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;
and God `is' able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work,
that in every thing ye were enriched in him, in all discourse and all knowledge,
And this same also -- all diligence having brought in besides, superadd in your faith the worthiness, and in the worthiness the knowledge, and in the knowledge the temperance, and in the temperance the endurance, and in the endurance the piety, and in the piety the brotherly kindness, and in the brotherly kindness the love; for these things being to you and abounding, do make `you' neither inert nor unfruitful in regard to the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and this I pray, that your love yet more and more may abound in full knowledge, and all judgment,
And I am persuaded, my brethren -- I myself also -- concerning you, that ye yourselves also are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge, able also one another to admonish;
And concerning the brotherly love, ye have no need of `my' writing to you, for ye yourselves are God-taught to love one another, for ye do it also to all the brethren who `are' in all Macedonia; and we call upon you, brethren, to abound still more,
because thou sayest -- I am rich, and have grown rich, and have need of nothing, and hast not known that thou art the wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,
and increase ye in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him `is' the glory both now, and to the day of the age! Amen.
wherefore, a kingdom that cannot be shaken receiving, may we have grace, through which we may serve God well-pleasingly, with reverence and religious fear;
Thou, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that `is' in Christ Jesus,
for who doth make thee to differ? and what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? and if thou didst also receive, why dost thou glory as not having received?
being filled with the fruit of righteousness, that `is' through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
and by their supplication in your behalf, longing after you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you;
so that we exhorted Titus, that, according as he did begin before, so also he may finish to you also this favour,
so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;
The love doth never fail; and whether `there be' prophecies, they shall become useless; whether tongues, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it shall become useless;
for also in one Spirit we all to one body were baptized, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and all into one Spirit were made to drink,
And concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that we all have knowledge: knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up; and if any one doth think to know anything, he hath not yet known anything according as it behoveth `him' to know;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
In this and the following chapter Paul is exhorting and directing the Corinthians about a particular work of charity-to relieve the necessities of the poor saints at Jerusalem and in Judea, according to the good example of the churches in Macedonia, Rom. 15:26. The Christians at Jerusalem, through war, famine, and persecution, had become poor, many of them had fallen into decay, and perhaps most of them were but poor when they first embraced Christianity; for Christ said, "The poor receive the gospel.' Now Paul, though he was the apostle of the Gentiles, had a fonder regard, and kind concern, for those among the Jews who were converted to the Christian faith; and, though many of them had not so much affection to the Gentile converts as they ought to have had, yet the apostle would have the Gentiles to be kind to them, and stirred them up to contribute liberally for their relief. Upon this subject he is very copious, and writes very affectingly. In this eighth chapter he acquaints the Corinthians with, and commends, the good example of the Macedonians in this work of charity, and that Titus was sent to Corinth to collect their bounty (v. 1-6). He the proceeds to urge this duty with several cogent arguments (v. 7-15), and commends the persons who were employed in this affair (v. 16-24).
2Cr 8:1-6
Observe here,
2Cr 8:7-15
In these verses the apostle uses several cogent arguments to stir up the Corinthians to this good work of charity.
2Cr 8:16-24
In these verses the apostle commends the brethren who were sent to them to collect their charity; and as it were, gives them letters credential, that, if they were enquired after (v. 23), if any should be inquisitive or suspicious concerning them, it might be known who they were and how safely they might be trusted.