2 CorinthiansChapter 8
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1Now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace God has given the churches of Macedonia. 2They went through terrible trouble. They were very poor. But they were so full of joy that they gave very freely. 3I tell you the facts. They gave as much as they could, and even more than they could. They did it on their own. 4They begged us again and again to let them share in this gift for God's people. 5They did more than we hoped. First they gave themselves to the Lord. Then they gave themselves to us, as God wanted. 6So we urged Titus to help you finish this act of grace. He had already started it with you. 7You do well in everything. You do well in faith, in speaking, and in knowledge. You do well in being eager, and in the love we have planted in you. So make sure you also do well in this grace of giving. 8I am not giving you a command. But others are eager to give. I want to test how true your love is by comparing it with theirs. 9You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor. He did this so that you could become rich through his being poor. 10Here is what I think will help you in this matter. Last year you were the first to give. You were also the first to want to give. 11Now finish the work. You were eager to start it. Be just as eager to finish it, giving from what you have. 12If you are eager to give, the gift is accepted. It is based on what a person has, not on what he does not have. 13We don't want others to have an easy time while you have a hard time. We want things to be fair and equal. 14Right now you have more than you need. You can help them with what they need. Then later, when they have more than they need, they can help you. That way things will be equal. 15It is written, "The one who gathered much did not have too much. And the one who gathered little did not have too little." 16But thanks be to God! He put into Titus's heart the same care for you that I have. 17Titus was glad when we asked him to go. But he is also eager to come to you on his own. 18We are sending another brother along with Titus. All the churches praise this brother for his work in spreading the good news. 19And there is more. The churches chose him to travel with us as we carry this gift. We are taking care of this gift to honor the Lord himself. It also shows that we are eager to help. 20We don't want anyone to find fault with how we handle this large gift. 21We are working hard to do what is right. We want it to be right in the Lord's eyes, and also in people's eyes. 22We are also sending our brother with them. He has shown us many times and in many ways that he is eager to help. He is even more eager now, because he trusts you so much. 23Titus is my partner. He works with me to help you. And these brothers are messengers sent by the churches. They bring glory to Christ. 24So show these men that you love them, and let the churches see it. Show them why we are proud of you.