Bible Reading November 29 
2 Corinthians 7:1--9:15
Context7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves 1 from everything that could defile the body 2 and the spirit, and thus accomplish 3 holiness out of reverence for God. 4 7:2 Make room for us in your hearts; 5 we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, 6 we have exploited no one. 7 7:3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before 8 that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you. 9
7:4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride 10 on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; 11 I am overflowing with joy in the midst of 12 all our suffering. 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our body 13 had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way – struggles from the outside, fears from within. 7:6 But God, who encourages 14 the downhearted, encouraged 15 us by the arrival of Titus. 7:7 We were encouraged 16 not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement 17 you gave 18 him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, 19 your deep concern 20 for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever. 7:8 For even if I made you sad 21 by my letter, 22 I do not regret having written it 23 (even though I did regret it, 24 for 25 I see that my letter made you sad, 26 though only for a short time). 7:9 Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, 27 but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, 28 so that you were not harmed 29 in any way by us. 7:10 For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death. 7:11 For see what this very thing, this sadness 30 as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, 31 what indignation, 32 what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, 33 what punishment! 34 In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 7:12 So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf 35 before God. 7:13 Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit. 36 7:14 For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, 37 but just as everything we said to you was true, 38 so our boasting to Titus about you 39 has proved true as well. 7:15 And his affection for you is much greater 40 when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. 7:16 I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you.
8:1 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, 41 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 42 of their generosity. 8:3 For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, 43 8:4 begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping 44 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 45 we urged 46 Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, 47 so also he should complete this act of kindness 48 for you. 8:7 But as you excel 49 in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you 50 – make sure that you excel 51 in this act of kindness 52 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. 53 8:9 For you know the grace 54 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 55 made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, 8:11 to finish what you started, 56 so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, 57 you can also complete it 58 according to your means. 59 8:12 For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself 60 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, 61 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 62 much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” 63
8:16 But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion 64 I have for you, 8:17 because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, 65 he is coming 66 to you of his own accord. 67 8:18 And we are sending 68 along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel. 69 8:19 In addition, 70 this brother 71 has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift 72 to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help. 73 8:20 We did this 74 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. 75 8:22 And we are sending 76 with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you. 8:23 If there is any question 77 about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers 78 of the churches, a glory to Christ. 8:24 Therefore show 79 them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you. 80
9:1 For it is not necessary 81 for me to write you about this service 82 to the saints, 9:2 because I know your eagerness to help. 83 I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, 84 that Achaia has been ready to give 85 since last year, and your zeal to participate 86 has stirred up most of them. 87 9:3 But I am sending 88 these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready 89 just as I kept telling them. 9:4 For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated 90 (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you. 91 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution 92 you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift 93 and not as something you feel forced to do. 94 9:6 My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously 95 will also reap generously. 9:7 Each one of you should give 96 just as he has decided in his heart, 97 not reluctantly 98 or under compulsion, 99 because God loves a cheerful giver. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow 100 to you so that because you have enough 101 of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow 102 in every good work. 9:9 Just as it is written, “He 103 has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.” 104 9:10 Now God 105 who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow. 9:11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, 106 which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, 9:12 because the service of this ministry is not only providing for 107 the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God. 9:13 Through the evidence 108 of this service 109 they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing 110 with them and with everyone. 9:14 And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you. 111 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 112
[7:1] 1 tn Or “purify ourselves.”
[7:1] 2 tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”
[7:1] 3 tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.
[7:1] 4 tn Grk “in the fear of God.”
[7:2] 5 tn The phrase “in your hearts” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[7:2] 6 tn “We have ruined no one” may refer to financial loss (“we have caused no one to suffer financial loss”) but it may also refer to the undermining of faith (“we have corrupted no one’s faith,”). Both options are mentioned in L&N 20.23.
[7:2] 7 tn Or “we have taken advantage of no one.”
[7:3] 8 sn See 2 Cor 1:4-7.
[7:3] 9 tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[7:4] 10 tn Grk “great is my boasting.”
[7:4] 12 tn Grk “I am overflowing with joy in all our suffering”; the words “in the midst of” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to clarify that Paul is not rejoicing in the suffering itself, but in his relationship with the Corinthians in the midst of all his suffering.
[7:6] 14 tn Or “comforts,” “consoles.”
[7:6] 15 tn Or “comforted,” “consoled.”
[7:7] 16 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “We were encouraged.”
[7:7] 17 tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”
[7:7] 18 tn Grk “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you.” The passive construction was translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the repeated word “encouraged” was replaced in the translation by “gave” to avoid redundancy in the translation.
[7:7] 19 tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”
[7:8] 21 tn Grk “if I grieved you.”
[7:8] 22 sn My letter. Paul is referring to the “severe” letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4.
[7:8] 23 tn Grk “I do not regret”; direct objects in Greek must often be supplied from the context. Here one could simply supply “it,” but since Paul is referring to the effects of his previous letter, clarity is improved if “having written it” is supplied.
[7:8] 24 tn Grk “I did regret”; the direct object “it” must be supplied from the context.
[7:8] 25 tc A few important
[7:8] 26 tn Grk “my letter grieved you.”
[7:9] 27 tn Grk “were grieved” (so also twice later in the verse).
[7:9] 28 tn Grk “corresponding to God,” that is, corresponding to God’s will (κατὰ θεόν, kata qeon). The same phrase occurs in vv. 10 and 11.
[7:9] 29 tn Grk “so that you did not suffer loss.”
[7:11] 30 tn Grk “this very thing, to be grieved.”
[7:11] 31 tn The words “of yourselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[7:11] 32 sn What indignation refers to the Corinthians’ indignation at the offender.
[7:11] 34 sn That is, punishment for the offender.
[7:12] 35 tn Grk “but in order that your eagerness on our behalf might be revealed to you.”
[7:13] 36 tn Or “all of you have put his mind at ease.”
[7:14] 37 tn Grk “I have not been put to shame”; the words “by you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[7:14] 38 tn Grk “just as we spoke everything to you in truth.”
[7:14] 39 tn The words “about you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[7:15] 40 tn Or “is all the more.”
[8:1] 41 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:8.
[8:3] 43 tn Or “spontaneously.”
[8:4] 44 tn Or “of ministering to.”
[8:6] 45 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.
[8:6] 47 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.
[8:7] 49 tn Grk “as you abound.”
[8:7] 50 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.
[8:8] 53 tn Grk “by means of the eagerness of others.”
[8:11] 56 tn Grk “and now also complete the doing.”
[8:11] 57 tn Grk “just as the eagerness to want [it].”
[8:11] 58 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.
[8:11] 59 tn Grk “completed from what you have.”
[8:12] 60 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.
[8:15] 62 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).
[8:15] 63 sn A quotation from Exod 16:18.
[8:17] 65 tn The comparative form of this adjective is used here with elative meaning.
[8:17] 66 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
[8:17] 67 tn Or “of his own free will.”
[8:18] 68 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
[8:18] 69 tn Grk “the brother of whom the praise in the gospel [is] throughout all the churches.”
[8:19] 70 tn Grk “gospel, and not only this, but.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation.
[8:19] 71 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the brother mentioned in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:19] 72 tn That is, the offering or collection being taken to assist impoverished Christians.
[8:19] 73 tn The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied (see L&N 25.68).
[8:20] 74 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.
[8:21] 75 sn An allusion to Prov 3:4.
[8:22] 76 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
[8:23] 77 tn Grk “If concerning Titus” (εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου, eite Juper Titou); the Greek sentence opens with an ellipsis which must be supplied: If [there is any question] about Titus.”
[8:24] 79 tc The sense of this translation is attested by the fact that most of the later
[8:24] 80 tn Or “our boasting about you.”
[9:1] 81 tn Or “it is superfluous.”
[9:1] 82 tn Or “this ministry,” “this contribution.”
[9:2] 83 tn The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[9:2] 84 tn Grk “concerning which I keep boasting to the Macedonians about you.” A new sentence was started here and the translation was simplified by removing the relative clause and repeating the antecedent “this eagerness of yours.”
[9:2] 85 tn The words “to give” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[9:2] 86 tn The words “to participate” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[9:2] 87 sn Most of them is a reference to the Macedonians (cf. v. 4).
[9:3] 88 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
[9:3] 89 tn That is, ready with the collection for the saints.
[9:4] 90 tn Or “be disgraced”; Grk “be put to shame.”
[9:4] 91 tn Grk “by this confidence”; the words “we had in you” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied as a necessary clarification for the English reader.
[9:5] 92 tn Grk “the blessing.”
[9:5] 94 tn Grk “as a covetousness”; that is, a gift given grudgingly or under compulsion.
[9:6] 95 tn Or “bountifully”; so also in the next occurrence in the verse.
[9:7] 96 tn Or “must do.” The words “of you” and “should give” are not in the Greek text, which literally reads, “Each one just as he has decided in his heart.” The missing words are an ellipsis; these or similar phrases must be supplied for the English reader.
[9:7] 98 tn Or “not from regret”; Grk “not out of grief.”
[9:7] 99 tn Or “not out of a sense of duty”; Grk “from necessity.”
[9:8] 101 tn Or “so that by having enough.” The Greek participle can be translated as a participle of cause (“because you have enough”) or means (“by having enough”).
[9:9] 103 sn He in the quotation refers to the righteous person.
[9:9] 104 sn A quotation from Ps 112:9.
[9:10] 105 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:11] 106 tn Grk “in every way for every generosity,” or “he will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times” (L&N 57.29).
[9:12] 107 tn Or “not only supplying.”
[9:13] 108 tn Or “proof,” or perhaps “testing” (NRSV).
[9:13] 110 tn Or “your partnership”; Grk “your fellowship.”
[9:14] 111 tn Grk “the extraordinary grace of God to you”; the point is that God has given or shown grace to the Corinthians.
[9:15] 112 tn “Let us thank God for his gift which cannot be described with words” (L&N 33.202).
