1 We know that when this earthly “tent” we live in is taken down, we have a house prepared by God, not made by human hands. It is eternal and is in heaven. 2 We sigh with longing for this, wanting so badly to be clothed with this new heavenly home. 3 When we put on this clothing we won't be seen naked. 4 While we are in this “tent” we sigh, being weighed down by this life. It's not so much that we want to take off the clothing of this life but that we look forward to what we shall be clothed with, so that what is mortal may be overwhelmed by life. 5 It's God himself who prepared us for all this, and who provided the Spirit as a guarantee to us. 6 So we remain confident, knowing that while we are at home here in our physical bodies, we are away from the Lord. 7 (For we live by trusting in God, not by seeing him.) 8 As I say, we are confident, wanting to be away from the body so we can be at home with the Lord. 9 That's why our goal, whether home here in our bodies or not, is to make sure we please him. 10 For all of us must appear before Christ's seat of judgment. Each of us will receive what we deserve for what we have done in this life, whether it is good or bad. 11 Knowing how we are in awe of the Lord, we try to convince others. It's clear to God what we are, and I hope that it's clear to your minds too. 12 We are not trying to speak well of ourselves again, just trying to give you the opportunity to be proud of us, so you can answer those who are proud of outward show and not what they are inside. 13 If we are “crazy people,” it's for God. If we make good sense, it's for you. 14 Christ's love urges us on, because we're absolutely sure that he died for everyone, and so everyone died. 15 Christ died for everyone so that they shouldn't live any longer for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them. 16 From now on we don't look at anyone from a human point of view. Even though we once viewed Christ this way, we don't do so any longer. 17 That's why anyone who is in Christ is a new being—what was old is gone, the new has come! 18 God did all this by changing us from enemies into friends through Christ. God gave us this same work of changing his enemies into his friends. 19 For God was in Christ, bringing the world back from hostility to friendship with him, not counting anyone's sins against them, and giving us this message to change his enemies into his friends. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God is pleading through us: “Please, won't you come back and be God's friend?” 21 God made Jesus, who never personally sinned, experience the consequences of sin so that we could have a character that is good and right just as God is good and right.
2 Corinthians · Free Bible Version
2 Corinthians 5 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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)