5 [^LFor] We know that ·when [if] our ·body [^Learthly house]—the tent we live in here on earth—is destroyed, ·God will have a house for us [^Lwe have a building from God]. It will not be made by human hands, but will be an eternal home ·in heaven [or in the heavens]. ² But now we ·groan [sigh] in this ·tent [or body; ^Lone], longing to be clothed in our heavenly ·home [dwelling place], ³ because it will clothe us so we will not be naked. ⁴ While we live in this ·body [^Ltent], we ·have burdens [are weighed down], and we ·groan [sigh]. We do not want to be ·naked [stripped; unclothed], but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then ·this body that dies [^Lthe mortal] will be ·fully covered with [^Lswallowed up by] life [Is. 25:8; 1 Cor. 15:54]. ⁵ This is what God ·made [designed; prepared] us for, and he has given us the Spirit to be a ·guarantee for this new life [deposit; down payment; 1:22].

⁶ So we always have courage. We know that while we ·live [^Lare at home] in this body, we are ·away [absent; or exiles] from the Lord. ⁷ We ·live [walk] by ·what we believe [faith], not by ·what we can see [sight]. ⁸ So I say that we ·have courage [or are confident]. We really ·want [would prefer] to be ·away [absent; or exiled] from this body and be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Our only ·goal [aim; ambition] is to please ·God [^Lhim] whether we ·live here [are at home] or ·there [are absent/exiled], ¹⁰ because we must all stand before ·Christ to be judged [^Lthe Bema/judgment seat of Christ; ^Cthe Bema was a raised platform from which civic leaders made pronouncements and rendered judgment]. [^L…so that] Each of us will receive what we should get—good or bad—for the things we did in the earthly body.

Becoming Friends with God

¹¹ [^LTherefore] Since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade people [^Ceither about the truth of the Gospel or about Paul’s good motives]. God knows what we really are, and I hope that in your ·hearts [consciences] you know, too. ¹² We are not trying to ·prove [commend] ourselves to you again, but we are giving you a ·reason [opportunity] to ·be proud of [boast about] us. Then you will have an answer for those who ·are proud [boast] about ·things that can be seen [outward appearance] rather than what is in the heart. ¹³ If we are out of our minds, it is for God. If we have our right minds, it is for you. ¹⁴ [^LFor] The love of Christ ·controls [compels; drives] us, because we ·know [are convinced; have concluded] that One died for all, so all have died [^Cwe died spiritually with Christ, the penalty for our sins]. ¹⁵ Christ died for all so that those who live would ·not continue to [no longer] live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised from the dead.

¹⁶ [^LSo; As a result] From ·this time [now] on we do not think of anyone ·as the world does [or from a merely human perspective; ^Laccording to the flesh]. [^LAlthough] In the past we thought of Christ ·as the world thinks [or as nothing more than a man; ^Laccording to the flesh], but we no longer think of him in that way. ¹⁷ If anyone belongs to Christ, ·there is a new creation [the new creation has arrived; or that person has become a new creation]. The old things have gone; [^Llook; ^Tbehold] ·everything is made new [the new has come]! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ ·made peace between us and [reconciled us to] himself, and gave us the ·work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with him [^Lministry/service of reconciliation]. ¹⁹ [^LFor] God was in Christ, ·making peace between the world and [reconciling the world to] himself. In Christ, God did not ·hold the world guilty of its sins [^Lcount their trespasses against them]. And he ·gave [committed/entrusted to] us this message of ·peace [reconciliation]. ²⁰ So we ·have been sent to speak [^Lare ambassadors] for Christ. It is as if God is ·calling to [urging; exhorting; encouraging] you through us. We speak for Christ when we ·beg [implore; urge] you to be ·at peace with [reconciled to] God. ²¹ God made ·Christ [^Lthe one] who ·had no sin [or never sinned; ^Ldid not know sin] to become sin for us, so that in ·Christ [^Lhim] we could become ·right with [^Lthe righteousness of] God.