2 Corinthians 8

Now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the kindness God has shown to the churches in the region of Macedonia.

1Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

NoteMacedonia was the Roman province covering the north of Greece; the churches Paul has in mind are those at Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. The word behind "grace" here is charis, which runs through this whole chapter in several senses: God's kindness, a favor granted, a generous act, and even the collection of money itself. The King James "we do you to wit" is simply old English for "we make known to you."

2They were going through a hard and painful test. Yet their overflowing joy, joined with their deep poverty, spilled over into rich generosity.

2How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

3I can tell you for a fact that they gave as much as they could afford, and even more than they could afford. They did it entirely on their own.

3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

4They begged us again and again for the favor of sharing in this service to God's people.

4Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

Note"Saints" in the King James does not mean a special class of holy people; it renders a word meaning those set apart, and Paul uses it of ordinary church members. The particular people meant here are the believers in Jerusalem, who were poor. The whole chapter concerns a relief fund Paul was gathering from his Gentile congregations for them. "Ministering" translates diakonia, practical service or aid, not preaching.

5And they did not do it the way we had expected. They first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us, because that was what God wanted.

5And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

6So we urged Titus to finish this same act of giving among you, since he was the one who had started it.

6Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

NoteTitus was one of Paul's closest coworkers and had already made a difficult visit to Corinth on his behalf (see chapter 7). "The same grace" here means the collection itself.

7You do so well in everything else: in trusting God, in speaking, in knowledge, in complete eagerness, and in your love for us. So make sure you do just as well in this act of giving.

7Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

NoteThe ancient copies differ at the end of this verse: some read "your love for us," others "our love for you." Translations split, and the plain rendering follows the first.

8I am not giving you an order. I am simply pointing to how eager other people have been, to see whether your love is real.

8I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

Note"Forwardness" in 1611 English meant eagerness or readiness, without the pushy sense the word carries now. The "others" whose eagerness Paul points to are the Macedonians of verses 1 to 5.

9You know how kind our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though he was rich, he became poor for your sake, so that his poverty could make you rich.

9For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

NoteThe words Paul uses are ordinary financial ones: he was wealthy, he made himself destitute, so that you might become wealthy. The money language of the collection is being carried over into a larger claim, and Paul leaves the transfer unexplained.

10Here is my advice about what would help you. A year ago you were the first not only to give, but even to want to give.

10And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

Note"Expedient" meant beneficial or useful; it did not yet carry the modern suggestion of a convenient shortcut. "A year ago" renders a phrase meaning "since last year," which counted on an ancient calendar could mean anything from a few months back to a full twelve.

11So now finish the job. Be as eager to complete it as you were to start it, and give out of what you actually have.

11Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

12If you are truly willing, your gift is welcome based on what you have, not on what you do not have.

12For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

13I do not mean that other people should have it easy while you carry the load.

13For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

14I mean that things should even out. Right now what you have extra can meet their need, so that later what they have extra can meet your need. Then things will be even.

14But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

Note"Want" in the King James always means lack or need, never desire. "Equality" translates isotes, a word used of fair shares, even balance, and equitable dealing.

15It is as the Scripture says: "The one who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and the one who gathered a little had enough."

15As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

NoteThe quotation is from Exodus 16:18, about the manna the Israelites gathered in the desert. However much or little any person collected, when it was measured out it came to just enough: no surplus for the one, no shortfall for the other.

16But thank God, who gave Titus the same deep concern for you that I have.

16But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

17He welcomed our request, but he was so eager that he is coming to you on his own decision.

17For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

Note"More forward" again means more eager. The past tense "he went unto you" reflects a Greek habit of writing from the reader's point of view in time; Titus was most likely carrying this very letter, so the sense is that he is on his way.

18We are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the good news.

18And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

NotePaul never gives this man's name, and the first readers presumably knew who was meant. Later guesses have included Luke and Barnabas, but there is no way to settle it. "Whose praise is in the gospel" does not mean a written Gospel book, none of which yet circulated under that title; the gospel here is the spoken message about Jesus, and his reputation comes from his work in spreading it.

19That is not all. The churches also chose him to travel with us while we carry this gift. We handle it to honor the Lord himself and to show how willing we are to help.

19And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

Note"Chosen of the churches" translates a verb that originally meant to elect by a show of hands. The congregations picked this man themselves, as their own representative. "This grace" is again the collected money.

20We are being careful about this, so that no one can find fault with the way we handle such a large amount.

20Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

NoteThe collection was a large sum in cash, carried on foot and by ship across hundreds of miles with no banking system behind it. Paul arranges for delegates of the donor churches to travel with it so that nobody can accuse him of keeping any for himself.

21We take pains to do what is right, not only in the Lord's sight, but also in the sight of other people.

21Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Note"Honest" in 1611 meant honorable or above reproach rather than merely truthful. The wording echoes Proverbs 3:4 in its Greek form: doing what is right in the sight of God and of people alike.

22With them we are sending our brother who has proved himself hard-working many times and in many ways. He is even more eager now, because he has great confidence in you.

22And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

23If anyone asks about Titus, he is my partner and works with me for your good. If anyone asks about our other brothers, they are messengers sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ.

23Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

Note"Messengers" translates apostoloi, the same word elsewhere rendered "apostles." Here it carries its everyday sense: men formally sent out by their home congregations as delegates, not the particular group of the Twelve.

24So show these men, in full view of the churches, that your love is real and that we were right to boast about you.

24Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

NotePaul had been telling the Macedonian churches how ready Corinth was to give, and had used that readiness to spur them on; he says as much in the next chapter. The delegates arriving from those churches will see for themselves whether the boast holds up.