2 Corinthians 5:9

THE MESSAGE

But 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.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
So, here's the secret, if we are here or there, the goal is to please God.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

Bible in Basic English
For this reason we make it our purpose, in the body or away from it, to be well-pleasing to him.

Darby Translation
Wherefore also we are zealous, whether present or absent, to be agreeable to him.

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him.

World English Bible
Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therefore we are ambitious, whether present, or absent, to be well-pleasing to him.

Weymouth's New Testament
And for this reason also we make it our ambition, whether at home or in exile, to please Him perfectly.

King James Version (1611)
Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

Literal Translation
Because of this, we also are striving to be pleasing to Him, whether being at home, or being away from home.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore, whether we be at home or fro home, we endeuoure oure selues to please him.

Mace New Testament (1729)
wherefore I studiously endeavour, whether staying in it, or departing out of it, to be acceptable to him.

Amplified Bible
Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him.

American Standard Version
Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.

Revised Standard Version
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wherfore whether we be at home or from home we endeuoure oure selves to please him.

Update Bible Version
Therefore we also make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing to him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted by him.

Young's Literal Translation
Wherefore also we are ambitious, whether at home or away from home, to be well pleasing to him,

New Century Version
Our only goal is to please God whether we live here or there,

New English Translation
So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him.

Berean Standard Bible
So we aspire to please Him, whether we are here in this body or away from it.

Contemporary English Version
But whether we are at home with the Lord or away from him, we still try our best to please him.

Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore, whether at home or away from home, we try our utmost to please him;

English Standard Version
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore also we couet, that both dwelling at home, and remouing from home, we may be acceptable to him.

George Lamsa Translation
Wherefore we endeavor, that, whether present or absent, we may be pleasing to him.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.

International Standard Version
So whether we are at home or away from home, our goal is to be pleasing to him.

Etheridge Translation
We give diligence, that whether we are pilgrims or inhabitants, we may be pleasing unto Him.

Murdock Translation
We are assiduous, that whether we are absent, or whether at home, we may please him.

New King James Version
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

New Living Translation
So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

New Life Bible
So if we stay here on earth or go home to Him, we always want to please Him.

English Revised Version
Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well–pleasing unto him.

New Revised Standard
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore also we are ambitious - whether at home, or away from home, to be, well-pleasing unto him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And therefore we labour, whether absent or present, to please him.

King James Version
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

Lexham English Bible
Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore, whether we be at home, or from home, we endeuour our selues to be accepted vnto hym.

Easy-to-Read Version
Our only goal is to always please the Lord, whether we are living here in this body or there with him.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

Good News Translation
More than anything else, however, we want to please him, whether in our home here or there.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And therfor we stryuen, whether absent, whether present, to plese hym.

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 labour: or, we endeavour, John 6:27, Romans 15:20, 1 Corinthians 9:26, 1 Corinthians 9:27, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Colossians 1:29, 1 Thessalonians 4:11,*Gr: 1 Timothy 4:10, Hebrews 4:11, 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Peter 1:11, 2 Peter 3:14

whether: 2 Corinthians 5:6, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Romans 14:8

accepted: Genesis 4:7, Isaiah 56:7, Acts 10:35, Ephesians 1:6, Hebrews 12:28

Reciprocal: Matthew 6:18 - appear Matthew 25:21 - Well 2 Corinthians 8:21 - not Galatians 1:10 - do I now 1 Thessalonians 5:12 - labour 2 Timothy 2:4 - that he 2 Timothy 2:15 - approved 2 Timothy 4:1 - who Revelation 2:3 - hast laboured

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent,.... This may be understood either of the ministers of the Gospel in particular, who labour in the word and doctrine, are ambitious, as the word here used signifies, and strive to preach the Gospel, not to please men, but their Lord and master; or of saints in general, who are intent upon this, and whose highest ambition is, that whether living or dying they

may be accepted of him; both persons and services: such who are born again, who are believers in Christ, and truly love him, are earnestly desirous of doing those things which are pleasing to him; and do in the strength of Christ endeavour to perform them. Faith is a diligent, industrious, and operative grace, and makes persons like itself. As none ought to be, so none are more careful to perform good works, or more ambitious to excel others in them, and thereby please their Lord, than believers. And these are the only persons that can please him, for without faith it is impossible to please him; for these act from a principle of love to him, and with a view to his glory; and may they be but accepted of him, living and dying, both in this and the other world, they have the highest favour they can wish for and desire.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore - (Διὸ Dio). In view of the facts stated above. Since we have the prospect of a resurrection and of future glory; since we have the assurance that there is a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; and since God has given to us this hope, and has granted to us the earnest of the Spirit, we make it our great object so to live as to be accepted by him.

We labor - The word used here (φιλοτιμούμεθα philotimoumetha, from φίλος philos and τιμὴ timē, loving honor) means properly to love honor; to be ambitious. This is its usual Classical signification. In the New Testament, it means to be ambitious to do anything; to exert oneself; to strive, as if from a love or sense of honor. As in English, to make it a point of honor to do so and so - Robinson (Lexicon); see Romans 15:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:1 l. It means here, that Paul made it a point of constant effort; it was his leading and constant aim to live so as to be acceptable to God, and to meet his approbation wherever he was.

Whether present or absent - Whether present with the Lord 2 Corinthians 5:8, or absent from him 2 Corinthians 5:6; that is, whether in this world or the next; whether we are here, or removed to heaven. Wherever we are, or may be, it is, and will be our main purpose and object so to live as to secure his favor. Paul did not wish to live on earth regardless of his favor or without evidence that he would be accepted by him. He did not make the fact that he was absent from him, and that he did not see him with the physical eye, an excuse for walking in the ways of ambition, or seeking his own purposes and ends. The idea is, that so far as this point was concerned, it made no difference with him whether he lived or died; whether he was on earth or in heaven; whether in the body or out of the body; it was the great fixed principle of his nature so to live as to secure the approbation of the Lord. And this is the true principle on which the Christian should act, and will act. The fact that he is now absent from the Lord will be to him no reason why he should lead a life of sin and self-indulgence, anymore than he would if he were in heaven; and the fact that he is soon to be with him is not the main reason why he seeks to live so as to please him. It is because this has become the fixed principle of the soul; the very purpose of the life; and this principle and this purpose will adhere to him, and control him wherever he may be placed, or in whatever world he may dwell.

We may be accepted of him - The phrase used here εὐάρεστοι εἶναι euarestoi einai means to be well-pleasing; and then to be acceptable, or approved; Romans 12:1; Romans 14:18; Ephesians 5:10; Philippians 4:18; Titus 2:9. The sense here is, that Paul was earnestly desirous of so living as to please God, and to receive from him the tokens and marks of his favor. And the truth taught in this verse is, that this will be the great purpose of the Christian’s life, and that it makes no difference as to the existence and operation of this principle whether a man is on earth or in heaven. He will equally desire it, and strive for it; and this is one of the ways in which religion makes a man conscientious and holy, and is a better guard and security for virtue than all human laws, and all the restraints which can be imposed by man.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 5:9. Wherefore we labour — φιλοτιμουμεθα. from φιλος, loving, and τιμη, honour; we act at all times on the principles of honour; we are, in the proper sense of the word, ambitious to do and say every thing consistently with our high vocation: and, as we claim kindred to the inhabitants of heaven, to act as they do.

We may be accepted of him. — ευαρεστοι αυτω ειναι To be pleasing to him. Through the love we have to God, we study and labour to please him. This is and will be our heaven, to study to love, please, and serve him from whom we have received both our being and its blessings.