2 Corinthians 8:1–15

Excel in Giving

8Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: ²that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and ^atheir deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. ³For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, ⁴imploring us with much urgency ¹that we would receive the gift and ^bthe fellowship of the ministering to the saints. ⁵And not only as we had hoped, but they first ^cgave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the ^dwill of God. ⁶So ^ewe urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. ⁷But as ^fyou abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see ^gthat you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

^8hI speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. ⁹For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁱthat though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become ^jrich.

¹⁰And in this ^kI give advice: ^lIt is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and ^mwere desiring to do a year ago; ¹¹but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. ¹²For ⁿif there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

¹³For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; ¹⁴but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. ¹⁵As it is written, ^o“He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”