2 Corinthians 8:4-15

8:4 begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping¹ the saints. 8:5 And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 8:6 Thus² we urged³ Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work,⁴ so also he should complete this act of kindness⁵ for you. 8:7 But as you excel⁶ in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you⁷ – make sure that you excel⁸ in this act of kindness⁹ too. 8:8 I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.¹⁰ 8:9 For you know the grace¹¹ of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich. 8:10 So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you¹² made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, 8:11 to finish what you started,¹³ so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly,¹⁴ you can also complete it¹⁵ according to your means.¹⁶ 8:12 For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself¹⁷ is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have. 8:13 For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. 8:14 At the present time, your abundance will meet their need,¹⁸ so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality, 8:15 as it is written: “The one who gathered¹⁹ much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”²⁰

¹tn Or “of ministering to.”

²tn A new sentence was started here in the translation and the word “thus” was supplied to indicate that it expresses the result of the previous clause.

³tn Or “we exhorted.”

⁴tn The words “this work” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.

⁵tn Grk “this grace.”

⁶tn Grk “as you abound.”

⁷tc The reading “the love from us that is in you” is very difficult in this context, for Paul is here enumerating the Corinthians’ attributes: How is it possible for them to excel “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, because of this difficulty, several early scribes, as well as most later ones (א C D F G Ψ [33] Ï lat), altered the text to read “your love for us” (so NIV; Grk ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ [ex Jumwn en Jhmin agaph]). The reading ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ (ex Jhmwn en Jumin agaph) is found, however, in excellent and early witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ B 0243 6 104 630 1175 1739 1881 co). As the harder reading it explains the rise of the other reading. What, then, is the force of “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, Paul is commending the Corinthians for excelling in deriving some inspiration from the apostles’ love for them.

⁸tn Grk “you abound.”

⁹tn Grk “this grace.”

¹⁰tn Grk “by means of the eagerness of others.”

¹¹tn Or “generosity.”

¹²tn Grk “who.”

¹³tn Grk “and now also complete the doing.”

¹⁴tn Grk “just as the eagerness to want [it].”

¹⁵tn Grk “so also it might be completed.” The passive construction was converted to an active one in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

¹⁶tn Grk “completed from what you have.”

¹⁷tn The words “the gift itself” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Translators often supply an English phrase like “it is” (NASB) but in the context, Paul is clearly referring to the collection Titus was to oversee (2 Cor 8:4-7). Therefore there is no reason not to specify the referent (the gift) more narrowly for clarity.

¹⁸tn Or “their lack.”

¹⁹tn The word “gathered” is not in the Greek text, but is implied (so also for the second occurrence of the word later in the verse).

²⁰sn A quotation from Exod 16:18.