Corinthios Ii 8
1 Notam autem facimus vobis, fratres, gratiam Dei, quae data est in Ecclesiis Macedoniae:
We want to remind you, friends, of the love that God has shown to the churches in Macedonia –
2 quod in multo experimento tribulationis abundantia gaudii ipsorum fuit, et altissima paupertas eorum abundavit in divitias simplicitatis eorum:
How, tired though they were by many a trouble, their overflowing happiness, and even their deep poverty, resulted in a flood of generosity.
3 quia secundum virtutem testimonium illis reddo, et supra virtutem voluntarii fuerunt,
I can bear witness that to the full extent of their power, and even beyond their power, spontaneously,
4 cum multa exhortatione obsecrantes nos gratiam, et communicationem ministerii, quod fit in Sanctos.
and with many an appeal to us for permission, they showed their love, and contributed their share towards the fund for their fellow Christians.
5 Et non sicut speravimus, sed semetipsos dederunt primum Domino, deinde nobis per voluntatem Dei,
And that, not only in the way we had expected; but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us also, in accordance with God’s will.
6 ita ut rogaremus Titum: ut quemadmodum coepit, ita et perficiat in vobis etiam gratiam istam.
And this led us to beg Titus, that since he had started the work for you, he should also see to the completion of this expression of your love.
7 Sed sicut in omnibus abundatis fide, et sermone, et scientia, et omni solicitudine, insuper et charitate vestra in nos, ut et in hac gratia abundetis.
And, remembering how you excel in everything – in faith, in teaching, in knowledge, in unfailing earnestness, and in the affection that we have awakened in you – I ask you to excel also in this expression of your love.
8 Non quasi imperans dico: sed per aliorum solicitudinem, etiam vestrae charitatis ingenium bonum comprobans.
I am not laying a command on you, but I am making use of the earnestness shown by others to test the genuineness of your affection.
9 Scitis enim gratiam Domini nostri Iesu Christi, quoniam propter vos egenus factus est, cum esset dives, ut illius inopia vos divites essetis.
For you do not forget the loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ – how that for your sakes, although he was rich, he became poor, so that you also might become rich through his poverty.
10 Et consilium in hoc do: hoc enim vobis utile est, qui non solum facere, sed et velle coepistis ab anno priore:
I am only making suggestions on this matter; for this is the best course for you, since you were a year before others, not only in taking action, but also in showing your readiness to do so.
11 nunc vero et facto perficite: ut quemadmodum promptus est animus voluntatis, ita sit et perficiendi ex eo, quod habetis.
And now I want you to complete the work, so that its completion may correspond with your willing readiness – in proportion, of course, to your means.
12 Si enim voluntas prompta est, secundum id, quod habet, accepta est, non secundum id, quod non habet.
For, where there is willingness, a person’s gift is valued by its comparison with what they have, and not with what they do not have.
13 Non enim ut aliis sit remissio, vobis autem tribulatio, sed ex aequalitate.
For our object is not to give relief to others and bring distress on you. It is a matter of a fair balance.
14 In praesenti tempore vestra abundantia illorum inopiam suppleat: ut et illorum abundantia vestrae inopiae sit supplementum, ut fiat aequalitas, sicut scriptum est:
On this occasion what you can spare will supply what they need, at another time what they can spare may supply your need, and so things will be equal.
15 Qui multum non abundavit: et qui modicum, non minoravit.
As scripture says – “Those who had much had nothing over, and those who had little did not lack!”
16 Gratias autem Deo, qui dedit eandem solicitudinem pro vobis in corde Titi,
I thank God for inspiring Titus with the same keen interest in your welfare that I have;
17 quoniam exhortationem quidem suscepit: sed cum solicitior esset, sua voluntate profectus est ad vos.
for Titus has responded to my appeals and, in his great earnestness, is starting to go to you of his own accord.
18 Misimus etiam cum illo fratrem nostrum, cuius laus est in Evangelio per omnes Ecclesias:
We are sending with him one of the Lord’s followers whose fame in the service of the good news has spread through all the churches;
19 non solum autem, sed et ordinatus est ab Ecclesiis comes peregrinationis nostrae in hanc gratiam, quae ministratur a nobis ad Domini gloriam, et destinatam voluntatem nostram:
and not only that, but he has been elected by the churches to accompany us on our journey, in connexion with this expression of your love, which we are personally administering to the honour of the Lord, and to show our deep interest.
20 devitantes hoc, ne quis nos vituperet in hac plenitudine, quae ministratur a nobis in Domini gloriam.
What we are specially guarding against is that any fault should be found with us in regard to our administration of this charitable fund;
21 Providemus enim bona non solum coram Deo, sed etiam coram hominibus.
for we are trying to make arrangements which will be right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of people.
22 Misimus autem cum illis et fratrem nostrum, quem probavimus in multis saepe solicitum esse: nunc autem multo solicitiorem, confidentia multa in vos,
We are also sending with them another of our friends, whose earnestness we have many a time proved in many ways, and whom we now find made even more earnest by his great confidence in you.
23 sive pro Tito, qui est socius meus, et in vobis adiutor, sive fratres nostri, Apostoli Ecclesiarum, gloriae Christi.
If I must say anything about Titus, he is my intimate companion, and he shares my work for you; if it is our friends, they are delegates of the churches, an honour to Christ.
24 Ostensionem ergo, quae est charitatis vestrae, et nostrae gloriae pro vobis, in illos ostendite in faciem Ecclesiarum.
Show them, therefore – so that the churches may see it – the proof of your affection, and the ground for our boasting to them about you.
