II Corinthians 8

¹But, britheren, we maken knowun to you the grace of God, that is youun in the chirchis of Macedonye,

²that in myche asaiyng of tribulacioun, the plente of the ioye of hem was, and the hiyeste pouert of hem was plenteuouse `in to the richessis of the symplenesse of hem.

³For Y bere witnessyng to hem, aftir miyt and aboue miyt thei weren wilful,

⁴with myche monestyng bisechynge vs the grace and the comynyng of mynystring, that is maad to hooli men.

⁵And not as we hopiden, but thei yauen hem silf first to the Lord, aftirward to vs bi the wille of God.

⁶So that we preyeden Tite, that as he bigan, so also he performe in you this grace.

⁷But as ye abounden in alle thingis, in feith, and word, and kunnyng, and al bisynesse, more ouer and in youre charite in to vs, that and in this grace ye abounden.

⁸Y seie not as comaundinge, but bi the bisynesse of othere men appreuynge also the good wit of youre charite.

⁹And ye witen the grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, for he was maad nedi for you, whanne he was riche, that ye schulden be maad riche bi his nedynesse.

¹⁰And Y yyue counsel in this thing; for this is profitable to you, that not oneli han bigunne to do, but also ye bigunnen to haue wille fro the formere yere.

¹¹But now parfourme ye in deed, that as the discrecioun of wille is redi, so be it also of parformyng of that that ye han.

¹²For if the wille be redi, it is acceptid aftir that that it hath, not aftir that that it hath not.

¹³And not that it be remyssioun to othere men, and to you tribulacioun;

¹⁴but of euenesse in the present tyme youre aboundance fulfille the myseese of hem, that also the aboundaunce of hem be a fulfillynge of youre myseise, that euenesse be maad; as it is writun,

¹⁵He that gaderide myche, was not encresid, and he that gaderide litil, hadde not lesse.

¹⁶And Y do thankyngis to God, that yaf the same bisynesse for you in the herte of Tite,

¹⁷for he resseyuede exortacioun; but whanne he was bisier, bi his wille he wente forth to you.

¹⁸And we senten with hym a brother, whose preisyng is in the gospel bi alle chirchis.

¹⁹And not oneli, but also he is ordeyned of chirchis the felowe of oure pilgrimage in to this grace, that is mynystrid of vs to the glorie of the Lord, and to oure ordeyned wille;

²⁰eschewynge this thing, that no man blame vs in this plente, that is mynystrid of vs to the glorye of the Lord.

²¹For we purueyen good thingis, not onely bifor God, but also bifor alle men.

²²For we senten with hem also oure brothir, whom we han preued in many thingis ofte, that he was bisi, but nowe myche bisier, for myche trist in you,

²³ethir for Tite, that is my felowe and helpere in you, ethir for oure britheren, apostlis of the chirches of the glorie of Crist.

²⁴Therfor schewe ye in to hem in the face of chirchis, that schewynge that is of youre charite and of oure glorie for you.

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.