Passage

2 Corinthians 8

Book: 2 Corinthians · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia; 2. how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3. For according to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, 4. beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints: 5. and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. 6. Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also. 7. But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 8. I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. 10. And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. 11. But now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 12. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not. 13. For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed; 14. but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality: 15. as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. 16. But thanks be to God, who putteth the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17. For he accepted indeed our exhortation; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord. 18. And we have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches; 19. and not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter of this grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to show our readiness: 20. Avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us: 21. for we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22. and we have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he hath in you. 23. Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow-worker to you-ward, or our brethren, they are the messengers of the churches, they are the glory of Christ. 24. Show ye therefore unto them in the face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your behalf." (2 Corinthians 8:1-24, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia; 2. how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. 3. For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, 4. begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints. 5. This was not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. 6. So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace. 7. But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that you also abound in this grace. 8. I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. 9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. 10. I give a judgment in this: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing. 11. But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 12. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. 13. For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed, 14. but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack; that there may be equality. 15. As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” 16. But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17. For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord. 18. We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known through all the assemblies. 19. Not only so, but who was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness. 20. We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us. 21. Having regard for honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22. We have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you. 23. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ. 24. Therefore show the proof of your love to them in front of the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf." (2 Corinthians 8:1-24, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2. How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. ^{liberality: Gr. simplicity} 3. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4. Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 6. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. ^{grace: or, gift} 7. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 8. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 10. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. ^{forward: Gr. willing} 11. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 12. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 14. But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: 15. As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. 16. But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. 17. For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 18. And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; 19. And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: ^{grace: or, gift} 20. Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: 21. Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22. And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. ^{I have: or, he hath} 23. Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. 24. Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf." (2 Corinthians 8:1-24, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God, that hath been given in the assemblies of Macedonia, 2. because in much trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, did abound to the riches of their liberality; 3. because, according to [their] power, I testify, and above [their] power, they were willing of themselves, 4. with much entreaty calling on us to receive the favour and the fellowship of the ministration to the saints, 5. and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God, 6. so that we exhorted Titus, that, according as he did begin before, so also he may finish to you also this favour, 7. but even as in every thing ye do abound, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us, that also in this grace ye may abound; 8. not according to command do I speak, but because of the diligence of others, and of your love proving the genuineness, 9. for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor, being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich. 10. and an opinion in this do I give: for this to you [is] expedient, who not only to do, but also to will, did begin before, a year ago, 11. and now also finish doing [it], that even as [there is] the readiness of the will, so also the finishing, out of that which ye have, 12. for if the willing mind is present, according to that which any one may have it is well-accepted, not according to that which he hath not; 13. for not that for others release, and ye pressured, [do I speak,] 14. but by equality, at the present time your abundance, for their want, that also their abundance may be for your want, that there may be equality, 15. according as it hath been written, 'He who [did gather] much, had nothing over; and he who [did gather] little, had no lack.' 16. And thanks to God, who is putting the same diligence for you in the heart of Titus, 17. because indeed the exhortation he accepted, and being more diligent, of his own accord he went forth unto you, 18. and we sent with him the brother, whose praise in the good news [is] through all the assemblies, 19. and not only so, but who was also appointed by vote by the assemblies, our fellow-traveller, with this favour that is ministered by us, unto the glory of the same Lord, and your willing mind; 20. avoiding this, lest any one may blame us in this abundance that is ministered by us, 21. providing right things, not only before the Lord, but also before men; 22. and we sent with them our brother, whom we proved in many things many times being diligent, and now much more diligent, by the great confidence that is toward you, 23. whether, about Titus, my partner and towards you fellow-worker, whether, our brethren, apostles of assemblies, glory of Christ; 24. the shewing therefore of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf, to them shew ye, even in the face of the assemblies." (2 Corinthians 8:1-24, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Church at Corinth

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.