2 Corinthians 5

1We know our earthly bodies are like temporary camping tents. One day this earthly tent will be taken down. When that happens, God will give us a permanent home in heaven! Human hands did not build this house; God made it forever.

2Right now, we groan inside this fragile body.

3We long to put on our brand-new heavenly body like clean clothes.

4Then our mortal dying bodies will be completely swallowed up by life!

5It is God who has prepared us for this very thing, and He has given us His Spirit as a guarantee of what is to come.

6So we are always confident. We know that as long as we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.

7For we live by faith, not by sight.

8So we are confident, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

10Every single one of us must stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Christ will evaluate everything we did in our physical bodies. He will reward each person for what they did, whether good or evil.

11So, because we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences.

12We are not trying to praise ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us. Then you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in what is in the heart.

13If we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are in our right minds, it is for you.

14For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and so all died.

15And He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

16So from now on we do not judge anyone by human standards. Even though we once thought of Christ in that way, we do so no longer.

17Anyone who belongs to Christ is a brand-new creation! The old, sinful life is gone forever. A fresh, brand-new life has begun!

18All of this is God's wonderful gift. Through Christ, God made peace between us and Himself.

19God was in Christ, making peace with the whole world! He stopped counting people's sins against them. And He gave us the sacred job of sharing this message of peace!

20So we are official ambassadors sent directly by Christ! God is speaking His urgent appeal through us. On behalf of Christ, we beg you: Make peace with God!

21Christ never committed a single sin. Yet God placed all our sin on Him for our sake! He did this so in Christ, we could become completely right with God.