Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

The Temporal and Eternal

5 For we know that if ^[a]the ^(A)earthly ^(B)tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house ^(C)not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For indeed in this we ^(D)groan, longing to be ^(E)clothed with our dwelling from heaven, ³ inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. ⁴ For indeed while we are in this tent, we ^(F)groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be ^(G)clothed, so that what is ^(H)mortal will be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who ^(I)gave to us the Spirit as a ^[b]pledge.

⁶ Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that ^(J)while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— ⁷ for ^(K)we walk by faith, not by ^[c]sight— ⁸ we are of good courage and ^(L)prefer rather to be absent from the body and ^(M)to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be ^(N)pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before ^(O)the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for ^[d]his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

¹¹ So then, knowing the ^(P)fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we ^[e]have been made manifest to God; and I hope that we ^[f]have been ^(Q)made manifest also in your consciences. ¹² We are not ^(R)again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an ^(S)opportunity to boast of us, so that you will have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For if we ^[g]are ^(T)out of our mind, it is for God, or if we are of right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ ^(U)controls us, having concluded this, that ^(V)one died for all, therefore all died. ¹⁵ And He died for all, so that they who live would no longer ^(W)live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

¹⁶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one ^[h](X)according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ ^[i]according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is ^(Y)in Christ, he is ^(Z)a new creation; ^(AA)the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸ Now ^(AB)all these things are from God, ^(AC)who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ^(AD)ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that ^(AE)God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, ^(AF)not counting their transgressions against them, and ^[j]He has ^[k]committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ So then, we are ^(AG)ambassadors for Christ, ^(AH)as God is pleading through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be ^(AI)reconciled to God. ²¹ He made Him who ^(AJ)knew no sin to be ^(AK)sin on our behalf, so that we might become the ^(AL)righteousness of God in Him.

Commendable Ministers of God

6 And ^(AM)working together with Him, ^(AN)we also plead with you not to receive ^(AO)the grace of God in vain— ² for He says,

Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— ^3 (AQ)giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, ⁴ but in everything ^(AR)commending ourselves as ^(AS)ministers of God, ^(AT)in much perseverance, in afflictions, in distresses, in hardships, ⁵ in ^(AU)beatings, in imprisonments, in ^(AV)disturbances, in labors, in sleeplessness, in ^(AW)hunger, ⁶ in purity, in ^(AX)knowledge, in ^(AY)patience, in kindness, in the ^(AZ)Holy Spirit, in ^(BA)unhypocritical love, ⁷ in ^(BB)the word of truth, in ^(BC)the power of God; by ^(BD)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ by glory and ^(BE)dishonor, by ^(BF)evil report and good report; regarded as ^(BG)deceivers and yet ^(BH)true; ⁹ as unknown and yet well-known, as ^(BI)dying and yet behold, ^(BJ)we live; as ^[l]punished and yet not put to death, ¹⁰ as ^(BK)sorrowful but always ^(BL)rejoicing, as ^(BM)poor but making many rich, as ^(BN)having nothing and yet possessing ^(BO)all things.

^11 (BP)Our mouth ^[m]has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our ^(BQ)heart is opened wide. ¹² You are not restrained ^[n]by us, but ^(BR)you are restrained in your own ^[o]affections. ¹³ Now in a like ^(BS)exchange—I speak as to ^(BT)children—open wide to us also.

^14 (BU)Do not be unequally yoked with ^(BV)unbelievers; for what ^(BW)partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵ Or what ^(BX)harmony has Christ with ^[p]Belial, or ^[q]what has a ^(BY)believer in common with an ^(BZ)unbeliever? ¹⁶ Or ^(CA)what agreement has a ^[r]sanctuary of God with idols? For we are ^(CB)a sanctuary of ^(CC)the living God; just as God said,