King James Version KJV
The Message Bible MSG
1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
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For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven - God-made, not handmade
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
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- and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move - and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies!
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
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4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
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5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
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The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
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That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead.
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
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It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going.
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
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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.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
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But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
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Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
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That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care.
12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
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We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are.
13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
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If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
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Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
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He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
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Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
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Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
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All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
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God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
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We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
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How? you say. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.