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2Cor.5:1. For we know that when our earthly house, this hut, is destroyed, we have from God a dwelling in heaven, a house not made with hands, eternal. “We know that even if the earthly church of the body is destroyed, the creation from God of the imams is a church not made by hands, eternal, in heaven.” The Apostle calls the continuation of present life the earthly church, and the body 3 the tabernacle. Therefore, he says: if the present accepts the end, then we have a church not made with hands, eternal, heavenly, for the earthly has opposed the heavenly, the one that is being destroyed - the eternal, prepared by people - not made with hands. 2Cor.5:2. That is why we sigh, wanting to put on our heavenly dwelling. “For for this we sigh; we desire to shine in our heavenly habitation.” The Apostle here called incorruption a dwelling place; He called it heavenly, because from there the gift is sent down to us. He did not say, “be clothed,” but, “be clothed,” because we do not put on another body, but this corruptible puts on incorruptibility. 2Cor.5:3. As long as we don’t end up naked even though we’re dressed. “Even though I have put on the Nazis, we will not find them.” For although every person will be clothed in incorruptibility, not everyone will become partakers of the Divine glory. Therefore, “naked” he calls those deprived of Divine glory, to whom the Apostle counts himself, and the Corinthians, and all people, thereby teaching modesty. 2 Cor.5:4. For we, being in this hut, groan under the burden, because we do not want to be undressed, but to be clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up with life. “For we who are in this body groan heavily, because we do not want to be deprived of ourselves, but to be clothed.” We sigh, not wanting to get rid of the body, but having the desire to become free from its passions: for we desire not to be stripped of the body, but to be “shone” in incorruption. We know how this will happen. “Let him be devoured with a deathly belly.” Just as rising light dispels darkness, so undying life destroys corruption. 2 Cor.5:5. It is for this very reason that God created us and gave us the guarantee of the Spirit. “God, who created us into this true state, also gave us the betrothal of the Spirit.” This is how the Creator planned for us from the beginning and, foreseeing Adam’s crime, prepared a cure corresponding to the ulcer. He himself gave us the betrothal of the Spirit. And the Apostle put it this way, by miracles that are performed by the Spirit, proving the truth of the promises about the future. 2 Cor.5:6. So we are always in good spirits; and how we know that, being settled in the body, we are removed from the Lord. 2 Cor.5:7. For we walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Cor.5:8. Then we are complacent and wish better to leave the body and be with the Lord. “We always boldly and knowingly, as though we live in the body, we depart from the Lord: for we walk by faith, and not by sight! We dare and deign, rather, to depart from the body and come to the Lord.” The Apostle does not say that we are far from the Lord, being still associated with a mortal body, but that now we do not see Him with our bodily eyes, but then we will see and be with Him. For now, he says, we do not see the things we expected, but we see them only by faith. For this very reason, we want to “depart from the body and come to the Lord.” And here the Apostle teaches not to fear death, but to desire liberation from here. 2Cor.5:9. And therefore we zealously strive, whether in or out, to be pleasing to Him. “For those who strive, whether they come in or go out, He will be well-pleasing.” For faith is not enough for salvation, but everyone must please the Benefactor. The Apostle used the word “we strive” instead of: we diligently desire. But he also proves in another way that the acquisition of virtue is necessarily necessary. 2 Cor.5:10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has done while living in the body, whether good or bad. “It is fitting for us all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” The Apostle did not say “to appear,” but to “appear,” and this is enough to frighten those who suffer from insensibility, and to heal sinful ulcers so much that they become not obvious to everyone. But the Apostle also increases fear in another way: “Let everyone receive what he has done with his body, either good or evil.” For the Judge, as a fair man, will assign to everyone rewards corresponding to how he lived. But the Apostle showed at the same time that souls, both those awarded honor and those punished, receive reward along with their bodies. 2 Cor.5:11. So, knowing the fear of the Lord, we admonish people, but we are open to God; I hope that your consciences are also open. “Because we have the fear of the Lord, we exhort men, but we are manifested by God.” Since this fear confronts us, we attempt to correct those who have false opinions about us, and to provide information about ourselves as to what we really are, although we clearly know that God sees everything. “I hope that in your consciences there are manifestations.” But I think you have no need for our words, knowing exactly our goal. 2 Cor.5:12. We are not introducing ourselves to you again, but we are giving you a reason to boast about us, so that you may have something to say to those who boast in appearance and not in heart. “For we do not again praise ourselves before you, but we give you blame for praising us, so that you may bring those who boast to their faces, and not to their hearts.” The apostle also said something in favor of the Corinthians, testifying to their disposition towards him; I don’t mean you, he continues, I say this, but so that you learn how you should defend your teacher and expose the false speeches of your opponents, who wear a double mask, think one thing and say another. 2 Cor.5:13. If we lose our temper, it is for God; if you are modest, then for you. “If we are maddened, O God: if we are chaste, for you.” The Apostle here called chastity humility, and amazement the mention of prosperity. I do both, he says, with the right thought. 2 Cor.5:14. For the love of Christ embraces us, reasoning this way: if one died for all, then all died. 2 Cor.5:15. But Christ died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. “For the love of Christ will support us who have judged this: for if one died for all, then surely thou art dead”: and “for all we die, so that those who live may live not for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again.” The Apostle again connected this with the previous speech, for, having said: “Even so, we strive, if we go in, if we go out, it was pleasing to Him to be” (2 Cor. 5:9), of necessity, he showed the reason for love. He says that we are passionate about love for Christ, reasoning that when we were subject to death, He alone accepted death for us, so that all of us might have life. 2 Cor.5:16. Therefore, from now on we do not know anyone according to the flesh; if we knew Christ in the flesh, now we no longer know him. “In the same way, from now on we also know not one thing according to the flesh, even though we understand according to the flesh of Christ, but now we understand no one.” For having learned that death was destroyed by the Lord’s death, we no longer recognize any of the people as mortal, because although the Lord Christ Himself had a body subject to suffering, yet through suffering He made it incorruptible and immortal. 2 Cor.5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the ancient has passed away, now everything is new. “And if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the ancient past, behold, was all new.” Therefore, those who believe in Christ must lead life as if in some new creation, for, renewed by all-holy baptism, we have been put off from sinful old age. 2 Cor.5:18. All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. “All things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” The apostle depicted God's indescribable love for mankind. It was not God Himself, he says, who reconciled with us, although He Himself was offended by our crime, but “reconciled” us to Himself, not using man as a mediator, but making the Only Begotten Son the mediator of peace. Yes, and we have been entrusted with the gospel of reconciliation. 2 Cor.5:19. Because God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself, not imputing their crimes to people, and gave us the word of reconciliation. “For God was not (there must be a punctuation mark here), reconciling the world to Himself in Christ”; because the God of all things through Christ made reconciliation with men. What is the method of reconciliation? “Not counting their sins against them, but placing in us the word of reconciliation.” He granted remission of sins and ordained us as ministers of the world. 2 Cor.5:20. So we are messengers on behalf of Christ, and it is as if God Himself exhorts through us; On behalf of Christ we ask: be reconciled with God. “Let us therefore serve as ambassadors according to Christ.” Since he said that he was appointed as a minister of reconciliation, he, of necessity, calls himself an envoy and, showing the authenticity of the embassy, added: “As I pray to God with us.” What proposals will you make for us? “We pray in Christ, be reconciled to God.” What has been said is enough to touch the most stubborn. For before the Apostle said: Christ, being put to death, not only was not indignant, but he commissioned us to be messengers and convince all people so that they would respect His long-suffering, be ashamed of the killing of Christ and be reconciled with the Creator and God and Master. Adds to the above the dishonor of suffering. 2 Cor.5:21. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. “For he who knew no sin, commit sin on us, so that we may be God’s righteousness toward Him.” For, being free from sin, He endured the death of sinners in order to loose the sin of men, and calling Himself what we were, He called us what He Himself was, because He gave us the riches of justification. The Apostle reads: the earthly church of the tabernacle. In translation, the reading is preferred to the ordinary reading: πνευμα ημιν: πασιν ημιν, as it is more consistent with the flow of speech. You might be interested in: