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.

³⁵ But ^(A)someone will say, “How are ^(B)the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” ^36 (C)You fool! That which you ^(D)sow does not come to life unless it dies; ³⁷ and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of ^[a]something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body just as He wished, and ^(E)to each of the seeds a body of its own. ³⁹ All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of mankind, another flesh of animals, another flesh of birds, and another of fish. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. ⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

^42 (F)So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown ^[b](G)a perishable body, it is raised ^[c](H)an imperishable body; ⁴³ it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in ^(I)glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a ^(J)natural body, it is raised a ^(K)spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So also it is written: “The first ^(L)man, Adam, became a living ^[d]person.” The ^(M)last Adam was a ^(N)life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is ^(O)from the earth, ^[e](P)earthy; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ As is the earthy one, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly one, ^(Q)so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹ Just as we have ^(R)borne the image of the earthy, ^[f]we ^(S)will also bear the image of the heavenly.

The Mystery of Resurrection

⁵⁰ Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that ^(T)flesh and blood cannot ^(U)inherit the kingdom of God; nor does ^[g]the perishable inherit ^[h](V)the imperishable. ⁵¹ Behold, I am telling you a ^[i](W)mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be ^(X)changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for ^(Y)the trumpet will sound, and ^(Z)the dead will be raised ^[j]imperishable, and ^(AA)we will be changed. ⁵³ For this ^[k]perishable must put on ^[l](AB)the imperishable, and this ^(AC)mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this ^[m]perishable puts on ^[n]the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “^(AD)Death has been swallowed up in victory. ^55 (AE)Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of ^(AF)death is sin, and ^(AG)the power of sin is the Law; ⁵⁷ but ^(AH)thanks be to God, who gives us the ^(AI)victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

New Heavens and a New Earth

A New Heaven and Earth

¹⁰ But ^(A)the day of the Lord ^(B)will come like a thief, in which ^(C)the heavens ^(D)will pass away with a roar and the ^(E)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and ^(F)the earth and ^[a]its works will be ^[b]discovered.

¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ^12 (G)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which ^(H)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the ^(I)elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³ But according to His ^(J)promise we are looking for ^(K)new heavens and a new earth, ^(L)in which righteousness dwells.

The New Heaven and Earth

21 Then I saw ^(A)a new heaven and a new earth; for ^(B)the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. ² And I saw ^(C)the holy city, ^(D)new Jerusalem, ^(E)coming down out of heaven from God, ^(F)prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, ^(G)the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will ^(H)dwell among them, and they shall be His ^[a]people, and God Himself will be among them^[b], ⁴ and He will ^(I)wipe away every tear from their eyes; and ^(J)there will no longer be any death; ^(K)there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; ^(L)the first things have passed away.”