2 Corinthians 8–9

Encouragement to Be Generous

⁸We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia, ²for during a severe ordeal of affliction their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means and even beyond their means, ⁴begging us earnestly for the favor^d of partnering in this ministry to the saints,^{* 5}and not as we expected. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, ⁶so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking^e among you.^{* 7}Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you^f—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.^g*

⁸I do not say this as a command, but I am, by mentioning the eagerness of others, testing the genuineness of your love.^{* 9}For you know the generous act^h of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.^{* 10}And in this matter I am giving my opinion: it is beneficial for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something.^{* 11}Now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.^{* 12}For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.^{* 13}For I do not mean that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality between ¹⁴your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may also supply your need, in order that there may be equality. ¹⁵As it is written,

“The one who had much did not have too much,

and the one who had little did not have too little.”^*

Commendation of Titus

¹⁶But thanks be to God, who put in the heart of Titus the same eagerness for you that I myself have. ¹⁷For he not only accepted our appeal, but since he is more eager than ever, he is going to you of his own accord. ¹⁸With him we are sending the brother who is praised among all the churches for his work for the gospel,^{* 19}and not only that, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us while we are administering this generous undertakingⁱ for the glory of the Lord himself^j and to show our goodwill.^{* 20}We are making this arrangement lest anyone blame us about this generous gift that we are administering, ²¹for we are setting our minds on what is right not only before the Lord but also before the people.^{* 22}And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found eager in many matters but who is now more eager than ever because of his great confidence in you. ²³As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker in your service; as for our brothers, they are messengers^k of the churches, the glory of Christ.^{* 24}Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you to them.^*

The Collection for Christians at Jerusalem

⁹Now it is not necessary for me to write you about the ministry to the saints, ²for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.^{* 3}But I am sending^l the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not prove to have been empty in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be;^{* 4}otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be put to shame—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking.^{m 5}So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an extortion.

⁶The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.^{* 7}Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.^{* 8}And God is able to provide you with every blessingⁿ in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.^{* 9}As it is written,

“He scatters abroad; he gives to the poor;

his righteousness^o endures forever.”^*

¹⁰He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.^{p 11}You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us, ¹²for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. ¹³Through the testing of this ministry you^q glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your partnership with them and with all others,^{* 14}while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!^*