For: the transition word used here introduces an additional argument for Christians seeking to live lives pleasing to Christ. In other languages this transition may be conveyed by “Indeed,” or “Truly,” or possibly “After all” (Contemporary English Version).

The judgment seat of Christ: the judgment seat was the judicial bench of a city court in the Roman Empire. Paul uses this imagery to refer to the judging activity of Christ. In Rom 14.10b it refers to the “judgment seat of God.” It is used of Pilate in Matt 27.19 and John 19.13. The same Greek word is often translated “tribunal” in Acts. In some languages it is a mistake to focus on the word seat. The idea may be contained in a verbal expression such as “we must all be judged in the presence of Christ” or “Christ will sit in judgment over every one of us.”

The second part of this verse is literally “in order that each one may receive the things through the body according to that which he did, whether good or evil.” The words “through the body” apparently go with the words according to what he has done and not with the words one may receive. The sense is that people will be judged according to the things that they did while living here on earth, that is, in the body.

Receive: in some languages the same verb is not appropriate for both receiving punishment and receiving commendation or blessing. In such cases it may be necessary to translate this term by two different words in the receptor language. Some may have to say “be punished” and “be blessed,” or use active forms of these two verbs with God as subject.

The words “whether good or evil” occur at the end of the sentence in Greek and may go with the word receive (Revised Standard Version), with has done (Good News Translation), or with both of these verbs (New International Version and Revised English Bible). Each interpretation makes good sense in the context, and each is grammatically possible.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .