2 Corinthians 8:1–15

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.”^*