8:1 Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
8:2 that in a ①great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
▷ ①Or severe test of
8:3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily,
8:4 begging us with much urging for the favor ①of participation in the ②support of the ③saints,
▷ ①Lit and ②Lit service to the saints ③Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
8:5 and this, not as we had ①expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
▷ ①Lit hoped
8:6 So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.
8:7 But just as you excel in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the ①love we inspired in you, see that you also excel in this gracious work.
▷ ①Lit love from us in you; one early ms love from you in us
8:8 I am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well.
8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
8:10 I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.
8:11 But now finish ①doing it also, so that just as there was the willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.
▷ ①Lit the doing
8:12 For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
8:13 For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality—
8:14 at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for their need, so that their abundance also may ①serve as assistance for your need, so that there may be equality;
▷ ①Lit become
8:15 as it is written: “THE ONE WHO had gathered much did not have too much, AND THE ONE WHO had gathered little did not have too little.”
8:16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of Titus.
8:17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.
8:18 We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches;
8:19 and not only that, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness,
8:20 ①taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;
▷ ①Lit avoiding this
8:21 for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people.
8:22 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.
8:23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker ①among you; as for our brothers, they are ②messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.
▷ ①Lit for you ②Lit apostles
8:24 Therefore, ①openly before the churches, ②show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.
▷ ①Lit in the face of the churches ②Or show the proof...for boasting about you to them