2 Corinthians 8

1 Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia.

2 In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.

During a great test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and the extremity of their poverty have produced great riches of generosity.

3 For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,

For I bear witness that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond what they were able, and of their own free will,

4 they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

they urgently pleaded with us for the privlege of sharing in this ministry to the believers.

5 And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, because it was the will of God.

This did not happen as we had expected. Instead, they first gave themselves to the Lord. Then they gave themselves to us by the will of God.

6 So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.

So we urged Titus, who had already begun this task, to complete among you this act of grace.

7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

But you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us. So also make sure that you excel in this act of grace.

8 I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others.

I say this not as a command. Instead, I say this in order to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it to the eagerness of other people.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.

10 And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.

In this matter I will give you advice that will help you. One year ago, you not only started to do something, but you desired to do it.

11 Now finish the work, so that you may complete it just as eagerly as you began, according to your means.

Now finish it. Just as there was an eagerness and desire to do it then, may you also bring it to completion, as much as you can.

12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

For if you are eager to do this deed, it is a good and acceptable thing. It must be based on what a person has, not on what he does not have.

13 It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.

For this task is not in order that others may be relieved and you may be burdened. Instead, there should be fairness.

14 At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality.

Your abundance at the present time will supply what they need. This is also so that their abundance may supply your need, and so that there may be fairness.

15 As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”

It is as it is written: “The one with much did not have anything left over, and the one who had little did not have any lack.”

16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.

But thanks be to God, who put into Titus' heart the same earnest care that I have for you.

17 For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.

For he not only accepted our appeal, but he was also very earnest about it. He came to you of his own free will.

18 Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.

We have sent with him the brother who is praised among all of the churches for his work in proclaiming the gospel.

19 More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the offering —the gracious gift we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.

Not only this, but he also was selected by the churches to travel with us in our carrying out this act of grace. This is for the honor of the Lord himself and for our eagerness to help.

20 We hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.

We are avoiding the possibility that anyone should complain about us concerning this generosity that we are carrying out.

21 For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.

We take care to do what is honorable, not only before the Lord, but also before people.

22 And we are sending along with them our brother whose earnestness has been proven many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.

We are also sending another brother with them. We have tested him in many ways and found him diligent for many tasks. He is even more eager now because of the great confidence he has in you.

23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, to the glory of Christ.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are sent by the churches. They are an honor to Christ.

24 In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.

So show them your love, and show to the churches the reason for our boasting about you.