5 For we know that if the earthly “tent” which is our house is torn down, we have[1121] a building from God, a house not made by human hands. It is a body fit for the coming age[1122] and is being prepared now in heaven. 2 We certainly groan in this house, longing to be clothed with our house which will come to us from heaven.  3 When in the future we put it on, we will not be found naked.  4 For while we are in this present “tent” we groan because of our burdens. It is not that we want to be unclothed, but we want to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.  5 The One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the spirit as a down-payment.
    6 So we are always full of courage, knowing that while we are at home in this body, we are absent from the lord, 7 for we are living by faith, not by sight.  8 As I say, we are full of courage, and would prefer to be absent from this body and then to be at home with the lord. [1123]  9 So we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing to him.  10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah, so that each person will be repaid for what we have done while in this body, whether good or bad.
    11 So then, knowing what it means to fear the lord, we try to persuade people. We are well-known to God, and I hope that we are well-known also to your consciences.  12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in outward appearances rather than what is in the heart.  13 For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.  14 For the love of the Messiah compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and so all died.  15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
    16 So then, from now on we acknowledge no one from a worldly point of view. Even though we have known Messiah from such a worldly point of view, now we know him in that way no longer.  17 So if anyone is in Messiah he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Look: the new has come!  18 And all this is from God who reconciled us to Himself through Messiah, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  19 namely that God was in Messiah reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them, and He has committed to us the Gospel-word of reconciliation.
    20 So then we are ambassadors representing Messiah, as though God were making His appeal through us: We appeal to you on behalf of the Messiah, be reconciled to God.  21 The one who knew no sin, God made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we could become[1124] God’s right way of thinking and doing.