The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 8:19 Explained

2 Corinthians 8:19

KJV: And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

YLT: and not only so, but who was also appointed by vote by the assemblies, our fellow-traveller, with this favour that is ministered by us, unto the glory of the same Lord, and your willing mind;

Darby: and not only so, but is also chosen by the assemblies as our fellow-traveller with this grace, ministered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and a witness of our readiness;

ASV: and not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter of this grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to show our readiness:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  not  [that] only,  but  who was  also  chosen  of  the churches  to travel  with us  with  this  grace,  which  is administered  by  us  to  the glory  of the same  Lord,  and  [declaration of] your  ready mind: 

What does 2 Corinthians 8:19 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 8:16-24 - "things Honorable" Both To God And Men
Those who handle the gifts of the Church should be extremely careful that all their financing be above the slightest suspicion. The Apostle shrank from handling these gifts himself, lest any should insinuate that he was appropriating them to his personal use. Even when we have no reason to accuse ourselves in the sight of the Lord, we should be careful of appearances in the sight of men; and whatever is entrusted to us should be administered by us to the glory of God.
In the present instance the Apostle designated three brethren to attend to this matter. First, Titus, his partner and fellow-worker; next, the brother whose praise was in all the churches and who had been appointed for this very purpose; and thirdly, another brother, referred to in 2 Corinthians 8:22. Titus represented the Apostle, and the others represented the churches themselves. These brethren are distinctly mentioned as the glory of Christ, 2 Corinthians 8:23. It must be an encouragement to those who handle the financial matters of our churches, that they also may promote Christ's glory and participate in its transfiguring beauty. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 8

1  He stirs them to a generous gift for the poor saints at Jerusalem, by the example of the Macedonians;
7  by commendation of their former forwardness;
9  by the example of Christ;
14  and by the spiritual profit that shall redound to themselves thereby;
16  commending to them the integrity and willingness of Titus, and those other brothers

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 8:19

But who was also appointed [αλλα και χειροτονητεις]
Anacoluthon. The first aorist passive participle χειροτονητεις — cheirotonētheis is from χειροτονεω — cheirotoneō old verb to stretch out the hands (χειρ τεινω — cheir teinō) and so to vote in public. The idea is that this brother was chosen by the churches, not by Paul. Only here in N.T. save Acts 14:23 where it means to appoint without notion of raising the hands. In Acts 10:41 we have προχειροτονεω — procheirotoneō [source]
To travel with us [συνεκδημος]
Late word for travelling companion. So in the inscriptions (συν — sun together with, εκδημος — ekdēmos away from home). [source]
With this grace [ἐν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ]
An obscure rendering, not much bettered by Rev. Grace is ambiguous. The reference is, of course, to the contribution as a work of love; χάρις being used in the sense of benefaction or bounty. Paul says that the brother was appointed as his fellow-traveller in the matter of this bounty; in the prosecution of this kindly act. For appointed, see on Acts 14:23; see on Acts 10:41. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 8:19

Acts 14:23 Ordained [χειροτονήσαντες]
Only here and 2 Corinthians 8:19. Rev., more correctly, appointed. The meaning ordain is later. See on Acts 10:41. [source]
Acts 10:41 Chosen before [προκεχειροτονημένοις]
Only here in New Testament. The simple verb χειροτονέω , to appoint, occurs Acts 14:23; 2 Corinthians 8:19; and originally means to stretch out the hand for the purpose of giving a vote. Hence to elect by show of hands, and generally to appoint. Plato uses the word of the election of leaders of choruses (“Laws,” 765). In later ecclesiastical usage it signified ordain, as bishops or deacons. [source]
Acts 10:41 Chosen before [προκεχειροτονημενοις]
Perfect passive participle dative plural from προχειροτονεω — procheirotoneō to choose or designate by hand (χειροτονεω χειρ — cheirotoneōτεινω — cheir hand, and προ — teinō to stretch, as in Acts 14:23; 2 Corinthians 8:19), beforehand (ημιν οιτινες συνεπαγομεν και συνεπιομεν αυτωι — pro), a double compound as old as Plato, but here alone in the N.T. Peter is evidently stating the thing as it happened and not trying to make a convincing story by saying that both friends and foes saw him after his resurrection. It is the “historian‘s candour” (Paley) in Luke here that adds to the credibility of the narrative. The sceptical Jews would not have believed and Jesus was kept from open contact with the world of sin after his Passion. [source]
Acts 14:23 And when they had appointed for them elders in every church [χειροτονησαντες δε αυτοις κατ εκκλησιαν πρεσβυτερους]
They needed also some form of organization, though already churches. Note distributive use of κατα — kata with εκκλησιαν — ekklēsian (Acts 2:46; Acts 5:42; Titus 1:5). Χειροτονεω — Cheirotoneō (from χειροτονος — cheirotonos extending the hand, χειρ — cheir hand, and τεινω — teinō to stretch) is an old verb that originally meant to vote by show of the hands, finally to appoint with the approval of an assembly that chooses as in 2 Corinthians 8:19, and then to appoint without regard to choice as in Josephus (Ant. XIII. 2, 2) of the appointment of Jonathan as high priest by Alexander. So in Acts 10:41 the compound προχειρατονεω — procheiratoneō is used of witnesses appointed by God. But the seven (deacons) were first selected by the Jerusalem church and then appointed Elder Hovey rightly holds against Hackett that teaching was a normal function of these elders, pastors or bishops as they were variously called (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9; 1 Corinthians 12:28, 1 Corinthians 12:30; Ephesians 4:11). [source]
2 Corinthians 3:3 An epistle of Christ ministered by us [ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφ ' ἡμῶν]
An epistle written by Christ through our ministry; that is, you, as the converted subjects of our ministry, are an epistle of Christ. Others explain: an epistle of which Christ forms the contents, thus making the apostles the writers. For the expression ministered by us, compare 2 Corinthians 8:19, 2 Corinthians 8:20; 1 Peter 1:12. [source]
Galatians 2:21 The grace of God [τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ]
Χάρις is, primarily, that which gives joy ( χαρά ). Its higher, Christian meaning is based on the emphasis of freeness in a gift or favor. It is the free, spontaneous, absolute loving kindness of God toward men. Hence often in contrast with the ideas of debt, law, works, sin. Sometimes for the gift of grace, the benefaction, as 1 Corinthians 16:3; 2 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 8:19; 1 Peter 1:10, 1 Peter 1:13. So here: the gracious gift of God in the offering of Christ. [source]
1 Peter 5:2 Willingly [προδύμως]
Not strong enough. The word is compounded of πρό , forward, and θυμός , heart or spirit. Hence Rev., with a ready mind; a forward spirit; denoting not mere willingness, but zeal. Only here in New Testament. Compare the kindred adjective πρόθυμος , ready (Romans 1:15; Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38), and the kindred noun προθυμία , readiness (2 Corinthians 8:11, 2 Corinthians 8:12, 2 Corinthians 8:19; 2 Corinthians 9:2). [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 8:19 mean?

not only now but also having been chosen by the churches fellow traveler of us with - grace this that [is] being administered by us toward the Himself of the Lord glory and readiness
οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶν σὺν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ’ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου δόξαν καὶ προθυμίαν

μόνον  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μόνον  
Sense: only, alone, but.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
χειροτονηθεὶς  having  been  chosen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: χειροτονέω  
Sense: to vote by stretching out the hand.
ἐκκλησιῶν  churches 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: ἐκκλησία  
Sense: a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.
συνέκδημος  fellow  traveler 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: συνέκδημος  
Sense: a fellow traveller, companion in travel.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
χάριτι  grace 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: χάρις  
Sense: grace.
ταύτῃ  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
τῇ  that  [is] 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
διακονουμένῃ  being  administered 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: διακονέω  
Sense: to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon.
ἡμῶν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
πρὸς  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: πρός  
Sense: to the advantage of.
αὐτοῦ  Himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Κυρίου  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
δόξαν  glory 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: δόξα  
Sense: opinion, judgment, view.
προθυμίαν  readiness 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: προθυμία  
Sense: zeal, spirit, eagerness.