2 Corinthians 8

1 And, my brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which was conferred on the churches of the Macedonians;

But we desire to let you know, brethren, of the grace of God which has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia;

2 that in the great trial of their affliction, there was an abounding to their joy, and the depth of their poverty was exuberant in the riches of their liberality.

how, while passing through great trouble, their boundless joy even amid their deep poverty has overflowed to increase their generous liberality.

3 For I testify that, according to their ability, and beyond their ability, in the spontaneity of their mind,

For I can testify that to the utmost of their power, and even beyond their power, they have of their own free will given help.

4 they besought us, with much entreaty, that they might participate in the beneficence of the ministration to the saints.

With earnest entreaty they begged from us the favour of being allowed to share in the service now being rendered to God's people.

5 And not only as we had expected, but they first gave themselves unto the Lord, and to us by the will of God.

They not only did this, as we had expected, but first of all in obedience to God's will they gave their own selves to the Lord and to us.

6 So that we requested Titus, that as he had begun, so he would perfect in you also the same beneficence.

This led us to urge Titus that, as he had previously been the one who commenced the work, so he should now go and complete among you this act of beneficence also.

7 And as ye are enriched in every thing, in faith, and speech, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in our love towards you, so abound ye in this beneficence also.

Yes, just as you are already very rich in faith, readiness of speech, knowledge, unwearied zeal, and in the love that is in you, implanted by us, see to it that this grace of liberal giving also flourishes in you.

8 I do not actually command you, but by the promptitude of your fellow disciples, I would test the sincerity of your love.

I am not saying this by way of command, but to test by the standard of other men's earnestness the genuineness of your love also.

9 For ye know the goodness of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who when he was rich, for your sakes became poor, that by his poverty ye might be made rich.

For you know the condescending goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ--how for your sakes He became poor, though He was rich, in order that you through His poverty might grow rich.

10 And I urgently recommend to you, that which is for your advantage; inasmuch as ye began, a year ago, not only to purpose, but also to perform.

But in this matter I give you an opinion; for my doing this helps forward your own intentions, seeing that not only have you begun operations, but a year ago you already had the desire to do so.

11 And now complete ye by action, what ye purposed; that as ye had a promptitude in your purposing, so ye may fulfill it in action, according to your ability.

And now complete the doing also, in order that, just as there was then the eagerness in desiring, there may now be the accomplishment in proportion to your means.

12 For if there is a willingness, a person is accepted according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not.

For, assuming the earnest willingness, the gift is acceptable according to whatever a man has, and not according to what he has not.

13 For it is not, that others may have easement, and you pressure;

I do not urge you to give in order that others may have relief while you are unduly pressed,

14 but that ye may be on equality at the present time; and that your abundance may be a supply to their want; that their abundance likewise may be a supply to your want; that there may be equality.

but that, by equalization of burdens, your superfluity having in the present emergency supplied their deficiency, their superfluity may in turn be a supply for your deficiency later on, so that there may be equalization of burdens.

15 As it is written, He who gathered much, had nothing over; and he that gathered little, was not deficient.

Even as it is written, "He who gathered much had not too much, and he who gathered little had not too little."

16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus this solicitude for you.

But thanks be to God that He inspires the heart of Titus with the same deep interest in you;

17 For he received our exhortation; and, because he was very anxious, he cheerfully set out to visit you.

for Titus welcomed our request, and, being thoroughly in earnest, comes to you of his own free will.

18 And we also sent with him that our brother, whose praise in the gospel is in all the churches;

And we send with him the brother whose praises for his earnestness in proclaiming the Good News are heard throughout all the Churches.

19 inasmuch as he likewise had been expressly chosen by the churches, to accompany me with this beneficence which is ministered by us to the glory of God and to our cordiality.

And more than that, he is the one who was chosen by the vote of the Churches to travel with us, sharing our commission in the administration of this generous gift to promote the Lord's glory and gratify our own strong desire.

20 And we hereby guarded, that no one should cast censure on us, in respect to this abundance which is ministered by us.

For against one thing we are on our guard--I mean against blame being thrown upon us in respect to these large and liberal contributions which are under our charge.

21 For we are attentive to things commendable, not only before God, but also before men.

For we seek not only God's approval of our integrity, but man's also.

22 And we also sent with them that brother of ours, who hath often, and in many things, been proved diligent by us; and is now particularly diligent, from the great confidence he hath in you.

And we send with them our brother, of whose zeal we have had frequent proof in many matters, and who is now more zealous than ever through the strong confidence which he has in you.

23 And therefore, if Titus be inquired about, he is my associate and assistant among you: or if our other brethren, they are the legates of the churches of the Messiah's glory.

As for Titus, remember that he is a partner with me, and is my comrade in my labours for you. And as for our brethren, remember that they are delegates from the Churches, and are men in whom Christ is glorified.

24 Therefore exhibit ye to them, in the presence of all the churches, a demonstration of your love and of our glorying respecting you.

Exhibit therefore to the Churches a proof of your love, and a justification of our boasting to these brethren about you.