2 Corinthians 5
Wycliffe Bible
5 And we know, that if our earthly house of this dwelling be dissolved, that we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, everlasting in heavens.
2 For why in this thing we mourn, coveting to be clothed above with our dwelling, which is of heaven;
3 if nevertheless we be found clothed, and not naked.
4 For why we that be in this tabernacle, sorrow within, and be heavied [grieved], for that we will not be spoiled, but be clothed above; that that thing that is deadly, be swallowed up of life[a].
5 But who is it that maketh us into this same thing? God, that gave to us the earnest of the Spirit. [Forsooth he that maketh us into this same thing, is God, that gave to us the earnest of Spirit.]
6 Therefore we be hardy always, and know that the while we be in this body, we go in pilgrimage from the Lord;[b]
7 for we walk by faith, and not by clear sight.
8 But we be hardy [Forsooth we be hardy], and have good will, more to be in pilgrimage from the body, and to be present to God.
9 And therefore we strive, whether absent, whether present, to please him.
10 For it behooveth us all to be showed before the throne of Christ, that every man tell the proper things of the body[c], as he hath done, either good, either evil.
11 Therefore we witting the dread of the Lord, counsel men, for to God we be open; and I hope, that we be open also in your consciences.
12 We commend not us selves again to you, but we give to you occasion to have glory for us [We commend not ourselves again to you, but we give to you occasion to glory for us], that ye have [understanding] to them that glory in the face, and not in the heart.
13 For either we by mind pass to God, either we be sober to you. [Soothly whether we by mind, or reason, pass it is to God, whether we be sober it is to you?]
14 For the charity of Christ driveth us; guessing this thing [guessing, or deeming, this thing], that if one died for all, then all were dead.
15 And Christ died for all, that they that live, live not now to themselves, but to him that died for them, and rose again.
16 Therefore we from this time know no man after the flesh; though we (have) known Christ after the flesh [And so we from this time have known no man after the flesh; and if we knew Christ after the flesh], but [right] now we know not.
17 Therefore if any new creature is in Christ, the old things be passed [old things have passed]. Lo! all things be made new,
18 and all things be of God, which reconciled us to him by Christ, and gave to us the service of reconciling [and gave to us the ministry, or service, of reconciling].
19 And God was in Christ [Soothly, for God was in Christ], reconciling to him the world, not reckoning to them their guilts, and putted in us the word of reconciling [and put in us the word of reconciling].
20 Therefore we use message for Christ [Therefore we be set in legacy, or message, for Christ], as if God admonisheth by us; we beseech you for Christ, be ye reconciled to God.
21 God the Father made him sin for us, which knew not sin, that we should be made [the] rightwiseness of God in him.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 5:4 for that we will not be despoiled, but clothed above; that that thing that is deadly, be sopped up of life
- 2 Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we be hardy all-gates, and knowing for the while we be in this body, we go in pilgrimage from the Lord;
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 that every man receive the proper things of the body
2 Corinthians 5
Common English Bible
5 We know that if the tent that we live in on earth is torn down, we have a building from God. It’s a house that isn’t handmade, which is eternal and located in heaven. 2 We groan while we live in this residence. We really want to dress ourselves with our building from heaven— 3 since we assume that when we take off this tent, we won’t find out that we are naked. 4 Yes, while we are in this tent we groan, because we are weighed down. We want to be dressed not undressed, so that what is dying can be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very thing is God, and God gave us the Spirit as a down payment for our home.
6 So we are always confident, because we know that while we are living in the body, we are away from our home with the Lord. 7 We live by faith and not by sight. 8 We are confident, and we would prefer to leave the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 So our goal is to be acceptable to him, whether we are at home or away from home. 10 We all must appear before Christ in court so that each person can be paid back for the things that were done while in the body, whether they were good or bad.
Ministry of reconciliation
11 So we try to persuade people, since we know what it means to fear the Lord. We are well known by God, and I hope that in your heart we are well known by you as well. 12 We aren’t trying to commend ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us so that you could answer those who take pride in superficial appearance, and not in what is in the heart.
13 If we are crazy, it’s for God’s sake. If we are rational, it’s for your sake. 14 The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: one died for the sake of all; therefore, all died. 15 He died for the sake of all so that those who are alive should live not for themselves but for the one who died for them and was raised.
16 So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know him now. 17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!
18 All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.
20 So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” 21 God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5
King James Version
5 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible