2 Corinthians 5

5 ¹ For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is torn down, we have a building from our Father, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, ³ if indeed, when we have put it on, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burden, not because we want to be unclothed, but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has prepared us for this very thing is our Father, who has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.

⁶ So we are always confident, knowing 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 We are confident, then, and would much rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Reconciled and Sent as Ambassadors

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. What we are is plain to our Father, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you a reason to be proud of us, so that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearances rather than in the heart. ¹³ For if we are out of our minds, it is for our Father; if we are in our right minds, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised.

¹⁶ From now on, then, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Even though we once regarded Christ in that way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; look, the new has come! ¹⁸ All this is from our Father, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ^a a v18 Reconciliation begins in our Father's own heart—he is the one who reaches out to bring us home, and Jesus is the way he does it. ¹⁹ that is, in Christ our Father was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

²⁰ We are therefore ambassadors for Christ, as though our Father were making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to our Father. ²¹ For our sake he made him who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of our Father.