Focused Passage

2 Corinthians 8:16-24

Grace-Given Generosity, Tested Love, and Honorable Stewardship

Paul moves from the Macedonians’ grace-shaped generosity, to an appeal for Corinth to complete its own gift, to the Christological ground of giving, and finally to the accountable sending of Titus and the brothers so generosity becomes a visible proof of love and a glory to Christ.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.

17 For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.

18 Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.

19 More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the gracious offering we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.

20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.

21 For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.

22 And we are sending along with them our brother who has proven his earnestness to us many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.

23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

24 In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction thanks [be] Χάρις G5485 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular to God Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular who τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular put διδόντι G1325 Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular into ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular heart καρδίᾳ G2588 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of Titus Τίτου G5103 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular same αὐτὴν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular devotion σπουδὴν G4710 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [I have] for ὑπὲρ G5228 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Verse 17

Original words

For ὅτι G3754 Conjunction not only μὲν G3303 Conjunction did he welcome ἐδέξατο G1209 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular [our] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular appeal παράκλησιν G3874 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction he ὑπάρχων G5225 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular {is} eagerly σπουδαιότερος G4705 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Comparative coming ἐξῆλθεν G1831 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to πρὸς G4314 Preposition you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural of his own volition αὐθαίρετος G830 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

Along with μετ’ G3326 Preposition [Titus] αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction we are sending Συνεπέμψαμεν G4842 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφὸν G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular who οὗ G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular is praised ἔπαινος G1868 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular by διὰ G1223 Preposition all πασῶν G3956 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Plural churches ἐκκλησιῶν G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural [for his work] in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular gospel εὐαγγελίῳ G2098 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Verse 19

Original words

More than that καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . δὲ G1161 Conjunction . . . οὐ G3756 Adverb . . . μόνον G3440 Adverb . . . ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction [this brother] was chosen χειροτονηθεὶς G5500 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular by ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Plural churches ἐκκλησιῶν G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural to accompany συνέκδημος G4898 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular us ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural with σὺν* G4862 Preposition - ταύτῃ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular gracious offering χάριτι G5485 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular - ὑφ’ G5259 Preposition we ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural administer διακονουμένῃ G1247 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Feminine Singular to πρὸς G4314 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular honor δόξαν G1391 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Lord Κυρίου G2962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Himself αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular and [to show] καὶ G2532 Conjunction our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural eagerness [to help] προθυμίαν G4288 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • See 1 Corinthians 16:3–4.
Verse 20

Original words

We [want to] avoid στελλόμενοι G4724 Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural - τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular - μή G3361 Adverb any τις G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular criticism μωμήσηται G3469 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular - ἡμᾶς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural of ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular [the way] ὑφ’ G5259 Preposition we ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural administer διακονουμένῃ G1247 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Feminine Singular this ταύτῃ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular generous [ gift ] ἁδρότητι G100 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 21

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction we are taking great care to do προνοοῦμεν G4306 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural what is right καλὰ G2570 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural not οὐ G3756 Adverb only μόνον G3440 Adverb in the eyes ἐνώπιον G1799 Preposition of [the] Lord Κυρίου G2962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction also καὶ G2532 Conjunction in the eyes ἐνώπιον G1799 Preposition of men ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 22

Original words

And δὲ G1161 Conjunction we are sending along with Συνεπέμψαμεν G4842 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφὸν G80 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular who ὃν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular has proven ἐδοκιμάσαμεν G1381 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural his earnestness [to us] σπουδαῖον G4705 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular - ὄντα G1510 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular many times πολλάκις G4178 Adverb [and] in ἐν G1722 Preposition many ways πολλοῖς G4183 Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural and δὲ G1161 Conjunction now νυνὶ G3570 Adverb even πολὺ G4183 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular more πολλῇ G4183 Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular [so] σπουδαιότερον G4705 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular - Comparative by [his] great confidence πεποιθήσει G4006 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular in εἰς G1519 Preposition you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Verse 23

Original words

As for εἴτε G1535 Conjunction . . . ὑπὲρ G5228 Preposition Titus Τίτου G5103 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular [he is] my ἐμὸς G1699 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 1st Person Singular partner κοινωνὸς G2844 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction fellow worker συνεργός G4904 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular among εἰς G1519 Preposition you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural [As for] εἴτε G1535 Conjunction our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural brothers ἀδελφοὶ G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural [they are] messengers ἀπόστολοι G652 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural of [the] churches ἐκκλησιῶν G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural [the] glory δόξα G1391 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or apostles
Verse 24

Original words

In εἰς G1519 Preposition full view πρόσωπον G4383 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Plural churches ἐκκλησιῶν G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural then οὖν G3767 Conjunction show ἐνδεικνύμενοι G1731 Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural - εἰς G1519 Preposition [these men] αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular proof ἔνδειξιν G1732 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular your ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural love ἀγάπης G26 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural the reason for our boasting καυχήσεως G2746 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular about ὑπὲρ G5228 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.