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
1 #
Rom 15.26
Our brothers and sisters, we want you to know what God's grace has accomplished in the churches in Macedonia. 2They have been severely tested by the troubles they went through; but their joy was so great that they were extremely generous in their giving, even though they are very poor. 3I can assure you that they gave as much as they could, and even more than they could. Of their own free will 4they begged us and pleaded for the privilege of having a part in helping God's people in Judea. 5It was more than we could have hoped for! First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God's will they gave themselves to us as well. 6So we urged Titus, who began this work, to continue it and help you complete this special service of love. 7You are so rich in all you have: in faith, speech, and knowledge, in your eagerness to help and in your love for us.#8.7 your love for us; some manuscripts have our love for you. And so we want you to be generous also in this service of love.
8I am not laying down any rules. But by showing how eager others are to help, I am trying to find out how real your own love is. 9You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; rich as he was, he made himself poor for your sake, in order to make you rich by means of his poverty.
10My opinion is that it is better for you to finish now what you began last year. You were the first, not only to act, but also to be willing to act. 11On with it, then, and finish the job! Be as eager to finish it as you were to plan it, and do it with what you now have. 12If you are eager to give, God will accept your gift on the basis of what you have to give, not on what you haven't.
13-14I am not trying to relieve others by putting a burden on you; but since you have plenty at this time, it is only fair that you should help those who are in need. Then, when you are in need and they have plenty, they will help you. In this way both are treated equally. 15#Ex 16.18As the scripture says, “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
Titus and his Companions
16How we thank God for making Titus as eager as we are to help you! 17Not only did he welcome our request; he was so eager to help that of his own free will he decided to go to you. 18With him we are sending the brother who is highly respected in all the churches for his work in preaching the gospel. 19And besides that, he has been chosen and appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this service of love for the sake of the Lord's glory, and in order to show that we want to help.
20We are taking care not to stir up any complaints about the way we handle this generous gift. 21#Prov 3.4 (LXX)Our purpose is to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of others.
22So we are sending our brother with them; we have tested him many times and found him always very eager to help. And now that he has so much confidence in you, he is all the more eager to help. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and works with me to help you; as for the other brothers who are going with him, they represent the churches and bring glory to Christ. 24Show your love to them, so that all the churches will be sure of it and know that we are right in boasting about you.
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.