2 Corinthians 5-6

New American Standard Bible

The Temporal and Eternal

5 For we know that if our ^[a](A)earthly ^(B)tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house ^(C)not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For indeed, in this tent we ^(D)groan, longing to be ^(E)clothed with our ^[b]dwelling from heaven, ³ since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For indeed, we who are in this tent ^(F)groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be ^(G)clothed, so that what is ^(H)mortal will be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who ^(I)gave us the Spirit as a ^[c]pledge.

⁶ Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that ^(J)while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— ⁷ for ^(K)we walk by faith, not by ^[d]sight— ⁸ but we are of good courage and ^(L)prefer rather to be absent from the body and ^(M)to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be ^(N)pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before ^(O)the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for ^[e]his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the ^(P)fear of the Lord, we persuade people, but we are well known to God; and I hope that we are also ^(Q)well known in your consciences. ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you ^(R)again, but are giving you an ^(S)opportunity to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For if we have ^(T)lost our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ ^(U)controls us, having concluded this, that ^(V)one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer ^(W)live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.

¹⁶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one ^[f](X)by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is ^(Y)in Christ, this person is ^(Z)a new ^[g]creation; ^(AA)the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸ Now ^(AB)all these things are from God, ^(AC)who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ^(AD)ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that ^(AE)God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, ^(AF)not counting their wrongdoings against them, and ^[h]He has ^[i]committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Therefore, we are ^(AG)ambassadors for Christ, ^(AH)as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be ^(AI)reconciled to God. ²¹ He made Him who ^(AJ)knew no sin to be ^[j](AK)sin in our behalf, so that we might become the ^(AL)righteousness of God in Him.

Their Ministry Commended

6 And ^(AM)working together with Him, ^(AN)we also urge you not to receive ^(AO)the grace of God in vain— ² for He says,

Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”— ^3 (AQ)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, ⁴ but in everything ^(AR)commending ourselves as ^[k](AS)servants of God, ^(AT)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, ⁵ in ^(AU)beatings, in imprisonments, in ^(AV)[l]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in ^(AW)hunger, ⁶ in purity, in ^(AX)knowledge, in ^(AY)patience, in kindness, in the ^(AZ)Holy Spirit, in ^(BA)genuine love, ⁷ in ^(BB)the word of truth, and in ^(BC)the power of God; by ^(BD)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ by glory and ^(BE)dishonor, by ^(BF)evil report and good report; regarded as ^(BG)deceivers and yet ^(BH)true; ⁹ as unknown and yet well known, as ^(BI)dying and yet behold, ^(BJ)we are alive; as ^[m]punished and yet not put to death, ¹⁰ as ^(BK)sorrowful yet always ^(BL)rejoicing, as ^(BM)poor yet making many rich, as ^(BN)having nothing and yet possessing ^(BO)all things.

^11 (BP)Our mouth ^[n]has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our ^(BQ)heart is opened wide. ¹² You are not restrained ^[o]by us, but ^(BR)you are restrained in your own ^[p]affections. ¹³ Now in the same way in ^(BS)exchange—I am speaking as to ^(BT)children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

^14 (BU)Do not be ^[q]mismatched with ^(BV)unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness ^(BW)share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? ¹⁵ Or what ^(BX)harmony does Christ have with ^[r]Belial, or ^[s]what does a ^(BY)believer share with an ^(BZ)unbeliever? ¹⁶ Or ^(CA)what agreement does ^[t]the temple of God have with idols? For we are ^[u](CB)the temple of ^(CC)the living God; just as God said,