2 Corinthians 8
1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
We want to remind you, friends, of the love that God has shown to the churches in Macedonia –
2 That in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded to the riches of their liberality.
How, tired though they were by many a trouble, their overflowing happiness, and even their deep poverty, resulted in a flood of generosity.
3 For to [their] power, I bear testimony, and even beyond [their] power, [they were] willing of themselves;
I can bear witness that to the full extent of their power, and even beyond their power, spontaneously,
4 Praying us with much entreaty, that we would receive the gift, and [take upon us] the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
and with many an appeal to us for permission, they showed their love, and contributed their share towards the fund for their fellow Christians.
5 And [this they did], not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God:
And that, not only in the way we had expected; but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us also, in accordance with God’s will.
6 So that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
And this led us to beg Titus, that since he had started the work for you, he should also see to the completion of this expression of your love.
7 Therefore, as ye abound in every [thing], [in] faith and utterance, and knowledge, and [in] all diligence, and [in] your love to us, [see] that ye abound in this grace also.
And, remembering how you excel in everything – in faith, in teaching, in knowledge, in unfailing earnestness, and in the affection that we have awakened in you – I ask you to excel also in this expression of your love.
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
I am not laying a command on you, but I am making use of the earnestness shown by others to test the genuineness of your affection.
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
For you do not forget the loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ – how that for your sakes, although he was rich, he became poor, so that you also might become rich through his poverty.
10 And in this I give [my] advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
I am only making suggestions on this matter; for this is the best course for you, since you were a year before others, not only in taking action, but also in showing your readiness to do so.
11 Now therefore finish the doing [of it]; that as [there was] a readiness to will, so [there may be] a performance also out of that which ye have.
And now I want you to complete the work, so that its completion may correspond with your willing readiness – in proportion, of course, to your means.
12 For if there is first a willing mind, [it is] accepted according to what a man hath, [and] not according to what he hath not.
For, where there is willingness, a person’s gift is valued by its comparison with what they have, and not with what they do not have.
13 For [I mean] not that other men should be eased, and you burdened:
For our object is not to give relief to others and bring distress on you. It is a matter of a fair balance.
14 But by an equality, [that] now at this time your abundance [may be a supply] for their want, that their abundance also may be [a supply] for your want: that there may be equality:
On this occasion what you can spare will supply what they need, at another time what they can spare may supply your need, and so things will be equal.
15 As it is written, He that [had gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [had gathered] little had no want.
As scripture says – ‘Those who had much had nothing over, and those who had little did not lack!’
16 But thanks [be] to God, who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
I thank God for inspiring Titus with the same keen interest in your welfare that I have;
17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went to you.
for Titus has responded to my appeals and, in his great earnestness, is starting to go to you of his own accord.
18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise [is] in the gospel throughout all the churches;
We are sending with him one of the Lord’s followers whose fame in the service of the good news has spread through all the churches;
19 And not [that] only, but who was also chosen by 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:
and not only that, but he has been elected by the churches to accompany us on our journey, in connexion with this expression of your love, which we are personally administering to the honor of the Lord, and to show our deep interest.
20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
What we are specially guarding against is that any fault should be found with us in regard to our administration of this charitable fund;
21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
for we are trying to make arrangements which will be right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of people.
22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved [to be] diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which [I have] in you.
We are also sending with them another of our friends, whose earnestness we have many a time proved in many ways, and whom we now find made even more earnest by his great confidence in you.
23 If [any inquire] concerning Titus, [he is] my partner and fellow-helper concerning you: or our brethren [be inquired of], [they are] the messengers of the churches, [and] the glory of Christ.
If I must say anything about Titus, he is my intimate companion, and he shares my work for you; if it is our friends, they are delegates of the churches, an honor to Christ.
24 Wherefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
Show them, therefore – so that the churches may see it – the proof of your affection, and the ground for our boasting to them about you.
