Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 9

1 Περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους, περισσόν μοί ἐστιν τὸ γράφειν ὑμῖν.

And concerning the ministration by the saints, it would be superfluous for me to write to you:

2 Οἶδα γὰρ τὴν προθυμίαν ὑμῶν, ἣν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καυχῶμαι Μακεδόσιν, ὅτι Ἀχαΐα παρεσκεύασται ἀπὸ πέρυσι, καὶ τὸ ὑμῶν ζῆλος ἠρέθισε τοὺς πλείονας.

for I know the goodness of your mind; and therefore I gloried of you before the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath excited many.

3 Ἔπεμψα δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς, ἵνα μὴ τὸ καύχημα ἡμῶν, τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, κενωθῇ ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ, ἵνα καθὼς ἔλεγον, παρεσκευασμένοι ἦτε.

Yet I sent the brethren, lest the glorying with which we have gloried in you in regard to this matter, should prove vain; and that ye, as I said, may be ready;

4 Μή πως ἐὰν ἔλθωσιν σὺν ἐμοὶ Μακεδόνες, καὶ εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους, καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς, ἵνα μὴ λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς, ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ.

so that, if the Macedonians should come with me, and should find you unprepared, we-not to say, ye-should be put to shame for that glorying in which we gloried.

5 Ἀναγκαῖον οὖν ἡγησάμην παρακαλέσαι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἵνα προέλθωσιν εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ προκαταρτίσωσιν τὴν προεπηγγελμένην εὐλογίαν ὑμῶν, ταύτην ἑτοίμην εἶναι οὕτως ὡς εὐλογίαν, καὶ μὴ ὡς πλεονεξίαν.

Therefore I was careful to request these my brethren, to go before me unto you, that they might make up this benefaction, of which ye were advised long before to have it ready, as being a benefaction, and not a matter of cupidity.

6 Τοῦτο δέ: ὁ σπείρων φειδομένως, φειδομένως καὶ θερίσει, καὶ ὁ σπείρων ἐπʼ εὐλογίαις, ἐπʼ εὐλογίαις καὶ θερίσει.

And this I say: He that soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully, shall also reap bountifully.

7 Ἕκαστος καθὼς προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης, ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ ˚Θεός.

Every man, according to his own views, not with sadness, not by constraint: for the Lord loveth a joyous giver.

8 Δυνατεῖ δὲ ὁ ˚Θεὸς πᾶσαν χάριν περισσεῦσαι εἰς ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν παντὶ πάντοτε πᾶσαν αὐτάρκειαν ἔχοντες, περισσεύητε εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθόν.

For it is in the power of God, to make all good abound to you, so that ye may have, at all times, and in every thing, what is sufficient for you; and may abound in every good work.

9 Καθὼς γέγραπται, “Ἐσκόρπισεν, ἔδωκεν τοῖς πένησιν, ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.” (aiōn g165)

As it is written, He hath dispersed and given to the poor; and his righteousness is established for ever. (aiōn g165)

10 Ὁ δὲ ἐπιχορηγῶν σπόρον τῷ σπείροντι, καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν, χορηγήσει καὶ πληθυνεῖ τὸν σπόρον ὑμῶν, καὶ αὐξήσει τὰ γενήματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑμῶν·

Now he that giveth seed to the sower, and bread for food, may he give and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:

11 ἐν παντὶ πλουτιζόμενοι εἰς πᾶσαν ἁπλότητα, ἥτις κατεργάζεται διʼ ἡμῶν, εὐχαριστίαν τῷ ˚Θεῷ.

so that in every thing, ye may be enriched unto all liberality, to the completion of our thanksgiving to God.

12 Ὅτι ἡ διακονία τῆς λειτουργίας ταύτης, οὐ μόνον ἐστὶν προσαναπληροῦσα τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν ἁγίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ περισσεύουσα διὰ πολλῶν εὐχαριστιῶν τῷ ˚Θεῷ·

For the performance of this ministration, not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is also rich in many thanksgivings to God.

13 διὰ τῆς δοκιμῆς τῆς διακονίας ταύτης, δοξάζοντες τὸν ˚Θεὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ὑποταγῇ τῆς ὁμολογίας ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ ˚Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἁπλότητι τῆς κοινωνίας εἰς αὐτοὺς καὶ εἰς πάντας,

For on account of the test of this ministration, we glorify God, that ye do subject yourselves to the profession of the gospel of the Messiah, and that in your liberality, ye communicate with them and with all men:

14 καὶ αὐτῶν δεήσει ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἐπιποθούντων ὑμᾶς, διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν χάριν τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ ἐφʼ ὑμῖν.

and they put up prayer for you, with much love, because of the abundance of the grace of God that is upon you.

15 Χάρις τῷ ˚Θεῷ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνεκδιηγήτῳ αὐτοῦ δωρεᾷ!

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.