2 Corinthians 8

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

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

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

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

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

3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

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

4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

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

5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

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

6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

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.

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.

8 I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others.

8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

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

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.

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.

10 And herein 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.

11 Now finish the work, so that you may complete it with the same eager desire, according to your means.

11 Now therefore perform 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.

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

12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

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

13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

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

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:

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

15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

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

16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

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

17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

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

18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

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

19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of 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:

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

20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

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.

21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

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

22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have 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, the glory of Christ.

23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of 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.

24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.