1 For we know that if the 1earthly2tent which is our house is torndown, we have a building from God, a house3not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
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For indeed in this house we 4groan, longing to be 5clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
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inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be foundnaked.
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For indeed while we are in thistent, we 6groan, being burdened, because* we do not want to be unclothed but to be 7clothed, so that what is 8mortal will be swallowed up by life.
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Now He who prepared us for thisvery purpose is God, who 9gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
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Therefore, being always of goodcourage, and knowing that 10while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord -
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we are of goodcourage, I say, and 12preferrather to be absent from the body and 13to be at home with the Lord.
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Therefore we alsohave as our ambition, whether at homeorabsent, to be 14pleasing to Him.
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For we mustallappearbefore15the judgmentseat of Christ, so that eachone may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whethergoodorbad.
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Therefore, knowing the 16fear of the Lord, we persuademen, but we are mademanifest to God; and I hope that we are 17mademanifestalso in your consciences.
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We are not 18againcommendingourselves to you but are giving you an 19occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who takepride in appearance and not in heart.
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For if we are 20besideourselves, it is for God; if we are of soundmind, it is for you.
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For the love of Christ21controls us, having concludedthis, that 22onedied for all, thereforealldied;
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and He died for all, so that they who live might nolonger23live for themselves, but for Him who died and roseagain on their behalf.
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Therefore from now on we recognizenoone24according to the flesh; eventhough we have knownChristaccording to the flesh, yetnow we know Him in this way nolonger.
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Thereforeifanyone is 25in Christ, he is 26a newcreature; 27the oldthingspassedaway; behold, newthings have come.
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Now28all these things are from God, 29whoreconciled us to HimselfthroughChrist and gave us the 30ministry of reconciliation,
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namely, that 31God was in Christreconciling the world to Himself, 32not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
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Therefore, we are 33ambassadors for Christ, 34as thoughGod were making an appealthrough us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be 35reconciled to God.
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He made Him who 36knewnosin to be 37sin on our behalf, so that we might become the 38righteousness of God in Him.