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He has spoken, so he now speaks also on behalf of those who are about to receive the money, and carry it away. For this encourages the contributors to make their zeal greater. For he who has confidence in the one who ministers, and does not suspect him, gives with greater generosity. He either had that concerning the Thessalonians, or the same as me. And we sent with him the brother whose praise in the Gospel is throughout all the churches. And who is this, or how great, whose work he also indicates, calling him praiseworthy for evangelizing? Some say Luke, some Barnabas; for the unwritten preaching is the Gospel. And not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches, our fellow traveler in this grace, which is administered by us for the glory of the Lord himself, and our readiness, arranging this. From this he is venerable, because in preaching he is well-approved. That no one should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us, providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And we sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which I have in you, whether as regards Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker for you, or our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. For this reason, he says, we sent such men to you, lest anyone should suspect our ministry, as if we were pilfering some part of the money. Therefore show to them the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf, in the face of the churches. For this, he says, is their life, that Christ might be glorified through them. And it is similar to, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. At the same time he wants to make something else clear; Receive them as brothers, he says, as messengers of the churches, as for the glory of Christ, as you also do for the glory of Christ. Wherefore he adds: Therefore the proof of your love.

CHAPTER 9. For concerning the ministry to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write

to you. For I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority. But I have sent the brethren, lest your boast concerning yourselves should be in vain in this respect. That, as I said, you may be ready; lest, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (that I may not say you) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they should go before to you, and prepare beforehand this your previously announced bounty, that it may be ready so. Having said so much about it, he says, it is superfluous for me to write to you. And not only this is his wisdom, but also what he says again about it. As a blessing, and not as covetousness. But this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver; and God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work, as it is written: He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor, his righteousness remains forever. Not unwillingly, he says, nor compelled, but willingly and by choice. Now he that ministers seed to the sower, and bread for food, may he supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causes through you thanksgiving to God. He shows that even the things that are given are from God, so that one may not think great things of himself, as if giving his own. For he now calls almsgiving seed. And he shows them also a great

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διελέχθη, διαλέγεται λοιπὸν καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν μελλόντων λαμβάνειν τὰ χρήματα, καὶ ἀποκομίζειν αὐτά. Τοῦτο γὰρ προτρέπεται πρὸς τὸ πλείω ποιῆσαι τὴν προθυμίαν τῶν εἰσφερόντων. Ὁ γὰρ θαῤῥῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ διακονοῦντος, καὶ μὴ ὑποπτεύων αὐτὸν, μετὰ πλείονος αὐτὰ τῆς δαψιλείας ἐπιδίδωσιν. Ἢ τὴν ὑπὲρ Θεσσαλονικέων ἔσχεν, ἢ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐμοί. Συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸν, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν. Καὶ τίς οὗτος, ἢ πηλίκος, οὗ καὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν σημαίνει, ἐπαινετὸν αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι λέγων; Τινὲς τὸν Λουκᾶν φασι, τινὲς τὸν Βαρνάβαν· καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἄγραφον κήρυγμα τὸ Εὐαγγέλιόν ἐστιν. Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, συνέκδημος ἡμῶν ἐν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ' ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ Κυρίου δόξαν, καὶ προθυμίαν ἡμῶν, στελλόμενοι τοῦτο. Ἀπὸ τούτου ἐστὶν αἰδέσιμος, ὅτι κηρύττων εὐδοκιμεῖ. Μή τις ἡμᾶς μωμήσηται ἐν τῇ ἁδρότητι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ' ἡμῶν, προνοούμενοι καλὰ, οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων. Συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν, ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, νυνὶ δὲ πολὺ σπουδαιότερον, πεποιθήσει πολλῇ τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς, εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου κοινωνὸς ἐμὸς, καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς συνεργὸς, εἴτε ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν ἀπόστολοι Ἐκκλησιῶν, δόξα Χριστοῦ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τοιούτους ὑμῖν ἐπέμψαμεν, φησὶν, ἵνα μή τις ὑποπτεύῃ τὴν διακονίαν ἡμῶν, ὡς παρακλεπτόντων ἡμῶν μέρος τι τῶν χρημάτων. Τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν, καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐνδείξασθε εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι, φησὶν, ὁ βίος αὐτοῖς, ὥστε τὸν Χριστὸν δι' αὐτῶν δοξάζεσθαι. Ὅμοιον δὲ τῷ, Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσι τὰ καλὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν, τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τι δηλοῦν βούλεται· Ὡς ἀδελφοὺς δέξασθε, φησὶν, ὡς ἀποστόλους τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, ὡς εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὡς καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποιοῦντες. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπάγει· Τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Θʹ. Περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους περισσόν μοί ἐστι τοῦ γράφειν

ὑμῖν. Οἶδα γὰρ τὴν προθυμίαν ὑμῶν, ἣν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καυχῶμαι Μακεδόσιν, ὅτι Ἀχαΐα παρεσκεύασται ἀπὸ πέρυσι, καὶ ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν ζῆλος ἠρέθισε τοὺς πλείονας. Ἔπεμψα δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἵνα μὴ τὸ καύχημα ὑμῶν τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κενωθῇ ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ. Ἵνα καθὼς ἔλεγον, παρεσκευασμένοι ἦτε· μήπως ἐὰν ἔλθωσι σὺν ἐμοὶ Μακεδόνες, καὶ εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους, καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς (ἵνα μὴ λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς) ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ τῆς καυχήσεως. Ἀναγκαῖον οὖν ἡγησάμην παρακαλέσαι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἵνα προέλθωσιν εἰς ὑμᾶς, καὶ προκαταρτίσωσι τὴν προκατηγγελμένην εὐλογίαν ὑμῶν ταύτην, ἑτοίμην εἶναι οὕτως. Τοσαῦτα περὶ αὐτῆς εἰπόντι, φησὶ, περιττόν μοι γράφειν ὑμῖν. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον τὸ συνετὸν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅ τι πάλιν λέγει περὶ αὐτῆς. Ὡς εὐλογίαν, καὶ μὴ ὡς πλεονεξίαν. Τοῦτο δὲ, ὁ σπείρων φειδομένως, φειδομένως καὶ θερίσει· καὶ ὁ σπείρων ἐπ' εὐλογίαις, ἐπ' εὐλογίαις καὶ θερίσει. Ἕκαστος καθὼς προαιρεῖται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης, ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης. Ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ Θεός· δυνατὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς πᾶσαν χάριν περισσεῦσαι εἰς ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν παντὶ πάντοτε πᾶσαν αὐτάρκειαν ἔχοντες, περισσεύητε εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν, καθὼς γέγραπται· ἐσκόρπισεν, ἔδωκεν τοῖς πένησιν, ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Μὴ ἄκοντες, φησὶ, μηδὲ ἀναγκαζόμενοι, ἀλλ' ἑκόντες, καὶ προαιρούμενοι. Ὁ δὲ ἐπιχορηγῶν σπέρμα τῷ σπείροντι, καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν χορηγήσαι, καὶ πληθύναι τὸν σπόρον ὑμῶν, καὶ αὐξήσαι τὰ γεννήματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑμῶν· ἐν παντὶ πλουτιζόμενοι εἰς πᾶσαν ἁπλότητα, ἥτις κατεργάζεται δι' ὑμῶν εὐχαριστίαν τῷ Θεῷ. ∆είκνυσιν ὅτι καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ διδόμενα ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, ἵνα μὴ μεγάλα τις φρονῇ, ὡς οἰκεῖα διδούς. Σπέρμα γὰρ νῦν τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην καλεῖ. ∆είκνυσι δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ μέγαν