Our Eternal Dwelling 1For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For indeed in this we groan, ardently desiring to have put on our house which [is] from heaven; 3if indeed being also clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For indeed we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; while yet we do not wish to be unclothed, but clothed, that [what is] mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now he that has wrought us for this very thing [is] God, who also has given to us the earnest of the Spirit. 6Therefore [we are] always confident, and know that while present in the body we are absent from the Lord, 7(for we walk by faith, not by sight;) 8we are confident, I say, and pleased rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. 9Wherefore also we are zealous, whether present or absent, to be agreeable to him. 10For we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of the Christ, that each may receive the things [done] in the body, according to those he has done, whether [it be] good or evil. We are Christ's Ambassadors 11Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men, but have been manifested to God, and I hope also that we have been manifested in your consciences. 12[For] we do not again commend ourselves to you, but [we are] giving to you occasion of boast in our behalf, that ye may have [such] with those boasting in countenance, and not in heart. 13For whether we are beside ourselves, [it is] to God; or are sober, [it is] for you. 14For the love of the Christ constrains us, having judged this: that one died for all, then all have died; 15and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them and has been raised. 16So that we henceforth know no one according to flesh; but if even we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we know [him thus] no longer. 17So if any one [be] in Christ, [there is] a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new: 18and all things [are] of the God who has reconciled us to himself by [Jesus] Christ, and given to us the ministry of that reconciliation: 19how that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their offences; and putting in us the word of that reconciliation. 20We are ambassadors therefore for Christ, God as [it were] beseeching by us, we entreat for Christ, Be reconciled to God. 21Him who knew not sin he has made sin for us, that we might become God's righteousness in him. |
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