2 Corinthians 8
1 Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia,
Γνωρίζομεν δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὴν χάριν τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ τὴν δεδομένην ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Μακεδονίας,
2 how in a severe ordeal of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity.
ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως, ἡ περισσεία τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία αὐτῶν, ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν.
3 For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,
Ὅτι κατὰ δύναμιν μαρτυρῶ, καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν, αὐθαίρετοι
4 begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.
μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν, τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους.
5 This was not as we had expected, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.
Καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν, ἀλλʼ ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν, πρῶτον τῷ ˚Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἡμῖν, διὰ θελήματος ˚Θεοῦ.
6 So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.
Εἰς τὸ παρακαλέσαι ἡμᾶς Τίτον, ἵνα καθὼς προενήρξατο, οὕτως καὶ ἐπιτελέσῃ εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν χάριν ταύτην.
7 But as you abound in everything—in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us—see that you also abound in this grace.
Ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐν παντὶ περισσεύετε, πίστει, καὶ λόγῳ, καὶ γνώσει, καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ, καὶ τῇ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι περισσεύητε.
8 I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
Οὐ κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν λέγω, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρων σπουδῆς, καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης γνήσιον δοκιμάζων.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
Γινώσκετε γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ ˚Κυρίου ἡμῶν, ˚Ἰησοῦ ˚Χριστοῦ, ὅτι διʼ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν, πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε.
10 I give advice in this: it is expedient for you who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing.
Καὶ γνώμην ἐν τούτῳ δίδωμι, τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν συμφέρει, οἵτινες οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν, προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι.
11 But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability.
Νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἐπιτελέσατε, ὅπως καθάπερ ἡ προθυμία τοῦ θέλειν, οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν.
12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have.
Εἰ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται, καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ εὐπρόσδεκτος, οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει.
13 For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,
Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἄνεσις, ὑμῖν θλῖψις, ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἰσότητος.
14 but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack, that there may be equality.
Ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα, ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἐκείνων περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα, ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης.
15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
Καθὼς γέγραπται, “Ὁ τὸ πολὺ, οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν, καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον, οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν.”
16 But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
Χάρις δὲ τῷ ˚Θεῷ, τῷ διδόντι τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Τίτου.
17 For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.
Ὅτι τὴν μὲν παράκλησιν ἐδέξατο, σπουδαιότερος δὲ ὑπάρχων αὐθαίρετος, ἐξῆλθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
18 We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known throughout all the assemblies.
Συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸν, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν·
19 Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.
οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ˚Κυρίου δόξαν, καὶ προθυμίαν ἡμῶν·
20 We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us.
στελλόμενοι τοῦτο, μή τις ἡμᾶς μωμήσηται, ἐν τῇ ἁδρότητι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν,
21 Having regard for honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
προνοοῦμεν γὰρ καλὰ, οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον ˚Κυρίου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων.
22 We have sent with them our brother whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you.
Συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν, ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν ἐν πολλοῖς, πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, νυνὶ δὲ πολὺ σπουδαιότερον πεποιθήσει πολλῇ τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς.
23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ.
Εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου, κοινωνὸς ἐμὸς καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς συνεργός, εἴτε ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν δόξα ˚Χριστοῦ.
24 Therefore show the proof of your love to them before the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.
Τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν, καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐνδεικνύμενοι εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
