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¹ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in Heaven.² For also in this we groan, greatly desiring to be clothed with our dwelling place out of Heaven,³ if indeed in being clothed, we shall not be found naked.⁴ For indeed, being in the tabernacle, we groan, having been weighted down, inasmuch as we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that the mortal may be swallowed up by the life.⁵ And the One having worked in us for this same thing is God, who also is giving us the earnest of the Spirit.⁶ Then always being fully assured, and knowing that being at home in the body we are away from home from the Lord⁷ (for we walk by faith, not by sight),⁸ even we are fully assured, and think it good rather to go away from home out of the body, and to come home to the Lord.⁹ Because of this, we also are striving to be pleasing to Him, whether being at home, or being away from home.¹⁰ For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done through the body, according to what he did, whether good or bad.¹¹ Then, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, and we have been known to God; and I also hope to have been known in your consciences.

¹² For we do not again commend ourselves to you, but are giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that you may have it toward those boasting in appearance and not in heart.¹³ For if we are insane, it is to God; or if we are clear-minded, it is for you.¹⁴ For the love of Christ constrains us, having judged this, that if One died for all, then all died;¹⁵ and He died for all, that the living ones may live no more to themselves, but to the One having died for them and having been raised.

¹⁶ So as we now know no one according to flesh, but even if we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we no longer know Him so .¹⁷ So that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new!¹⁸ And all things are from God, the One having reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and having given to us the ministry of reconciliation,¹⁹ as, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging their deviations to them, and having put the Word of reconciliation in us.²⁰ Then on behalf of Christ, we are ambassadors, as God is exhorting through us, we beseech on behalf of Christ, Be reconciled to God.²¹ For He made the One who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.