1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, longing to be clothed over with our dwelling that is from heaven,
3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.
4 For indeed we who are in this tent groan, being weighed down, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed over, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
5 Now the one who prepared us for this very thing is God, who also gave us the down payment of the Spirit.
6 So we are always of good courage, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord
7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight);
8 we are of good courage, and are well pleased rather to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
9 Therefore we also make it our ambition, whether at home or away, to be well-pleasing to him.
10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11 Knowing, then, the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but we have been made manifest to God, and I hope we have also been made manifest in your consciences.
12 For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an occasion to boast on our behalf, so that you may have something to say to those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
13 For whether we were beside ourselves, it was for God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ holds us in its grip, because we have reached this conclusion: if one died for all, then all died;
15 and he died on behalf of all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves but to the one who died and rose again on their behalf.
16 So from now on we know no one according to the flesh; even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer.
17 So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; look, all things have become new.
18 And all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses to their account, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.
20 So we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we beg on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake he made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.