
- 7 Hebrews 11:1–27; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Romans 8:24–25; 1 Peter 1:8; Hebrews 10:38
- 8 Philippians 1:20–24; 2 Corinthians 5:6; John 14:3; 1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 12:2–3
- 9 Colossians 1:10; 2 Peter 3:14; Romans 14:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Timothy 4:10
- 10 Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Ephesians 6:8; Psalm 62:12
- 11 Jude 23; Hebrews 10:31; 2 Timothy 2:24–26; Revelation 20:15; 2 Corinthians 4:1–2
- 12 2 Corinthians 3:1; 2 Corinthians 1:14; Galatians 6:12–14; 2 Corinthians 11:12–16; 2 Corinthians 10:18
- 13 2 Corinthians 11:16–17; 2 Corinthians 12:6; 2 Corinthians 11:1; Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 4:10–13
- 14 Galatians 2:20; Romans 14:7–9; Matthew 10:37–38; 1 Peter 1:8; Romans 5:15
- 15 Romans 14:7–9; 1 Peter 4:2–4; 1 Peter 1:14–15; Colossians 3:1; Colossians 3:17
- 16 Colossians 3:11; Philippians 3:7–8; John 6:63; James 2:1–4; James 3:17
- 17 Ezekiel 36:26; Ephesians 4:22–24; Isaiah 43:18–19; John 3:3; Psalm 51:10
- 18 Colossians 1:20–21; Romans 5:10–11; 2 Corinthians 5:19–20; Ephesians 2:16–17; 1 John 4:10
- 19 Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:22; 1 John 4:10; 1 John 2:1–2; 1 Timothy 3:16
- 20 Ephesians 6:20; Luke 14:23; Malachi 2:7; Ezekiel 18:31–32; Luke 10:16
- 21 1 Peter 2:22–24; 1 Peter 3:18; Romans 5:19; Galatians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 1:30
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Again he arouses their zeal because many trials drew on. For it was likely that they, in consequence of his absence, were weaker in respect to this [need]. What then saith he? One ought not to wonder that we suffer affliction; nor to be confounded, for we even reap many gains thereby.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we ought also ourselves to forgive; for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and "we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself." Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all reverence, even as He Himself …
… adorned with works of righteousness, so that the Spirit of God may rest upon us; for this is the wedding garment, of which also the apostle speaks, "Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up by immortality." But those who have indeed been called to God's supper, yet have not received the …
Those pages contain not the expression of this piety,--the tears of confession, Thy sacrifice, a troubled spirit, "a broken and a contrite heart," the salvation of the people, the espoused city, the earnest of the Holy Ghost, the cup of our redemption.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… merely, "If he hath ought against thee." For though it be justly, not even in that case oughtest thou to protract the enmity; since Christ also was justly angered with us, yet nevertheless He gave Himself for us to be slain, "not imputing those trespasses." For this cause Paul also, when urging us in another way to reconciliation, said, "Let …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)