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Common English Bible CEB
1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
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We know that if the tent that we live in on earth is torn down, we have a building from God. It's a house that isn't handmade, which is eternal and located in heaven.
2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,
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We groan while we live in this residence. We really want to dress ourselves with our building from heaven—
3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
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since we assume that when we take off this tent, we won't find out that we are naked.
4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
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Yes, while we are in this tent we groan, because we are weighed down. We want to be dressed not undressed, so that what is dying can be swallowed up by life.
5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
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Now the one who prepared us for this very thing is God, and God gave us the Spirit as a down payment for our home.
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.
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So we are always confident, because we know that while we are living in the body, we are away from our home with the Lord.
7 For we live by faith, not by sight.
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We live by faith and not by sight.
8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
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We are confident, and we would prefer to leave the body and to be 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.
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So our goal is to be acceptable to him, whether we are at home or away from home.
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.
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We all must appear before Christ in court so that each person can be paid back for the things that were done while in the body, whether they were good or bad.
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.
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So we try to persuade people, since we know what it means to fear the Lord. We are well known by God, and I hope that in your heart we are well known by you as well.
12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.
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We aren't trying to commend ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us so that you could answer those who take pride in superficial appearance, and not in what is in the heart.
13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
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If we are crazy, it's for God's sake. If we are rational, it's for your sake.
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
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The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: one died for the sake of all; therefore, all died.
15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
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He died for the sake of all so that those who are alive should live not for themselves but for the one who died for them and was raised.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
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So then, from this point on we won't recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn't how we know him now.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
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So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
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All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
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In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people's sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.
20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
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So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ's representatives, "Be reconciled to God!"
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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God caused the one who didn't know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.