New Testament · Easy read · 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 5
1For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
3inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.
4For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.
5Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the pledge of the spirit.
6Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord —
7for we walk by faith, not by sight —
8we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
9Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are manifest to God, and I hope that we are also manifest in your consciences.
12We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.
13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
14For the love of Messiah controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
15and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
16Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to flesh; even though we have known Messiah according to flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
17Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Yeshua Messiah and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19namely, that God was in Messiah reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Messiah, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Messiah, be reconciled to God.
21He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.