1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.

2 For truly in this we groan, longing to be clothed on with our habitation which is from heaven:

3 if so be that being unclothed we will not be found naked.

4 For indeed we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; not that we want to be unclothed, but that we want to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life.

5 Now he who worked us for this very thing is God, who gave to us the security deposit of the Spirit.

6 Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, while 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 of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

9 Therefore we also make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing to him.

10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he has participated in, whether [it is] good or bad.

11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your{+} consciences.

12 We are not again commending ourselves to you{+}, but [speak] as giving you{+} occasion of glorying on our behalf, that you{+} may have the means to answer those who glory in appearance, and not in heart.

13 For whether we are beside ourselves, it is to God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is to you{+}.

14 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;

15 and he died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.

16 Therefore we from now on know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know [him so] no more.

17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creation: the old things are passed away; look, they have become new.

18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave to us the service of reconciliation;

19 to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we urge [you{+}] on behalf of Christ, be{+} reconciled to God.

21 Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.