2 Corinthians 8–9

8Moreover, brethren, ^awe do you to wit of ^aathe grace of God bestowed on the churches of ^bMacedonia; ²How that in a great ^ctrial of affliction ^dthe abundance of their joy and ^dtheir deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their ^†liberality. ³For ^eto their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were ^fwilling of themselves; ⁴Praying us with much intreaty ^gthat we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of ^hthe ministering to the saints. ⁵And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us ⁱby the will of God. ⁶Insomuch that ^jwe desired ^kTitus, that as he had ^xbegun, so he would also finish in you the same ^||grace also. ⁷Therefore, as ^lye abound in every thing, in faith, and ^mutterance, and ^mknowledge, and in all ⁿdiligence, and in ^oyour love to us, see ^pthat ye abound in this grace also. ^8qI speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the ⁿforwardness of others, and ^qqto prove the sincerity of ^oyour love. ⁹For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, ^rthough he was rich, yet ^rsfor your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty ^tmight be rich. ¹⁰And herein ^uI give my advice: for ^wthis is expedient for you, who have ^xbegun before, not only to do, but also to be ^†forward ^ya year ago. ¹¹Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a ^zreadiness to will, so there may be a performance also ^eout of ^athat which ye have. ¹²For ^bif there be first ^za willing mind, it is ^caccepted 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 ^dequality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply ^efor their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be ^dequality: ¹⁵As it is written, ^fHe that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

¹⁶But thanks be to God, ^gwhich put the same ^hearnest care into the heart of Titus for you. ¹⁷For indeed he accepted ⁱthe exhortation; but being ^hmore forward, ^jof his own accord he went unto you. ¹⁸And we have sent with him ^kthe brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout ^kkall the churches; ¹⁹And not that only, but who was also ^lchosen of the churches ^mto travel with us with this ^||grace, which is ⁿadministered by us ^oto the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ^zready mind: ^20pAvoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is ⁿadministered by us: ^21qProviding 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 ^hdiligent in many things, but now much ^hmore diligent, ^rupon the great confidence which ^||I have in you. ²³Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my ^spartner and ^tfellowhelper concerning you: or ^uour brethren be inquired of, they are ^wthe messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. ²⁴Wherefore shew ye to them, and ^xbefore the churches, the proof of ^yyour love, and of ^zour boasting on your behalf.

9For as touching ^athe ministering to ^bthe saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: ²For I know ^cthe forwardness of your mind, ^dfor which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that ^eAchaia was ready ^fa year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. ³Yet have I sent ^gthe brethren, lest ^hour boasting of you should be in vain ⁱin this behalf; that, ^jas I said, ye may be ready: ⁴Lest haply if ^kthey of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in ^lthis same ^mconfident boasting. ⁵Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort ^gthe brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your ^†bounty, ^||whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, ⁿas a matter of ^||bounty, and ^onot as of covetousness. ⁶But this I say, ^pHe which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. ⁷Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; ^qnot ^rgrudgingly, or of necessity: for ^sGod loveth a cheerful giver. ⁸And ^ptGod is able to make all ^ugrace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every ^xgood work: ⁹(As it is written, ^yHe hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. ¹⁰Now he that ^zministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase ^athe fruits of your ^brighteousness;) ¹¹Being enriched in every thing to all ^||†bountifulness, which causeth ^cthrough us thanksgiving to God. ¹²For ^adthe administration of this service not only supplieth ^ethe want of the saints, but is abundant also ^cfby many thanksgivings unto God; ¹³Whiles by the ^gexperiment of this ^dministration they ^hglorify God for your professed ⁱsubjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your ^jliberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; ¹⁴And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding ^lgrace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be unto ^lGod for his unspeakable gift.