2 Corinthians 8:4-7
4begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping ▼▼tn Or “of ministering to.”
the saints. 5And 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. 6Thus ▼▼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.
we urged ▼▼tn Or “we exhorted.”
Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, ▼▼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.
so also he should complete this act of kindness ▼▼tn Grk “this grace.”
for you. 7But as you excel ▼▼tn Grk “as you abound.”
in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you ▼▼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] Maj lat), altered the text to read “your love for us” (so NIV84; Grk ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ [ex humōn en hēmin agapē]). The reading ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ (ex hēmōn en humin agapē) is found, however, in excellent and early witnesses (P46 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. NIV11 renders the phrase “the love we have kindled in you.”
—make sure that you excel ▼▼tn Grk “you abound.”
in this act of kindness ▼▼tn Grk “this grace.”
too.
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