New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
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For we are conscious that if this our tent of flesh is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in heaven.
2 For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling—
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For in this we are crying in weariness, greatly desiring to be clothed with our house from heaven:
3 if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked.
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So that our spirits may not be unclothed.
4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
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For truly, we who are in this tent do give out cries of weariness, for the weight of care which is on us; not because we are desiring to be free from the body, but so that we may have our new body, and death may be overcome by life.
5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
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Now he who has made us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a witness of what is to come.
6 So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—
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So, then, we are ever without fear, and though conscious that while we are in the body we are away from the Lord,
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
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(For we are walking by faith, not by seeing,)
8 Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
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We are without fear, desiring to be free from the body, and to be with the Lord.
9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
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For this reason we make it our purpose, in the body or away from it, to be well-pleasing to him.
10 For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.
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For we all have to come before Christ to be judged; so that every one of us may get his reward for the things done in the body, good or bad.
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.
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Having in mind, then, the fear of the Lord, we put these things before men, but God sees our hearts; and it is my hope that we may seem right in your eyes.
12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart.
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We are not again requesting your approval, but we are giving you the chance of taking pride in us, so that you may be able to give an answer to those whose glory is in seeming, and not in the heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
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For if we are foolish, it is to God; or if we are serious, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.
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For it is the love of Christ which is moving us; because we are of the opinion that if one was put to death for all, then all have undergone death;
15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
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And that he underwent death for all, so that the living might no longer be living to themselves, but to him who underwent death for them and came back from the dead.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way.
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For this reason, from this time forward we have knowledge of no man after the flesh: even if we have had knowledge of Christ after the flesh, we have no longer any such knowledge.
17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
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So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have come to an end; they have truly become new.
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;
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But all things are of God, who has made us at peace with himself through Christ, and has given to us the work of making peace;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.
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That is, that God was in Christ making peace between the world and himself, not putting their sins to their account, and having given to us the preaching of this news of peace.
20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
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So we are the representatives of Christ, as if God was making a request to you through us: we make our request to you, in the name of Christ, be at peace with God.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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For him who had no knowledge of sin God made to be sin for us; so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.