What is a house not made with hands in 2 Corinthians 5:1?

In 2 Corinthians 5:1–8, the apostle Paul discusses the future hope and glorious reality that awaits believers in heaven. He begins by describing a spiritual, eternal dwelling place that God has prepared for believers after they die and depart this earth: “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1, ESV).

In this passage, Paul refers explicitly to the believer’s body. The temporary body—the “tent”—will be destroyed, but the resurrection body—the “house not made with hands”—will be everlasting (see Philippians 3:21; Romans 8:11, 23).

Being a tentmaker by trade (Acts 18:1–3), Paul considered the tent (skēnous in Greek) a fitting analogy for the temporary nature of our current earthly, mortal bodies. The human body is temporal, weak, and prone to decay, much like the simple, insubstantial, non-permanent structures Paul made with his hands. Tents serve a purpose, but they are not meant to be permanent dwelling places. By contrast, our future heavenly bodies will be permanent, beautiful, and glorious. They are our “forever home” that will never show signs of weakness or decay (see Philippians 3:20–21). They are “made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1, NLT).

Elsewhere, Paul further compares our earthly bodies to our future heavenly ones: “The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. . . . Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. . . . What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later” (1 Corinthians 15:40–46, NLT).

Right now, we live in a tent, but our permanent home is a house and “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). This “house not made with hands” is durable, built to weather every storm, and spiritual. Because it is “a building from God,” it is His gift—the gift of eternal life (John 3:16; 4:10; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Ephesians 2:8–9). Paul explains, “Our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever” (1 Corinthians 15: 50, NLT). To live forever, “our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies” (1 Corinthians 15: 54, NLT). While we are on earth, an inner, spiritual transformation begins at salvation and continues our whole lives through the process of sanctification (John 17:17; Romans 6:3–10; 8:29; 2:1–21; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Peter 4:13). But the outer transformation of our bodies will not take place until the resurrection.

Paul’s mention of a house not made with human hands emphasizes the hope of resurrection life and the assurance of eternal life with God. It echoes Jesus’ description of His own resurrection body. Foreseeing His death and resurrection, Jesus said, “I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands” (Mark 14:58).

As Christians, we need not fear death or the destruction of our bodies. No matter what happens to these mortal tents we live in now, we will inherit imperishable, glorified bodies. The house not made with hands in which we will dwell completes the transformation and redemption that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. After Jesus was resurrected, He told His disciples, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). Since Jesus rose from the dead and is alive, we know that death cannot claim us. We will live forever with Him (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:5; Revelation 20:4).

One day, this tent will be taken down. When we die, our physical bodies will be destroyed. They will go to the grave and return to dust (see Genesis 3:19; Psalm 90:3; Job 34:15). But our spirit will go to be with Christ (see Ecclesiastes 12:7; Philippians 1:20–24; 2 Corinthians 5:8–10; 2 Peter 1:13). Then, when Jesus returns for His church, He will raise our dead bodies in glory. Body and spirit will be joined together for all eternity, comprising a glorious building from God, a house not made with hands (1 Corinthians 15:35–58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18).