2 Corinthians 8
8
Appeal to Complete the Collection
1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches # Mt 16:18; 1Co 14:4; Rv 1:4 of Macedonia: # Ac 16:9 2During a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity. # Php 4:10 3I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability, 4they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing # Ac 24:17; Rm 15:26,31; 2Co 8:19-20; 9:1,12-13 in the ministry to the saints, 5and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves especially to the Lord, then to us by God’s will. # Ps 143:10; Pr 16:9; Jn 5:30; Gl 1:4; Eph 1:9; 1Jn 2:17 6So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete this grace to you. 7Now as you excel in everything — faith, speech, knowledge, # Php 3:8; 1Jn 4:8 and in all diligence, and in your love for us # Other mss read in our love for you — excel also in this grace.
8I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though He was rich, # Mt 20:28; 2Co 6:10; Php 2:6-7 for your sake He became poor, # Php 2:7 so that by His poverty you might become rich. 10Now I am giving an opinion on this because it is profitable for you, who a year ago began not only to do something but also to desire it. # Lit to will # 1Co 16:1-4; 2Co 9:1-2 11But now finish the task # Lit finish the doing as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have. 12For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. # Lk 21:3 13It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality # Lit but from equality — 14at the present time your surplus is available for their need, so their abundance may also become available for our need, so there may be equality. 15As it has been written:
The person who gathered much
did not have too much,
and the person who gathered little
did not have too little. # Ex 16:18 # Ex 16:18
Administration of the Collection
16Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. 17For he accepted our urging and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. 18We have sent with him the brother # 2Co 12:18 who is praised throughout the churches for his gospel ministry. # Lit churches, in the gospel 19And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gift # Or grace that is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum administered by us. 21For we are making provision # 1Tm 5:8 for what is right, # 1Pt 2:12 not only before the Lord but also before men. 22We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent — and now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner # Phm 17 and coworker # 1Co 3:9 serving you; as for our brothers, they are the messengers # Jn 13:16 of the churches, the glory of Christ. # Mk 10:37 24Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting # 2Co 12:5; Jms 4:16 about you.
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2 Corinthians 8: HCSB
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2 Corinthians 8
8
1 Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia, 2how in a severe ordeal of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity. 3For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, 4begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints. 5This was not as we had expected, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. 6So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace. 7But as you abound in everything—in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us—see that you also abound in this grace.
8 I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. 10I give advice in this: it is expedient for you who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing. 11But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 12For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. 13For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed, 14but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack, that there may be equality. 15As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”#Exodus 16:18
16 But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord. 18We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known throughout all the assemblies. 19Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness. 20We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us. 21Having regard for honourable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22We have sent with them our brother whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ. 24Therefore show the proof of your love to them before the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.
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