1 He continueth in the same argument, 5 touching the certain hope of salvation 7 through faith, 12 not to praise himself, 14 seeing he hath God and his Church before his eyes, 17 and esteemeth nothing, but newness of life in Christ.

For [a]we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, we have a building given of God, that is, an house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens.

For therefore we sigh, desiring to be [b]clothed with our house, which is from [c]heaven.

[d]Because that if we be clothed, we shall not be found (A)naked.

For indeed we that are in this tabernacle, sigh and are burdened because we would not be unclothed, but would be clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

And he that hath [e]created us for this thing, is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:1 Taking occasion by the former comparison, he compareth this miserable body, as it is in this life, to a frail and brickle tabernacle, against which he setteth the heavenly Tabernacle, so terming that sure and everlasting condition of this same body glorified in heaven, insomuch, saith he, that we are not only not addicted to this tabernacle, but also do with sobs and sighs desire rather that tabernacle. And so this place also concerning the glory to come, is put within the treatise of the dignity of the ministry, as the other was, whereof we spake in the beginning of the second Chapter.
  2. 2 Corinthians 5:2 He calleth the glory of immortality, which we shall be as it were clothed with, a garment.
  3. 2 Corinthians 5:2 Heavenly, not that the substance of it is heavenly, but for the glory of it.
  4. 2 Corinthians 5:3 An exposition of the former saying: We do not without cause, desire to be clad with the heavenly house, that is, with that everlasting and immortal glory, as with a garment: for when we depart hence, we shall not remain naked, having once cast off the covering of this body, but we shall take our bodies again, which shall put on as it were another garment besides: and therefore we sigh not for the weariness of this life, but for the desire of a better life. Neither is this desire in vain, for we are made to that life, the pledge whereof we have, even the Spirit of adoption.
  5. 2 Corinthians 5:5 He meaneth that first creation, to give us to understand, that our bodies were made to this end, that they should be clothed with heavenly immortality.

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. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 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. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

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