On Our Heavenly Dwelling (5:1–5)
1 For we know that if the earthly house of our body is destroyed, we have a building from God—an eternal house in the heavens not made by hands. 2 For indeed, in this earthly body we groan because we want to put on our heavenly body, 3 provided that when we have put it on, we will not be found naked. 4 For indeed, we who are in this body groan because we are weary since we do not want to be unclothed, but to be further clothed so that the mortal might be swallowed up by life. 5 Now he who prepared us for this very thing is God, who gave us the pledge of the Spirit.
We Labor That We May Be Accepted of Him (5:6–10)
6 Therefore, we are always confident and recognize 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 And we are confident, I repeat, and prefer to depart from this body and be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore, we also eagerly strive to please him, whether in this body or absent from it. 10 For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each person may receive a recompense for the things that he or she has done by means of the body, whether good or bad.
Knowing the Fear of God (5:11–15)
11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we keep trying to persuade people, but we are well-known to God, and I hope we are also well-known in your consciences. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again; on the contrary, we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us so that you can have an answer for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than what is in the heart. 13 For if we were out of our minds, it would be for God to decide; if we are of sound mind, it is for your benefit. 14 For Christ’s love urges us on because we have come to this conclusion: that one man died for all humankind, thus, in a manner of speaking, all humankind have died. 15 And he died for the salvation of all humankind so that the living might no longer live for themselves but live for him who died and was raised up again for their salvation.
The New Creature in Christ (5:16–17)
16 And so from now on, we do not know anyone from a human point of view; even though we once came to know Christ from a human point of view, now we no longer know him in that way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he or she becomes a new creature. Former things have passed away; now they have become new.
Message of Reconciliation (5:18–21)
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their transgressions against them and entrusting us with the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are representatives of Christ as if God himself were encouraging you through us. We plead with you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 God made Christ, who knew no sin, become sin for our sakes so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.
