| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. | 1For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. |
| 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, | 2For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, |
| 3if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. | 3if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. |
| 4For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. | 4For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. |
| 5Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. | 5Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. |
| 6So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. | 6Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord-- |
| 7For we walk by faith, not by sight. | 7for we live by faith, not by sight. |
| 8We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. | 8Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. |
| 9Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. | 9So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him. |
| 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. | 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. |
| 11Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. | 11Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. |
| 12For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. | 12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart. |
| 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. | 13For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. |
| 14For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; | 14For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. |
| 15and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. | 15And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. |
| 16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. | 16So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer. |
| 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. | 17So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away--look, what is new has come! |
| 18Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, | 18And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. |
| 19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. | 19In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people's trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. |
| 20Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. | 20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!" |
| 21For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. | 21God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God. |
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