The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 5 -

(Romans 8:18–27)

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

So while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.

And God has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

So we aspire to please Him, whether we are here in this body or away from it.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Ambassadors for Christ

Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart.

If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.(a) The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin (b) on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Footnotes

(a)5:17 Or a new creature

(b)5:21 Or a sin offering

(Romans 8:18–27)

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

For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,

if indeed being clothed, we will not be found naked.

For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened, not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.

Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;

for we walk by faith, not by sight.

We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

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

For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Ambassadors for Christ

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God, and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.

For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.

For the love of Christ compels us; because we judge thus: that one died for all, therefore all died.

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.

Therefore we know no one according to the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold,(a) all things have become new.

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

namely, 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.

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Footnotes

(a)5:17 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.