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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. 2 But in the meantime we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 for when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the One who has prepared us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee for what is to come.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are indeed confident, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive recompense for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad.
11 So knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people. What we are is completely open before God, and I hope that it is plain to your conscience also. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud about us, so that you may have an answer for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than what is in the heart. 13 For if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we are convinced that One has died for all, therefore all have 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.
16 So from now on we do not regard anyone in a purely human manner. Even though we have known Christ from a human perspective, yet now we no longer know Him that way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not holding people’s sins against them, and He has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, knowing that God is appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. 21 God made the One who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.