2 Corinthians 8
1 Now, my fellow believers, I want to tell you [what happened because of] God’s [acting] kindly [in the lives] of [the believers in] the congregations [here] in Macedonia [province].
Hermanos y hermanas, queremos contarles sobre la gracia de Dios hacia las iglesias de Macedonia.
2 Even though [the non-believers here] have been causing the believers to suffer severely, the believers are always very joyful. [Although they] are very poor, [they gave] very generously [to help other believers].
Aunque han sufrido mucha angustia, rebosan de felicidad; y aunque son muy pobres, también rebosan de generosidad.
3 [I know that this is true], because I have seen for myself that they not only gave [money] [EUP] that they were able [to give], they gave [so much money that they did] not even keep enough [to buy what they needed for themselves]. Without anyone telling them [to share their possessions],
Puedo dar testimonio de que dieron todo lo que pudieron y, de hecho, más que eso. Por decisión propia
4 they themselves kept requesting us to let them participate in what [other believers] are doing in [sending a gift of money to] [EUP] God’s people [in Judea province].
siguieron rogando con nosotros para tener parte en este privilegio de participar en el ministerio al pueblo de Dios.
5 I thought [that they would give only a little of their money, but] they did much [more than that]. First, they told the Lord [Jesus] that they wanted to do [what pleases him. After that, they told] me that they wanted to do [whatever I thought was good for them to do, because they were sure that] would be what God [wanted them to do].
No solo hicieron lo que esperábamos que hicieran, sino que se entregaron completamente al Señor y luego a nosotros, como Dios lo quería.
6 So, because Titus was the one who [helped you to] begin [gathering the money] [EUP, MTY] for your gift, I urged him to also [help you] finish [collecting the rest of] your generous and loving gift.
Así que hemos animado a Tito—ya que él fue quien inició esta obra con ustedes—para que regrese y termine con ustedes este ministerio de gracia.
7 You are doing very well in so many [other] ways. [God’s Spirit enables you to] believe that [God] will [do miracles. His Spirit has given you the ability to] tell [God’s message to others. His Spirit makes you able to] know things that he reveals to you. You eagerly [want to help people], and you love us [(exc)] very much. [So now], try to also do well in getting your generous [gift of money] [EUP] [ready to send to the believers in Judea province].
Ya que ustedes tienen abundancia en todas las cosas—confianza en Dios, conocimiento espiritual, total dedicación, y amor por nosotros— asegúrense de que esta abundancia que poseen también llegue a este ministerio de dadivosidad.
8 I am not commanding you [to do this]. But [because I have seen how believers in] other [places] are eager [to help other believers who do not have] ([what they need/enough to live on]), I want you similarly to show that you love others sincerely.
No los estoy obligando a hacer esto, sino a que demuestren la sinceridad de su amor, comparado con la dedicación de los otros.
9 You already know [how much] our Lord Jesus [did for you] that you did not deserve. Everything [in heaven] belonged to him. But in order to benefit you, [he left all of those things behind and became a human being. Here on earth he had] very few possessions [of his own]. But because he became poor like that, he is [able to cause] you [(pl)] to become [spiritually] rich.
Porque ustedes conocen la gracia de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Que aunque era rico, se volvió pobre por ustedes, a fin de que a través de su pobreza ustedes pudieran llegar a ser ricos.
10 So, [as you think of our Lord’s example, I will tell you] what I think that you should do in this matter [of giving money. As you know], last year, because you desired [to give money to help God’s people in Judea province], you began [collecting money] [EUP].
Este es mi consejo: sería bueno que terminaran lo que comenzaron. El año pasado ustedes fueron no solo los primeros en dar sino también los primeros en querer hacerlo.
11 So now you should finish [collecting] the money [EUP] that you began [to gather]. In that way, [everyone will know that you are just] as ready to finish [collecting this gift] as you were to begin collecting it. Give what you are able to give.
Ahora, terminen los planes que hicieron. Sean prestos para terminar así como lo fueron para hacer planes, y den según lo que puedan dar.
12 [Keep in mind that] if you really want to [give something to help others], whatever any one of you is [able to give] will be pleasing [to God. God does not expect his people to give more] than they can afford to give.
Si hay disposición, es bueno que den de lo que tengan, y no lo que no tienen.
13 I do not mean that [you should give so much to help others that] you yourselves do not have what you need. No, what I want is that [both you and others] will have what [you need].
El propósito no es hacer que las cosas sean fáciles para los demás y difíciles para ustedes, sino justas.
14 Right now, when you have (more [than you need/] ) and [the believers in Judea] do not have (enough/all that they need), [with your gift you will enable them to have enough. Maybe some day] when you do not have (enough/all that you need) and they have more than they need, they will [be able to] help you. Then everyone will have enough (OR, In that way each will share alike).
En este momento ustedes tienen más que suficiente para suplir sus necesidades, y a la vez, cuando ellos tengan más que suficiente podrán satisfacer las necesidades de ustedes. De esta manera todos reciben un trato justo.
15 [If that happens, the result will be like it is written] {[like someone/Moses] wrote} [in the Scriptures about the time when God provided manna for his people], If someone gathered a lot [of manna], he still did not have more than he needed, [because he gave some to someone who did not have enough]. And those who gathered only a little [manna] still had all that they needed [LIT], [because others who gathered more than they needed gave some manna to them].
Como dice la Escritura: “El que tenía mucho, no tenía en exceso, y el que no tenía mucho, tampoco tenía muy poco”.
16 [So now I am sending Titus to visit you again]. God has caused him to be just as eager [to help you prepare your gift] as I am. I thank God for that.
Gracias a Dios que le dio a Tito la misma devoción que yo tengo por ustedes.
17 [He is going there], not only because we urged him to go, but because he himself is very eager [to visit you again].
Aunque aceptó hacer lo que le dijimos, viene a verlos porque realmente desea hacerlo, y porque ya lo había decidido.
18 I am sending with Titus another believer [whom you know well]. All the groups of believers [in this area] think highly of him because he has [faithfully taught] the good message [about Christ].
También enviamos con él a un hermano que es elogiado por todas las iglesias por su obra en la predicación de la buena noticia.
19 Not only that, but he was appointed by the congregations [in this area] {the congregations [in this area] appointed him} to [go] to Jerusalem with us [(exc)]. He [will go] with us [when we take] the generous gift of money [EUP] [to the believers in Jerusalem. We are taking this] gift to honor the Lord [Jesus] and to show them that we all [very much] want to [help them].
También fue designado por las iglesias para que fuera con nosotros a entregar esta ofrenda que llevamos con nosotros. Lo hacemos para honrar al Señor y para mostrar nuestro ferviente deseo de ayudar a otros.
20 [The believers have] given money [EUP] generously. So, [by sending that fellow believer along with Titus] to take the money [to Jerusalem], we are trying to make sure that no one will be able to accuse us [(exc) of taking some of the money for ourselves].
Queremos evitar que alguno pueda criticar la manera como usamos este regalo.
21 [I say that] because we [(exc)] want to make sure that the Lord [God] will see that what we [(exc)] do is right, and other people will see it, too.
Nos interesa hacer las cosas de manera correcta, no solo a los ojos del Señor, sino también ante los ojos de todos.
22 Furthermore, there is also another believer [here] whom we are sending [to you along with the two] men [whom I have just mentioned]. Many times I have seen his good work [for the Lord], and I know that he is eager [to serve the Lord]. Now, because he knows for sure that you [want to give this gift the same as other believers do], he is even more eager than he was before [to go with the two other men].
También enviamos con ellos a otro hermano que ha demostrado en muchas ocasiones ser un hombre de confianza, y que está dispuesto a ayudar. Ahora tiene aún más disposición de ayudar por la gran confianza que tiene en ustedes.
23 As for Titus, [I have chosen him because] he is my partner, and he has worked faithfully with me [to help you]. As for the other two men, the congregations [in this area] are sending them as their messengers. These two men honor Christ [by everything they do].
Si alguno pregunta sobre Tito, digan que es mi compañero. Trabaja conmigo en favor de ustedes. Los otros hermanos son representantes de las iglesias y que honran a Cristo.
24 So then, show them that you truly love [others], and [in that way] help other congregations to understand [why] we [(exc)] are always saying such good things about you.
Así que les ruego que los reciban antes que todas las demás iglesias y les muestren su amor, demostrando así que tenemos razón en estar muy orgullosos de ustedes.
