II Corinthians 8

¹Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been bestowed in the churches of Macedonia;

²that under a great trial of distress the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty increased the riches of their liberality;

³for according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,

⁴begging of us with much entreaty the favor of sharing in the ministration to the saints;

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

⁶so that we urged Titus, that, as he had already made a beginning, so he would also finish among you this bounty also.

⁷But as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this exercise of liberality also.

⁸I speak not by way of command, but by reason of the earnestness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love.

⁹For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

¹⁰And I only give an opinion in this matter. For this is expedient for you, who began before others, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago.

¹¹Now therefore perform the doing of it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

¹²For if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, not according to what he hath not.

¹³For it is not that others may be eased, and you burdened,

¹⁴but to make an equality; at the present season your abundance meeting their deficiency, that their abundance may at another time meet your deficiency; that there may be equality;

¹⁵as it is written: "He that gathered much, had nothing over; and he that gathered little, had no lack."

¹⁶But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus;

¹⁷for he accepted indeed the exhortation; but being very earnest, he went of his own accord to you.

¹⁸And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches;

¹⁹and not that only, but who was also appointed by the churches as our fellow-traveler in the matter of this bounty, which is administered by us to the honor of the Lord himself, and of our ready mind;

²⁰since we are careful of this, that no one should blame us in our management of this abundant liberality;

²¹for we take forethought for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²²And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often in many things proved to be zealous, but now much more zealous through the great confidence which he hath in you.

²³As to Titus, he is my partner and fellow-laborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

²⁴Display to them, therefore, before the churches, the proof of your love, and of what we have boasted on your behalf.

II Corinthians 8

¹Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

²How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

³For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

⁴Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

⁵And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

⁶Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

⁷Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

⁸I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

⁹For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

¹⁰And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

¹¹Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

¹²For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

¹³For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

¹⁴But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

¹⁵As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

¹⁶But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

¹⁷For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

¹⁸And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

¹⁹And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

²⁰Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

²¹Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²²And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

²³Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

²⁴Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.