UST 2COR Chapter 5

5 Indeed, we realize that the bodies we have on this earth will die. They are like tents that people destroy. However, God will give us new bodies that will live forever. They will be like buildings that God creates in the heavenly places. 2 In fact, we mourn how we live in these bodies. We want God to give us new bodies, just as if he was putting new clothes on us. These new bodies will be like buildings that God gives us from heaven. 3 Whenever we receive our new bodies, they will be like clothes that keep us from being naked.

4 Even further, while we have these bodies that are like tents, we mourn, and these bodies make living difficult. Because of that, it is not that we want to be without bodies, which would be like having no clothes. Rather, we want to receive new bodies, which will be like putting on new clothes. That way, we will live forever instead of expecting to die. 5 God is the one who makes us ready for these new bodies. He gave the Holy Spirit to us, which shows that he will also give us everything else that he has promised.

6 So then, we are confident at all times about what God will give us. Also, we realize that while we have these bodies, we are not with the Lord Jesus. 7 Indeed, we act as we do because we trust the Lord Jesus, not because we see him. 8 As I said, we are confident about what God will give us. Also, we would choose instead to be without our bodies and with the Lord Jesus. 9 So then, we strive to please the Lord Jesus whether we are with him or not. 10 We do that because all of us will have to appear before the Messiah and he will decide whether each one of us has done what is right or what is wrong. Then, he will give us what we deserve in proportion to what we did while we had these bodies.

11 So then, because we experience what it means to fear the Lord Jesus, we convince others to fear him also. God knows that we are trustworthy, and I want you also to know that we are trustworthy. 12 We are not proving to you a second time that we are trustworthy. Rather, we are enabling you to say great things about us. That way, you can respond to anybody who says great things about how people appear on the outside and not about who those people really are on the inside. 13 So, when we seem crazy, we are serving God. When we seem to think normally, we are serving you. 14 Those things are true because the Messiah loves us, and that directs us to act in certain ways. Here is how we think about it: one person, the Messiah, died to rescue all people. Because of that, it is as if all people died. 15 Further, this is why he died to rescue all people: that way, those who live spiritually will not do whatever they want anymore. Instead, they will do what the Messiah wants, since he died to rescue them and God made him alive again.

16 Because of all that, we do not think about anyone in merely human ways any longer. Indeed, although at one time we thought about the Messiah in merely human ways, we do not think about him in those ways any longer. 17 So then, whenever God unites people to the Messiah, he makes them new people. What they used to be has disappeared. Look, what they are now is something new! 18 God is the one who gives us every one of these things. By working through the Messiah, he has enabled us to be with him. Further, God empowers us to act so that others can also be with him. 19 Here is how that works: God works through Christ to enable every person to be with him. In doing so, he forgives people for what they have done wrong. Further, he commissions us to tell others about how they can be with God.

20 Because God has commissioned us, we represent the Messiah. So, God encourages others through us. We speak for the Messiah when we ask you to believe the good news so that you can be with God. 21 Jesus did not sin. Despite that, for our sake God treated him as if he had sinned. As a result, God makes us righteous by uniting us to Jesus.

2COR C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13