| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. | 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. |
| 2For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, | 2Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, |
| 3if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. | 3since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. |
| 4For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. | 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. |
| 5Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. | 5And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. |
| 6Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord-- | 6So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. |
| 7for we live by faith, not by sight. | 7For we walk by faith, not by sight, |
| 8Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. | 8and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. |
| 9So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him. | 9Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him. |
| 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. | 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. |
| 11Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. | 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. |
| 12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart. | 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. |
| 13For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. | 13For if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we have a sound mind, it is for you. |
| 14For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. | 14For Christ's love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. |
| 15And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. | 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. |
| 16So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer. | 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. |
| 17So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away--look, what is new has come! | 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. |
| 18And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. | 18Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: |
| 19In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people's trespasses against them, and he has given us the message 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. |
| 20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!" | 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God." |
| 21God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of 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. |
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