2 Corinthians 8
8
Eagerness to Give
1Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace God has given to Messiah’s communities in Macedonia—
2that in much testing by affliction, the abundance of their joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
3For I testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they gave of their own free will—
4begging us with much urging for the favor of sharing in the relief of the kedoshim.
5Moreover, it was not just as we had hoped, but they gave of themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.
6So we urged Titus that, just as he had made a start before, so he should also complete this gracious service for you.
7But as you excel in everything—in faith and speech and knowledge and all diligence, and in your love for us—also excel in this grace.
8I am saying this not as a command, but I am trying to prove by the diligence of others the genuineness of your love as well.
9For you know the grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah—that even though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich.
10Now I give my opinion in this matter, that it is a credit to you that a year ago you were the first to start—not only to do but even to be willing.
11But now finish doing it, so that just as there was eagerness to be willing, so also to finish it, out of what you have.
12For if the eagerness is present, the gift is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he doesn’t have.
13For it is not relief for others and hardship for you, but as a matter of equality.
14Your abundance at this present time meets their need, so that their abundance may also meet your need—so that there may be equality.
15As it is written, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”
An Offering by Special Delivery
16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion for you.
17For indeed he not only accepted our appeal, but went to you with eagerness and on his own initiative.
18We are sending along with him the brother whose fame in connection with the Good News has spread throughout all of Messiah’s communities.
19Not only that, but he has also been appointed by the communities as our travel companion with this gracious gift, which is administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.
20We are taking this precaution, so that no one will blame us in regard to the way we administer this generous gift.
21We have regard for what is honorable—not only before the Lord, but also before people.
22Also with them we are sending our brother whom we have tested many times and found to be diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.
23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are the emissaries of the communities, a glory to Messiah.
24Therefore, before Messiah’s communities show them the proof of your love and of our boasting about you.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
2 Corinthians 8
8
Christian Giving
1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God gave the churches in Macedonia. 2They have been tested by great troubles. And they are very poor. But they gave much because of their great joy. 3I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able. They gave even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it. 4But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God’s people. 5And they gave in a way that we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. This is what God wants. 6So we asked Titus to help you finish this special work of grace. He is the one who started this work. 7You are rich in everything—in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us.# Some Greek copies read “in your love for us.” And so we want you to be rich also in this gift of giving.
8I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true love. I do this by showing you that others really want to help. 9You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor. Christ did this so that by his being poor you might become rich.
10This is what I think you should do: Last year you were the first to want to give. And you were the first who gave. 11So now finish the work that you started. Then your “doing” will be equal to your “wanting to do.” Give from what you have. 12If you want to give, your gift will be accepted. Your gift will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have. 13We do not want you to have troubles while other people are at ease. We want everything to be equal. 14At this time you have plenty. What you have can help others who are in need. Then later, when they have plenty, they can help you when you are in need. Then all will be equal. 15As it is written in the Scriptures, “The person who gathered more did not have too much. The person who gathered less did not have too little.”# Quotation from Exodus 16:18.
Titus and His Companions
16I thank God because he gave Titus the same love for you that I have. 17Titus accepted what we asked him to do. He wanted very much to go to you. This was his own idea. 18We are sending with him the brother who is praised by all the churches. This brother is praised because of his service in preaching the Good News. 19Also, this brother was chosen by the churches to go with us when we deliver this gift of money. We are doing this service to bring glory to the Lord and to show that we really want to help.
20We are being careful so that no one will criticize us about the way we are handling this large gift. 21We are trying to do what is right. We want to do what the Lord accepts as right and also what people think is right.
22Also, we are sending with them our brother who is always ready to help. He has proved this to us in many ways. And he wants to help even more now because he has much faith in you.
23Now about Titus—he is my partner who is working with me to help you. And about the other brothers—they are sent from the churches, and they bring glory to Christ. 24So show these men that you really have love. Show them why we are proud of you. Then all the churches can see it.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.