independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The grace given in Macedonia 8:1–7
vv. 1–5 — the report: grace under trial, and the self-gift
1
Γνωρίζομεν δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦindependent — the disclosure formula — the appeal opens as a report of grace, not a demand
τὴν δεδομένην ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Μακεδονίας,participial — attributive — the grace located: Macedonia the exhibit
2
ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως ἡ περισσεία τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία αὐτῶν ἐπερίσσευσενcontent — the paradox — joy and rock-bottom poverty as joint subject of one overflowing verb
εἰς τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν·phrase modifier — the paradox completed — πτωχεία issuing in πλοῦτος
3
ὅτι κατὰ δύναμιν, μαρτυρῶ, καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν, αὐθαίρετοιcontent — second ὅτι — elliptical and suspended, with the μαρτυρῶ parenthesis; αὐθαίρετοι waits for ἔδωκαν (v. 5)
4
μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν, τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους,participial — they begged to give — χάρις as the favor of sharing the διακονία
5
καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν,comparative — the correction — leans on ἔδωκαν below; they exceeded the hope
ἀλλ' ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ,content — the finite verb at last — the self-gift before the money
vv. 6–7 — the example turned toward Corinth
6
εἰς τὸ παρακαλέσαι ἡμᾶς Τίτον,purpose — εἰς τό + infinitive — Macedonia's example issues in the mission of Titus
ἵνα καθὼς προενήρξατοcomparative — the ἵνα opens with its comparison — leans on ἐπιτελέσῃ below
οὕτως καὶ ἐπιτελέσῃ εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν χάριν ταύτην.purpose — begin and complete — προενάρχομαι/ἐπιτελέω frame the whole appeal
7
ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐν παντὶ περισσεύετε, πίστει καὶ λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ,comparative — fronted comparison — leans on the injunction below; the Corinthian riches listed
ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι περισσεύητε.independent — imperatival ἵνα — the point of the whole section, still not a command
The example of Christ — rich, he became poor 8:8–9
8
Οὐ κατ' ἐπιταγὴν λέγω,independent — the disclaimer — grace cannot be commandeered
ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρων σπουδῆς καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης γνήσιον δοκιμάζων·participial — δοκιμάζων — the Macedonian σπουδή as the assay of Corinthian love
9
γινώσκετε γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,independent — the theological center — γάρ grounds the test in the gospel itself
ὅτι δι' ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσενcontent — epexegetic ὅτι — the grace defined as impoverishment
πλούσιος ὤν,participial — concessive — pre-existent wealth surrendered
ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε.purpose — the exchange — his poverty, your wealth; the model and motive of all giving
The counsel — complete it, by the rule of equality 8:10–15
vv. 10–12 — advice, not command: finish from what you have
10
καὶ γνώμην ἐν τούτῳ δίδωμι·independent — γνώμη, not ἐπιταγή — the disclaimer of v. 8 sustained
τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν συμφέρει,cause — advice grounded in their own advantage
οἵτινες οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι·relative — οἵτινες — the surprising climax: the willing named after the doing
11
νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἐπιτελέσατε,independent — the one imperative of the counsel — ἐπιτελέω again
ὅπως καθάπερ ἡ προθυμία τοῦ θέλεινcomparative — the ὅπως opens with its comparison — verbless, leaning on the completion below
οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν.purpose — verbless — ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν: means, not miracle, is asked
12
εἰ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται,conditional — protasis — leans on the verdict below
καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ εὐπρόσδεκτος,independent — apodosis — εὐπρόσδεκτος with the gift understood; καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ embedded
οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει.comparative — the negative mirror — no one is taxed on what is absent
vv. 13–15 — ἰσότης: the manna rule
13
οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἄνεσις, ὑμῖν θλῖψις·independent — elliptical disclaimer — verbless throughout; supply 'I mean'
ἀλλ' ἐξ ἰσότητοςindependent — the principle named — ἰσότης
14
ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα,phrase modifier — the balance spelled out — ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, this side of the ledger
ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἐκείνων περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα,purpose — the reciprocity — the flow may one day reverse
ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης·purpose — the goal restated — ἰσότης twice named
15
καθὼς γέγραπται·comparative — the warrant — the manna economy of the wilderness
Ὁ τὸ πολὺ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν,content — Exod 16:18 — much gathered, nothing over
καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν.content — Exod 16:18 — little gathered, no lack
The delegates commended 8:16–24
vv. 16–17 — Titus: the same earnestness, his own accord
16
Χάρις δὲ τῷ θεῷindependent — verbless thanksgiving — the administration begins in doxology
τῷ διδόντι τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Τίτου,participial — the giving God — the same σπουδή the chapter keeps testing
17
ὅτι τὴν μὲν παράκλησιν ἐδέξατο,cause — the ground of thanks — μέν: he accepted the request
σπουδαιότερος δὲ ὑπάρχωνparticipial — fronted participle — leans on ἐξῆλθεν below; more earnest than the appeal required
αὐθαίρετος ἐξῆλθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.cause — the δέ-limb — αὐθαίρετος echoes Macedonia (v. 3); epistolary aorist ἐξῆλθεν
vv. 18–21 — the famous brother; blame forestalled
18
συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸνindependent — epistolary aorist — the first unnamed delegate
οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν,relative — verbless relative — famed in the gospel, yet anonymous
19
οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶνparticipial — χειροτονηθείς — church-appointed, not Paul-picked: the audit built in
σὺν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ' ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ κυρίου δόξαν καὶ προθυμίαν ἡμῶν,phrase modifier — the sphere of his commission — χάρις now the collection itself
20
στελλόμενοι τοῦτο,participial — anacoluthon — nominative στελλόμενοι reaches back over v. 19 to συνεπέμψαμεν
μή τις ἡμᾶς μωμήσηται ἐν τῇ ἁδρότητι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ' ἡμῶν·purpose — μή of apprehension — ἁδρότης, the sheer bulk of the fund
21
προνοοῦμεν γὰρ καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων.cause — Prov 3:4 LXX — probity before God and before human auditors
vv. 22–24 — the second brother; the summary and the charge
22
συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶνindependent — the second unnamed delegate — Paul's own tested man
ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα,relative — ἐδοκιμάσαμεν — assayed and approved: the chapter's key verb
νυνὶ δὲ πολὺ σπουδαιότερον πεποιθήσει πολλῇ τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς.phrase modifier — elliptical continuation — his confidence in Corinth heightens the zeal
23
εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου,independent — the summary begins — elliptical εἴτε pair
κοινωνὸς ἐμὸς καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς συνεργός·phrase modifier — verbless predicate — κοινωνός and συνεργός
εἴτε ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν,independent — the second εἴτε limb
ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν, δόξα Χριστοῦ.phrase modifier — verbless — ἀπόστολοι in the delegate sense; δόξα Χριστοῦ the highest word for them
24
τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐνδεικνύμενοιindependent — imperatival participle ἐνδεικνύμενοι (v.l. ἐνδείξασθε) — the ἔνδειξις answers the chapter's δοκιμή theme
εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.phrase modifier — the audience — the churches watch the proof
Analysis. 2 Corinthians 8 is an appeal that never quite issues a command, and the shape shows it. Verses 1–5 hang as one report from a single main verb — Γνωρίζομεν — with two ὅτι columns beneath it: the Macedonian paradox (abundance of joy plus depth-deep poverty overflowing into wealth of generosity), then a second, elliptical ὅτι that suspends itself through the μαρτυρῶ parenthesis and the begging participle of v. 4 until the finite verb finally lands in v. 5 — ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν, they gave themselves first. From that self-gift descend the mission of Titus (εἰς τὸ παρακαλέσαι) and the chapter's first injunction, the imperatival ἵνα of v. 7, set flush-left as a main clause beneath its fronted ὥσπερ comparison. The theological center is v. 9: a three-line exchange of wealth and poverty (became poor — being rich — that you might become rich) hung epexegetically from τὴν χάριν. The counsel of vv. 10–15 works by forward-leaning lines — the verbless ὅπως καθάπερ comparison and the εἰ protasis of v. 12 both perch above the clauses they qualify — and the ἰσότης principle is sealed by a two-line Exod 16:18 quotation under γέγραπται. The commendation (vv. 16–24) is administratively careful and grammatically loose: the layout takes στελλόμενοι (v. 20) as an anacoluthon, a nominative participle reaching back over v. 19 to συνεπέμψαμεν rather than agreeing with anything nearby, grounded by the Prov 3:4 allusion of v. 21; the two delegate brothers remain unnamed — the layout does not guess at an identity — and are dignified instead by the verbless εἴτε pairs of v. 23 (κοινωνὸς καὶ συνεργός; ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν, δόξα Χριστοῦ). The close reads ἐνδεικνύμενοι (v. 24) as an imperatival participle: show the proof, before the face of the churches.