1 Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. 2 While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home. 3 We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked.
4 These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don't do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die. 5 God is the one who makes all this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain he will do it. 6 So always be cheerful!
As long as we are in these bodies, we are away from the Lord. 7 But we live by faith, not by what we see. 8 We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord. 9 But whether we are at home with the Lord or away from him, we still try our best to please him. 10 After all, Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies.
Bringing People to God
11 We know what it means to respect the Lord, and we encourage everyone to turn to him. God himself knows what we are like, and I hope you also know what kind of people we are. 12 We are not trying once more to brag about ourselves. But we want you to be proud of us, when you are with those who are not sincere and brag about what others think of them.
13 If we seem out of our minds, it is between God and us. But if we are in our right minds, it is for your good. 14 We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died. 15 And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.
16 We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in this way. 17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
19 What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20 We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. 21 Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so Christ could make us acceptable to God.
Laicīgais un debesu mājoklis
1 Mēs zinām – kad uz zemes celtā telts, kurā mītam, reiz sagrūs, mums būs Dieva celts mūžīgs mājoklis debesīs, kas nav rokām darināts. 2 Kamēr esam uz zemes celtajā teltī, mēs smagi nopūšamies, jo liela ir mūsu vēlēšanās ietērpties tajā mājoklī, kas no debesīm, 3 lai, pat zaudējuši tagadējo ietērpu, mēs neizrādītos kaili. 4 Šajā teltī būdami, mēs grūti nopūšamies zem smagās nastas, jo negribam palikt bez apģērba, bet gribam būt ietērpti, ka dzīvība aprītu to, kas mirstīgs. 5 Bet Dievs, kas mūs tam ir izveidojis, ir devis mums Gara ķīlu. 6 Tādēļ vienmēr esam droši, jo zinām – kamēr mēs mītam miesā, mēs neesam mājās pie Kunga, 7 jo mēs dzīvojam ticībā, nevis redzēšanā. 8 Patiesi mēs esam droši – mēs vairāk pat gribam būt prom no miesas un mājot pie Kunga. 9 Tādēļ – vai nu mītot šeit, vai pie viņa – mēs dedzīgi tiecamies būt viņam patīkami. 10 Jo mums visiem būs jāstājas Kristus soģa krēsla priekšā, lai katrs pēc nopelna saņemtu par visu, ko savā dzīvē darījis – vai labu vai ļaunu.
Izlīguma kalpošana
11 Mēs, kas pazīstam bijību Kunga priekšā, pārliecinām cilvēkus. Dievam mēs esam skaidri redzami, un es ceru, ka esam redzami arī jūsu sirdsapziņai. 12 Mēs neizceļam atkal sevi jūsu priekšā, bet dodam jums iemeslu ar mums lepoties, lai jums būtu ko atbildēt tiem, kas lepojas ar ārēji redzamo, nevis to, kas sirdī. 13 Ja esam bijuši neprātīgi, tas ir bijis Dieva dēļ; ja esam saprātīgi – tas jūsu dēļ. 14 Kristus mīlestība liek mums atzīt, ka viens ir miris par visiem, tātad arī visi ir miruši. 15 Viņš ir miris par visiem, lai tie, kas dzīvi, nedzīvotu vairs sev, bet tam, kas par viņiem ir miris un augšāmcēlies. 16 Tā ka no šā brīža mēs nevienu nepazīstam miesīgi; ja arī mēs Kristu pazinām miesīgi, tagad vairs nepazīstam. 17 Tādēļ tas, kas ir Kristū, ir jauns radījums; viss vecais ir pagājis, un redzi – viss tapis jauns. 18 Viss ir no Dieva, kas mūs ar sevi caur Kristu ir samierinājis un ir uzdevis mums šai izlīgšanai kalpot. 19 Tādējādi Dievs Kristū pasauli samierina ar sevi un nepieskaita cilvēkiem viņu pārkāpumus, un mūsos viņš ir ielicis izlīguma vēsti. 20 Kristus dēļ mēs esam sūtņi, it kā Dievs sauktu caur mums: Kristus dēļ mēs lūdzam – saņemiet šo izlīgumu ar Dievu! 21 Viņu, kas grēku nepazina, viņš mūsu dēļ padarīja par grēku, lai mēs viņā taptu par Dieva taisnību.
