2 Corinthians 8
1 Now, my fellow believers, I want to tell you [what happened because of] God’s [acting] kindly [in the lives] of [the believers in] the congregations [here] in Macedonia [province].
Ich tue euch kund, liebe Brüder, die Gnade Gottes, die in den Gemeinden in Mazedonien gegeben ist.
2 Even though [the non-believers here] have been causing the believers to suffer severely, the believers are always very joyful. [Although they] are very poor, [they gave] very generously [to help other believers].
Denn ihre Freude war da überschwenglich, da sie durch viel Trübsal arm waren, haben sie doch reichlich gegeben in aller Einfältigkeit.
3 [I know that this is true], because I have seen for myself that they not only gave [money] [EUP] that they were able [to give], they gave [so much money that they did] not even keep enough [to buy what they needed for themselves]. Without anyone telling them [to share their possessions],
Denn nach allem Vermögen (das zeuge ich) und über Vermögen waren sie selbst willig
4 they themselves kept requesting us to let them participate in what [other believers] are doing in [sending a gift of money to] [EUP] God’s people [in Judea province].
und fleheten uns mit vielem Ermahnen, daß wir aufnähmen die Wohltat und Gemeinschaft der Handreichung, die da geschieht den Heiligen.
5 I thought [that they would give only a little of their money, but] they did much [more than that]. First, they told the Lord [Jesus] that they wanted to do [what pleases him. After that, they told] me that they wanted to do [whatever I thought was good for them to do, because they were sure that] would be what God [wanted them to do].
Und nicht, wie wir hofften, sondern ergaben sich selbst zuerst dem HERRN und danach uns durch den Willen Gottes,
6 So, because Titus was the one who [helped you to] begin [gathering the money] [EUP, MTY] for your gift, I urged him to also [help you] finish [collecting the rest of] your generous and loving gift.
daß wir mußten Titus ermahnen, auf daß er, wie er zuvor hatte angefangen, also auch unter euch solche Wohltat ausrichtete.
7 You are doing very well in so many [other] ways. [God’s Spirit enables you to] believe that [God] will [do miracles. His Spirit has given you the ability to] tell [God’s message to others. His Spirit makes you able to] know things that he reveals to you. You eagerly [want to help people], and you love us [(exc)] very much. [So now], try to also do well in getting your generous [gift of money] [EUP] [ready to send to the believers in Judea province].
Aber gleichwie ihr in allen Stücken reich seid, im Glauben und im Wort und in der Erkenntnis und in allerlei Fleiß und in eurer Liebe zu uns, also schaffet, daß ihr auch in dieser Wohltat reich seid.
8 I am not commanding you [to do this]. But [because I have seen how believers in] other [places] are eager [to help other believers who do not have] ([what they need/enough to live on]), I want you similarly to show that you love others sincerely.
Nicht sage ich, daß ich etwas gebiete, sondern dieweil andere so fleißig sind, versuche ich auch eure Liebe, ob sie rechter Art sei.
9 You already know [how much] our Lord Jesus [did for you] that you did not deserve. Everything [in heaven] belonged to him. But in order to benefit you, [he left all of those things behind and became a human being. Here on earth he had] very few possessions [of his own]. But because he became poor like that, he is [able to cause] you [(pl)] to become [spiritually] rich.
Denn ihr wisset die Gnade unsers HERRN Jesu Christi, daß, ob er wohl reich ist, ward er doch arm um euretwillen, auf daß ihr durch seine Armut reich würdet.
10 So, [as you think of our Lord’s example, I will tell you] what I think that you should do in this matter [of giving money. As you know], last year, because you desired [to give money to help God’s people in Judea province], you began [collecting money] [EUP].
Und mein Wohlmeinen hierinnen gebe ich. Denn solches ist euch nützlich, die ihr angefangen habt vor dem Jahre her, nicht allein das Tun, sondern auch das Wollen.
11 So now you should finish [collecting] the money [EUP] that you began [to gather]. In that way, [everyone will know that you are just] as ready to finish [collecting this gift] as you were to begin collecting it. Give what you are able to give.
Nun aber vollbringet auch das Tun, auf daß, gleichwie da ist ein geneigt Gemüt zu wollen, so sei auch da ein geneigt Gemüt zu tun von dem, was ihr habt.
12 [Keep in mind that] if you really want to [give something to help others], whatever any one of you is [able to give] will be pleasing [to God. God does not expect his people to give more] than they can afford to give.
Denn so einer willig ist, so ist er angenehm, nachdem er hat, nicht nachdem er nicht hat.
13 I do not mean that [you should give so much to help others that] you yourselves do not have what you need. No, what I want is that [both you and others] will have what [you need].
Nicht geschieht das der Meinung, daß die andern Ruhe haben und ihr Trübsal, sondern daß es gleich sei.
14 Right now, when you have (more [than you need/] ) and [the believers in Judea] do not have (enough/all that they need), [with your gift you will enable them to have enough. Maybe some day] when you do not have (enough/all that you need) and they have more than they need, they will [be able to] help you. Then everyone will have enough (OR, In that way each will share alike).
So diene euer Überfluß ihrem Mangel diese (teure) Zeit lang, auf daß auch ihr Überschwang hernach diene eurem Mangel, und geschehe, was gleich ist.
15 [If that happens, the result will be like it is written] {[like someone/Moses] wrote} [in the Scriptures about the time when God provided manna for his people], If someone gathered a lot [of manna], he still did not have more than he needed, [because he gave some to someone who did not have enough]. And those who gathered only a little [manna] still had all that they needed [LIT], [because others who gathered more than they needed gave some manna to them].
Wie geschrieben stehet: Der viel sammelte, hatte nicht Überfluß, und der wenig sammelte, hatte nicht Mangel.
16 [So now I am sending Titus to visit you again]. God has caused him to be just as eager [to help you prepare your gift] as I am. I thank God for that.
Gott aber sei Dank, der solchen Fleiß für euch gegeben hat in das Herz des Titus!
17 [He is going there], not only because we urged him to go, but because he himself is very eager [to visit you again].
Denn er nahm zwar die Ermahnung an; aber dieweil er so sehr fleißig war, ist er von selber zu euch gereiset.
18 I am sending with Titus another believer [whom you know well]. All the groups of believers [in this area] think highly of him because he has [faithfully taught] the good message [about Christ].
Wir haben aber einen Bruder mit ihm gesandt; der das Lob hat am Evangelium durch alle Gemeinden;
19 Not only that, but he was appointed by the congregations [in this area] {the congregations [in this area] appointed him} to [go] to Jerusalem with us [(exc)]. He [will go] with us [when we take] the generous gift of money [EUP] [to the believers in Jerusalem. We are taking this] gift to honor the Lord [Jesus] and to show them that we all [very much] want to [help them].
nicht allein aber das, sondern er ist auch verordnet von den Gemeinden zum Gefährten unserer Fahrt in dieser Wohltat, welche durch uns ausgerichtet wird dem HERRN zu Ehren und (zum Preis) eures guten Willens.
20 [The believers have] given money [EUP] generously. So, [by sending that fellow believer along with Titus] to take the money [to Jerusalem], we are trying to make sure that no one will be able to accuse us [(exc) of taking some of the money for ourselves].
Und verhüten das, daß uns nicht jemand übel nachreden möge solcher reichen Steuer halben, die durch uns ausgerichtet wird.
21 [I say that] because we [(exc)] want to make sure that the Lord [God] will see that what we [(exc)] do is right, and other people will see it, too.
und sehen darauf, daß es redlich zugehe, nicht allein vor dem HERRN, sondern auch vor den Menschen.
22 Furthermore, there is also another believer [here] whom we are sending [to you along with the two] men [whom I have just mentioned]. Many times I have seen his good work [for the Lord], and I know that he is eager [to serve the Lord]. Now, because he knows for sure that you [want to give this gift the same as other believers do], he is even more eager than he was before [to go with the two other men].
Auch haben wir mit ihnen gesandt unsern Bruder, den wir oft gespüret haben in vielen Stücken, daß er fleißig sei, nun aber viel fleißiger.
23 As for Titus, [I have chosen him because] he is my partner, and he has worked faithfully with me [to help you]. As for the other two men, the congregations [in this area] are sending them as their messengers. These two men honor Christ [by everything they do].
Und wir sind großer Zuversicht zu euch, es sei des Titus halben, welcher mein Geselle und Gehilfe unter euch ist, oder unserer Brüder halben, welche Apostel sind der Gemeinden und eine Ehre Christi.
24 So then, show them that you truly love [others], and [in that way] help other congregations to understand [why] we [(exc)] are always saying such good things about you.
Erzeiget nun die Beweisung eurer Liebe und unsers Ruhms von euch an diesen, auch öffentlich vor den Gemeinden.
