| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. | 1We know that if the earthly tent we live in is torn down, we have a building in heaven that comes from God, an eternal house not built by human hands. |
| 2Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, | 2For in this one we sigh, since we long to put on our heavenly dwelling. |
| 3since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. | 3Of course, if we do put it on, we will not be found without a body. |
| 4Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. | 4So while we are still in this tent, we sigh under our burdens, because we do not want to put it off but to put it on, so that our dying bodies may be swallowed up by life. |
| 5And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. | 5God has prepared us for this and has given us his Spirit as a guarantee. |
| 6So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. | 6Therefore, we are always confident, and we know that as long as we are at home in this body we are away from the Lord. |
| 7For we walk by faith, not by sight, | 7For we live by faith, not by sight. |
| 8and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. | 8We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from this body and to live with the Lord. |
| 9Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him. | 9So whether we are at home or away from home, our goal is to be pleasing to him. |
| 10For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless. | 10For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah, so that each of us may receive what he deserves for what he has done in his body, whether good or worthless. |
| 11Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well. | 11Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade people. We ourselves are perfectly known to God. I hope we are also really known to your consciences. |
| 12We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than in the heart. | 12We are not recommending ourselves to you again but are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who are proud of outward things rather than inward character. |
| 13For if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we have a sound mind, it is for you. | 13So if we were crazy, it was for God; if we are sane, it is for you. |
| 14For Christ's love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. | 14The love of the Messiah controls us, for we are convinced of this: that one person died for all people; therefore, all people have died. |
| 15And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised. | 15He died for all people, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the one who died and rose for them. |
| 16From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way. | 16So then, from now on we do not think of anyone from a human point of view. Even if we did think of the Messiah from a human point of view, we don't think of him that way anymore. |
| 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. | 17Therefore, if anyone is in the Messiah, he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and—look!—all things have become new! |
| 18Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: | 18All of this comes from God, who has reconciled us to himself through the Messiah and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, |
| 19That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. | 19for through the Messiah, God was reconciling the world to himself by not counting their sins against them. He has committed his message of reconciliation to us. |
| 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God." | 20Therefore, we are the Messiah's representatives, as though God were pleading through us. We plead on the Messiah's behalf: "Be reconciled to God!" |
| 21He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. | 21God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that God's righteousness would be produced in us. |
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