5For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. ²For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven: ³if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. ⁴For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. ⁵Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. ⁶Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord ⁷(for we walk by faith, not by sight); ⁸we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. ¹⁰For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

¹¹Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. ¹²We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart. ¹³For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you. ¹⁴For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. ¹⁶Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. ¹⁷Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. ¹⁸But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. ²¹Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

6And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain ²(for he saith,

At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee,

And in a day of salvation did I succor thee:

behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation):

³giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; ⁴but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, ⁵in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; ⁶in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, ⁷in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; ⁹as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; ¹⁰as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹Our mouth is open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. ¹²Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections. ¹³Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.

¹⁴Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? ¹⁵And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ¹⁷Wherefore

Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,

And touch no unclean thing;

And I will receive you,

¹⁸And will be to you a Father,

And ye shall be to me sons and daughters,

saith the Lord Almighty.

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