Absent From the Body, Present With the Lord — 2 Corinthians 5:1-8

2 Corinthians 5:1-8 · Berean Standard Bible

Paul compares our mortal body to a fragile tent and promises 'a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.' He is confident that to be 'away from the body' is to be 'at home with the Lord,' so believers can face death with courage rather than dread. This is the passage many turn to when asking what actually happens the moment a Christian dies.

1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

2For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

4For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.

5And it is God who has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.

6Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.

7For we walk by faith, not by sight.

8We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Read the wider context: 2 Corinthians 5.

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