2 Corinthians 8

Great Generosity

1Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been 1given in the churches of 2Macedonia, 2that in a 3great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the 4wealth of their liberality. 3For I testify that 5according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, 4begging us with much urging for the 6favor 7of participation in the 89support of the 10saints, 5and this, not as we had 11expected, but they first 12gave themselves to the Lord and to us by 13the will of God. 6So we 14urged 15Titus that as he had previously 16made a beginning, so he would also complete in you 17this gracious work as well.

7But just as you 18excel 19in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the 20love we inspired in you, see that you also 21excel in this gracious work. 8I 22am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. 9For you know 23the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 24though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10I 25give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin 26a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11But now finish 27doing it also, so that just as there was the 28willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable 29according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality-- 14at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for 30their need, so that their abundance also may 31serve as assistance for 32your need, so that there may be equality; 15as it is written: “33The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”

16But 34thanks be to God who 35puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of 36Titus. 17For he not only accepted our 37appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18We have sent along with him 38the brother whose fame in the things of the 39gospel has spread through 40all the churches; 1941and not only that, but he has also been 42appointed by the churches to travel with us in 43this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our 44readiness, 2045taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21for we 46have regard for what is honorable, not only in 47the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. 22We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23As for 48Titus, he is my 49partner and fellow worker 50among you; as for our 51brothers, they are 5253messengers of the churches, 54a glory to Christ. 24Therefore, 55openly before the churches, 56show them the proof of your love and of our 57reason for boasting about you.