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Opening Observations##

1 For we know that if the tent[OB] that is our earthly home[OB] is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house[NB] not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

 

2 For in this tent[OB] we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling[NB],

3 if indeed by putting it[NB] on we may not be found naked.

 

4 For while we are still in this tent[OB], we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed[NB], so that what is mortal[OB] may be swallowed up by life[NB].

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

 

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body[OB] we are away from the Lord,

 

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

 

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body[OB] and at home[NB]with the Lord.

##Greek##

Conclusion##

Opening Observations

1 For we know that if the tent[OB] that is our earthly home[OB] is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house[NB] not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 For in this tent[OB] we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling[NB],

3 if indeed by putting it[NB] on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent[OB], we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed[NB], so that what is mortal[OB] may be swallowed up by life[NB].

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body[OB] we are away from the Lord,

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body[OB] and at home[NB]with the Lord.

Greek

Conclusion

In an excellent answer to the question "Meaning of ἐνδημέω and ἐκδημέω in 2 Cor 5?" the author summarizes:

The apostle Paul uses the verbs ἐκδημέω and ἐνδημέω according to δῆμος in the sense of “country.” Thus, the verb ἐκδημέω means “to be out of (ἐξ) the country,” which is synonymous with “to be away from home,” “to travel abroad,” or “to emmigrate.” The verb ἐνδημέω means to be “in (ἐν) the country,” which is synonymous with “to be at home.” 2

he[Paul] seems intent on discussing the mortal (corruptible, physical) v. immortal (incorruptible, spiritual) bodies.” 2

In an excellent answer to the question "Meaning of ἐνδημέω and ἐκδημέω in 2 Cor 5?" the author summarizes:

The apostle Paul uses the verbs ἐκδημέω and ἐνδημέω according to δῆμος in the sense of “country.” Thus, the verb ἐκδημέω means “to be out of (ἐξ) the country,” which is synonymous with “to be away from home,” “to travel abroad,” or “to emmigrate.” The verb ἐνδημέω means to be “in (ἐν) the country,” which is synonymous with “to be at home.” 2

he[Paul] seems intent on discussing the mortal (corruptible, physical) v. immortal (incorruptible, spiritual) bodies.” 2

So we see that those who quote v8 alone as proof we go to be with the Lord when the body dies misunderstand the point. Paul is telling us to be encouraged that we have a guarantee that we will not be left in these mortal bodies and separated from the Lord, but rather to have faith that Christ will come again and resurrect us in eternal bodies. He will neither leave us in our old, nor leave us naked and unclothed, but He will cloth us further and better when we are with Him when He comes again.

##Greek##

If we examine the original Greek we see there are two words used here that are very uncommon. These words are translated in most modern translations, including the ESV I’ve quoted above, as Home and Away.

In an excellent answer to the question "Meaning of ἐνδημέω and ἐκδημέω in 2 Cor 5?" the author summarizes:

The apostle Paul uses the verbs ἐκδημέω and ἐνδημέω according to δῆμος in the sense of “country.” Thus, the verb ἐκδημέω means “to be out of (ἐξ) the country,” which is synonymous with “to be away from home,” “to travel abroad,” or “to emmigrate.” The verb ἐνδημέω means to be “in (ἐν) the country,” which is synonymous with “to be at home.” 2

After examining the usage and context of these two words used by Paul within this passage, the author ultimately concludes:

he[Paul] seems intent on discussing the mortal (corruptible, physical) v. immortal (incorruptible, spiritual) bodies.” 2

The KJV rendering of “present” and “absent” has likely helped to propagate the idea that verses 6 and 8 are saying when we leave our earthly bodies we will go to be present with, or in the presence of, the Lord (irrespective of a heavenly body). However, as the evaluation above reflects, and as most major modern translations agree, the translation as “home” and “away” is truer to the original language.

So we see that those who quote v8 alone as proof we go to be with the Lord when the body dies misunderstand the point. Paul is telling us to be encouraged that we have a guarantee that we will not be left in these mortal bodies and separated from the Lord, but rather to have faith that Christ will come again and resurrect us in eternal bodies. He will neither leave us in our old, nor leave us naked and unclothed, but He will cloth us further and better when we are with Him when He comes again.

This passage is not saying we do not go into the presence of the Lord in the intermediate state between death and the resurrection, but it also does not say that we do. Rather, it has little to say directly about the intermediate state. We could reason that it does say we are unclothed of any body during the intermediate state, since Paul affirms we do not receive the new body until the resurrection. But that does not preclude the possibility that biblical writers see man as continuing to be clothed in the earthly body, even in death, until the resurrection.