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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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
2 Corinthians 8
8
1But we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia; 2that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their free-hearted liberality. 3For according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they were willing of their own accord, 4begging of us with much entreaty to give effect to the grace and fellowship of the service which was to be rendered to the saints. 5And not according as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us by God's will. 6So that we begged Titus that, according as he had before begun, so he would also complete as to you this grace also;
7but even as ye abound in every way, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in love from you to us, that ye may abound in this grace also. 8I do not speak as commanding it, but through the zeal of others, and proving the genuineness of your love. 9For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes he, being rich, became poor, in order that ye by his poverty might be enriched. 10And I give my opinion in this, for this is profitable for you who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago. 11But now also complete the doing of it; so that as there was the readiness to be willing, so also to complete out of what ye have. 12For if the readiness be there, a man is accepted according to what he may have, not according to what he has not. 13For it is not in order that there may be ease for others, and for you distress, 14but on the principle of equality; in the present time your abundance for their lack, that their abundance may be for your lack, so that there should be equality. 15According as it is written, He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little was nothing short.
16But thanks be to God, who gives the same diligent zeal for you in the heart of Titus. 17For he received indeed the entreaty, but, being full of zeal, he went of his own accord to you; 18but we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the glad tidings through all the assemblies; 19and not only so, but is also chosen by the assemblies as our fellow-traveller with this grace, ministered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and a witness of our readiness; 20avoiding this, that any one should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us; 21for we provide for things honest, not only before the Lord, but also before men. 22And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved to be of diligent zeal in many things, and now more diligently zealous through the great confidence he has as to you. 23Whether as regards Titus, he is my companion and fellow-labourer in your behalf; or our brethren, they are deputed messengers of assemblies, Christ's glory. 24Shew therefore to them, before the assemblies, the proof of your love, and of our boasting about you.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.