OUR FUTURE AFTER DEATH

5 For we know that if our earthly tent we live inr is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens,s not made with hands.t 2 Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiringu to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 since, when we are clothed,C we will not be found naked.v 4 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortalityw may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

6 So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith,x not by sight.y 8 In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.z 9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasingaa to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seatab of Christ,ac so that each may be repaidad for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord,ae we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than in the heart. 13 For if we are out of our mind,af it is for God; if we are in our right mind,ag it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all,ah and therefore all died. 15 And he died for allai so that those who live should no longer live for themselves,aj but for the oneak who died for them and was raised.

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective.D Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective,E yet now we no longer know him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;al the old has passed away, and see,am the new hasF come!an 18 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.ao 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the worldap to himself,aq not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadorsar for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf,as “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the one who did not know sinat to be sinG for us,au so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.