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.

1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home 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 willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.