2 Corinthians 8:1

Completing the Collection for the Saints

8:1 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, ¹  the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,

2 Corinthians 8:6-7

8:6 Thus ²  we urged ³  Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, ⁴  so also he should complete this act of kindness ⁵  for you. 8:7 But as you excel ⁶  in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you ⁷  – make sure that you excel ⁸  in this act of kindness ⁹  too.

2 Corinthians 8:1

Completing the Collection for the Saints

8:1 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, ¹⁰  the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,

Colossians 1:4-5

1:4 since ¹¹  we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints. 1:5 Your faith and love have arisen ¹²  from the hope laid up ¹³  for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel ¹⁴ 

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ¹⁵  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Colossians 1:14

1:14 in whom we have redemption, ¹⁶  the forgiveness of sins.

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

[8:6]  ² 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]  ³ tn Or “we exhorted.”

[8:6]  ⁴ 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.

[8:6]  ⁵ tn Grk “this grace.”

[8:7]  ⁶ tn Grk “as you abound.”

[8:7]  ⁷ 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.

[8:7]  ⁸ tn Grk “you abound.”

[8:7]  ⁹ tn Grk “this grace.”

[8:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:8.

[1:4]  ¹¹ tn The adverbial participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is understood to be temporal and translated with “since.” A causal idea may also be in the apostle’s mind, but the context emphasizes temporal ideas, e.g., “from the day” (v. 6).

[1:5]  ¹² tn Col 1:3-8 form one long sentence in the Greek text and have been divided at the end of v. 4 and v. 6 and within v. 6 for clarity, in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English toward shorter sentences. Thus the phrase “Your faith and love have arisen from the hope” is literally “because of the hope.” The perfect tense “have arisen” was chosen in the English to reflect the fact that the recipients of the letter had acquired this hope at conversion in the past, but that it still remains and motivates them to trust in Christ and to love one another.

[1:5]  ¹³ tn BDAG 113 s.v. ἀπόκειμαι 2 renders ἀποκειμένην (apokeimenhn) with the expression “reserved” in this verse.

[1:5]  ¹⁴ tn The term “the gospel” (τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, tou euangeliou) is in apposition to “the word of truth” (τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας, tw logw th" alhqeia") as indicated in the translation.

[1:1]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:14]  ¹⁶ tc διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ (dia tou {aimato" autou, “through his blood”) is read at this juncture by several minuscule mss (614 630 1505 2464 al) as well as a few, mostly secondary, versional and patristic witnesses. But the reading was prompted by the parallel in Eph 1:7 where the wording is solid. If these words had been in the original of Colossians, why would scribes omit them here but not in Eph 1:7? Further, the testimony on behalf of the shorter reading is quite overwhelming: {א A B C D F G Ψ 075 0150 6 33 1739 1881 Ï latt co as well as several other versions and fathers}. The conviction that “through his blood” is not authentic in Col 1:14 is as strong as the conviction that these words are authentic in Eph 1:7.