2 Corinthians 5
International Children’s Bible
5 We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us to live in. It will not be a house made by men. It will be a home in heaven that will last forever. 2 But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home. 3 It will clothe us, and we will not be naked. 4 While we live in this body, we have burdens, and we complain. We do not want to be naked. We want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be fully covered with life. 5 This is what God made us for. And he has given us the Spirit to be a guarantee for this new life.
6 So we always have courage. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. 8 So I say that we have courage. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. 9 Our only goal is to please God. We want to please him whether we live here or there. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. Each one will receive what he should get—good or bad—for the things he did when he lived in the earthly body.
Becoming Friends with God
11 We know what it means to fear the Lord. So we try to help people accept the truth. God knows what we really are. And I hope that in your hearts you know, too. 12 We are not trying to prove ourselves to you again. But we are telling you about ourselves, so you will be proud of us. Then you will have an answer for those who are proud about things that can be seen. They do not care about what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our minds, it is for God. If we have our right mind, then it is for you. 14 The love of Christ controls us. Because we know that One died for all. So all have died. 15 Christ died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.
16 From this time on we do not think of anyone as the world does. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we no longer think of him in that way. 17 If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between us and himself. And God gave us the work of bringing everyone into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins. And he gave us this message of peace. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is as if God is calling to you through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin. But God made him become sin. God did this for us so that in Christ we could become right with God.
2 Corinthians 5
New King James Version
Assurance of the Resurrection
5 For we know that if (A)our earthly [a]house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house (B)not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this (C)we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our [b]habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, (D)having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, (E)but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also (F)has given us the Spirit as [c]a guarantee.
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For (G)we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, (H)well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 (I)For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, (J)that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, (K)the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
Be Reconciled to God
12 For (L)we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity (M)to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13 For (N)if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that (O)if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, (P)that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 (Q)Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, (R)yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone (S)is in Christ, he is (T)a new creation; (U)old things have passed away; behold, all things have become (V)new. 18 Now all things are of God, (W)who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that (X)God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not [d]imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are (Y)ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For (Z)He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become (AA)the righteousness of God in Him.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 5:1 Physical body
- 2 Corinthians 5:2 dwelling
- 2 Corinthians 5:5 down payment, earnest
- 2 Corinthians 5:19 reckoning
2 Corinthians 5
English Standard Version
Our Heavenly Dwelling
5 For we know that if (A)the tent that is (B)our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, (C)a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent (D)we groan, longing to (E)put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on[a] we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (F)may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, (G)who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.[b]
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that (H)while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for (I)we walk by faith, not (J)by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we (K)would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to (L)please him. 10 For (M)we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, (N)so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
11 Therefore, knowing (O)the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But (P)what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 (Q)We are not commending ourselves to you again but (R)giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we (S)are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ (T)controls us, because we have concluded this: that (U)one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, (V)that those who live might no longer live for themselves but (W)for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16 From now on, therefore, (X)we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is (Y)in Christ, he is (Z)a new creation.[c] (AA)The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, (AB)who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us (AC)the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[d] the world to himself, (AD)not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us (AE)the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, (AF)we are ambassadors for Christ, (AG)God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 (AH)For our sake he made him to be sin (AI)who knew no sin, so that in him we might become (AJ)the righteousness of God.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 5:3 Some manuscripts putting it off
- 2 Corinthians 5:5 Or down payment
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or creature
- 2 Corinthians 5:19 Or God was in Christ, reconciling
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
