2 Corinthians 8:5

καὶ οὐ καθὼς κ. τ. λ.: and not (merely) as we hoped, i.e., beyond what we expected or hoped, but first (not only in order of time, but in order of importance; as we say “first of all”) they gave themselves to the Lord. This is not merely the consecration of self (cf. Romans 12:1), which is the condition of all acceptable almsgiving, for this would not have been beyond the Apostle's expectations, but the devotion of personal service in the work of spreading the Gospel, such as was given by Sopater of Berœa, Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica (Acts 20:4), and Epaphroditus of Philippi (Philippians 2:25). Other Macedonian Christians who are named as helpers of St. Paul are Jason (Acts 17:5 f.) and Gaius Acts 19:29); possibly Demas also (Philemon 1:24; 2 Timothy 4:10) was of Thessalonica, and it has been argued that St. Luke was of Philippi (see Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller, p. 202). καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελ. Θεοῦ : and to us (some of them were St. Paul's companions in travel) by the will of God. Everywhere in St. Paul's writings the impulse to faithful service is traced up to God's grace.