2 Corinthians 8

1 But we desire to let you know, brethren, of the grace of God which has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia;

We want to remind you, friends, of the love that God has shown to the churches in Macedonia –

2 how, while passing through great trouble, their boundless joy even amid their deep poverty has overflowed to increase their generous liberality.

How, tired though they were by many a trouble, their overflowing happiness, and even their deep poverty, resulted in a flood of generosity.

3 For I can testify that to the utmost of their power, and even beyond their power, they have of their own free will given help.

I can bear witness that to the full extent of their power, and even beyond their power, spontaneously,

4 With earnest entreaty they begged from us the favour of being allowed to share in the service now being rendered to God's people.

and with many an appeal to us for permission, they showed their love, and contributed their share towards the fund for their fellow Christians.

5 They not only did this, as we had expected, but first of all in obedience to God's will they gave their own selves to the Lord and to us.

And that, not only in the way we had expected; but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us also, in accordance with God’s will.

6 This led us to urge Titus that, as he had previously been the one who commenced the work, so he should now go and complete among you this act of beneficence also.

And this led us to beg Titus, that since he had started the work for you, he should also see to the completion of this expression of your love.

7 Yes, just as you are already very rich in faith, readiness of speech, knowledge, unwearied zeal, and in the love that is in you, implanted by us, see to it that this grace of liberal giving also flourishes in you.

And, remembering how you excel in everything – in faith, in teaching, in knowledge, in unfailing earnestness, and in the affection that we have awakened in you – I ask you to excel also in this expression of your love.

8 I am not saying this by way of command, but to test by the standard of other men's earnestness the genuineness of your love also.

I am not laying a command on you, but I am making use of the earnestness shown by others to test the genuineness of your affection.

9 For you know the condescending goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ--how for your sakes He became poor, though He was rich, in order that you through His poverty might grow rich.

For you do not forget the loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ – how that for your sakes, although he was rich, he became poor, so that you also might become rich through his poverty.

10 But in this matter I give you an opinion; for my doing this helps forward your own intentions, seeing that not only have you begun operations, but a year ago you already had the desire to do so.

I am only making suggestions on this matter; for this is the best course for you, since you were a year before others, not only in taking action, but also in showing your readiness to do so.

11 And now complete the doing also, in order that, just as there was then the eagerness in desiring, there may now be the accomplishment in proportion to your means.

And now I want you to complete the work, so that its completion may correspond with your willing readiness – in proportion, of course, to your means.

12 For, assuming the earnest willingness, the gift is acceptable according to whatever a man has, and not according to what he has not.

For, where there is willingness, a person’s gift is valued by its comparison with what they have, and not with what they do not have.

13 I do not urge you to give in order that others may have relief while you are unduly pressed,

For our object is not to give relief to others and bring distress on you. It is a matter of a fair balance.

14 but that, by equalization of burdens, your superfluity having in the present emergency supplied their deficiency, their superfluity may in turn be a supply for your deficiency later on, so that there may be equalization of burdens.

On this occasion what you can spare will supply what they need, at another time what they can spare may supply your need, and so things will be equal.

15 Even as it is written, "He who gathered much had not too much, and he who gathered little had not too little."

As scripture says – “Those who had much had nothing over, and those who had little did not lack!”

16 But thanks be to God that He inspires the heart of Titus with the same deep interest in you;

I thank God for inspiring Titus with the same keen interest in your welfare that I have;

17 for Titus welcomed our request, and, being thoroughly in earnest, comes to you of his own free will.

for Titus has responded to my appeals and, in his great earnestness, is starting to go to you of his own accord.

18 And we send with him the brother whose praises for his earnestness in proclaiming the Good News are heard throughout all the Churches.

We are sending with him one of the Lord’s followers whose fame in the service of the good news has spread through all the churches;

19 And more than that, he is the one who was chosen by the vote of the Churches to travel with us, sharing our commission in the administration of this generous gift to promote the Lord's glory and gratify our own strong desire.

and not only that, but he has been elected by the churches to accompany us on our journey, in connexion with this expression of your love, which we are personally administering to the honour of the Lord, and to show our deep interest.

20 For against one thing we are on our guard--I mean against blame being thrown upon us in respect to these large and liberal contributions which are under our charge.

What we are specially guarding against is that any fault should be found with us in regard to our administration of this charitable fund;

21 For we seek not only God's approval of our integrity, but man's also.

for we are trying to make arrangements which will be right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of people.

22 And we send with them our brother, of whose zeal we have had frequent proof in many matters, and who is now more zealous than ever through the strong confidence which he has in you.

We are also sending with them another of our friends, whose earnestness we have many a time proved in many ways, and whom we now find made even more earnest by his great confidence in you.

23 As for Titus, remember that he is a partner with me, and is my comrade in my labours for you. And as for our brethren, remember that they are delegates from the Churches, and are men in whom Christ is glorified.

If I must say anything about Titus, he is my intimate companion, and he shares my work for you; if it is our friends, they are delegates of the churches, an honour to Christ.

24 Exhibit therefore to the Churches a proof of your love, and a justification of our boasting to these brethren about you.

Show them, therefore – so that the churches may see it – the proof of your affection, and the ground for our boasting to them about you.