2 Corinthians 8
1 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
2 During a great test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and the extremity of their poverty have produced great riches of generosity.
ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως ἡ περισσεία τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία αὐτῶν ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς (τὸ πλοῦτος *N(k)O*) τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν,
3 For I bear witness that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond what they were able, and of their own free will,
ὅτι κατὰ δύναμιν, μαρτυρῶ, καὶ (παρὰ *N(k)O*) δύναμιν αὐθαίρετοι,
4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privlege of sharing in this ministry to the believers.
μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους (δέξασθαι ἡμᾶς, *K*)
5 This did not happen as we had expected. Instead, they first gave themselves to the Lord. Then they gave themselves to us by the will of God.
καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ
6 So we urged Titus, who had already begun this task, to complete among you this act of grace.
εἰς τὸ παρακαλέσαι ἡμᾶς Τίτον, ἵνα καθὼς προενήρξατο οὕτως καὶ ἐπιτελέσῃ εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν χάριν ταύτην.
7 But you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us. So also make sure that you excel in this act of grace.
ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἐν παντὶ περισσεύετε, πίστει καὶ λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξ (ἡμῶν *N(K)O*) ἐν (ὑμῖν *N(K)O*) ἀγάπῃ, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι περισσεύητε.
8 I say this not as a command. Instead, I say this in order to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it to the eagerness of other people.
οὐ κατ᾽ ἐπιταγὴν λέγω ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρων σπουδῆς καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης γνήσιον δοκιμάζων·
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.
γινώσκετε γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ὅτι δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε.
10 In this matter I will give you advice that will help you. One year ago, you not only started to do something, but you desired to do it.
καὶ γνώμην ἐν τούτῳ δίδωμι· τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν συμφέρει, οἵτινες οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι.
11 Now finish it. Just as there was an eagerness and desire to do it then, may you also bring it to completion, as much as you can.
νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἐπιτελέσατε, ὅπως καθάπερ ἡ προθυμία τοῦ θέλειν οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν.
12 For if you are eager to do this deed, it is a good and acceptable thing. It must be based on what a person has, not on what he does not have.
εἰ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται, καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ (τις, *k*) εὐπρόσδεκτος, οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει.
13 For this task is not in order that others may be relieved and you may be burdened. Instead, there should be fairness.
οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἄνεσις, ὑμῖν (δὲ *k*) θλῖψις,
14 Your abundance at the present time will supply what they need. This is also so that their abundance may supply your need, and so that there may be fairness.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐξ ἰσότητος· ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα, ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἐκείνων περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα, ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης
15 It is as it is written: “The one with much did not have anything left over, and the one who had little did not have any lack.”
καθὼς γέγραπται· ὁ τὸ πολὺ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν.
16 But thanks be to God, who put into Titus' heart the same earnest care that I have for you.
Χάρις δὲ τῷ θεῷ τῷ (δόντι *N(k)O*) τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Τίτου,
17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but he was also very earnest about it. He came to you of his own free will.
ὅτι τὴν μὲν παράκλησιν ἐδέξατο, σπουδαιότερος δὲ ὑπάρχων αὐθαίρετος ἐξῆλθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
18 We have sent with him the brother who is praised among all of the churches for his work in proclaiming the gospel.
συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφόν, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
19 Not only this, but he also was selected by the churches to travel with us in our carrying out this act of grace. This is for the honor of the Lord himself and for our eagerness to help.
οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶν (σὺν *NK(o)*) τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ κυρίου δόξαν καὶ προθυμίαν (ἡμῶν. *N(K)O*)
20 We are avoiding the possibility that anyone should complain about us concerning this generosity that we are carrying out.
στελλόμενοι τοῦτο, μή τις ἡμᾶς μωμήσηται ἐν τῇ ἁδρότητι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν·
21 We take care to do what is honorable, not only before the Lord, but also before people.
(προνοοῦμεν *N(k)O*) (γὰρ *no*) καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων.
22 We are also sending another brother with them. We have tested him in many ways and found him diligent for many tasks. He is even more eager now because of the great confidence he has in you.
συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν, ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, νυνὶ δὲ πολὺ σπουδαιότερον πεποιθήσει πολλῇ τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς.
23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are sent by the churches. They are an honor to Christ.
εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου, κοινωνὸς ἐμὸς καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς συνεργός· εἴτε ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν, δόξα Χριστοῦ.
24 So show them your love, and show to the churches the reason for our boasting about you.
τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς (ἐνδεικνύμενοι *N(k)O*) (καὶ *k*) εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
