コリント人への手紙第二 8
1 第一項 醵金の方法 兄弟等よ、我等マケドニア[國]の諸教會に賜はりたる神の恩寵を汝等に告ぐ、
NOW we inform you, brethren, of the grace of God which hath been bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 即ち彼等は夥しき患難の試に遇ひたれども、其喜溢れ、其甚しき貧窮は、豊に其吝なき志の富を顕せり。
that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, hath more abounded to the riches of their liberality.
3 彼等は力に應じて、否我彼等の為に保證す、力以上に快く施せり。
For unto their power, I bear them witness, and above their power, they were voluntarily ready to give:
4 即ち頻に聖徒等に對する醵金に與る恵を求めて、
with much entreaty praying us that we would receive the gift, and undertake the communication of the contribution for the saints.
5 我等の希望以外にも亦自ら、先己を主に任せ、次に神の思召によりて我等にも任せたり。
And not merely as we hoped, but gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us according to the will of God.
6 然れば我等チトに望みて、既に此慈善事業を始めたれば、汝等の中にも亦之を為遂げん事を願へり。
So that we exhorted Titus, that as he had been active before, so also he would perfect in you this grace also.
7 故に汝等信仰に、言語に、學識に、凡ての奮發に、又我等に對する愛に、一切に於て富めるが如く、此慈善にも富む者となれかし。
So as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and elocution, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
8 我は之を命ずるが如くには言はず、他人の奮發を以て汝等の愛の眞實を試みんとす。
I speak not by commandment, but because of the forwardness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love.
9 蓋汝等わが主イエズス、キリストの恩寵を知れり、即ち富める者にて在しながら、己が貧しきを以て汝等を富ましめんとて、汝等の為に貧しき者となり給ひしなり。
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor though he was rich, that ye by his poverty should be made rich.
10 是に就きて我は勧告す、此慈善は汝等に益あり、蓋汝等先に之を為し始めし耳ならず、一年前より志したる事なれば、
And in this I give my opinion: for this is expedient for you, who have before begun not only to do, but also to be willing a year ago.
11 今は實際に之を為遂げよ、是志の早かりし如く、所有物に應じて為遂ぐる事も亦早からん為なり。
Now then accomplish also the doing it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be also to perform out of that which ye have.
12 其は假令志す事早くとも嘉納せらるるは有たざるものに由らずして有てるものに由ればなり。
For if there is first a ready mind, a man is acceptable according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not.
13 是他人に寛にして汝等を苦めんとするに非ず、平均の為なり。
For I mean not that there should be ease for others and a burden on you;
14 現に汝等の餘る所は、彼等の缺乏を補はざるべからず、然らば彼等の餘る所も亦汝等の缺乏を補ひて、平均するに至るべし。録して、
but that according to equality, your abundance on the present occasion should afford a supply for their deficiency, that their abundance also may supply your deficiency, that there may be equality.
15 「多く得たりし人は餘る事なく、少く得たりし人は足らざる事なかりき」、とあるが如し。
According as it is written, “He that gathered much had no more than others, and he who gathered little, had no less.”
16 神に感謝す、チトの心にも汝等に對して同じ奮發を賜ひたるによりて、
But thanks be to God, who put the same solicitude for you into the heart of Titus.
17 彼は勧を容れし耳ならず、奮發の心尚深くして、進みて汝等の許へ出立せり。
For he received in deed the exhortation, but being more diligent, of his own ready mind he went unto you.
18 我等又彼と共に一人の兄弟を遣はしたるが、此人は福音に就きて諸教會に普く誉ある
We have sent with him also a brother, whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches;
19 耳ならず、主の光榮の為、又我等が志を顕さん為に行へる慈善に就きて、諸教會より我等の旅の侶とせられたるなり。即ち我等は注意して、
and not only so, but who was chosen by the churches as my fellow-traveller with this charity, ministered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and to shew your ready mind.
20 多額の醵金を取扱ふに、人に咎められざらんとす。
Avoiding this, that no man should lay any blame to us in this abundance which is administered by us:
21 其は神の御前に耳ならず、人の前にも善からんことを慮ればなり。
providing what is fair, not only before the Lord, but also before men.
22 尚彼等と共に又一人の兄弟を遣はしたるが、我等は其奮發を多くの事に就きて屡認めたる耳ならず、今は大いに汝等を信用するに由りて其奮發心の更に著しきを認む。
And we have sent with him our brother, whom we have often experienced in many things to be a man of diligence, but now much more diligent, through the great confidence which I have in you.
23 然れば我が友たり汝等に對する協力者たるチトに於ても、諸教會の使たりキリストの名誉たる我等の兄弟等に於ても、
If any inquire concerning Titus, he is my companion and fellow-labourer to you; or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24 汝等の愛と、我等が汝等に就きて誇れる事との徴を諸教會の面前に顕せ。
Therefore shew unto them, and in the presence of the churches, a proof of your love, and of our just boasting in you.
