II Corinthians 5:6
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Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Translate as Greek, "Being therefore always confident and knowing," &c. He had intended to have made the verb to this nominative, "we are willing" (rather, "well content"), but digressing on the word "confident" (Co2 5:6-7), he resumes the word in a different form, namely, as an assertion: "We are confident and well content." "Being confident . . . we are confident" may be the Hebraic idiom of emphasis; as Act 7:34, Greek, "Having seen, I have seen," that is, I have surely seen. always--under all trials. BENGEL makes the contrast between "always confident" and "confident" especially at the prospect of being "absent from the body." We are confident as well at all times, as also most of all in the hope of a blessed departure. whilst . . . at home . . . absent--Translate as Greek, "While we sojourn in our home in the body, we are away from our home in the Lord." The image from a "house" is retained (compare Phi 3:20; Heb 11:13-16; Heb 13:14).
Open source ↗The apostle proceeds in showing the reasons why they did not faint under their afflictions, namely, their expectation, desire, and assurance of happiness after death (Co2 5:1-5), and deduces an inference for the comfort of believers in their present state (Co2 5:6-8), and another to quicken them in their duty (Co2 5:9-11). Then he makes an apology for seeming to commend himself, and gives a good reason for his zeal and diligence (Co2 5:12-15), and mentions two things that are necessary in order to our living to Christ, regeneration and reconciliation (Co2 5:16 to the end).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Now 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.
For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. For I am a foreigner dwelling with You, a stranger like all my fathers.
We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
For we are foreigners and strangers in Your presence, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.
So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.
The Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours?
I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.