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2 Corinthians 7-9
Complete Jewish Bible
2 Corinthians 7-9
Complete Jewish Bible
7 Therefore, my dear friends, since we have these promises, let us purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit, and strive to be completely holy, out of reverence for God.
2 Make room for us in your hearts — we haven’t wronged anyone, we haven’t corrupted anyone, we haven’t exploited anyone. 3 I am not saying this to put blame on you, for I have already said that you have a place in our hearts, whether we live together or die together; 4 that I am very confident in you; that I am very proud of you; that you have filled me with encouragement; and that in spite of all our troubles, I am overflowing with joy.
5 For indeed when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest. On the contrary, we faced all kinds of troubles — altercations without, apprehensions within. 6 But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us with the arrival of Titus! 7 However, it was not only his arrival which encouraged us, but also how encouraged he was about you, as he told us how you long to see me, how distressed you are over my situation, how zealous you are in my defense — this news made me even happier!
8 If I caused you pain by my letter, I do not regret it. Even if I did regret it before — for I do see that that letter did distress you, though only for a short time — 9 now I rejoice not because you were pained, but because the pain led you to turn back to God. For you handled the pain in God’s way, so that you were not harmed by us at all. 10 Pain handled in God’s way produces a turning from sin to God which leads to salvation, and there is nothing to regret in that! But pain handled in the world’s way produces only death. 11 For just look at what handling the pain God’s way produced in you! What earnest diligence, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what readiness to put things right! In everything you have proved yourselves blameless in the matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of either the one who did the wrong or the one wronged, but so that before God you could see for yourselves how deep is your devotion to us. 13 This is the reason we have been encouraged.
Besides our own encouragement, we had the even greater joy of seeing how happy Titus was, because all of you set his mind at rest. 14 For I had boasted somewhat about you to him, and now I have not been made to look foolish. On the contrary, just as everything we have said to you is true, so too our boasting in front of Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater as he remembers how ready you were to obey and how you received him with reverence and respect. 16 I am glad that I can have such complete confidence in you.
8 Now, brothers, we must tell you about the grace God has given the congregations in Macedonia. 2 Despite severe trials, and even though they are desperately poor, their joy has overflowed in a wealth of generosity. 3 I tell you they have not merely given according to their means, but of their own free will they have given beyond their means. 4 They begged and pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service for God’s people. 5 Also, they didn’t do this in the way we had expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord, which means, by God’s will, to us.
6 All this has led us to urge Titus to bring this same gracious gift to completion among you, since he has already made a beginning of it. 7 Just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in diligence of every kind, and in your love for us — see that you excel in this gift too. 8 I am not issuing an order; rather, I am testing the genuineness of your love against the diligence of others. 9 For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was — for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty. 10 As I say, in regard to this matter I am only giving an opinion. A year ago you were not only the first to take action but the first to want to do so. Now it would be to your advantage 11 to finish what you started, so that your eagerness in wanting to commence the project may be matched by your eagerness to complete it, as you contribute from what you have. 12 For if the eagerness to give is there, the acceptability of the gift will be measured by what you have, not by what you don’t have. 13 It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity: 14 at present your abundance can help those in need; so that when you are in need, their abundance can help you — thus there is reciprocity. 15 It is as the Tanakh says,
“He who gathered much had nothing extra,
and he who gathered little had nothing lacking.”[a]
16 Now I thank God for making Titus as devoted to you as we are; 17 for he not only responded to our urging, but, being so devoted, he is coming to you on his own initiative. 18 And with him we are sending the brother whose work for the Good News is praised in all the congregations; 19 not only that, he has also been appointed by the congregations to travel with us, so that the way we administer this charitable work will bring honor to the Lord and show our eagerness to help. 20 Our aim in this is to show that our conduct in dealing with these substantial sums is above reproach; 21 for we take pains to do what is right not only in the sight of God but also in the sight of other people.[b] 22 With these two we are sending another brother of ours, one whose diligence we have tested many times in many ways, but who is now all the more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner who works with me on your behalf; and the other brothers with him are emissaries of the congregations and bring honor to the Messiah. 24 So the love you show these men will justify our pride in you to them, and through them to the congregations that sent them.
9 There is really no need for me to write you about this offering for God’s people — 2 I know how eager you are, and I boast about you to the Macedonians. I tell them, “Achaia has been ready since last year,” and it was your zeal that stirred up most of them. 3 But now I am sending the brothers so that our boast about you in this regard will not prove hollow, so that you will be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if some Macedonians were to come with me and find you unprepared, we would be humiliated at having been so confident — to say nothing of how you would feel. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go on to you ahead of me and prepare your promised gift in plenty of time; this way it will be ready when I come and will be a genuine gift, not something extracted by pressure.
6 Here’s the point: he who plants sparingly also harvests sparingly. 7 Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.[c] 8 Moreover, God has the power to provide you with every gracious gift in abundance, so that always in every way you will have all you need yourselves and be able to provide abundantly for every good cause — 9 as the Tanakh says,
“He gave generously to the poor;
his tzedakah lasts forever.”[d]
10 He who provides both seed for the planter and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your tzedakah. 11 You will be enriched in every way, so that you can be generous in everything. And through us your generosity will cause people to thank God, 12 because rendering this holy service not only provides for the needs of God’s people, but it also overflows in the many thanks people will be giving to God. 13 In offering this service you prove to these people that you glorify God by actually doing what your acknowledgement of the Good News of the Messiah requires, namely, sharing generously with them and with everyone. 14 And in their prayers for you they will feel a strong affection for you because of how gracious God has been to you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
- 2 Corinthians 8:21 Proverbs 3:4 (Septuagint)
- 2 Corinthians 9:7 Proverbs 22:8 (Septuagint)
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9
Kehillah in Corinth II 7-9
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Kehillah in Corinth II 7-9
Orthodox Jewish Bible
7 Therefore, having these havtachot (promises), Chaverim, let us submit to his tahorah, cleansing ourselves from every defilement of basar and ruach, perfecting kedushah (holiness) in yirat Shomayim.
2 In your levavot make a cheder for us; we wronged no one, we ruined no one, we exploited no one. [2C 12:17]
3 I do not say this to bring you under harsha’ah, for I have said before that you are in our levavot [2C 6:11-12; Pp 1:7] whether to die with you or to live with you. [SHMUEL BEIS 15:21]
4 I have much ometz lev (boldness) and confidence toward you. I glory much on your behalf. I have been filled with chozek (strength). I am filled to overflowing with simcha at all of our tzoros.
5 For indeed when we had come into Macedonia [Ac 20:1-2; 2C 2:13] we had no physical mano’ach (rest) but we had tzoros everywhere: battles on the outside, fears inside. [DEVARIM 32:25]
6 But Hashem who encourages the lowly, encouraged us [YESHAYAH 49:13; 2C 1:3-4] by the coming of Titos;
7 And not only by the coming of him, but also by the encouragement by which he was encouraged over you, reporting to us your longing, your mourning, your kanous (zeal) for me, so that it caused me to have even more simcha.
8 Because if indeed I caused you agmat nefesh (grief) by the iggeret, I do not regret it, though I did regret it, but I see that that iggeret grieved you only briefly. [2C 2:4]
9 Now I have simcha, not that you had agmat nefesh, but that your grief brought you to teshuva, for your agmat nefesh was in Hashem, so that by us you suffered in nothing.
10 For the agmat nefesh that is according to Hashem produces teshuva to Yeshu’at Eloheinu, not to be regretted, but the agmat nefesh of the Olam Hazeh produces mavet. [Mt 27:3-5; MJ 12:17]
11 For, hinei, see what zerizut (diligence) this agmat nefesh of Hashem has produced in you, what defense, what indignation, what yirat Shomayim, what longing, what kanous (zeal), what onesh (punishment)! At every point you proved yourselves to be without ashma (guilt) in the matter.
12 Then though I wrote an iggeret to you, it was not for the sake of the one having done hara’ah (the evil), nor for the sake of the one who was beleidikt (offended), but for the sake of your kanous (zeal) for us becoming manifest to you before Hashem.
13 In this we have chozek (strength). But in addition to our encouragement, we had still more simcha at the simcha of Titos, because his neshamah has been set at rest by all of you;
14 Because if I have been somewhat boastful about you Corinthians to Titos, I was in this not put to shame, but just as everything we said to you is HaEmes, so also our boasting to Titos has proven true as well.
15 And his lev (heart) goes out to you, all the more as he has zikaron of the mishma’at (obedience) of all of you [2C 2:9] as you received him B’YIRAH (with fear) and BIRA’DAH (trembling). [TEFILLAH 2:11]
16 I have simcha that in everything I have confidence in you.
8 Now we make known to you, Achim b’Moshiach, the Chen v’Chesed Hashem that was granted to Moshiach’s Kehillot of Macedonia,
2 That during a great ordeal of tzoros, their abundant simcha and the extreme depth of their oni (poverty) abounded to the osher (riches) of their generosity [SHEMOT 36:5; Pp 1:29-30; 1Th 1:6; 2:14; 3:3 4];
3 That according to their ability, I give solemn edut, and ad kdei kach (so much) even beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily and of their own accord,
4 Begging us, requesting from us the privilege of participating in giving tzedakah to the Messianic Jewish ministry of the Kadoshim [Ro 15:26; Ac 11:29; 2C 9:1]
5 And this not merely according to tikvateinu. They gave themselves first to Adoneinu and to us [Moshiach’s Shlichim] birtzon Hashem (in the will of G-d),
6 So that it was necessary for us to urge Titos that as he began and made a haschala (start) before, so he should complete among you also this mitzvah of avodas kodesh of the Chen v’Chesed Hashem.
7 Now just as you abound in everything‖in emunah, in torah, in da’as [1C 1:5] and in all zerizut (diligence) and in our ahavah (love) for you‖see also that you excel in this Chen v’Chesed Hashem. [1C 16:1 2]
8 I do not lay this out as a mitzvah, but the sincerity of your ahavah I am testing against the zerizut of others,
9 For you have da’as of the Chen v’Chesed of Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, who, though being rich, for your sakes, he became poor, [Mt 8:20; Pp 2:6-7] that you by Moshiach’s oni (poverty) may become rich.
10 And in this I give my etza (advice): it is tov me’od that last shanah you were the first not only to give tzedakah but also to be willing to do so.
11 Now also complete what you started! Then your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your finishing it from what you have. [SHEMOT 25:2]
12 For if the readiness is already present, it is acceptable according to whatever one may have‖not according to what one does not have. [MISHLE 3:27-28; Mk 12:43]
13 For it is not that there should be relief to others and distress and tzoros to you, but that there should be a balance of equality
14 During the present time of your abundance for those who lack, and also for your lack there may be their abundance, [2C 9:12] so also there may be equality,
15 As it has been written V’LO HE’DIF HAMARBEH V’HAMMAMIT LO HECHSIR. ("The one that gathered the much did not have too much and the one that gathered little did not have too little” SHEMOT 16:18)
16 But Baruch Hashem, the One having given the same zerizut (diligence) for you in the lev (heart) of Titos,
17 Because of the chozek (encouragement) he received, and having more zerizut on his own accord, he went forth to you.
18 And we sent with him the Ach b’Moshiach who is bavust (famous) among all the Kehillot for his proclaiming the Besuras HaGeulah,
19 And not only this but also this Ach b’Moshiach has been handpicked by the Kehillot to travel with us and with this avodas kodesh of chesed being administered by us to the kavod of Adoneinu Himself and as a gvies eidus (testimony) to your goodwill.
20 Avoiding also that anyone should murmur about our handling of this liberal matanah (gift);
21 For our tachlis is to do what is tov me’od B’EINEI ELOHIM V’ADAM (“in the eyes of G-d and man”). [MISHLE 3:4 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
22 And we sent with them our Ach b’Moshiach whom we have often tested and found having zerizut in much, and now having even more zerizut by his great bitachon in you.
23 As for Titos, he is my shutaf and your fellow po’el in your avodas kodesh; as for our Achim b’Moshiach, they are shlichim of the Kehillot, the kavod of Moshiach.
24 Therefore, openly before the Moshiach’s Kehillot, demonstrate your ahavah and vindicate our glorying about you [2C 7:14].
9 Concerning your Messianic avodas kodesh sherut for the Kadoshim [2C 8:4,20] it is superfluous for me to send you this iggeret.
2 For I have da’as of your readiness to involve yourself in Messianic Jewish ministry and this is the subject of my glorying to the Macedonians, saying that Achaia has been prepared since last shanah and your kanous has been mezarez (a spur into action) to most of them.
3 And I am sending the Achim b’Moshiach lest our glorying on behalf of you should be made empty in this respect, that you be ready, as I was saying you would be,
4 Lest perhaps if some Macedonians should come with me and they find you unprepared, we should have bushah, to say nothing of you, in this situation.
5 Therefore, I considered it necessary to encourage the Achim b’Moshiach, that they should go on ahead to you and, having arranged in advance the bountiful terumah (contribution) of the havtacha you made previously so that this matanah would be ready so as to be a bracha and not an exaction.
6 Note this: the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing for a bracha of bounty will also reap a bracha of bounty. [MISHLE 11:24,25; 22:9]
7 Each of you should give as he has decided previously in his lev (heart), not giving bedieved (begrudgingly) nor out of necessity; for Hashem loves a cheerful giver. [SHEMOT 25:2; DEVARIM 15:10; MISHLE 22:8 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
8 And Hashem is able to cause to abound to you all Chen v’Chesed Hashem that in everything, always, having all sufficiency, you may abound to every mitzvah.
9 As it has been written, PIZAR NATAN LAEVYONIM TZIDKATO OMEDET LA’AD "He scattered, he gave to the poor, His Righteousness endures forever." [Ps 112:9 Mal 3:10]
10 Now the one supplying ZERA (seed) to the sower and LECHEM for okhel (food) [YESHAYAH 55:10] will supply and will multiply your zera and will increase the p’ri of the Tzedek of you; [Hos 10:12 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
11 You will be enriched in every ma’aseh chesed to all generosity, which produces through us hodayah (thanksgiving) to Hashem; [2C 1:11; 4:15]
12 Because the avodas kodesh of this tzedakah is not only filling up the things lacking of the Kadoshim, [2C 8:14] but is also abounding through hodayah rabbah (much thanksgiving) to Hashem;
13 Through the proof of this Messianic Jewish sherut you bring kavod to Hashem on the basis of your submission to your Ani Ma’amin Hoda’a confession of the Besuras HaGeulah of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and on the basis of the generosity of your terumah (contribution) to them and to all kol Bnei Adam;
14 And, reciprocally, the Messianic Jews in Yerushalayim will daven in intercession for you, having great ahavah in Moshiach for you, because of the surpassing Chen v’Chesed Hashem upon you.
15 Baruch Hashem for his indescribable matanah!
2 Corinthians 7-9
New International Version
2 Corinthians 7-9
New International Version
7 Therefore, since we have these promises,(A) dear friends,(B) let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness(C) out of reverence for God.
Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance
2 Make room for us in your hearts.(D) We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts(E) that we would live or die with you. 4 I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you.(F) I am greatly encouraged;(G) in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.(H)
5 For when we came into Macedonia,(I) we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn(J)—conflicts on the outside, fears within.(K) 6 But God, who comforts the downcast,(L) comforted us by the coming of Titus,(M) 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter,(N) I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation(O) and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern,(P) what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you,(Q) it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong(R) nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13 By all this we are encouraged.
In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus(S) was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had boasted to him about you,(T) and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus(U) has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient,(V) receiving him with fear and trembling.(W) 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.(X)
The Collection for the Lord’s People
8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian(Y) churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(Z) 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,(AA) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing(AB) in this service(AC) to the Lord’s people.(AD) 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged(AE) Titus,(AF) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion(AG) this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything(AH)—in faith, in speech, in knowledge,(AI) in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you,(AJ) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace(AK) of our Lord Jesus Christ,(AL) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,(AM) so that you through his poverty might become rich.(AN)
10 And here is my judgment(AO) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.(AP) 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness(AQ) to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,(AR) not according to what one does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,(AS) so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[b](AT)
Titus Sent to Receive the Collection
16 Thanks be to God,(AU) who put into the heart(AV) of Titus(AW) the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.(AX) 18 And we are sending along with him the brother(AY) who is praised by all the churches(AZ) for his service to the gospel.(BA) 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us(BB) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.(BC) 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.(BD)
22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus,(BE) he is my partner(BF) and co-worker(BG) among you; as for our brothers,(BH) they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you,(BI) so that the churches can see it.
9 There is no need(BJ) for me to write to you about this service(BK) to the Lord’s people.(BL) 2 For I know your eagerness to help,(BM) and I have been boasting(BN) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year(BO) you in Achaia(BP) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers(BQ) in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.(BR) 4 For if any Macedonians(BS) come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers(BT) to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift,(BU) not as one grudgingly given.(BV)
Generosity Encouraged
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(BW) 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,(BX) not reluctantly or under compulsion,(BY) for God loves a cheerful giver.(BZ) 8 And God is able(CA) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,(CB) you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts(CC) to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”[c](CD)
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food(CE) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.(CF) 11 You will be enriched(CG) in every way so that you can be generous(CH) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(CI)
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs(CJ) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(CK) 13 Because of the service(CL) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God(CM) for the obedience that accompanies your confession(CN) of the gospel of Christ,(CO) and for your generosity(CP) in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God(CQ) for his indescribable gift!(CR)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us
- 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9
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