1 For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this we groan, ardently desiring to have put on our house which is from heaven; 3 if indeed being also clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For indeed we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; while yet we do not wish to be unclothed, but clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now he that has wrought us for this very thing is God, who also has given to us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, and know that while present 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 pleased rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also we are zealous, whether present or absent, to be agreeable to him. 10 For we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of the Christ, that each may receive the things done in the body, according to those he has done, whether it be good or evil. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men, but have been manifested to God, and I hope also that we have been manifested in your consciences.

12 For we do not again commend ourselves to you, but we are giving to you occasion of boast in our behalf, that ye may have such with those boasting in countenance, and not in heart. 13 For whether we are beside ourselves, it is to God; or are sober, it is for you. 14 For the love of the Christ constrains us, having judged this: that one died for all, then all have died; 15 and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them and has been raised.

16 So that we henceforth know no one according to flesh; but if even we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we know him thus no longer. 17 So if any one be in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new: 18 and all things are of the God who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and given to us the ministry of that reconciliation: 19 how that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their offences; and putting in us the word of that reconciliation. 20 We are ambassadors therefore for Christ, God as it were beseeching by us, we entreat for Christ, Be reconciled to God. 21 Him who knew not sin he has made sin for us, that we might become God’s righteousness in him.

1 Me ju teame, et kui meie maine telkhoone hävitatakse, on meil elamu Jumala käest, inimkäteta valmistatud igavene kodu taevas. 2 Maises eluasemes me ägame, oodates pikisilmi, et meid riietataks taevasega. 3 Sest kui meid riietatakse, ei leita meid olevat alasti. 4 Kuni me elame selles telgis, ägame ju rõhumise all, sest me ei taha, et meid alasti võetaks, vaid olla taevaselt riietatud, et elu neelaks ära selle, mis on surelik. 5 Just selleks valmistab meid Jumal, kes on andnud meile pandiks Vaimu.

6 Sellepärast me oleme julged igal ajal. Me teame, et kuni oleme ihus, oleme eemal Issandast; 7 sest me käime usus, mitte nägemises, 8 seepärast oleme kindlad, kuigi eelistaksime ära olla ihust ja viibida Issanda juures. 9 Seetõttu me püüame olla temale meelepärased, kas oleme siis kodus või võõrsil. 10 Sest me kõik peame ilmuma Kristuse kohtujärje ette, et igaüks saaks tasu vastavalt sellele, mis ta ihus olles on teinud, kas head või halba.

11 Kuna me teame, mis on Issanda kartus, me püüame veenda ka teisi. Kes me oleme, on Jumala jaoks selge ja ma loodan, et see on selge ka teie südametunnistuses. 12 Me ei hakka end taas teile soovitama, kuid anname teile põhjust kiidelda meist, et teil oleks midagi vastu seada neile, kes kiitlevad välisega, kuid mitte sellega, mis on südames.

13 Sest kui me oleme olnud arust ära, siis on see Jumalale; kui oleme olnud arukad, siis teile. 14 Sest Kristuse armastus sunnib meid ja me oleme veendunud, et kui üks on surnud kõikide eest, siis on kõik surnud. 15 Ja tema on surnud kõikide eest, et elavad ei elaks enam enestele, vaid temale, kes on nende eest surnud ja üles äratatud.

16 Seepärast ei vaata me nüüdsest enam kedagi inimlikult pinnalt. Ja kui me kunagi vaatasime ka Kristust inimlikult pinnalt, ei tee me seda enam. 17 Sest kui keegi on Kristuses, siis ta on uus loodu, vana on möödunud, vaata, uus on sündinud!

18 See kõik on Jumalast, kes meid on enesega Kristuse läbi lepitanud ja usaldanud meie kätte lepitusameti. 19 See oli Jumal, kes Kristuses lepitas inimkonna enesega ega arvestanud neile süüks nende patte ja on meile andnud lepituse sõnumi. 20 Meie oleme Kristuse saadikud, otsekui Jumal ise pöörduks inimeste poole meie kaudu. Me palume Kristuse asemel: laske endid lepitada Jumalaga! 21 Ta on teinud patuohvriks meie asemel selle, kes pattu iial ei teinud, et meie saaksime Jumala õiguseks tema sees.