II Corinthians 5:1 · Bible study
2 Corinthians 5:1 Commentary: Study, Earthly Tent, Eternal Building
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of 'building from God' in 2 Cor 5:1, the resurrection body or heavenly dwelling? Scholarly insights from commentaries.
Research Summary
- Meaning: In contrast to the temporary mortal body, believers can be certain of an eternal resurrection body from God.
- Key words: σκῆνος (tent), temporary dwelling; καταλύω (dissolve), take down; ἀχειροποίητος (not made with hands), divine origin; αἰώνιος (eternal), lasting.
- Main debate: Does the 'building from God' refer to the resurrection body or a heavenly dwelling in the intermediate state?
- Theological theme: Resurrection hope; new creation; the Spirit as guarantee.
- Best use: Comfort for the dying, funeral sermons, encouragement in suffering.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
KJV King James Version 1769
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For we have known that if our earthly house of the tabernacle may be thrown down, a building from God we have, an house not made with hands--age-during--in the heavens,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For we know, if our earthly house of this habitation be dissolved, that we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
PORQUE sabemos, que si la casa terrestre de nuestra habitación se deshiciere, tenemos de Dios un edificio, una casa no hecha de manos, eterna en los cielos.
Porque sabemos que, se nossa casa terrestre deste tabernáculo se desfizer, temos um edifício de Deus, uma casa não feita por mãos, mas eterna, nos céus.
Nous savons, en effet, que, si cette tente où nous habitons sur la terre est détruite, nous avons dans le ciel un édifice qui est l’ouvrage de Dieu, une demeure éternelle qui n’ a pas été faite de main d’ homme.
Wir wissen aber, so unser irdisch Haus dieser Hütte zerbrochen wird, daß wir einen Bau haben, von Gott erbauet, ein Haus, nicht mit Händen gemacht, das ewig ist, im Himmel.
Want wij weten, dat, zo ons aardse huis dezes tabernakels gebroken wordt, wij een gebouw van God hebben, een huis niet met handen gemaakt, maar eeuwig in de hemelen.
Noi sappiamo infatti che se questa tenda ch’è la nostra dimora terrena viene disfatta, noi abbiamo da Dio un edificio, una casa non fatta da mano d’uomo, eterna nei cieli.
Wiemy bowiem, że jeźli tego naszego ziemskiego mieszkania namiot zburzony będzie, budowanie mamy od Boga, dom nie rękoma urobiony, wieczny w niebiesiech.
Ибо знаем, что, когда земной наш дом, эта хижина, разрушится, мы имеем от Бога жилище на небесах, дом нерукотворенный, вечный.
我們原知道， 我們 這地上的 帳棚 若 拆毀了，必得 神所造，不是人手所造，在 天上 永存的 房屋。
For we are conscious that if this our tent of flesh is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in heaven.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Corinthians 5:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across the supplied sources agree that the 'earthly house of this tent' refers to the mortal body, and the 'building from God' is the resurrection body, a spiritual, eternal, heavenly existence. Vincent's Word Studies specifies that the Greek word skēnos (tent) was used in ancient medical and philosophical writings for the body, and the verb kataluō (dissolved) is the technical term for taking down a tent. Barnes and Gill understand the 'building from God' as the glorified body that believers receive. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown precisely states: 'This house can only be the resurrection body.' Calvin sees the verse as raising believers' minds to the hope of heavenly glory. While some interpreters have viewed the building as an intermediate dwelling place (cf. John 14:2), the predominant view among the consulted commentators is the resurrection body at Christ's coming. The present tense 'we have' (echomen) is explained by the Cambridge Bible as signifying assured future possession, already real in God's purpose.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Resurrection body: The contrast with the tent suggests a permanent dwelling; context of 1 Cor 15 and 'not made with hands' echoing Mark 14:58 support the glorified body at Christ's coming.
- Heavenly dwelling place: Some interpret the building as an intermediate dwelling (cf. John 14:2); the phrase 'in the heavens' can be taken spatially rather than as a future bodily state.
What is clear: After this mortal life ends, believers have a permanent, eternal dwelling from God that is not of human origin.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The 'building from God': resurrection body vs. heavenly dwelling | All traditions agree that this is a new, eternal reality given by God after death, not a human achievement. | Some Christians read the 'building' as the resurrection body (based on the tent/building contrast and 1 Cor 15), while others see it as a heavenly dwelling place in the intermediate state (based on John 14:2 and Luke 16:22). |
| Present possession vs. future inheritance | Believers have this reality in some sense now through the Spirit's guarantee (v.5). | The present tense 'we have' is understood as either (a) certain future possession already real in God's purpose (Barnes, Cambridge), or (b) immediate reception of a dwelling at death (some early church interpreters). |
| The meaning of 'if' in verse 1 | Paul is not expressing doubt about death, but acknowledging that not all believers will die before Christ's return. | Some commentators see the 'if' as a concession to the possibility of living until the Parousia (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown), while others read it as a temporal clause: 'when' the tent is dissolved (Gill). |
| The intermediate state: naked or clothed? | Believers do not desire to be 'unclothed' (disembodied) but 'clothed upon' with the resurrection body. | Traditions differ on whether believers are conscious with Christ apart from the body (2 Cor 5:8) or enter a 'sleep' until the resurrection. Both affirm the hope of final resurrection. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes to a Corinthian church familiar with Greek ideas of the body as a prison or tent for the soul. His own trade as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3) gives an edge to the imagery: a tent is temporary, easily taken down when the journey is complete. The Jewish tabernacle in the wilderness, which Adam Clarke notes Paul likely has in mind, was dismantled and moved whenever Israel traveled. The body, then, is our wilderness tabernacle, a provisional dwelling for the pilgrim people of God.
The language also echoes the Greco-Roman world. Vincent points out that physicians like Hippocrates used skēnos for the body. But Paul transforms the metaphor. Instead of the soul fleeing the body at death (a common Platonist hope), Paul insists on a new, permanent 'building from God.' The word oikodomēn (building) suggests a solid, durable structure, contrasting with the fragile tent. The phrase 'not made with hands' (acheiropoiēton) connects to Christ's resurrection body (Mark 14:58) and the new creation. 'In the heavens' (en tois ouranois) identifies the sphere of this existence: it is heavenly in origin and destination, not earthly. This hope rests on God's faithfulness, as verse 5 states: the same God who made us for this very thing has given the guarantee of the Spirit.
Paul's situation is that of facing suffering and what he calls 'light affliction' (4:17). This verse provides the anchor for that confidence. The past and future are bridged by the present reality of the Spirit's down payment, making the Christian hope more than wishful thinking.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 2 Corinthians 5:1. The verse is well attested across the manuscript tradition. Some later manuscripts vary word order slightly (e.g., moving 'eternal' before 'in the heavens'), but none affect the meaning. The reading 'a house not made with hands' (acheiropoiēton) is secure.
Reception History
2 Corinthians 5:1 has been a bedrock of Christian consolation. From early church funeral liturgy through Reformation hymns, the verse has strengthened believers facing death. The phrase 'house not made with hands' (acheiropoiētos) connects to Christ's own resurrection body (Mark 14:58) and to the temple saying. Medieval theologians like Thomas Aquinas used it to discuss the intermediate state and the nature of the glorified body. In the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible emphasized the certainty of 'we know' as a ground for assurance. In modern times, it remains a central text in funeral services across denominations, sung in hymns of hope about the resurrection. The tent imagery speaks powerfully to those who feel their lives are fragile or transient.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Tent We Live In. Our present body is earthly, temporary, and fragile (skēnos). Paul calls it a tent, not a permanent house.
- The Tent Is Struck. Death is not annihilation but a dismantling, a change of address. The verb kataluō suggests taking apart what was only ever meant to be folded up.
- The Building That Awaits. God Himself has prepared an eternal, heavenly dwelling. The resurrection body is solid, durable, and originates from God.
Five-point outline
- Knowledge: 'We know', Christian certainty grounded in Christ's resurrection (cf. 2 Cor 4:14).
- Contrast: Tent vs. building, temporary vs. permanent, earthly vs. heavenly.
- Source: 'From God', this hope is God's gift, not human achievement. It comes ek theou.
- Nature: 'Not made with hands, eternal', it belongs to the age to come, not to the present order.
- Location: 'In the heavens', our true home is with God, where our citizenship lies (Phil 3:20).
Illustration hooks
- Packing a tent when a camping trip ends. The body is a tent we will fold up and leave behind.
- Receiving the keys to a permanent home while still living in a rented apartment. The building from God is already ours in promise.
- A builder's blueprint: God has drawn up the plans for our resurrection body, and the Spirit is the down payment that guarantees construction will begin.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What happens to us between death and the resurrection?
- How can I be sure I will go to heaven?
- Does this mean we will be disembodied spirits forever, or will we have new bodies?
Leading a Discussion
This passage was written for believers who were suffering, to anchor them in hope. Paul had just finished talking about affliction producing eternal glory (2 Cor 4:17-18). Now he gives the reason: we know what awaits us. Read the verse slowly together, noticing the images of tent and building.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Corinthians 5:1 aloud. What pictures does Paul use to describe the body in this life?
- The Greek word translated 'dissolved' (kataluō) is used for taking down a tent. How does this change the way you think about death?
- What is the 'building from God'? How does it differ from our 'earthly house'? Consider words like 'eternal,' 'not made with hands,' and 'in the heavens.'
- Why does Paul use the present tense 'we have' to describe something that seems to be future? What does this say about the certainty of our hope?
- Look back at 2 Cor 4:16-18. How does this hope shape the way we face pain, loss, or aging?
- In verse 5, the Holy Spirit is called an 'earnest' or down payment. How does the Spirit's presence in our lives now confirm that this future building is real?
- How can our group help one another hold onto this hope when life feels fragile?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 3:19 | You will eat bread by the sweat of your face until you return to the ground, for you were taken out of it. For you are dust, and you shall return to dust.” |
| Job 4:19 | How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth! |
| Job 19:25 | But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth. |
| Job 19:26 | After my skin is destroyed, then I will see God in my flesh, |
| Job 30:22 | You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm. |
| Psalms 56:9 | Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this: that God is for me. |
| Mark 14:58 | “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” |
| John 14:2 | In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke reads the "earthly house" as the body, which the soul inhabits like a tent. He draws a parallel with the ancient Jewish tabernacle, which was dismantled during travel and reassembled at rest. In the same way, death dissolves the body, freeing the soul for its permanent home.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights Paul's unwavering assurance that believers have a permanent, God-made dwelling in heaven once their frail earthly body is taken down. This future body is not temporary like a tent but eternal, made by God himself and suited for heaven. That confident knowledge kept Paul from growing weary in his work.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Paul's claim to "know" is not a matter of opinion or belief but settled spiritual knowledge, a confidence no pagan could claim. The present tense "we have" is key: the spiritual body already exists in God's eternal purpose, though it is given fully at Christ's coming. This heavenly dwelling is of divine origin, not made with hands like any earthly structure.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note stresses that the earthly body is called a "tabernacle," a temporary tent that can be taken down. When this frail dwelling is destroyed, believers receive a permanent building directly from God, one that is not made by human hands and lasts forever in heaven.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that believers have present, certain knowledge of their eternal heavenly dwelling because it is entirely God's work, not earned by human effort. This assurance rests on God's promise, the Gospel, the Spirit's witness, and the inseparable link between grace received now and glory to come. The temporary earthly body will be dissolved, but the heavenly building is already secured.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that Paul, a tent-maker by trade, deliberately calls the present body a tabernacle to stress its temporary nature. The resurrection body, by contrast, is a solid building from God, already assured and waiting in heaven, not made by human hands and not subject to decay.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the "earthen vessels" refer specifically to the human body in its general frailty, not any personal weakness. The treasure of divine glory is placed in such fragile containers so that the extraordinary power displayed through afflictions clearly belongs to God alone.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
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