2 Corinthians, 8

1. We want you to know, brothers, of the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia,

1. Next, brothers, we will tell you of the grace of God which has been granted to the churches of Macedonia,

2. for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

2. and how, throughout continual ordeals of hardship, their unfailing joy and their intense poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

3. For according to their means, I can testify, and beyond their means, spontaneously,

3. I can testify that it was of their own accord that they made their gift, which was not merely as far as their resources would allow, but well beyond their resources;

4. they begged us insistently for the favor of taking part in the service to the holy ones,

4. and they had kept imploring us most insistently for the privilege of a share in the fellowship of service to God's holy people-

5. and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us through the will of God,

5. it was not something that we expected of them, but it began by their offering themselves to the Lord and to us at the prompting of the will of God.

6. so that we urged Titus that, as he had already begun, he should also complete for you this gracious act also.

6. In the end we urged Titus, since he had already made a beginning, also to bring this work of generosity to completion among you.

7. Now as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also.

7. More, as you are rich in everything-faith, eloquence, understanding, concern for everything, and love for us too -- then make sure that you excel in this work of generosity too.

8. I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others.

8. I am not saying this as an order, but testing the genuineness of your love against the concern of others.

9. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

9. You are well aware of the generosity which our Lord Jesus Christ had, that, although he was rich, he became poor for your sake, so that you should become rich through his poverty.

10. And I am giving counsel in this matter, for it is appropriate for you who began not only to act but to act willingly last year:

10. I will give you my considered opinion in the matter; this will be the right course for you as you were the first, a year ago, not only to take any action but also even to conceive the project.

11. complete it now, so that your eager willingness may be matched by your completion of it out of what you have.

11. Now, then, complete the action as well, so that the fulfilment may -- so far as your resources permit -- be proportionate to your enthusiasm for the project.

12. For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have;

12. As long as the enthusiasm is there, the basis on which it is acceptable is what someone has, not what someone does not have.

13. not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality

13. It is not that you ought to relieve other people's needs and leave yourselves in hardship; but there should be a fair balance-

14. your surplus at the present time should supply their needs, so that their surplus may also supply your needs, that there may be equality.

14. your surplus at present may fill their deficit, and another time their surplus may fill your deficit. So there may be a fair balance;

15. As it is written: "Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less."

15. as scripture says: No one who had collected more had too much, no one who collected less had too little.

16. But thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus,

16. Thank God for putting into Titus' heart the same sincere concern for you.

17. for he not only welcomed our appeal but, since he is very concerned, he has gone to you of his own accord.

17. He certainly took our urging to heart; but greater still was his own enthusiasm, and he went off to you of his own accord.

18. With him we have sent the brother who is praised in all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.

18. We have sent with him the brother who is praised as an evangelist in all the churches

19. And not only that, but he has also been appointed our traveling companion by the churches in this gracious work administered by us for the glory of the Lord (himself) and for the expression of our eagerness.

19. and who, what is more, was elected by the churches to be our travelling companion in this work of generosity, a work to be administered by us for the glory of the Lord and our complete satisfaction.

20. This we desire to avoid, that anyone blame us about this lavish gift administered by us,

20. We arranged it this way so that no one should be able to make any accusation against us about this large sum we are administering.

21. for we are concerned for what is honorable not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of others.

21. And so we have been careful to do right not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of people.

22. And with them we have sent our brother whom we often tested in many ways and found earnest, but who is now much more earnest because of his great confidence in you.

22. Along with these, we have sent a brother of ours whose eagerness we have tested over and over again in many ways and who is now all the more eager because he has so much faith in you.

23. As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker for you; as for our brothers, they are apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.

23. If Titus is in question -- he is my own partner and fellow-worker in your interests; and if our brothers -- they are the emissaries of the churches and the glory of Christ.

24. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to them.

24. So then, in full view of all the churches, give proof that you love them, and that we were right to boast of you to them.