NOW FINISH THE WORK

Passage: 2 Corinthians 8:10-24

Key verse: 15

NIV

10 And here is my judgment(A) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.(B) 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness(C) to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,(D) not according to what one does not have.

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,(E) so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[a](F)

Titus Sent to Receive the Collection

16 Thanks be to God,(G) who put into the heart(H) of Titus(I) the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.(J) 18 And we are sending along with him the brother(K) who is praised by all the churches(L) for his service to the gospel.(M) 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us(N) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.(O) 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.(P)

22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus,(Q) he is my partner(R) and co-worker(S) among you; as for our brothers,(T) they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you,(U) so that the churches can see it.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

10 And in this matter (A)I give my judgment: (B)this benefits you, who (C)a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable (D)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply (E)their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, (F)“Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

Commendation of Titus

16 But (G)thanks be to God, (H)who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For (I)he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going[a] to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending[b] (J)the brother who is famous among (K)all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been (L)appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of (M)grace that is being ministered by us, (N)for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for (O)we aim at what is honorable (P)not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is (Q)my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers[c] of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of (R)our boasting about you to these men.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Corinthians 8:17 Or he went
  2. 2 Corinthians 8:18 Or we sent; also verse 22
  3. 2 Corinthians 8:23 Greek apostles
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Paul was encouraged because the church in Corinth had previously been the first to give, and they did so with sincere desire. Now he told them to finish the work to its completion. Their willingness was acceptable to God, and their offering would be acceptable as well. The plenty being experienced in Corinth could supply the need among the churches in Judea. Paul sought equality, not in a communist sense, but under God. The Gentile churches and the Jewish churches were all under God’s sovereign blessing. Just as the Lord had supplied manna to his people in the desert based on their need, he still provides for our needs in every way today. Therefore, we need not fear; the Lord knows what we need.

Paul sent his best and most mature servants to administer the offering. The purpose of the offering was to honor God. The offering itself would be entrusted to those who were an honor to Christ. Paul wanted the churches in Judea to see the evidence of God’s love among the Gentiles through this offering. It was not merely about money but about honoring Christ.

Prayer: Lord, you care for me and supply everything I truly need. Help me to offer my full self to honor Christ in all things.

One Word: Bring honor to Christ