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2 Corinthians 8:4

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    and prayed vs with great instaunce that we wolde receave their benefite and suffre them to be parttakers with other in ministrynge to the saynctes.

  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    And praied vs with great instance that we woulde receiue the grace, and fellowship of the ministring which is toward the Saints.

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Cross-references (27)

Passages linked to 2 Corinthians 8:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.

  • Acts 24:17 Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;
  • Galatians 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.
  • 2 Corinthians 9:1 It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,
  • Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.
  • 1 Corinthians 16:3-4 When I arrive, I will send whoever you approve with letters to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem. If it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.
  • 1 Corinthians 16:15 Now I beg you, brothers—you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints—
  • 1 John 3:16-18 By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him? My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
  • Acts 11:29 As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;
  • Romans 15:25-26 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.
  • 2 Corinthians 9:12-14 For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God, seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all, while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.
  • Galatians 2:10 They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.
  • Genesis 33:10-11 Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me. Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.
  • 2 Kings 5:15-16 He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused.
  • Matthew 10:42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”
  • Matthew 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
  • Matthew 25:40 “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
  • Matthew 25:44-45 “Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’
  • Mark 14:7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.
  • John 19:26-27 Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.
  • Acts 6:1-7 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.” These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch; whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. The word of God increased and the number of the disciples greatly multiplied in Jerusalem. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
  • Acts 9:39-41 Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
  • Acts 16:15 When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
  • Romans 15:31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
  • 1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.
  • 2 Corinthians 8:18-19 We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known throughout all the assemblies. Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.
  • 1 Timothy 5:10 being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.
  • Philemon 1:5-6 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints, that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

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Explain this verse (15 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 4. Beseeching us with much entreaty. He enlarges upon…

4. Beseeching us with much entreaty. He enlarges upon their promptitude, inasmuch as they did not only not wait for any one to admonish them, but even besought those, by whom they would have been admonished, had they not anticipated the desires of all by their activity. We must again repeat the comparison formerly made between the less and the greater. “If the Macedonians, without needing to be besought, press forward of their own accord, nay more, anticipate others by using entreaties, how shameful a thing is it for the Corinthians to be inactive, more especially after being admonished! If the Macedonians lead the way before all, how shameful a thing is it for the Corinthians not, at least, to imitate their example! But what are we to think, when, not satisfied with beseeching, they added to their requests earnest entreaty, and much of it too?” Now from this it appears, that they had besought, not as a mere form, but in good earnest.

That the favor and the fellowship. The term favor he has made use of, for the purpose of recommending alms, though at the same time the word may be explained in different ways. This interpretation, however, appears to me to be the more simple one; because, as our heavenly Father freely bestows upon us all things, so we ought to be imitators of his unmerited kindness in doing good, (Matthew 5:45); or at least, because, in laying out our resources, we are simply the dispensers of his favor. The fellowship of this ministry consisted in his being a helper to the Macedonians in this ministry. They contributed of their own, that it might be administered to the saints. They wished, that Paul would take the charge of collecting it.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He calleth that, Grace, that other men would have…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Bringing what they had freely collected amongst themselves to…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Praying us with much entreaty,.... They not only gave…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Praying us with much entreaty - Probably St. Paul…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. Praying us with much entreaty] We had…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Praying us with much entreaty - Earnestly entreating me…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Begging of us the grace, &c. We may translate,…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain that we would receive--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. Translate…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. intreaty] Monestynge, Wiclif; instaunce, Tyndale. Exhortation, Rhemish. See…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) Praying us with much intreaty . . .—The…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Praying us. The entreaties came from them, not from…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 4. Praying us with much entreaty. They insisted on…
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this…

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