2 Corinthians 5–6

¹For we have known that if our earthly house of the tabernacle may be thrown down, a building from God we have, an house not made with hands—age-during—in the heavens, ²for also in this we groan, with our dwelling that is from heaven earnestly desiring to clothe ourselves, ³if so be that, having clothed ourselves, we shall not be found naked, ⁴for we also who are in the tabernacle do groan, being burdened, seeing we wish not to unclothe ourselves, but to clothe ourselves, that the mortal may be swallowed up of the life. ⁵And He who did work us to this self-same thing is God, who also did give to us the earnest of the Spirit; ⁶having courage, then, at all times, and knowing that being at home in the body, we are away from home from the Lord,— ⁷for through faith we walk, not through sight— ⁸we have courage, and are well pleased rather to be away from the home of the body, and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹Wherefore also we are ambitious, whether at home or away from home, to be well pleasing to him, ¹⁰for all of us it behoveth to be manifested before the tribunal of the Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body, in reference to the things that he did, whether good or evil; ¹¹having known, therefore, the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, and to God we are manifested, and I hope also in your consciences to have been manifested.

¹²For not again ourselves do we recommend to you, but we are giving occasion to you of glorifying in our behalf, that ye may have something in reference to those glorifying in face and not in heart; ¹³for whether we were beside ourselves, it was to God; whether we be of sound mind—it is to you, ¹⁴for the love of the Christ doth constrain us, having judged thus: that if one for all died, then the whole died, ¹⁵and for all he died, that those living, no more to themselves may live, but to him who died for them, and was raised again.

¹⁶So that we henceforth have known no one according to the flesh, and even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no more; ¹⁷so that if any one is in Christ—he is a new creature; the old things did pass away, lo, become new have the all things. ¹⁸And the all things are of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and did give to us the ministration of the reconciliation, ¹⁹how that God was in Christ—a world reconciling to Himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses; and having put in us the word of the reconciliation, ²⁰in behalf of Christ, then, we are ambassadors, as if God were calling through us, we beseech, in behalf of Christ, ‘Be ye reconciled to God;’ ²¹for him who did not know sin, in our behalf He did make sin, that we may become the righteousness of God in him.

Chapter 6

¹And working together also we call upon you that ye receive not in vain the grace of God— ²for He saith, ‘In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation I did help thee, lo, now is a well-accepted time; lo, now, a day of salvation,’— ³in nothing giving any cause of offence, that the ministration may be not blamed, ⁴but in everything recommending ourselves as God’s ministrants; in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, ⁵in stripes, in imprisonments, in insurrections, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, ⁶in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, ⁷in the word of truth, in the power of God, through the armour of the righteousness, on the right and on the left, ⁸through glory and dishonour, through evil report and good report, as leading astray, and true; ⁹as unknown, and recognized; as dying, and lo, we live; as chastened, and not put to death; ¹⁰as sorrowful, and always rejoicing; as poor, and making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

¹¹Our mouth hath been open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart hath been enlarged! ¹²ye are not straitened in us, and ye are straitened in your own bowels, ¹³and as a recompense of the same kind, (as to children I say it,) be ye enlarged—also ye! ¹⁴Become not yoked with others—unbelievers, for what partaking is there to righteousness and lawlessness? ¹⁵and what fellowship to light with darkness? and what concord to Christ with Belial? or what part to a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶and what agreement to the sanctuary of God with idols? for ye are a sanctuary of the living God, according as God said—‘I will dwell in them, and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people, ¹⁷wherefore, come ye forth out of the midst of them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and an unclean thing do not touch, and I—I will receive you, ¹⁸and I will be to you for a Father, and ye—ye shall be to Me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.’

Chapter 7