2Cor 8 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now , brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia ,

2 Corinthians 8

Great Generosity

1 Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been ^agiven in the churches of ^bMacedonia, 2 that in a ^{▼▼Or severe test of}great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the ^dwealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that ^eaccording to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, 4 begging us with much urging for the ^ffavor ^{▼▼Lit and}of participation in the ^{▼▼Lit service to the saints
,} ⁱsupport of the ^{▼▼Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people}saints, 5 and this, not as we had ^{▼▼Lit hoped}expected, but they first ^lgave themselves to the Lord and to us by ^mthe will of God. 6 So we ⁿurged ^oTitus that as he had previously ^pmade a beginning, so he would also complete in you ^qthis gracious work as well.

7 But just as you ^rexcel ^sin everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the ^{▼▼Lit love from us in you; one early ms love from you in us}love we inspired in you, see that you also ^uexcel in this gracious work. 8 I ^vam not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. 9 For you know ^wthe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^xthough He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 I ^ygive my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin ^za year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11 But now finish ^{▼▼Lit the doing}doing it also, so that just as there was the ^abwillingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12 For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable ^acaccording to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality-- 14 at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for ^adtheir need, so that their abundance also may ^{▼▼Lit become}serve as assistance for ^afyour need, so that there may be equality; 15 as it is written: “ ^agThe one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”

16 But ^ahthanks be to God who ^aiputs the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of ^ajTitus. 17 For he not only accepted our ^akappeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18 We have sent along with him ^althe brother whose fame in the things of the ^amgospel has spread through ^anall the churches; 19 ^aoand not only that, but he has also been ^apappointed by the churches to travel with us in ^aqthis gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ^arreadiness, 20 ^{▼▼Lit avoiding this}taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21 for we ^athave regard for what is honorable, not only in ^authe sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. 22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for ^avTitus, he is my ^awpartner and fellow worker ^{▼▼Lit for you}among you; as for our ^aybrothers, they are ^{▼▼Lit apostles
,} ^bamessengers of the churches, ^bba glory to Christ. 24 Therefore, ^{▼▼Lit in the face of the churches}openly before the churches, ^{▼▼Or show the proof...for boasting about you to them}show them the proof of your love and of our ^bereason for boasting about you.