Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Earthly Tents, Eternal Dwellings

5 For we know that if the tent, our earthly home, is torn down, we have a building from God—a home not made with human hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling— ³ if indeed, after we have put it on, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For we groan while we are in this tent—burdened because we don’t want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Ruach as a pledge. ⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that while 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 prefer rather to be absent from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether at home or absent, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, so that each one may receive what is due for the things he did while in the body—whether good or bad.

Ambassadors for Messiah

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord,^[a] we are trying to persuade people, but what we are is known to God—and I hope it is known to your consciences as well. ¹² For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity for boasting about us, so that you may have something to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. ^{[b] 13} For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Messiah compels us, since we have concluded that One died for all; as a result all died. ¹⁵ And He died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.

¹⁶ So from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Messiah according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know Him this way. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ^{[c] 18} Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Messiah and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. ¹⁹ That is, in Messiah God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them; and He has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us. ²⁰ We are therefore ambassadors for Messiah, as though God were making His appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Messiah, be reconciled to God. ²¹ He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf,^[d] so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

6 Since we are co-laboring, we also urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ² For He says,

Behold, now is the favorable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. ³ We give no cause for offense in anything, so that our ministry may not be blamed. ⁴ But as God’s servants, we are commending ourselves in every way—in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, ⁵ in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in troubles, in sleeplessness, in hunger; ⁶ in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Ruach ha-Kodesh, in genuine love, ⁷ in truthful speech, in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸ through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report. We are regarded as deceivers and yet true; ⁹ as unknown and yet well-known; as dying, yet behold, we live; as disciplined yet not put to death; ^{[f] 10} as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything.

¹¹ We have spoken openly to you, O Corinthians; our heart is open wide! ¹² You are not restricted by us, yet you are restricted in your own feelings. ¹³ Now in return—I speak as to my children—open wide to us also.

Preserving Sanctity in God’s Living Temple

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.^[g] For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony does Messiah have with Belial^[h]? Or what part does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement does God’s Temple have with idols?^[i] For we are the temple of the living God—just as God said,