2 Corinthians 5:8

8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:8 in Other Translations

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

8 Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.

8 yet we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 5:8

We are confident, I say, and willing rather
We are cheerful in our present state, being assured of future happiness; though we choose rather

to be absent from the body;
that is, to die, to depart out of this world. The interval between death, and the resurrection, is a state of absence from the body, during which time the soul is disembodied, and exists in a separate state; not in a state of inactivity and sleep, for that would not be desirable, but of happiness and glory, enjoying the presence of God, and praising of him, believing and waiting for the resurrection of the body, when both will be united together again; and after that there will be no more absence, neither from the body, nor from the Lord:

and to be present with the Lord.
This was promised to Christ in the everlasting covenant, that all his spiritual seed and offspring should be with him. This he expected; it was the joy of this which was set before him, that carried him through his sufferings and death with so much cheerfulness; this is the sum of his prayers and intercession, and what all his preparations in heaven are on the account of. It is this which supports and comforts the saints under all their sorrows here, and which makes them meet death with pleasure, which otherwise is formidable and disagreeable to nature; and even desirous of parting with life, to be with Christ, which is far better.

2 Corinthians 5:8 In-Context

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Cross References

• 1. S John 12:26; Philippians 1:23