Text -- 2 Corinthians 8:1-21 (NET)

Completing the Collection for the Saints

8:1 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia, 8:2 that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity. 8:3 For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, 8:4 begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping 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 Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. 8:7 But as you excel in everything– in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you– make sure that you excel in this act of kindness 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. 8:9 For you know the grace 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 you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, 8:11 to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means. 8:12 For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself 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, 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 gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

The Mission of Titus

8:16 But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you, 8:17 because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, he is coming to you of his own accord. 8:18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel. 8:19 In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help. 8:20 We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering. 8:21 For we are concerned about what is right not only before the Lord but also before men.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Co 8:1

¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:8.

NET Notes: 2Co 8:2

¹ tn Or “riches.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:3

¹ tn Or “spontaneously.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:4

¹ tn Or “of ministering to.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:6

¹ tn 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.

² tn Or “we exhorted.”

³ tn 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.

⁴ tn Grk “this grace.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:7

¹ tn Grk “as you abound.”

² tc 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.

³ tn Grk “you abound.”

⁴ tn Grk “this grace.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:8

¹ tn Grk “by means of the eagerness of others.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:9

¹ tn Or “generosity.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:10

¹ tn Grk “who.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:11

¹ tn Grk “and now also complete the doing.”

² tn Grk “just as the eagerness to want [it].”

³ tn 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.

⁴ tn Grk “completed from what you have.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:12

¹ tn 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.

NET Notes: 2Co 8:14

¹ tn Or “their lack.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:15

¹ tn 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).

² sn A quotation from Exod 16:18.

NET Notes: 2Co 8:16

¹ tn Or “eagerness.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:17

¹ tn The comparative form of this adjective is used here with elative meaning.

² tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

³ tn Or “of his own free will.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:18

¹ tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

² tn Grk “the brother of whom the praise in the gospel [is] throughout all the churches.”

NET Notes: 2Co 8:19

¹ tn Grk “gospel, and not only this, but.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation.

² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the brother mentioned in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn That is, the offering or collection being taken to assist impoverished Christians.

⁴ tn The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied (see L&N 25.68).

NET Notes: 2Co 8:20

¹ tn “This” refers to sending the brother mentioned in 2 Cor 8:18 to Corinth along with Titus. The words “We did this” have no equivalent in the Greek text, but are necessary to maintain the thought flow in English. The Greek participle that begins v. 20 continues the sentence begun in v. 18 which concerns the sending of the other brother mentioned there.

NET Notes: 2Co 8:21

¹ sn An allusion to Prov 3:4.