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.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
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.