2 Corinthians 8

(Philippians 4:10–20)

1NowG1161, brothersG80, we want you to know aboutG1107G4771 theG3588 graceG5485 that GodG2316 has givenG1325G1722 theG3588 churchesG1577 of MacedoniaG3109. 2InG1722 the terribleG4183 ordealG1382 they sufferedG2347, theirG846 abundantG4050 joyG5479 andG2532 deepG899 povertyG4432 overflowedG4052 intoG1519 richG4149 generosityG572. 3ForG3754 I testifyG3140 that they gave according toG2596 their abilityG1411 and evenG2532 beyondG3844 it. Of their own accordG830, 4they earnestlyG3326G4183G3874 pleadedG1189 with usG1473 for theG3588 privilegeG5485 of sharingG2842 inG3588 this serviceG1248 toG1519 theG3588 saintsG40. 5AndG2532 notG3756 only did they do asG2531 we expectedG1679, butG235 they gaveG1325 themselvesG1438 firstG4412 to theG3588 LordG2962 and thenG2532 to usG1473, throughG1223 the willG2307 of GodG2316.

6SoG1519 weG1473 urgedG3870 TitusG5103 to help completeG2532G2005 yourG1519G4771 act of graceG5485, just asG2531 he had startedG4278 it. 7ButG235 just asG5618 you excelG4052 inG1722 everythingG3956—in faithG4102, in speechG3056, in knowledgeG1108, inG2532 completeG3956 earnestnessG4710, andG2532 in theG3588 loveG26 weG1473 inspired inG1722 youG47711—see thatG2443 you also excelG4052G2532 inG1722 thisG3778 grace of givingG5485. 8I am not givingG3756G3004 a commandG2003, butG235 I am testingG1381 theG3588 sincerityG1103 of yourG5212 loveG26 throughG1223 theG3588 earnestnessG4710 of othersG2087.

9ForG1063 you knowG1097 theG3588 graceG5485 of ourG1473 LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547, thatG3754 though He wasG1510 richG4145, yet for your sakeG1223G4771 He became poorG4433, so thatG2443 youG4771 throughG1565 His povertyG4432 might become richG4147. 10AndG2532 thisG3778 is my opinionG1325G1106 aboutG1063 what is helpfulG4851 for youG4771 inG1722 thisG3778 matter: Last yearG575G4070 you were the firstG4278 notG3756 onlyG3440 toG4160 give, butG235 evenG2532 to have such a desireG2309. 11NowG3570G1161G2532 finishG2005 the workG4160, so thatG3704 you may complete itG2005 with the sameG2509 eagerG4288 desireG2309G3779G2532, according toG1537 your meansG2192. 12ForG1063 ifG1487 theG3588 eagernessG4288 is thereG4295, the gift is acceptableG2144 according toG2526 whatG1437 one hasG2192, notG3756 according toG2526 what he does not haveG3756G2192.

13It is not our intention thatG2443 othersG243 may be relievedG425 while youG4771 are burdenedG2347, butG235 that there may be equalityG2471. 14AtG1722 theG3588 presentG3568 timeG2540, yourG4771 surplusG4051 will meetG1519 theirG1565 needG5303, so thatG2443 in turnG2532 theirG1565 surplusG4051 willG1096 meetG1519 yourG4771 needG5303. This wayG3704 there will beG1096 equalityG2471. 15AsG2531 it is writtenG1125:

Titus Commended

(Titus 1:1–4)

16ButG1161 thanksG5485 be to GodG2316, whoG3588 putG1325 intoG1722 theG3588 heartG2588 of TitusG5103 theG3588 sameG846 devotionG4710 I have forG5228 youG4771. 17ForG3754 not onlyG3303 did he welcomeG1209 our appealG3874, butG1161 heG5225 is eagerlyG4705 comingG1831 toG4314 youG4771 of his own volitionG830.

18Along withG3326 Titus we are sendingG4842 theG3588 brotherG80 whoG3739 is praisedG1868 byG1223 allG3956 theG3588 churchesG1577 for his work inG1722 theG3588 gospelG2098. 19More than thatG2532G1161G3756G3440G235, this brother was chosenG5500 byG5259 theG3588 churchesG1577 to accompanyG4898 usG1473 withG4862 theG3588 gracious offeringG54853 weG1473 administerG1247 toG4314 honorG1391 theG3588 LordG2962 HimselfG846 andG2532 to show ourG1473 eagernessG4288 to help.

20We want to avoidG4724 anyG5100 criticismG3469 ofG1722 the way weG1473 administerG1247 thisG3778 generousG100 gift. 21ForG1063 we are taking great care to doG4306 what is rightG2570, notG3756 onlyG3440 in the eyesG1799 of the LordG2962, butG235 alsoG2532 in the eyesG1799 of menG444.

22AndG1161 we are sending along withG4842 themG846 ourG1473 brotherG80 whoG3739 has provenG1381 his earnestnessG4705 to us many timesG4178 and inG1722 many waysG4183, andG1161 nowG3570 evenG4183 moreG4183 so by his great confidenceG4006 inG1519 youG4771. 23As forG1535G5228 TitusG5103, he is myG1699 partnerG2844 andG2532 fellow workerG4904 amongG1519 youG4771. As for ourG1473 brothersG80, they are messengersG6524 of the churchesG1577, the gloryG1391 of ChristG5547. 24InG1519 full viewG4383 of theG3588 churchesG1577, thenG3767, showG1731 these men theG3588 proofG1732 ofG3588 yourG4771 loveG26 andG2532 the reason for our boastingG1473G2746 aboutG5228 youG4771.