2 Corinthians 8:4

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,

Legacy Standard Bible
begging us with much urging for the grace of sharing in the ministry to the saints,

Simplified Cowboy Version
They rode up to me every single day and asked—they actually begged me to take their offering so it could help others ride for the brand.

Bible in Basic English
Seriously requesting us that they might have a part in this grace of being servants to the needs of the saints:

Darby Translation
begging of us with much entreaty [to give effect to] the grace and fellowship of the service which [was to be rendered] to the saints.

Christian Standard Bible®
they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints,

World English Bible
begging us with much entreaty in regard to this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Praying us with much intreaty, to receive the gift and take a part in ministring it to the saints.

Weymouth's New Testament
With earnest entreaty they begged from us the favour of being allowed to share in the service now being rendered to God's people.

King James Version (1611)
Praying vs with much entreatie, that we would receiue the gift, and take vpon vs the fellowship of the ministring to the Saints.

Literal Translation
with much entreating, begging us to receive of us the grace and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and prayed vs with greate instauce, that we wolde receaue their benefite and fellishippe of the hadreachinge that is done for the sayntes:

Mace New Testament (1729)
earnestly intreating me to take the gift, and the charge of conveying it to the converts at Jerusalem:

Amplified Bible
begging us insistently for the privilege of participating in the service for [the support of] the saints [in Jerusalem].

American Standard Version
beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints:

Revised Standard Version
begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints--

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
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.

Update Bible Version
imploring us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints:

Webster's Bible Translation
Praying us with much entreaty, that we would receive the gift, and [take upon us] the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

Young's Literal Translation
with much entreaty calling on us to receive the favour and the fellowship of the ministration to the saints,

New Century Version
But they begged and pleaded with us to let them share in this service for God's people.

New English Translation
begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints.

Berean Standard Bible
they pleaded earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

Contemporary English Version
They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God's people.

Complete Jewish Bible
They begged and pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service for God's people.

English Standard Version
begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—

Geneva Bible (1587)
And praied vs with great instance that we woulde receiue the grace, and felowship of the ministring which is toward the Saints.

George Lamsa Translation
And besought us most earnestly that they might be partakers in the gift for the ministration to the saints.

Hebrew Names Version
begging us with much entreaty in regard to this grace and the fellowship in the service to the holy ones.

International Standard Version
They begged us earnestly for the privilegefor the grace">[fn] of participating in this ministry to the saints.Acts 11:29; 24:17; Romans 15:25-26; 1 Corinthians 16:1,3-4; 2 Corinthians 9:1;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
they besought of us, with much supplication, that they might participate in the beneficence of the ministry for the saints.

Murdock Translation
they besought us, with much entreaty, that they might participate in the beneficence of the ministration to the saints.

New King James Version
imploring us with much urgency that we would receive [fn] the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

New Living Translation
They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.

New Life Bible
They asked from their hearts if they could help the Christians in Jerusalem.

English Revised Version
beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints:

New Revised Standard
begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints—

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
With much exhortation, entreating of us the favour and the fellowship of the ministry which was for the saints; -

Douay-Rheims Bible
With much entreaty begging of us the grace and communication of the ministry that is done toward the saints.

King James Version
Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

Lexham English Bible
requesting of us with much exhortation the favor and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And prayed vs with great instaunce that we woulde receaue this grace and societie of the ministerie to ye saintes.

Easy-to-Read Version
But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God's people.

New American Standard Bible
begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,

Good News Translation
they begged us and pleaded for the privilege of having a part in helping God's people in Judea.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
with myche monestyng bisechynge vs the grace and the comynyng of mynystring, that is maad to hooli men.

Contextual Overview

¹Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province. Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians. ⁵This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives. That's what prompted us to ask Titus to bring the relief offering to your attention, so that what was so well begun could be finished up. You do so well in so many things—you trust God, you're articulate, you're insightful, you're passionate, you love us—now, do your best in this, too.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that: 2 Corinthians 8:18, 2 Corinthians 8:19, Genesis 33:10, Genesis 33:11, 2 Kings 5:15, 2 Kings 5:16, Acts 16:15, 1 Corinthians 16:3, 1 Corinthians 16:4

the ministering: 2 Corinthians 9:1, 2 Corinthians 9:12-14, Matthew 10:42, Matthew 12:50, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:44, Matthew 25:45, Mark 14:7, John 19:26, John 19:27, Acts 6:1-7, Acts 9:39-41, Acts 11:29, Acts 24:17, Romans 15:25, Romans 15:26, 1 Corinthians 16:1, 1 Corinthians 16:3, 1 Corinthians 16:4, 1 Corinthians 16:15, Galatians 2:10, Galatians 6:10, 1 Timothy 5:10, Philemon 1:5, Philemon 1:6, Hebrews 6:10, 1 John 3:16-18

Reciprocal: Judges 5:9 - offered Isaiah 14:2 - and the house Isaiah 60:9 - thy sons Romans 15:31 - and that 2 Corinthians 8:6 - grace Galatians 2:9 - fellowship

Cross-References

Jeremiah 51:27
"Raise the signal in the land, blow the shofar-trumpet for the nations. Consecrate the nations for holy work against her. Call kingdoms into service against her. Enlist Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a field marshal against her, and round up horses, locust hordes of horses! Consecrate the nations for holy work against her— the king of the Medes, his leaders and people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Praying us with much entreaty,.... They not only gave freely, being unasked by the apostles; but they sought to them, and earnestly entreated them,

that they would receive the gift; the beneficence, what they had so freely and generously collected: and

the fellowship of the ministering to the saints; what they had communicated for the service of the poor saints at Jerusalem, in which they testified their having and holding fellowship with the churches of Christ; and that they would receive it at their hands, and take it upon them, and carry it to Jerusalem, and distribute to the poor saints there, as should seem to them most proper and convenient; which they accordingly agreed to; see Romans 15:25.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Praying us with much entreaty - Earnestly entreating me to receive the contribution and convey it to the poor and afflicted saints in Judea.

And take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints - Greek, “that we would take the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” They asked of us to take part in the labor of conveying it to Jerusalem. The occasion of this distress which made the collection for the saints of Judea necessary, was probably the famine which was predicted by Agabus, and which occurred in the time of Claudius Caesar; see note on Acts 11:28. Barnabas was associated with Paul in conveying the contribution to Jerusalem; Act 6:30. Paul was unwilling to do it unless they particularly desired it, and he seems to have insisted that some person should be associated with him; 2Co 8:20; 1 Corinthians 16:3-4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 8:4. Praying us with much entreaty — We had not to solicit them to this great act of kindness; they even entreated us to accept their bounty, and to take on ourselves the administration or application of it to the wants of the poor in Judea.