2 Corinthians 5:8

6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

7 For ^awe walk by faith, not by sight.

8 We are confident, yes, ^awell pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

10 ^aFor we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^bthat each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

11 Knowing, therefore, ^athe terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Be Reconciled to God

12 For ^awe do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity ^bto boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

13 For ^aif we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that ^aif One died for all, then all died;

15 and He died for all, ^athat those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

16 ^aTherefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, ^byet now we know Him thus no longer.

17 Therefore, if anyone ^ais in Christ, he is ^ba new creation; ^cold things have passed away; behold, all things have become ^dnew.

18 Now all things are of God, ^awho has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

19 that is, that ^aGod was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not¹ imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then, we are ^aambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

21 For ^aHe made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become ^bthe righteousness of God in Him.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

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2 Corinthians 5:8

We are confident - II Corinthians 5:6. We are cheerful, and courageous, and ready to bear our trial. Tyndale renders it: "we are of good comfort."

And willing rather to be absent from the body - We would prefer to die. The same idea occurs in Philippians 1:23. "Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; which is far better." The sense is, that Paul would have preferred to die, and to go to heaven; rather than to remain in a world of sin and trial.

To be present with the Lord - The Lord Jesus; see the note on Acts 1:24; compare Philippians 1:23. The idea of Paul is, that the Lord Jesus would constitute the main glory of heaven, and that to be with him was equivalent to being in a place of perfect bliss. He had no idea of any heaven where the Lord Jesus was not; and to be with him was to be in heaven. That world where the Redeemer is, is heaven. This also proves that the spirits of the saints, when they depart, are with the Redeemer; that is, are at once taken to heaven. It demonstrates:

(1)That they are not annihilated.

(2)That they do not sleep, and remain in an unconscious state, as Dr. Priestley supposes.

(3)That they are not in some intermediate state, either in a state of purgatory, as the Papists suppose, or a state where all the souls of the just and the unjust are assembled in a common abode, as many Protestants have supposed; but,

(4)That they dwell with Christ; they are with the Lord ( ̀ ̀ ́ pros ton Kurion ). They abide in his presence; they partake of his joy and his glory; they are permitted to sit with him in his throne; Revelation 3:21.

The same idea the Saviour expressed to the dying thief, when he said, "today shalt thou be with me in paradise;" Luke 23:43.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 2 Corinthians 5:8:**

2 Corinthians 5:4
2 Corinthians 5:9
2 Corinthians 5:21

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