II Corinthians 8:6 · Bible study
2 Corinthians 8:6 Commentary: The Grace of Completing What Was Begun
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul urges Titus to finish the collection in Corinth, calling the act 'this grace' and linking generosity to God's work in believers.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul urges Titus to return to Corinth to help the believers complete the collection they had started a year earlier.
- Key words: grace (χάρις, charis) frames the gift; complete (ἐπιτελέω, epiteleō) stresses finishing; had begun before (προενάρχομαι, proenarchomai) points to Titus’s prior work.
- Main debate: Whether “this grace” refers primarily to the monetary gift itself or to the divine enablement that produces the gift.
- Theological theme: Generosity is a grace, enabled by Christ’s self-giving and meant to be carried through to completion.
- Best use: Teaching on completing commitments in giving, and framing stewardship as a spiritual discipline rooted in God’s grace.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.
KJV King James Version 1769
Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
so that we exhorted Titus, that, according as he did begin before, so also he may finish to you also this favour,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
So that we begged Titus that, according as he had before begun, so he would also complete as to you this grace also;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Insomuch, that we desired Titus, that, as he had begun, so also he would finish among you this same grace.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
De manera que exhortamos á Tito, que como comenzó antes, así también acabe esta gracia entre vosotros también.
De maneira que convocamos a Tito para que, assim como tinha começado antes, assim também terminasse esta graça entre vós.
Nous avons donc engagé Tite à achever chez vous cette œuvre de bienfaisance, comme il l’ avait commencée.
daß wir mußten Titus ermahnen, auf daß er, wie er zuvor angefangen hatte, also auch unter euch solche Wohltat ausrichtete.
Alzo dat wij Titus vermaanden, dat, gelijk hij te voren begonnen had, hij ook alzo nog deze gave bij u voleinden zou.
Talché abbiamo esortato Tito che, come l’ha già cominciata, così porti a compimento fra voi anche quest’opera di carità.
Tak, żeśmy musieli napomnieć Tytusa, aby jako przedtem począł, tak aby też dokonał u was tegoż dobrodziejstwa.
поэтому мы просили Тита, чтобы он, как начал, так и окончил у вас и это доброе дело.
因此 我 勸 提多， 既然 在 你們 中間 開辦 這 慈惠的事，就 當 辦成了。
So that we made a request to Titus that, as he had made a start before, so he might make this grace complete in you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Corinthians 8:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Paul's urging of Titus aims to prompt the Corinthians to complete a financial contribution they had started earlier. The word 'grace' (χάριν, charin) frames the collection not as a tax or obligation but as a gracious act flowing from God's work in them. Vincent notes that the Greek verb for 'had begun' (προενήρξατο, proenērxato) uses the prefix 'pro-' to stress a prior start, likely Titus's earlier visit when he first initiated the collection. Barnes observes that the Macedonian example (2 Cor 8:1, 5) encouraged Paul to send Titus immediately, lest the Corinthians be outpaced by poorer believers. Calvin emphasizes that the direct appeal was designed to stir the Corinthians without appearing to coerce them, an exhortation, not a command. Gill adds that the request also came from the Macedonians themselves, lending extra weight. Matthew Henry sees the grace as God's gift producing charity in the giver. Taken together, this short verse highlights that every good work begun by grace is meant to be completed through grace, a pattern that extends well beyond a collection plate.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Titus was urged by Paul to return to Corinth to help the believers complete a collection they had started a year earlier, motivated by the example of the Macedonian churches.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'this grace' | It refers to the collection for the Jerusalem saints, an act of Christian generosity. | Some see it as the monetary gift itself (Barnes, Gill); others focus on the spiritual work of grace in the givers (Cambridge notes both possibilities). |
| The role of Titus | Titus had already begun the collection on a previous visit and is now sent to complete it. | Whether his first visit was primarily to initiate the collection or to address other matters first (JFB notes he returned from that visit just before this letter). |
| Paul's method of urging | Paul uses exhortation (παρακαλέω) rather than command, relying on persuasion. | The main pressure comes from the Macedonian example (Barnes) or from the nature of grace itself (Calvin, Matthew Henry). |
| Why the collection stalled | The Corinthians had been ready a year earlier but had not yet completed the collection. | Whether due to neglect (Gill), unresolved conflict with Paul (Poole), or simply needing a catalyst (Cambridge). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes this letter from Macedonia, likely Philippi, after the uproar in Ephesus (Acts 20:1). He is coordinating a collection for the impoverished believers in Jerusalem, a project that involved churches across Galatia, Achaia, and Macedonia (1 Cor 16:1, 4). The Macedonian churches, though suffering severe affliction and deep poverty, gave with surprising joy and generosity (2 Cor 8:2, 3). Their example spurred Paul to send Titus back to Corinth to complete the collection there.
Titus had already visited Corinth, probably carrying the first letter (1 Corinthians) and initiating the collection (2 Cor 8:10, 12:18). Now, about a year later, the Corinthians had started but stalled. The verb προενήρξατο (“had begun before”) makes clear that Titus was the one who first prompted them. Paul now urges him to go again and finish (ἐπιτελέσῃ, “complete, bring to an end”).
In Roman Corinth, charitable giving was often tied to social patronage and public honor. Paul carefully avoids commanding (v. 8) and instead appeals to the “grace” of giving. The repeated use of χάρις (grace) throughout chapter 8 (vv. 1, 4, 6, 7, 9) ties human generosity directly to Christ’s grace: “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor” (v. 9). The collection is therefore not a fundraiser but a spiritual act of partnership in grace. Understanding this helps modern readers see generosity not as an optional extra but as a visible expression of the grace they have received.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The reading is stable across the manuscript tradition. Differences among English translations (e.g., “desired” vs “exhorted” for παρακαλέσαι) reflect translation choices, not underlying variants.
Reception History
This verse has been cited frequently in discussions of almsgiving and perseverance in good works. In the Reformed tradition, Calvin and the Geneva Bible saw it as an example of effective pastoral exhortation that motivates without coercing. In the Wesleyan tradition, Adam Clarke and John Wesley emphasized that the grace which begins a work also enables its completion. The verse appears in many stewardship sermons and campaign literature, particularly to encourage follow-through on pledges. Across traditions, it has reminded Christians that completing what we start in generosity is itself a testimony to the grace we have received.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Grace initiates. Titus began the work of collecting, and the Corinthians responded willingly. God’s grace moves first in every good work (2 Cor 8:1, 4).
- Grace completes. Urgency is not compulsion; Paul “desires” and “exhorts” Titus to finish what was started. Perseverance in giving is itself a grace.
- Grace inspires. The Macedonian churches gave beyond their means; their example becomes a spur for others. One community’s completed grace fuels another’s.
Five-point outline
- The context: a collection for the poor. Paul coordinates a major relief effort for Jerusalem, involving multiple churches.
- The example: Macedonians in affliction. Their joy and generosity despite poverty set a high bar.
- The messenger: Titus, the trusted colleague. He already began the collection; now he is urged to complete it.
- The motive: not command, but love. Paul frames the appeal as testing the sincerity of love (v. 8).
- The nature: ‘this grace.’ The gift is called grace because it flows from and reveals God’s grace in Christ (v. 9).
Illustration hooks
- A community fundraising drive that starts strong but loses steam. A key organizer steps in to help the team push through to the final goal.
- Someone pledges a weekly habit of volunteering but drops off after a month. A friend gently checks in and offers to go together, providing accountability.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is giving to the church a duty or a grace? Does it matter?
- Why did the Corinthians start so eagerly and then slow down? What keeps us from finishing what we start?
- How does calling the collection ‘grace’ change the way we think about money and generosity?
Leading a Discussion
This short verse sits in a larger passage about the collection for the Jerusalem saints. Paul weaves together example, exhortation, and gospel motivation. For a small group, the goal is to see how completing an act of generosity is itself a work of grace, not merely a duty.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What do we learn about Titus from this verse and from 2 Cor 8:16, 18 and 12:18?
- Observation: What had the Macedonians done that prompted Paul to send Titus? (See 2 Cor 8:1, 5.)
- Interpretation: Why do you think Paul uses the word “grace” for the collection (v. 4, 6, 7)? What does that tell us about how he viewed giving?
- Interpretation: The verb for “had begun” (προενήρξατο) has the prefix “before.” Why does Paul emphasize that Titus had a prior role?
- Interpretation: In v. 8 Paul says he is not commanding but testing the sincerity of love. How does that shape the way we understand his “urging”?
- Application: Think of a time you started something good but did not finish. What helped you complete it? What can this verse teach about follow-through in generosity?
- Application: How can our small group encourage one another to finish a commitment, financial, service-based, or relational, that we have begun?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Corinthians 8:4 | begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints. |
| II Corinthians 8:16 | But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. |
| II Corinthians 8:17 | For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord. |
| II Corinthians 8:19 | 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. |
| II Corinthians 9:5 | I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness. |
| II Corinthians 12:18 | I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps? |
| Philippians 4:18 | But I have all things and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God. |
| I Peter 4:10 | As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke suggests that Titus had already arranged the collection plan during an earlier visit to Corinth, following Paul's directions in the first letter. The phrase "the same grace" refers specifically to liberality, the generous spirit of giving.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that Paul and Titus were spurred on by the unexpected generosity of the Macedonian churches, which were themselves poor. To prevent the wealthier Corinthians from being outdone in giving, Paul urgently sent Titus to finish their collection. The word "grace" here refers specifically to that contribution.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that a direct, specific summons to duty carries more weight than a general appeal. He also defends Titus, noting that his urging came not from personal mistrust of the Corinthians but from the Macedonians' entreaty, removing any suspicion of pressure.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Titus likely made a second visit to Corinth before Paul arrived, continuing the collection for the saints. The word translated "desired" is better rendered "incited" or "urged." The "same grace" either refers to Paul's work of stirring up the Macedonians' generosity or to God's work drawing out the best qualities in believers.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The commentator emphasizes that Paul instructed Titus to finish what he had already started among the Corinthians. The grace they had begun to show was to be brought to completion by the same minister who first encouraged them.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that the Macedonians not only pleaded with Paul to accept their offering, but also asked him to send Titus back to Corinth to complete the collection. This gives the Corinthians a double incentive: the Macedonians' own generosity and their personal request that Titus finish this work among them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes Paul's concern that wealthy Corinth might be outdone in generosity by the poor Macedonians. Since Titus had already begun collecting there before Macedonia gave, Paul urged him to complete the work so the Corinthians would not be shamed by those with far less.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes that the Macedonians' generous giving was not a human achievement but a grace of God, flowing from Him as the source and accompanied by genuine love for God. He notes that this liberality arose even in the midst of their own affliction and poverty, showing that God's grace empowers selfless generosity.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the Greek prefix in "had begun," meaning Paul's earlier work at Corinth started before this letter. The "grace" to be completed is the contribution for others, an act of love already initiated that God will finish among them.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
As he had begun - When he was with you before.