Great Generosity

Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been (A)given in the churches of (B)Macedonia, that in a [a]great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the (C)wealth of their liberality. For I testify that (D)according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, begging us with much urging for the (E)favor [b]of participation in the [c](F)support of the [d]saints, and this, not as we had [e]expected, but they first (G)gave themselves to the Lord and to us by (H)the will of God. So we (I)urged (J)Titus that as he had previously (K)made a beginning, so he would also complete in you (L)this gracious work as well.

But just as you (M)excel (N)in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the [f]love we inspired in you, see that you also (O)excel in this gracious work. I (P)am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. For you know (Q)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that (R)though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 I (S)give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin (T)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11 But now finish [g]doing it also, so that just as there was the (U)willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12 For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable (V)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for (W)their need, so that their abundance also may [h]serve as assistance for (X)your need, so that there may be equality; 15 as it is written: “(Y)The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”

16 But (Z)thanks be to God who (AA)puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of (AB)Titus. 17 For he not only accepted our (AC)appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18 We have sent along with him (AD)the brother whose fame in the things of the (AE)gospel has spread through (AF)all the churches; 19 (AG)and not only that, but he has also been (AH)appointed by the churches to travel with us in (AI)this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our (AJ)readiness, 20 [i]taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21 for we (AK)have regard for what is honorable, not only in (AL)the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. 22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for (AM)Titus, he is my (AN)partner and fellow worker [j]among you; as for our (AO)brothers, they are [k](AP)messengers of the churches, (AQ)a glory to Christ. 24 Therefore, [l]openly before the churches, [m]show them the proof of your love and of our (AR)reason for boasting about you.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:2 Or severe test of
  2. 2 Corinthians 8:4 Lit and
  3. 2 Corinthians 8:4 Lit service to the saints
  4. 2 Corinthians 8:4 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  5. 2 Corinthians 8:5 Lit hoped
  6. 2 Corinthians 8:7 Lit love from us in you; one early ms love from you in us
  7. 2 Corinthians 8:11 Lit the doing
  8. 2 Corinthians 8:14 Lit become
  9. 2 Corinthians 8:20 Lit avoiding this
  10. 2 Corinthians 8:23 Lit for you
  11. 2 Corinthians 8:23 Lit apostles
  12. 2 Corinthians 8:24 Lit in the face of the churches
  13. 2 Corinthians 8:24 Or show the proof...for boasting about you to them

We want you hymeis to know gnōrizō, · de brothers adelphos, about the ho grace charis of ho God theos · ho shown didōmi among en the ho churches ekklēsia of ho Macedonia Makedonia, how that hoti in en a severe polys test dokimē of affliction thlipsis, the ho fullness perisseia of ho their autos joy chara and kai · ho their autos extreme kata bathos poverty ptōcheia have overflowed perisseuō in eis the ho richness ploutos of ho their autos generosity haplotēs. For hoti—as I can testify martyreō—they gave according to kata their means dynamis, and kai even beyond para their means dynamis; acting spontaneously authairetos, begging deomai us hēmeis with meta great polys insistence paraklēsis for the ho privilege charis of · kai · ho joining koinōnia in this ho ministry diakonia · ho to eis the ho saints hagios. And kai they did this, not ou simply as kathōs we had hoped elpizō, but alla first prōton they gave didōmi themselves heautou to the ho Lord kyrios and kai then to us hēmeis, by dia the will thelēma of God theos. So eis we hēmeis urged parakaleō Titus Titos that hina just as kathōs he had previously begun the work proenarchomai, so houtōs now kai he should complete epiteleō this houtos act of kindness charis among eis you hymeis. · kai · ho

But alla as hōsper you excel perisseuō in en everything pas in faith pistis, · kai in speech logos, · kai in knowledge gnōsis, · kai in all pas eagerness spoudē, and kai in the ho love agapē we hēmeis have aroused ek in en you hymeis—make sure that hina · kai you excel perisseuō in en this houtos · ho act of kindness charis. I am legō not ou saying legō this as kata an order epitagē, but alla as a way of testing dokimazō the ho genuineness gnēsios of ho your hymeteros love agapē by comparison dia with the ho eagerness spoudē of others heteros. · kai For gar you know ginōskō the ho grace charis of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, that hoti though he was eimi rich plousios, yet for dia your hymeis sakes he became poor ptōcheuō, so that hina you hymeis by ho his ekeinos poverty ptōcheia might become rich plouteō. 10 And kai in en this matter houtos I am giving didōmi my opinion gnōmē; for gar this houtos is beneficial sympherō for you hymeis, who hostis last year perysi not ou only monon began proenarchomai to do poieō this work but alla also kai to desire thelō to do it. 11 So de now nyni · kai finish epiteleō doing poieō it, so that hopōs your ho readiness prothumia in desiring thelō it may be matched houtōs · kai by your completing epiteleō it, as ek your means allow echō. 12 For gar if ei the ho readiness prothumia is present prokeimai, the gift is acceptable euprosdektos according katho to whatever ean a person has echō, not ou according to katho what he does not ou have echō. 13 For gar this is not ou for hina the ease anesis of others allos and a burden thlipsis for you hymeis, but alla a matter of ek equality isotēs; 14 at en the ho present nyn time kairos · ho your hymeis abundance perisseuma should supply eis what ho they ekeinos need hysterēma, so that hina then kai · ho their ekeinos abundance perisseuma may ginomai supply eis · ho your hymeis need hysterēma; in this way hopōs there will be ginomai equality isotēs. 15 As kathōs it is written graphō, “ The ho one who gathered · ho much polys did not ou have a surplus pleonazō, and kai the ho one who gathered · ho little oligos did not ou have too little elattoneō.”

16 But de thanks charis be to ho God theos who ho put didōmi the ho same autos eagerness spoudē on hyper your hymeis behalf in en the ho heart kardia of Titus Titos, 17 because hoti he dechomai not only men accepted dechomai our ho request paraklēsis, but de being very eager spoudaios and acting hyparchō on his own initiative authairetos, he is on his way exerchomai to pros you hymeis. 18 And de we sent along sympempō with meta him autos the ho brother adelphos who hos is · ho highly respected epainos throughout dia all pas the ho churches ekklēsia for his work in en the ho gospel euangelion. 19 And de not ou only monon this, but alla · kai he has been appointed cheirotoneō by hypo the ho churches ekklēsia to be our hēmeis traveling companion synekdēmos as we hēmeis carry out diakoneō · ho this houtos act of kindness charis · ho for pros the ho glory doxa of the ho Lord kyrios himself autos, and kai to show our hēmeis readiness prothumia. 20 We are taking this houtos precaution stellō so that no one tis should blame mōmaomai us hēmeis for the way we hēmeis are administering diakoneō · ho this houtos generous gift hadrotēs, · ho 21 for gar we are concerned pronoeō to do what is right kalos, not ou only monon before enōpion the Lord kyrios but alla also kai before enōpion men anthrōpos.

22 And de we are sending along with sympempō them autos · ho our hēmeis brother adelphos whom hos we have often pollakis tested dokimazō in en many polys matters and found to be eimi eager spoudaios, and de now nyni he is all polys the more eager spoudaios because of his great polys confidence pepoithēsis · ho in eis you hymeis. 23 As eite for hyper Titus Titos, he is my emos companion koinōnos and kai fellow worker synergos among eis you hymeis. As eite for our hēmeis brothers adelphos, they are delegates apostolos of the churches ekklēsia, an honor doxa to Christ Christos. 24 Therefore oun show endeiknymi them autos openly endeiknymi before prosōpon the ho churches ekklēsia the ho proof endeixis of ho your hymeis love agapē and kai the reason for our hēmeis pride kauchēsis in hyper you hymeis.