Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 8

1 γνωριζομεν δε υμιν αδελφοι την χαριν του θεου την δεδομενην εν ταις εκκλησιαις της μακεδονιας

And, my brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which was conferred on the churches of the Macedonians;

2 οτι εν πολλη δοκιμη θλιψεως η περισσεια της χαρας αυτων και η κατα βαθους πτωχεια αυτων επερισσευσεν εις το πλουτος της απλοτητος αυτων

that in the great trial of their affliction, there was an abounding to their joy, and the depth of their poverty was exuberant in the riches of their liberality.

3 οτι κατα δυναμιν μαρτυρω και παρα δυναμιν αυθαιρετοι

For I testify that, according to their ability, and beyond their ability, in the spontaneity of their mind,

4 μετα πολλης παρακλησεως δεομενοι ημων την χαριν και την κοινωνιαν της διακονιας της εις τους αγιους

they besought us, with much entreaty, that they might participate in the beneficence of the ministration to the saints.

5 και ου καθως ηλπισαμεν αλλα εαυτους εδωκαν πρωτον τω κυριω και ημιν δια θεληματος θεου

And not only as we had expected, but they first gave themselves unto the Lord, and to us by the will of God.

6 εις το παρακαλεσαι ημας τιτον ινα καθως προενηρξατο ουτως και επιτελεση εις υμας και την χαριν ταυτην

So that we requested Titus, that as he had begun, so he would perfect in you also the same beneficence.

7 αλλ ωσπερ εν παντι περισσευετε πιστει και λογω και γνωσει και παση σπουδη και τη εξ ημων εν υμιν αγαπη ινα και εν ταυτη τη χαριτι περισσευητε

And as ye are enriched in every thing, in faith, and speech, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in our love towards you, so abound ye in this beneficence also.

8 ου κατ επιταγην λεγω αλλα δια της ετερων σπουδης και το της υμετερας αγαπης γνησιον δοκιμαζων

I do not actually command you, but by the promptitude of your fellow disciples, I would test the sincerity of your love.

9 γινωσκετε γαρ την χαριν του κυριου ημων ιησου {VAR1: [χριστου] } {VAR2: χριστου } οτι δι υμας επτωχευσεν πλουσιος ων ινα υμεις τη εκεινου πτωχεια πλουτησητε

For ye know the goodness of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who when he was rich, for your sakes became poor, that by his poverty ye might be made rich.

10 και γνωμην εν τουτω διδωμι τουτο γαρ υμιν συμφερει οιτινες ου μονον το ποιησαι αλλα και το θελειν προενηρξασθε απο περυσι

And I urgently recommend to you, that which is for your advantage; inasmuch as ye began, a year ago, not only to purpose, but also to perform.

11 νυνι δε και το ποιησαι επιτελεσατε οπως καθαπερ η προθυμια του θελειν ουτως και το επιτελεσαι εκ του εχειν

And now complete ye by action, what ye purposed; that as ye had a promptitude in your purposing, so ye may fulfill it in action, according to your ability.

12 ει γαρ η προθυμια προκειται καθο εαν εχη ευπροσδεκτος ου καθο ουκ εχει

For if there is a willingness, a person is accepted according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not.

13 ου γαρ ινα αλλοις ανεσις υμιν θλιψις αλλ εξ ισοτητος εν τω νυν καιρω το υμων περισσευμα εις το εκεινων υστερημα

For it is not, that others may have easement, and you pressure;

14 ινα και το εκεινων περισσευμα γενηται εις το υμων υστερημα οπως γενηται ισοτης

but that ye may be on equality at the present time; and that your abundance may be a supply to their want; that their abundance likewise may be a supply to your want; that there may be equality.

15 καθως γεγραπται ο το πολυ ουκ επλεονασεν και ο το ολιγον ουκ ηλαττονησεν

As it is written, He who gathered much, had nothing over; and he that gathered little, was not deficient.

16 χαρις δε τω θεω τω {VAR1: διδοντι } {VAR2: δοντι } την αυτην σπουδην υπερ υμων εν τη καρδια τιτου

But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus this solicitude for you.

17 οτι την μεν παρακλησιν εδεξατο σπουδαιοτερος δε υπαρχων αυθαιρετος εξηλθεν προς υμας

For he received our exhortation; and, because he was very anxious, he cheerfully set out to visit you.

18 συνεπεμψαμεν δε μετ αυτου τον αδελφον ου ο επαινος εν τω ευαγγελιω δια πασων των εκκλησιων

And we also sent with him that our brother, whose praise in the gospel is in all the churches;

19 ου μονον δε αλλα και χειροτονηθεις υπο των εκκλησιων συνεκδημος ημων {VAR1: εν } {VAR2: συν } τη χαριτι ταυτη τη διακονουμενη υφ ημων προς την {VAR2: [αυτου] } του κυριου δοξαν και προθυμιαν ημων

inasmuch as he likewise had been expressly chosen by the churches, to accompany me with this beneficence which is ministered by us to the glory of God and to our cordiality.

20 στελλομενοι τουτο μη τις ημας μωμησηται εν τη αδροτητι ταυτη τη διακονουμενη υφ ημων

And we hereby guarded, that no one should cast censure on us, in respect to this abundance which is ministered by us.

21 προνοουμεν γαρ καλα ου μονον ενωπιον κυριου αλλα και ενωπιον ανθρωπων

For we are attentive to things commendable, not only before God, but also before men.

22 συνεπεμψαμεν δε αυτοις τον αδελφον ημων ον εδοκιμασαμεν εν πολλοις πολλακις σπουδαιον οντα νυνι δε πολυ σπουδαιοτερον πεποιθησει πολλη τη εις υμας

And we also sent with them that brother of ours, who hath often, and in many things, been proved diligent by us; and is now particularly diligent, from the great confidence he hath in you.

23 ειτε υπερ τιτου κοινωνος εμος και εις υμας συνεργος ειτε αδελφοι ημων αποστολοι εκκλησιων δοξα χριστου

And therefore, if Titus be inquired about, he is my associate and assistant among you: or if our other brethren, they are the legates of the churches of the Messiah's glory.

24 την ουν ενδειξιν της αγαπης υμων και ημων καυχησεως υπερ υμων εις αυτους {VAR1: ενδειξασθε } {VAR2: ενδεικνυμενοι } εις προσωπον των εκκλησιων

Therefore exhibit ye to them, in the presence of all the churches, a demonstration of your love and of our glorying respecting you.