| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, 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 we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, | 2Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, |
| 3if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. | 3since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. |
| 4For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality 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 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. | 5And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. |
| 6So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body 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 walk by faith, not by sight. | 7For we walk by faith, not by sight, |
| 8We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. | 8and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. |
| 9Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to 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, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. | 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. |
| 11Knowing, therefore, 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. | 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. |
| 12For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in 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 beside ourselves, it is for God; or 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 compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all 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, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. | 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. |
| 16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no 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. |
| 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. | 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. |
| 18Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and 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: |
| 19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word 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. |
| 20Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore 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." |
| 21For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. | 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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