1sn The expression the tent we live in refers to “our earthly house, our body.” Paul uses the metaphor of the physical body as a house or tent, the residence of the immaterial part of a person. 2tn Or “destroyed.” 3tn Or “dwelling place.” 4tn Or “to be clothed with.” 5tc ‡ Some mss read “taken off” (ἐκδυσάμενοι, ekdusamenoi) instead of “put on” (ἐνδυσάμενοι, endusamenoi). This alternative reading would change the emphasis of the verse from putting on “our heavenly house” to taking off “our earthly house” (see the following note regarding the specification of the referent). The difference between the two readings is one letter (ν or κ), either of which may be mistaken for the other especially when written in uncial script. ἐνδυσάμενοι enjoys strong support from the Alexandrian text (Ì46 א B C 33 1739 1881), Byzantine witnesses, versions (lat sy co), and Clement of Alexandria. The Western text is the only texttype to differ: D*,c reads ἐκδυσάμενοι, as does ar fc Mcion Tert Spec; F and G read εκλ for εκδ which indirectly aligns them with D (and was surely due to confusion of letters in uncial script). Thus “put on” has the oldest and best external attestation by far. Internal evidence also favors this reading. At first glance, it may seem that “after we have put on our heavenly house we will not be found naked” is an obvious statement; the scribe of D may have thought so and changed the participle. But v. 3 seems parenthetical (so A. Plummer, Second Corinthians [ICC], 147), and the idea that “we do not want to be unclothed but clothed” is repeated in v. 4 with an explanatory “for.” This concept also shows up in v. 2 with the phrase “we desire to put on.” So the context can be construed to argue for “put on” as the original reading. B. M. Metzger argues against the reading of NA27, stating that ἐκδυσάμενοι is “an early alteration to avoid apparent tautology” (TCGNT 511; so also Plummer, 148). In addition, the reading ἐνδυσάμενοι fits the Pauline pattern of equivalence between apodosis and protasis that is found often enough in his conditional clauses. Thus, “put on” has the mark of authenticity and should be considered original. 6tn Grk “it”; the referent (the “heavenly dwelling” of the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 7sn See the note in 5:1 on the phrase the tent we live in. 8tn Or “we are burdened.” 9tn Grk “for this very thing.” 10tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit” (see the note on the phrase “down payment” in 1:22). 11tn Grk “we know that being at home in the body”; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91). 12tn Grk “we walk.” 13tn Or “be absent.” 14tn Grk “whether we are at home” [in the body]; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91). 15tn Grk “to be pleasing to him.” 16sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a common item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. Use of the term in reference to Christ’s judgment would be familiar to Paul’s 1st century readers. 17tn Or “whether good or bad.” 18tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.” 19tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peiqomen) has been translated as a conative present. 20tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached). 21tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.” 22tn The present tense of συνιστάνομεν (sunistanomen) has been translated as a conative present. 23tn Or “to boast about us.” 24tn Or “who boast.” 25tn Or “in what is seen.” 26tn The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ (Jh agaph tou Cristou, “the love of Christ”) could be translated as either objective genitive (“our love for Christ”) or subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”). Either is grammatically possible, but with the reference to Christ’s death for all in the following clauses, a subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”) is more likely. 27tn Grk “one”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 28tn Or “but for him who died and was raised for them.” 29tn Grk “we know.” 30tn Grk “no one according to the flesh.” 31tn Grk “we have known Christ according to the flesh.” 32tn Grk “old things have passed away.” 33tc Most mss have the words τὰ πάντα (ta panta, “all things”; cf. KJV “behold, all things are become new”), some after καίνα (kaina, “new”; D2 K L P Ψ 104 326 945 2464 pm) and others before it (6 33 81 614 630 1241 1505 1881 pm). The reading without τὰ πάντα, however, has excellent support from both the Western and Alexandrian texttypes (Ì46 א B C D* F G 048 0243 365 629 1175 1739 pc co), and the different word order of the phrase which includes it (“all things new” or “new all things”) in the ms tradition indicates its secondary character. This secondary addition may have taken place because of assimilation to τὰ δὲ πάντα (ta de panta, “and all [these] things”) that begins the following verse. 34tn Grk “new things have come [about].” 35tn Or “he has entrusted to us.” 36tn Or “as though God were begging.” 37tn Or “we beg you.” 38tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 39sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ. 40sn That is, “in Christ.”
1sn The expression the tent we live in refers to “our earthly house, our body.” Paul uses the metaphor of the physical body as a house or tent, the residence of the immaterial part of a person.
2tn Or “destroyed.”
3tn Or “dwelling place.”
4tn Or “to be clothed with.”
5tc ‡ Some mss read “taken off” (ἐκδυσάμενοι, ekdusamenoi) instead of “put on” (ἐνδυσάμενοι, endusamenoi). This alternative reading would change the emphasis of the verse from putting on “our heavenly house” to taking off “our earthly house” (see the following note regarding the specification of the referent). The difference between the two readings is one letter (ν or κ), either of which may be mistaken for the other especially when written in uncial script. ἐνδυσάμενοι enjoys strong support from the Alexandrian text (Ì46 א B C 33 1739 1881), Byzantine witnesses, versions (lat sy co), and Clement of Alexandria. The Western text is the only texttype to differ: D*,c reads ἐκδυσάμενοι, as does ar fc Mcion Tert Spec; F and G read εκλ for εκδ which indirectly aligns them with D (and was surely due to confusion of letters in uncial script). Thus “put on” has the oldest and best external attestation by far. Internal evidence also favors this reading. At first glance, it may seem that “after we have put on our heavenly house we will not be found naked” is an obvious statement; the scribe of D may have thought so and changed the participle. But v. 3 seems parenthetical (so A. Plummer, Second Corinthians [ICC], 147), and the idea that “we do not want to be unclothed but clothed” is repeated in v. 4 with an explanatory “for.” This concept also shows up in v. 2 with the phrase “we desire to put on.” So the context can be construed to argue for “put on” as the original reading. B. M. Metzger argues against the reading of NA27, stating that ἐκδυσάμενοι is “an early alteration to avoid apparent tautology” (TCGNT 511; so also Plummer, 148). In addition, the reading ἐνδυσάμενοι fits the Pauline pattern of equivalence between apodosis and protasis that is found often enough in his conditional clauses. Thus, “put on” has the mark of authenticity and should be considered original.
6tn Grk “it”; the referent (the “heavenly dwelling” of the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7sn See the note in 5:1 on the phrase the tent we live in.
8tn Or “we are burdened.”
9tn Grk “for this very thing.”
10tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit” (see the note on the phrase “down payment” in 1:22).
11tn Grk “we know that being at home in the body”; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
12tn Grk “we walk.”
13tn Or “be absent.”
14tn Grk “whether we are at home” [in the body]; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
15tn Grk “to be pleasing to him.”
16sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a common item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. Use of the term in reference to Christ’s judgment would be familiar to Paul’s 1st century readers.
17tn Or “whether good or bad.”
18tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.”
19tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peiqomen) has been translated as a conative present.
20tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached).
21tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.”
22tn The present tense of συνιστάνομεν (sunistanomen) has been translated as a conative present.
23tn Or “to boast about us.”
24tn Or “who boast.”
25tn Or “in what is seen.”
26tn The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ (Jh agaph tou Cristou, “the love of Christ”) could be translated as either objective genitive (“our love for Christ”) or subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”). Either is grammatically possible, but with the reference to Christ’s death for all in the following clauses, a subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”) is more likely.
27tn Grk “one”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
28tn Or “but for him who died and was raised for them.”
29tn Grk “we know.”
30tn Grk “no one according to the flesh.”
31tn Grk “we have known Christ according to the flesh.”
32tn Grk “old things have passed away.”
33tc Most mss have the words τὰ πάντα (ta panta, “all things”; cf. KJV “behold, all things are become new”), some after καίνα (kaina, “new”; D2 K L P Ψ 104 326 945 2464 pm) and others before it (6 33 81 614 630 1241 1505 1881 pm). The reading without τὰ πάντα, however, has excellent support from both the Western and Alexandrian texttypes (Ì46 א B C D* F G 048 0243 365 629 1175 1739 pc co), and the different word order of the phrase which includes it (“all things new” or “new all things”) in the ms tradition indicates its secondary character. This secondary addition may have taken place because of assimilation to τὰ δὲ πάντα (ta de panta, “and all [these] things”) that begins the following verse.
34tn Grk “new things have come [about].”
35tn Or “he has entrusted to us.”
36tn Or “as though God were begging.”
37tn Or “we beg you.”
38tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
39sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.
40sn That is, “in Christ.”