2 Corinthians 5

New International Version

Awaiting the New Body

5 For we know that if the earthly^(A) tent^(B) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ²Meanwhile we groan,^(C) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,^(D) ³because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴For while we are in this tent, we groan^(E) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,^(F) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.^(G)

⁶Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷For we live by faith, not by sight.^(H) ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.^(I) ⁹So we make it our goal to please him,^(J) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us^(K) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,^(L) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.^(M) ¹²We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,^(N) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,^(O) so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. ¹³If we are “out of our mind,”^(P) as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.^(Q) ¹⁵And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves^(R) but for him who died for them^(S) and was raised again.

¹⁶So from now on we regard no one from a worldly^(T) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,^(U) the new creation^(V) has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!^(W) ¹⁸All this is from God,^(X) who reconciled us to himself through Christ^(Y) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.^(Z) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(AA) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(AB) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^(AC) ²¹God made him who had no sin^(AD) to be sin^[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.^(AE)

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering

Isaiah 43

New International Version

Israel’s Only Savior

43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created^(A) you, Jacob,
    he who formed^(B) you, Israel:^(C)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed^(D) you;
    I have summoned you by name;^(E) you are mine.^(F)
²When you pass through the waters,^(G)
    I will be with you;^(H)
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,^(I)
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.^(J)
³For I am the Lord your God,^(K)
    the Holy One^(L) of Israel, your Savior;^(M)
I give Egypt^(N) for your ransom,
    Cush^[a]^(O) and Seba^(P) in your stead.^(Q)
⁴Since you are precious and honored^(R) in my sight,
    and because I love^(S) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
⁵Do not be afraid,^(T) for I am with you;^(U)
    I will bring your children^(V) from the east
    and gather^(W) you from the west.^(X)
⁶I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south,^(Y) ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters^(Z) from the ends of the earth^(AA)—
⁷everyone who is called by my name,^(AB)
    whom I created^(AC) for my glory,^(AD)
    whom I formed and made.^(AE)”

⁸Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,^(AF)
    who have ears but are deaf.^(AG)
⁹All the nations gather together^(AH)
    and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold^(AI) this
    and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
    so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
¹⁰“You are my witnesses,^(AJ)” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant^(AK) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know^(AL) and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god^(AM) was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.^(AN)
¹¹I, even I, am the Lord,^(AO)
    and apart from me there is no savior.^(AP)
¹²I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god^(AQ) among you.
You are my witnesses,^(AR)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
¹³    Yes, and from ancient days^(AS) I am he.^(AT)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”^(AU)

God’s Mercy and Israel’s Unfaithfulness

¹⁴This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,^(AV) the Holy One^(AW) of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon
    and bring down as fugitives^(AX) all the Babylonians,^[b]^(AY)
    in the ships in which they took pride.
¹⁵I am the Lord,^(AZ) your Holy One,
    Israel’s Creator,^(BA) your King.^(BB)”

¹⁶This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters,^(BC)
¹⁷who drew out^(BD) the chariots and horses,^(BE)
    the army and reinforcements together,^(BF)
and they lay^(BG) there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:^(BH)
¹⁸“Forget the former things;^(BI)
    do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹See, I am doing a new thing!^(BJ)
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness^(BK)
    and streams in the wasteland.^(BL)
²⁰The wild animals^(BM) honor me,
    the jackals^(BN) and the owls,
because I provide water^(BO) in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
²¹    the people I formed^(BP) for myself^(BQ)
    that they may proclaim my praise.^(BR)

²²“Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
    you have not wearied^(BS) yourselves for^[c] me, Israel.^(BT)
²³You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,^(BU)
    nor honored^(BV) me with your sacrifices.^(BW)
I have not burdened^(BX) you with grain offerings
    nor wearied you with demands^(BY) for incense.^(BZ)
²⁴You have not bought any fragrant calamus^(CA) for me,
    or lavished on me the fat^(CB) of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
    and wearied^(CC) me with your offenses.^(CD)

²⁵“I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions,^(CE) for my own sake,^(CF)
    and remembers your sins^(CG) no more.^(CH)
²⁶Review the past for me,
    let us argue the matter together;^(CI)
    state the case^(CJ) for your innocence.
²⁷Your first father^(CK) sinned;
    those I sent to teach^(CL) you rebelled^(CM) against me.
²⁸So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
    I consigned Jacob to destruction^[d]^(CN)
    and Israel to scorn.^(CO)

Footnotes

Isaiah 43:3 That is, the upper Nile region
Isaiah 43:14 Or Chaldeans
Isaiah 43:22 Or Jacob; / surely you have grown weary of
Isaiah 43:28 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.