2 Corinthians 5:2

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Sure, we get tired of living in these earthly bodies and long for the new one that we know is waiting on us.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,

Legacy Standard Bible
For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,

Bible in Basic English
For in this we are crying in weariness, greatly desiring to be clothed with our house from heaven:

Darby Translation
For indeed in this we groan, ardently desiring to have put on our house which [is] from heaven;

Christian Standard Bible®
Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven,

World English Bible
For most assuredly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon, with our house which is from heaven:

Weymouth's New Testament
For in this one we sigh, because we long to put on over it our dwelling which comes from Heaven--

King James Version (1611)
For in this we grone earnestly, desiring to be clothed vpon with our house, which is from heauen.

Literal Translation
For also in this we groan, greatly desiring to be clothed with our dwelling place out of Heaven,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And in the same sighe we also after oure masion, which is from heauen:

Mace New Testament (1729)
while I am thus incas'd, I groan with desire to have that celestial vehicle superinduc'd:

Amplified Bible
For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our [immortal, eternal] celestial dwelling,

American Standard Version
For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven:

Revised Standard Version
Here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly dwelling,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And herefore sigh we desyringe to be clothed wt oure mansion which is from heven:

Update Bible Version
For truly in this we groan, longing to be clothed on with our habitation which is from heaven:

Webster's Bible Translation
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven:

Young's Literal Translation
for also in this we groan, with our dwelling that is from heaven earnestly desiring to clothe ourselves,

New Century Version
But now we groan in this tent. We want God to give us our heavenly home,

New English Translation
For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling,

Berean Standard Bible
For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

Contemporary English Version
While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home.

Complete Jewish Bible
For in this tent, our earthly body, we groan with desire to have around us the home from heaven that will be ours.

English Standard Version
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,

Geneva Bible (1587)
For therefore we sighe, desiring to be clothed with our house, which is from heauen.

George Lamsa Translation
We also weary over this earthly house, earnestly longing to use our house which is in heaven.

Hebrew Names Version
For most assuredly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven;

International Standard Version
For in this one we sigh, since we long to put on our heavenly dwelling.Romans 8:23;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For concerning this also we groan, and long to put on our house which is from heaven,

Murdock Translation
And on this account also, we groan, and wish to be clothed with our house from heaven:

New King James Version
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,

New Living Translation
We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.

New Life Bible
Right now we cry inside ourselves because we wish we could have our new body which we will have in heaven.

English Revised Version
For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven:

New Revised Standard
For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling—

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And verily, in this, we sigh, earnestly desiring to clothe ourselves over, with our habitation which is of heaven, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
For in this also we groan, desiring to be clothed upon with our habitation that is from heaven.

King James Version
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

Lexham English Bible
For indeed, in this house we groan, because we desire to put on our dwelling from heaven,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For therfore sygh we, desiryng to be clothed with our house whiche is from heauen:

Easy-to-Read Version
But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home.

New American Standard Bible
For indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,

Good News Translation
And now we sigh, so great is our desire that our home which comes from heaven should be put on over us;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For whi in this thing we mornen, coueitynge to be clothid aboue with oure dwellyng, which is of heuene; if netheles we ben foundun clothid,

Contextual Overview

¹For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less. ⁶That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming. ⁹But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad. ¹¹That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we: 2 Corinthians 5:4, Romans 7:24, Romans 8:23, 1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 1:7

earnestly: Philippians 1:23

clothed: 2 Corinthians 5:3, 2 Corinthians 5:4, 1 Corinthians 15:53, 1 Corinthians 15:54

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:21 - make Genesis 18:27 - dust 2 Kings 2:12 - he saw him Job 10:11 - clothed Psalms 38:9 - groaning Romans 8:26 - with 2 Corinthians 7:7 - earnest 2 Timothy 4:8 - that love

Cross-References

Genesis 2:15
God took the Man and set him down in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order.

Genesis 2:23
The Man said, "Finally! Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh! Name her Woman for she was made from Man." Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh. The two of them, the Man and his Wife, were naked, but they felt no shame.

Matthew 19:4
He answered, "Haven't you read in your Bible that the Creator originally made man and woman for each other, male and female? And because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For in this we groan earnestly,.... Meaning either for this happiness we groan, or rather in this tabernacle we groan. These words are a reason of the former, proving that the saints have a building of God; and they know they have it, because they groan after it here; for the groanings of the saints are under the influence and direction of the Spirit of God, who makes intercession for them, as for grace, so for glory, according to the will of God: and this groaning is further explained by

desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven; by which is meant not the glorified body in the resurrection morn; for though the bodies of the saints will be glorious, incorruptible, powerful, and spiritual, they are not said to be celestial, nor will they be from heaven, but be raised out of the earth: besides, the apostle is speaking of an habitation the soul will go into, and is desirous of going into as soon as it removes out of the earthly house of the body, and of a clothing it desires to be clothed with as soon as it is stripped of the garment of the flesh: wherefore, by the house from heaven must be meant the heavenly glory, which departed souls immediately enter into, and are arrayed with, even the white and shining robes of purity, perfection, and glory they shall be clothed with, as soon as ever their tabernacles are unpinned and dissolved. The Jews indeed speak of a celestial body which the soul shall be clothed with immediately upon its separation from the earthly body, and much in such figurative terms as the apostle does in this, and the following verse;

"when a man's time is come, say they d, to go out of this world, he does not depart until the angel of death has stripped him of the clothing of body, (see 2 Corinthians 5:4) and when the soul is stripped of the body, by the angel of death, it goes ומתלבשא בההוא גופא אחרא, "and is clothed with that other body", which is in paradise, of which it was stripped when it came into this world; for the soul has no pleasure but in the body, which is from thence, and it rejoices because it is stripped of the body of this world, ואתלבש בלבושא אחרא שלים "and is clothed with another perfect clothing".''

And a little after,

"the holy blessed God deals well with men, for he does not strip men of their clothes until he has provided for them other clothes, more precious and better than these, except the wicked of the world, who return not to their Lord by perfect repentance; for naked they came into this world, and naked (see 2 Corinthians 5:3) they shall return hence.''

And in another place e,

"the soul does not go up to appear before the Holy King, until it is worthy to be clothed בלבושא דלעילא, "with the clothing which is above".''

d Zohar in Exod. fol. 62. 1, 2. e Zohar in Exod. fol. 92. 2. Vid. fol. 84. 3. & in Gen. fol. 49. 3. & Caphtor, fol. 18. 2. & 78. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For in this - In this tent, tabernacle, or dwelling. In our body here.

We groan - compare note, Romans 8:22. The sense is, that we are subjected to so many trials and afflictions in the present body; that the body is subjected to so many pains and to so much suffering, as to make us earnestly desire to be invested with that body which shall be free from all susceptibility to suffering.

Earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house ... - There is evidently here a change of the metaphor which gives an apparent harshness to the construction. One idea of the apostle is, that the body here, and the spiritual body hereafter, is a house or a dwelling. Here he speaks of it as a garment which may be put on or laid off and of himself as earnestly desiring to put on the immortal clothing or vestment which was in heaven. Both these figures are common in ancient writings, and a change in this manner in the popular style is not unusual. The Pythagoreans compared the body to a tent, or hut, for the soul; the Platonists liken it to a vestment - Bloomfield. The Jews speak of a vestment to the soul in this world and the next. They affirm that the soul had a covering when it was under the throne of God, and before it was clothed with the body. This vestment they say was “the image of God” which was lost by Adam. After the fall, they say Adam and all his posterity were regarded as naked.

In the future world they say the good will be clothed with a vestment for the soul which they speak of as lucid and radiant, and such as no one on earth can attain - Schoettgen. But there is no reason to think that Paul referred to any such trifles as the Jews have believed on this subject. He evidently regarded man as composed of body and soul. The soul was the more important part, and the body constituted its mere habitation or dwelling. Yet a body was essential to the idea of the complete man; and since this was frail and dying, he looked forward to a union with the body that should be eternal in the heavens, as a more desirable and perfect habitation of the soul. Mr. Locke has given an interpretation of this in which he is probably alone, but which has so much appearance of plausibility that it is not improper to refer to it. He supposes that this whole passage has reference to the fact that at the coming of the Redeemer the body will be changed without experiencing death; (compare 1 Corinthians 15:51-52); that Paul expected that this might soon occur; and that he earnestly desired to undergo this transformation without experiencing the pains of dying. He therefore paraphrases it, “For in this tabernacle I groan, earnestly desiring, without putting off this mortal, earthly body by death, to have that celestial body superinduced, if so be the coming of Christ shall overtake me in this life, before I put off this body.”

With our house - The phrase “to be clothed upon with our house” seems to be harsh and unusual. The sense is plain, however, that Paul desired to be invested with that pure, spiritual, and undecaying body which was to be the eternal abode of his soul in heaven. That he speaks of as a house (οἰκητήριον oikētērion), a more permanent and substantial dwelling than a tent, or tabernacle.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 5:2. For in this we groan — While in this state, and in this body, we are encompassed with many infirmities, and exposed to many trials, so that life is a state of discipline and affliction, and every thing within and around us says, "Arise and depart, for this is not your rest!" Those who apply these words to what they call the apostle's sense of indwelling sin, abuse the passage. There is nothing of the kind either mentioned or intended.

Desiring to be clothed upon with our house — This and the following verses are, in themselves, exceedingly obscure, and can be only interpreted by considering that the expressions used by the apostle are all Jewish, and should be interpreted according to their use of them. Schoettgen has entered largely into the argument here employed by the apostle, and brought forth much useful information.

He observes, 1. That the Hebrew word לבש labash, which answers to the apostle's ενδυσασθαι, to be clothed, signifies to be surrounded, covered, or invested with any thing. So, to be clothed with the uncircumcision, signifies to be uncircumcised. Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 163.

On the words, Exodus 24:18, Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount, Sohar Exod., fol. 77, has these words, He went into the midst of the cloud, as if one put on a garment; so he was CLOTHED with the CLOUD. Sohar Levit., fol. 29: "The righteous are in the terrestrial paradise, where their souls are clothed with the lucid crown;" i.e. they are surrounded, encompassed with light, c.

2. The word בית beith, HOUSE, in Hebrew often denotes a cover, case, or clothing. So, in the Targum of Onkelos, בית אפי beith appei, the HOUSE or the FACE, is a veil and so בית אצבעים beith etsbaim, the HOUSE of the FINGERS, and בית יד beith yad, the HOUSE of the HAND, signify gloves; בית רגלים beith regalim, the HOUSE of the FEET, shoes. Therefore, οικητηριον - επενδυσασθαι, to be clothed on with a house, may signify any particular qualities of the soul; what we, following the very same form of speech, call a habit, i.e. a coat or vestment. So we say the man has got a habit of vice, a habit of virtue, a habit of swearing, of humility, c., c.

3. The Jews attribute garments to the soul, both in this and the other world and as they hold that all human souls pre-exist, they say that, previously to their being appointed to bodies, they have a covering which answers the same end to them before they come into life as their bodies do afterwards. And they state that the design of God in sending souls into the world is, that they may get themselves a garment by the study of the law and good works. See several proofs in Schoettgen.

4. It is plain, also, that by this garment or covering of the soul they mean simply what we understand by acquiring the image of God-being made holy. This image they assert "Adam lost by his fall, and they represent man in a sinful state as being naked." So they represent the Israelites before their making the molten calf, as having received holy garments from Mount Sinai but afterwards, having worshipped the calf, they were stripped of these, and left naked.

5. But notwithstanding they speak of this clothing as implying righteous and holy dispositions, and heavenly qualities, yet they all agree in assigning certain vehicles to separate spirits, in which they act; but of these vehicles they have strange notions; yet they acknowledge that without them, whether they be of light, fire, c., or whatever else, they cannot see and contemplate the Supreme Wisdom. In Synopsis Sohar, page 137, we have these words: "When the time draws near in which a man is to depart from this world, the angel of death takes off his mortal garment and clothes him with one from paradise, in which he may see and contemplate the Supreme Wisdom and therefore the angel of death is said to be very kind to man, because he takes off from him the garment of this world, and clothes him with a much more precious one prepared in paradise."

When the apostle says that they earnestly desired to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven, he certainly means that the great concern of all the genuine followers of God was to be fully prepared to enjoy the beatific vision of their Maker and Redeemer.