¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord^(A) from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit,^(B) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.^(A)

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. ² Meanwhile we groan,^(C) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,^{(D) 3} because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For 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. ⁵ Now 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)

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight.^{(H) 8} We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.^(I)

²¹ For to me, to live is Christ^(A) and to die is gain.

⁹ For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath^(A) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(B) 10} He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.^(C)

⁹ There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; ¹⁰ for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,^[a](A) just as God did from his.^{(B) 11} Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.^(C)