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Chapter 8
Generosity Commended
1
Now, brothers, we want you to know about… the grace [that] God has given… the churches of Macedonia.
δὲ ἀδελφοί Γνωρίζομεν ὑμῖν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δεδομένην ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Μακεδονίας de adelphoi Gnōrizomen hymin tēn charin tou Theou tēn dedomenēn en tais ekklēsiais tēs Makedonias — NA/TR · 1
2
- In [the] terrible ordeal they suffered, - their abundant joy and deep - poverty overflowed into rich generosity -.
ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως ἡ τῆς αὐτῶν περισσεία χαρᾶς καὶ ἡ βάθους κατὰ αὐτῶν πτωχεία ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν hoti en pollē dokimē thlipseōs hē tēs autōn perisseia charas kai hē bathous kata autōn ptōcheia eperisseusen eis to ploutos tēs haplotētos autōn — NA/TR · 2
3
For I testify [that] [they gave] according to [their] ability and even beyond [it]. Of their own accord,
ὅτι μαρτυρῶ κατὰ δύναμιν καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν αὐθαίρετοι hoti martyrō kata dynamin kai para dynamin authairetoi — NA/TR · 3
4
vvv vvv they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege - of sharing in [this] service to the saints.
μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους meta pollēs paraklēseōs deomenoi hēmōn tēn charin kai tēn koinōnian tēs diakonias tēs eis tous hagious — NA/TR · 4
5
And not [only] [did they do] as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, through [the] will of God.
καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν ἀλλ’ ἔδωκαν ἑαυτοὺς πρῶτον τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ kai ou kathōs ēlpisamen all’ edōkan heautous prōton tō Kyriō kai hēmin dia thelēmatos Theou — NA/TR · 5
6
So we urged Titus - vvv to help complete vvv your [act of] grace, just as he had started [it].
Εἰς ἡμᾶς τὸ παρακαλέσαι Τίτον ἵνα οὕτως καὶ ἐπιτελέσῃ ταύτην εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν χάριν καθὼς προενήρξατο Eis hēmas to parakalesai Titon hina houtōs kai epitelesē tautēn eis hymas kai tēn charin kathōs proenērxato — NA/TR · 6
7
But just as you excel in everything— in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we [inspired] in you [see] that you also excel… in this grace of giving.
ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ περισσεύετε ἐν παντὶ πίστει καὶ λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἡμῶν ἐξ ἐν ὑμῖν ἵνα περισσεύητε καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι all’ hōsper perisseuete en panti pistei kai logō kai gnōsei kai pasē spoudē kai tē agapē hēmōn ex en hymin hina perisseuēte kai en tautē tē chariti — NA/TR · 7
8
vvv I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others -.
Οὐ λέγω κατ’ ἐπιταγὴν ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζων τὸ γνήσιον ὑμετέρας τῆς ἀγάπης διὰ τῆς σπουδῆς ἑτέρων καὶ Ou legō kat’ epitagēn alla dokimazōn to gnēsion hymeteras tēs agapēs dia tēs spoudēs heterōn kai — NA/TR · 8
9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that [though] He was rich, yet for your sake… He became poor, so that you through [His] poverty might become rich.
γὰρ Γινώσκετε τὴν χάριν ἡμῶν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ὅτι ὤν πλούσιος δι’ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε gar Ginōskete tēn charin hēmōn tou Kyriou Iēsou Christou hoti ōn plousios di’ hymas eptōcheusen hina hymeis tē ekeinou ptōcheia ploutēsēte — NA/TR · 9
10
And this is my opinion… about what is helpful for you in this [matter]: vvv Last year [you were] the first not only to [give], but even to have such a desire.
καὶ τοῦτο δίδωμι γνώμην γὰρ συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἐν τούτῳ ἀπὸ πέρυσι οἵτινες προενήρξασθε οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν kai touto didōmi gnōmēn gar sympherei hymin en toutō apo perysi hoitines proenērxasthe ou monon to poiēsai alla kai to thelein — NA/TR · 10
11
Now… finish the work, so that you may complete it with the same eager desire…, according to [your] means.
νυνὶ δὲ καὶ ἐπιτελέσατε τὸ ποιῆσαι ὅπως τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι καθάπερ ἡ προθυμία τοῦ θέλειν οὕτως καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν nyni de kai epitelesate to poiēsai hopōs to epitelesai kathaper hē prothymia tou thelein houtōs kai ek tou echein — NA/TR · 11
12
For if the eagerness is there, [the gift] is acceptable according to what one has, not according to vvv [what] he does not have.
γὰρ εἰ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται εὐπρόσδεκτος καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει gar ei hē prothymia prokeitai euprosdektos katho ean echē ou katho ouk echei — NA/TR · 12
13
[It is not our intention]… that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but [that there may be] equality.
γὰρ Οὐ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἄνεσις ὑμῖν θλῖψις ἀλλ’ ἐξ ἰσότητος gar Ou hina allois anesis hymin thlipsis all’ ex isotētos — NA/TR · 13
14
At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality.
ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ ὑμῶν τὸ περίσσευμα εἰς ἐκείνων τὸ ὑστέρημα ἵνα καὶ ἐκείνων τὸ περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς ὑμῶν τὸ ὑστέρημα ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης en tō nyn kairō hymōn to perisseuma eis ekeinōn to hysterēma hina kai ekeinōn to perisseuma genētai eis hymōn to hysterēma hopōs genētai isotēs — NA/TR · 14
15
As it is written: “He who [gathered] much vvv had no excess, and he who [gathered] little vvv had no shortfall.”
καθὼς γέγραπται Ὁ τὸ πολὺ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν kathōs gegraptai Ho to poly ouk epleonasen kai ho to oligon ouk ēlattonēsen — NA/TR · 15
Titus Commended
16
But thanks [be] to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion [I have] for you.
δὲ Χάρις τῷ Θεῷ τῷ διδόντι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Τίτου τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν de Charis tō Theō tō didonti en tē kardia Titou tēn autēn spoudēn hyper hymōn — NA/TR · 16
17
For not only did he welcome [our] appeal, but he {is} eagerly coming to you of his own volition.
ὅτι μὲν ἐδέξατο τὴν παράκλησιν δὲ ὑπάρχων σπουδαιότερος ἐξῆλθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐθαίρετος hoti men edexato tēn paraklēsin de hyparchōn spoudaioteros exēlthen pros hymas authairetos — NA/TR · 17
18
Along with [Titus] we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches [for his work] in the gospel.
μετ’ αὐτοῦ δὲ Συνεπέμψαμεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ met’ autou de Synepempsamen ton adelphon hou ho epainos dia pasōn tōn ekklēsiōn en tō euangeliō — NA/TR · 18
19
More than that…, [this brother] was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the gracious offering - we administer to honor the Lord Himself and [to show] our eagerness [to help].
καὶ δὲ οὐ μόνον ἀλλὰ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶν σὺν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι τῇ ὑφ’ ἡμῶν διακονουμένῃ πρὸς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Κυρίου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡμῶν προθυμίαν kai de ou monon alla cheirotonētheis hypo tōn ekklēsiōn synekdēmos hēmōn syn tautē tē chariti tē hyph’ hēmōn diakonoumenē pros tēn doxan tou Kyriou autou kai hēmōn prothymian — NA/TR · 19
20
We [want to] avoid - any criticism of [the way] we administer this generous [ gift ].
στελλόμενοι τοῦτο μή τις μωμήσηται ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ ὑφ’ ἡμῶν διακονουμένῃ ταύτῃ τῇ ἁδρότητι stellomenoi touto mē tis mōmēsētai hēmas en tē hyph’ hēmōn diakonoumenē tautē tē hadrotēti — NA/TR · 20
21
For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of [the] Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
γὰρ προνοοῦμεν καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον Κυρίου ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων gar pronooumen kala ou monon enōpion Kyriou alla kai enōpion anthrōpōn — NA/TR · 21
22
And we are sending along with them our brother who has proven his earnestness [to us] many times [and] in many ways, and now even more [so] by [his] great confidence in you.
δὲ Συνεπέμψαμεν αὐτοῖς ἡμῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν σπουδαῖον ὄντα πολλάκις ἐν πολλοῖς δὲ νυνὶ πολὺ πολλῇ σπουδαιότερον πεποιθήσει τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς de Synepempsamen autois hēmōn ton adelphon hon edokimasamen spoudaion onta pollakis en pollois de nyni poly pollē spoudaioteron pepoithēsei tē eis hymas — NA/TR · 22
23
As for… Titus, [he is] my partner and fellow worker among you. [As for] our brothers, [they are] messengers of [the] churches, [the] glory of Christ.
εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου ἐμὸς κοινωνὸς καὶ συνεργός εἰς ὑμᾶς εἴτε ἡμῶν ἀδελφοὶ ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν δόξα Χριστοῦ eite hyper Titou emos koinōnos kai synergos eis hymas eite hēmōn adelphoi apostoloi ekklēsiōn doxa Christou — NA/TR · 23
24
In full view of the churches, then, show [these men] the proof of your love and vvv the reason for our boasting about you.
εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν οὖν ἐνδεικνύμενοι εἰς αὐτοὺς τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ὑμῶν ἀγάπης καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν eis prosōpon tōn ekklēsiōn oun endeiknymenoi eis autous tēn endeixin tēs hymōn agapēs kai hēmōn kauchēseōs hyper hymōn — NA/TR · 24