A house not made by human hands
1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by human hands, eternal in the heavens. 2Indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3since once we are clothed we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent we groan under the weight, not because we want to be stripped bare but because we want to be clothed over, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5The one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as the down payment. 6So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord — 7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, then, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9That is why we make it our ambition, at home or away, to please him. 10For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of the Christ, so that each may receive what is due for what he did in the body, whether good or evil.
The love of the Christ holds us fast
11Knowing, then, what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is plain to your consciences as well. 12We are not commending ourselves to you again; we are giving you occasion to be proud of us, so that you may have an answer for those who take pride in appearances and not in the heart. 13If we were out of our mind, it was for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For the love of the Christ holds us fast, once we have reached this conclusion: one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for the one who died and was raised for them.
The ministry of reconciliation
16So from now on we regard no one in a merely human way. Even if we once regarded Christ that way, we do so no longer. 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old has gone, and look — new things have come. 18And all of it is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is God who appeals through us. On Christ’s behalf we beg you: be reconciled to God. 21The one who knew no sin he made to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
