2 Corinthians 8

1 Moreover we make known unto you, brethren, the favour of God which hath been given in the assemblies of Macedonia, —

Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia,

2 That, in a great testing of tribulation, the superabounding of their joy and their deep destitution, superabounded unto the riches of their liberality;

how in a severe ordeal of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity.

3 That, according to power, I bear witness, and beyond power, of their own accord, [they acted], —

For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,

4 With much exhortation, entreating of us the favour and the fellowship of the ministry which was for the saints; —

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the holy ones.

5 And, not merely as we hoped, but, themselves, gave they, first, unto the Lord and unto us through God’s will,

This was not as we had expected, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.

6 To the end we should exhort Titus, in order that, according as he before made a beginning, so, he should also complete unto you this favour also.

So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.

7 But, just as, in everything, ye superabound, —in faith, and discourse, and knowledge, and all earnestness, and in the love among you which proceedeth from us, in order that, in this favour also, ye would superabound.

But as you abound in everything—in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us—see that you also abound in this grace.

8 Not by way of injunction, do I speak, but through, others’, earnestness, and, the genuineness of your own love, putting to the test.

I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

9 For ye are taking knowledge of the favour of our Lord Jesus [Christ], —how that, for your sakes, he became destitute—although he was, rich, in order that, ye, by his destitution, might be enriched.

For you know the grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

10 And, a judgment, herein, do I give, —for, this, unto you, is profitable, —who, indeed, not only of the doing, but of the desiring, made for yourselves a beginning a year ago; —

I give advice in this: it is expedient for you who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing.

11 Howbeit, now, the doing also, complete ye, in order that, even according to the forwardness of the desiring, so, may be the completing—out of what ye have.

But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability.

12 For, if the forwardness is set forth, according to what one may have, he is well approved, not according to what one hath not.

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have.

13 For, not that unto others should be relief, and unto you distress [do I speak], but, by equality, in the present season, your surplus for their deficiency, —

For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

14 In order that their surplus may come to be for your deficiency: that there may come about an equality: —

but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack, that there may be equality.

15 Even as it is written—He that [gathered] the much, had not more than enough, and, he that [gathered] the little, had not less,

As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

16 Thanks, however, unto God!—who is putting the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of Titus,

But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

17 In that, though, indeed, the exhortation, he welcomed; yet already being, greatly in earnest, of his own accord, hath he gone forth unto you.

For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

18 Howbeit, we also set forward, with him, the brother, whose praise in the Glad Tidings, [hath gone] through all the assemblies: —

We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known throughout all the assemblies.

19 Not only so, however, but he hath also been appointed by the assemblies, as a fellow-traveler with us in this favour, which is being ministered by us with a view to the Lord’s glory and our earnest desire: —

Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.

20 Arranging this—lest anyone, upon us, should cast blame, in this munificence which is being ministered by us;

We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us.

21 For we provide things honourable, not only before [the] Lord, but also before men.

Having regard for honourable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

22 Moreover we have set forward, with them, our brother whom we have proved, in many things, ofttimes, earnest, —but, now, much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence [which he hath] towards you.

We have sent with them our brother whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you.

23 Whether as regardeth Titus, he is a partner of mine, and, towards you, a fellow-worker. or our brethren, apostles of assemblies, and Christ’s glory.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the emissaries of the assemblies, the glory of Messiah.

24 The proof of your love, therefore, and of our boasting in your behalf, shew ye, unto them, in the face of the assemblies.

Therefore show the proof of your love to them before the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.