2 Kwabasekhorinte 8

1 Sesilazisa, bazalwane, umusa kaNkulunkulu ophiwe emabandleni eMakedoniya;

Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God shown to the Macedonian churches.

2 ukuthi ekulingweni okukhulu kwenhlupho, ukwengezelelwa kwentokozo yabo lobuyanga babo obujulileyo bengezelela enothweni yokuphana kwabo.

Even though they have suffered terrible trouble, they are overflowing with happiness; and even though they are very poor, they are also overflowing in their generosity.

3 Ngoba babekhululekile njengokwamandla abo, ngiyafakaza, langaphezu kwamandla abo,

I can confirm that they gave what they could, in fact even more than that! By their own choice

4 ngesicelo esikhulu basincenga, ukuthi semukele isipho, lokuhlanganyela koncedo olungolwabangcwele;

they kept on pleading with us to have a part in this privilege of sharing in this ministry to God's people.

5 njalo kakubanga njengoba sathemba, kodwa bazinikela kuqala eNkosini, lakithi ngentando kaNkulunkulu.

They didn't just do what we hoped they would do, but they gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us, as God wanted them to do.

6 Kwaze kwathi sakhuthaza uTitosi ukuthi, njengalokhu wayeseqalile phambili, ngokunjalo awuqede futhi kini lumusa.

So we have encouraged Titus—since it was he who started this work with you—to return and complete this gracious ministry of yours.

7 Kodwa njengalokhu lisengezelela kukho konke, ekholweni, lelizwini, lelwazini, lekukhuthaleni konke, lethandweni lwenu kithi, ukuze lakulumusa lengezelele.

Since you have an abundance of everything—your trust in God, your eloquence, your spiritual knowledge, your complete dedication, and in your love for us—make sure that your abundance also extends to this gracious ministry of giving.

8 Kangikhulumi njengokulawula, kodwa ngokutshiseka kwabanye, njalo ngihlola ubuqotho bothando lwenu.

I'm not ordering you to do this, but to prove how sincere your love is in comparison with the dedication of others.

9 Ngoba liyawazi umusa weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, ukuthi lanxa wayenothile, waba ngumyanga ngenxa yenu, ukuze ngobuyanga bakhe lina linothe.

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

10 Lakulokhu ngipha umbono; ngoba lokhu kuluncedo kini, abaqala phambili nyakenye, kungeyisikwenza kuphela, kodwa lokufisa;

This is my advice: it would be good if you finished what you started. Last year you were not only the first to give but the first to want to do so.

11 kodwa khathesi-ke qedani futhi ukwenza, ukuze, njengalokhu kukhona ukukhuthalela ukufisa, ngokunjalo kukhona lokuqedisa ngalokho elilakho.

Now finish what you planned to do. Be as keen to finish as you were to plan, and give as you are able.

12 Ngoba uba kukhona ukufisa, umuntu uyemukeleka ngalokho alakho, kungeyisikho ngalokho angelakho.

If the willingness is there, it's fine to give what you have, not what you don't have!

13 Ngoba kungeyisikuthi abanye babe lenkululeko, lina-ke libe lohlupho; kodwa ngokulingana, okwalesisikhathi isengezo senu sibe ngesenswelo yabo,

This is not to make things easier for others and harder for you, but simply to be fair.

14 ukuze kuthi lesengezo sabo sibe ngesenswelo yenu, ukuze kube khona ukulingana,

At the moment you have more than enough and can meet their needs, and in turn when they have more than enough they can meet your needs. In that way everyone is treated fairly.

15 njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: Owabutha okunengi, kabanga lokusalayo; lowabutha okuncinyane kasilelanga.

As Scripture says, “The one who had much didn't have any excess, and the one who didn't have much didn't have too little.”

16 Kodwa kabongwe uNkulunkulu ofaka inkuthalo efananayo ngani enhliziyweni kaTitosi,

Thanks be to God that he gave to Titus the same devotion for you that I have.

17 ukuthi isibili wemukela isikhuthazo, kodwa etshiseka kakhulu, wasuka waya kini ngesifiso sakhe.

Though he agreed to do what we told him, he's coming to see you because he really wants to, and had already decided to do so.

18 Njalo sithuma kanye laye umzalwane, odumo lwakhe evangelini ludabule emabandleni wonke;

We're also sending with him a brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the good news.

19 kungeyisilokhu kuphela, kodwa ukhethiwe futhi ngamabandla ukuthi asiphelekezele lalo umusa owasetshenzwa yithi kube ludumo lwale iNkosi, lekubonakalisweni kokukhuthala kwenu;

He was also appointed by the churches to go with us as we deliver this gracious offering we're carrying. We do this to honor the Lord and to show our eagerness to help others.

20 sivikela lokhu, hlezi umuntu asisole kulesisengezo esisetshenzwe yithi;

We want to guard against anyone criticizing us about how we use this gift.

21 sinakekela okuhle kungekho phambi kweNkosi kuphela kodwa laphambi kwabantu.

We're concerned to do things the right way, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of everyone.

22 Sasesithuma kanye labo umzalwane wethu, esimfice ezintweni ezinengi kanengi ekhuthele, kodwa khathesi ukhuthele kakhulukazi ngenxa yokulithemba okukhulu.

We're also sending with them another brother who has proved to be reliable on many occasions, and who is eager to help. He is now even more eager to help because of the great confidence he has in you.

23 Kumbe ngoTitosi, ungumhlanganyeli lesisebenzi kanye lami kini; loba abazalwane bethu, bayizithunywa zamabandla, bayinkazimulo kaKristu.

If anyone asks about Titus, he is my companion. He works with me on your behalf. The other brothers are representatives from the churches and an honor to Christ.

24 Ngakho bonakalisani kubo ubufakazi bothando lwenu labokuzincomela kwethu lina, laphambi kwamabandla.

So please welcome them before all the churches and show them your love, proving how rightly proud we are of you.