Paul
Macedonia's Generosity and Titus' Mission
Paul speaks of the overflowing generosity of the poor churches in Macedonia, who gave beyond their ability out of their own free will. He urges the Corinthians to complete the collection for the saints with the same zeal, and sends Titus along with two brothers to organize the gift. Macedonia's overflowing gift Call to equality and completion Sending of Titus and the brothers
2 Corinthiens 8,1-24
1Now we want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia.
Γνωρίζομεν δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δεδομένην ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Μακεδονίας,
2In the midst of a severe ordeal of affliction, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty together overflowed in a wealth of generosity.
ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως ἡ περισσεία τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία αὐτῶν ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς ⸂τὸ πλοῦτος⸃ τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν·
3For they gave according to their means—I can testify to it—and even beyond their means, entirely of their own accord,
ὅτι κατὰ δύναμιν, μαρτυρῶ, καὶ ⸀παρὰ δύναμιν, αὐθαίρετοι
4begging us earnestly for the favor of sharing in this ministry to the saints.
μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν, τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους—
5And they went beyond what we had hoped: they gave themselves first to the Lord and then, by the will of God, to us.
καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν ἀλλʼ ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ,
6So we urged Titus that, as he had already begun, he should also bring this act of grace to completion among you.
εἰς τὸ παρακαλέσαι ἡμᾶς Τίτον ἵνα καθὼς προενήρξατο οὕτως καὶ ἐπιτελέσῃ εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν χάριν ταύτην·
7Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this act of grace.
ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐν παντὶ περισσεύετε, πίστει καὶ λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξ ⸂ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν⸃ ἀγάπῃ, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι περισσεύητε.
8I am not saying this as a command; rather, by pointing to the earnestness of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.
Οὐ κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν λέγω ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρων σπουδῆς καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης γνήσιον δοκιμάζων·
9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
γινώσκετε γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι διʼ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε.
10So here is my advice on the matter, for this is best for you: last year you were the first not only to act but also to want to act.
καὶ γνώμην ἐν τούτῳ δίδωμι· τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν συμφέρει, οἵτινες οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι·
11Now finish the work as well, so that your doing may match your eagerness to do—according to what you have.
νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἐπιτελέσατε, ὅπως καθάπερ ἡ προθυμία τοῦ θέλειν οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν.
12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
εἰ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται, καθὸ ἐὰν ⸀ἔχῃ εὐπρόσδεκτος, οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει.
13The point is not that others should be relieved while you are burdened, but that there should be a fair balance.
οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἄνεσις, ⸀ὑμῖν θλῖψις· ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἰσότητος
14At the present time your abundance supplies their need, so that their abundance may in turn supply your need, and so there will be equality,
ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα, ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἐκείνων περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα, ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης·
15as it is written: "The one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little had no lack."
καθὼς γέγραπται· Ὁ τὸ πολὺ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν, καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν.
16But thanks be to God, who put the same devotion for you into the heart of Titus.
Χάρις δὲ τῷ θεῷ τῷ ⸀διδόντι τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Τίτου,
17For he not only welcomed our appeal; he is so eager that he is going to you of his own accord.
ὅτι τὴν μὲν παράκλησιν ἐδέξατο, σπουδαιότερος δὲ ὑπάρχων αὐθαίρετος ἐξῆλθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
18With him we are sending the brother who is praised among all the churches for his work in the gospel.
συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν—
19And not only that, but he has also been chosen by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this gracious work, to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our own eagerness.
οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶν ⸀σὺν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν ⸀αὐτοῦ τοῦ κυρίου δόξαν καὶ προθυμίαν ἡμῶν—
20We are taking this precaution so that no one can find fault with us in our handling of this generous gift.
στελλόμενοι τοῦτο μή τις ἡμᾶς μωμήσηται ἐν τῇ ἁδρότητι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν,
21For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of people.
⸂προνοοῦμεν γὰρ⸃ καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων.
22And with them we are sending our brother whom we have tested many times in many matters and found to be diligent, and who is now all the more eager because of his great confidence in you.
συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, νυνὶ δὲ πολὺ σπουδαιότερον πεποιθήσει πολλῇ τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς.
23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker on your behalf; as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου, κοινωνὸς ἐμὸς καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς συνεργός· εἴτε ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν, δόξα Χριστοῦ.
24So show them the proof of your love and of the reason we boast about you, in full view of the churches.
τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς ⸀ἐνδεικνύμενοι εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.