Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Absent from the Body and at Home with the Lord

5 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For indeed, in this house we groan, because we^[a] desire to put on our dwelling from heaven, ³ if indeed, even after we^[b] have taken it off,^[c] we will not be found naked. ⁴ For indeed we who are in this tent groan, being burdened for this reason, that^[d] we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the down payment, the Spirit.

⁶ Therefore, although we are^[e] always confident and know that while we^[f] are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— ⁷ for we live by faith, not by sight— ⁸ so we are confident and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Controlled by the Love of Christ

¹¹ Therefore, because we^[g] know the fear of the Lord, we are attempting to persuade people, but we are revealed to God, and I hope to be revealed in your consciences. ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to boast about us, in order that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For if we are out of our senses, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ controls us, because we^[h] have concluded this: that one died for all; as a result all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, in order that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

¹⁶ So then, from now on we know no one from a human point of view^[i], if indeed we have known Christ from a human point of view^[j], but now we know him this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸ And all these things are from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as if^[k] God were imploring you through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

Afflictions of God’s Servants

6 Now because we^[l] are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For he says,

Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation! ³ We are giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found with it, ⁴ but commending ourselves as servants of God in every way, in much endurance, in afflictions, in distresses, in difficulties, ⁵ in beatings, in prisons, in disturbances, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in going hungry, ⁶ in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love without hypocrisy, ⁷ in the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and left hand, ⁸ through glory and dishonor, through slander and good repute, regarded as deceivers and yet truthful, ⁹ as unknown and yet known completely, as dying, and behold, we go on living, as disciplined, and yet not put to death, ¹⁰ as grieving, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and possessing everything.

¹¹ We have spoken freely and openly^[n] to you, Corinthians; our heart is open wide. ¹² You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your affections. ¹³ Now the same way in exchange (I am speaking as to children), you open wide your hearts also.

Do Not Become Unevenly Yoked with Unbelievers

¹⁴ Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers, for what participation is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said,