| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 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. | 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. |
| 2For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, | 2For in this one we sigh, since we long to put on our heavenly dwelling. |
| 3if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. | 3Of course, if we do put it on, we will not be found without a body. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 5Now 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. |
| 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-- | 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 live by faith, not by sight. | 7For we live 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. | 8We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from this body and to live with the Lord. |
| 9So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please 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 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 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 try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. | 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 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 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 minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. | 13So if we were crazy, it was for God; if we are sane, 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. | 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 him 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 the Messiah, he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and—look!—all things have become new! |
| 18And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given 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, |
| 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. | 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, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you 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!" |
| 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. | 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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