2 Corinthians 8:1-15

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.”