8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
8:2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
8:3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
8:4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
8:5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.
8:6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
8:7 But just as you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us–see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8:8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
8:10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
8:11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
8:12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
8:13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.
8:14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality,
8:15 as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”
8:16 I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you.
8:17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.
8:18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel.
8:19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.
8:20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift.
8:21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.
8:22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you.
8:23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ.
8:24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.
8:1 Furthermore we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
8:2 That in much proving of affliction the abundance of their joy and the depth of their poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality;
8:3 That according to their power, I testify, and beyond their power, of their own accord,
8:4 With much entreaty they besought of us the grace and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints;
8:5 And this, not as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.
8:6 So we entreated Titus that, even as he began before, so also he would complete for you this grace as well.
8:7 But just as you abound in everything, in faith and in word and in knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love in you from us, abound in this grace also.
8:8 I am not speaking by way of command, but through the earnestness of others, proving also the genuineness of your love.
8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, for your sakes He became poor in order that you, because of His poverty, might become rich.
8:10 And I give my opinion in this matter, for this is profitable for you who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this but even to intend to do this.
8:11 But now complete also the doing, so that as there was the eagerness in intending, so also there would be the completing out of what you have.
8:12 For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.
8:13 For it is not that to others there would be relief, yet to you affliction,
8:14 But it is out of equality; at the present time your abundance for their lack that their abundance also may be for your lack, so that there may be equality;
8:15 As it is written, He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no lack.
8:16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus,
8:17 Because he not only received the entreaty, but being more earnest, he also went forth of his own accord to you.
8:18 And we sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches,
8:19 And not only this, but who has also been selected by the churches as our fellow traveler in this grace which is being ministered by us, to the glory of the Lord Himself and to demonstrate our eagerness;
8:20 Avoiding this, that anyone should find fault with us in this abundance which is being ministered by us.
8:21 For we exercise foresight for what is honorable not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.
8:22 And we sent with them our brother, whom we have proved to be diligent in many things many times, yet now much more diligent because of the great confidence he has toward you.
8:23 Whether concerning Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you; or our brothers, they are apostles of the churches, they are Christ s glory.
8:24 Show therefore to them, in the face of the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.