51 For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this we groan, ardently desiring to have put on our house which [is] from heaven; 3 if indeed being also clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For indeed we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; while yet we do not wish to be unclothed, but clothed, that [what is] mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now he that has wrought us for this very thing [is] God, who also has given to us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore [we are] always confident, and know that while present in the body we are absent from the Lord, 7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight;) 8 we are confident, I say, and pleased rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also we are zealous, whether present or absent, to be agreeable to him. 10 For we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of the Christ, that each may receive the things [done] in the body, according to those he has done, whether [it be] good or evil.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men, but have been manifested to God, and I hope also that we have been manifested in your consciences.
12 [For] we do not again commend ourselves to you, but [we are] giving to you occasion of boast in our behalf, that ye may have [such] with those boasting in countenance, and not in heart. 13 For whether we are beside ourselves, [it is] to God; or are sober, [it is] for you. 14 For the love of the Christ constrains us, having judged this: that one died for all, then all have died; 15 and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them and has been raised.
16 So that we henceforth know no one according to flesh; but if even we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we know [him thus] no longer. 17 So if any one [be] in Christ, [there is] a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new: 18 and all things [are] of the God who has reconciled us to himself by [Jesus] Christ, and given to us the ministry of that reconciliation: 19 how that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their offences; and putting in us the word of that reconciliation. 20 We are ambassadors therefore for Christ, God as [it were] beseeching by us, we entreat for Christ, Be reconciled to God. 21 Him who knew not sin he has made sin for us, that we might become God's righteousness in him.
31 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or [commendatory] from you? 2 Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men, 3 being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart. 4 And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God: 5 not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency [is] of God;
6 who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens. 7 (But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled; 8 how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation [be] glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory. 10 For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory. 11 For if that annulled [was introduced] with glory, much rather that which abides [subsists] in glory.
12 Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness: 13 and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled. 14 But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled. 15 But unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart. 16 But when it shall turn to [the] Lord, the veil is taken away.) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of [the] Lord [is, there is] liberty. 18 But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by [the] Lord [the] Spirit.
