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So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us[a]—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.

I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.

You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:7 Some manuscripts read your love for us.

Thus[a] we urged[b] Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work,[c] so also he should complete this act of kindness[d] for you. But as you excel[e] in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you[f]—make sure that you excel[g] in this act of kindness[h] too. I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.[i] For you know the grace[j] of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn A new sentence was started here in the translation and the word “thus” was supplied to indicate that it expresses the result of the previous clause.
  2. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn Or “we exhorted.”
  3. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn The words “this work” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.
  4. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn Grk “this grace.”
  5. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tn Grk “as you abound.”
  6. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tc The reading “the love from us that is in you” is very difficult in this context, for Paul is here enumerating the Corinthians’ attributes: How is it possible for them to excel “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, because of this difficulty, several early scribes, as well as most later ones (א C D F G Ψ [33] M lat), altered the text to read “your love for us” (so NIV; Grk ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ [ex humōn en hēmin agapē]). The reading ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ (ex hēmōn en humin agapē) is found, however, in excellent and early witnesses (P46 B 0243 6 104 630 1175 1739 1881 co). As the harder reading it explains the rise of the other reading. What, then, is the force of “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, Paul is commending the Corinthians for excelling in deriving some inspiration from the apostles’ love for them.
  7. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tn Grk “you abound.”
  8. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tn Grk “this grace.”
  9. 2 Corinthians 8:8 tn Grk “by means of the eagerness of others.”
  10. 2 Corinthians 8:9 tn Or “generosity.”