2 Corinthians 5-9

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.

Marks of the Ministry

6 We then, as ^(AB)workers together with Him also ^(AC)plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For He says:

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

^3 (AE)We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. ⁴ But in all things we commend ourselves ^(AF)as ministers of God: in much ^[e]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, ^5 (AG)in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; ⁶ by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by ^[f]sincere love, ^7 (AH)by the word of truth, by ^(AI)the power of God, by ^(AJ)the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸ by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; ⁹ as unknown, and ^(AK)yet well known; ^(AL)as dying, and behold we live; ^(AM)as chastened, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many ^(AN)rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Be Holy

¹¹ O Corinthians! ^[g]We have spoken openly to you, ^(AO)our heart is wide open. ¹² You are not restricted by us, but ^(AP)you are restricted by your own affections. ¹³ Now in return for the same ^(AQ)(I speak as to children), you also be open.

^14 (AR)Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For ^(AS)what ^[h]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what ^[i]communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ^(AT)you^[j] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

¹⁷ Therefore

The Corinthians’ Repentance

7 Therefore,^(AY) having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Corinthians’ Repentance

² Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, ^(AZ)we have cheated no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn; for ^(BA)I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. ^4 (BB)Great is my boldness of speech toward you, ^(BC)great is my boasting on your behalf. ^(BD)I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

⁵ For indeed, ^(BE)when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but ^(BF)we were troubled on every side. ^(BG)Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. ⁶ Nevertheless ^(BH)God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by ^(BI)the coming of Titus, ⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by the ^[k]consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

⁸ For even if I made you ^(BJ)sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; ^(BK)though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. ⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. ¹⁰ For ^(BL)godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; ^(BM)but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what ^(BN)clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be ^(BO)clear in this matter. ¹² Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, ^(BP)but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

The Joy of Titus

¹³ Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit ^(BQ)has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. ¹⁵ And his affections are greater for you as he remembers ^(BR)the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. ¹⁶ Therefore I rejoice that ^(BS)I have confidence in you in everything.

Excel in Giving

8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: ² that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and ^(BT)their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. ³ For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, ⁴ imploring us with much urgency ^[l]that we would receive the gift and ^(BU)the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. ⁵ And not only as we had hoped, but they first ^(BV)gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the ^(BW)will of God. ⁶ So ^(BX)we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. ⁷ But as ^(BY)you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see ^(BZ)that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

^8 (CA)I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(CB)that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become ^(CC)rich.

¹⁰ And in this ^(CD)I give advice: ^(CE)It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and ^(CF)were desiring to do a year ago; ¹¹ but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. ¹² For ^(CG)if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

¹³ For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; ¹⁴ but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. ¹⁵ As it is written, ^(CH)“He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

Collection for the Judean Saints

¹⁶ But thanks be to God who ^[m]puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ And we have sent with him ^(CI)the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, ¹⁹ and not only that, but who was also ^(CJ)chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us ^(CK)to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, ²⁰ avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us— ^21 (CL)providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²² And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you. ²³ If anyone inquires about ^(CM)Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are ^(CN)messengers^[n] of the churches, the glory of Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show to them, ^[o]and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our ^(CO)boasting on your behalf.

Administering the Gift

9 Now concerning ^(CP)the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; ² for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a ^(CQ)year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. ^3 (CR)Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; ⁴ lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this ^[p]confident boasting. ⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to ^[q]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a ^[r]grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

^6 (CS)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows ^[s]bountifully will also reap ^[t]bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, ^(CT)not grudgingly or of ^[u]necessity; for ^(CU)God loves a cheerful giver. ^8 (CV)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

¹⁰ Now ^[v]may He who ^(CX)supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, ^[w]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your ^(CY)righteousness, ¹¹ while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, ^(CZ)which causes thanksgiving through us to God. ¹² For the administration of this service not only ^(DA)supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, ¹³ while, through the proof of this ministry, they ^(DB)glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal ^(DC)sharing with them and all men, ¹⁴ and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding ^(DD)grace of God in you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God ^(DE)for His indescribable gift!