2 Corinthians 8 - 9
Generosity and Grace
8Now brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been agiven in the churches of bMacedonia, 2that in a great testing by affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the arichness of their 1generosity. 3For I testify that aaccording to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4begging us with much urging for the agrace 1of sharing in the bministry to the saints, 5and this, not as we had 1expected, but they first agave themselves to the Lord and to us by bthe will of God. 6So we aencouraged bTitus that as he had previously cmade a beginning, so he would also complete in you dthis gracious work as well.
7But just as you aabound bin everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in 1the love we inspired in you, see that you cabound in this gracious work also. 8I aam not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 9For you know athe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that bthough being rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10And I agive my opinion in this matter, for this is profitable for you, who were the first to begin ba year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11But now complete 1doing it also, so that just as there was the areadiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it from what you have. 12For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable aaccording to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13For this is not for the relief of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— 14at this present time your abundance being a supply for atheir need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for byour need, that there may be equality. 15As it is written, “aHe who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
16But 1,athanks be to God who bputs the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of cTitus. 17For he not only accepted our aplea, but being himself very earnest, he has gone out to you of his own accord. 18And we have sent along with him athe brother whose praise in the things of the bgospel is throughout call the churches. 19aAnd not only this, but he has also been bappointed by the churches to travel with us in cthis gracious work that is being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our dreadiness, 201taking precaution lest anyone discredits us in our ministering of this generous gift, 21for we arespect what is good, not only in bthe sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found earnest in many things, but now even more earnest because of his great confidence in you. 23As for aTitus, he is my bpartner and fellow worker 1among you; as for our cbrothers, they are 2,dmessengers of the churches, ea glory to Christ. 24Therefore 1openly before the churches, 2show them the proof of your love and of our areason for boasting about you.
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
9For ait is superfluous for me to write to you about this bministry to the 1saints; 2for I know your readiness, of which I aboast about you to the bMacedonians, that cAchaia has been prepared since dlast year, and your zeal stirred up most of them. 3But I have sent the brothers, in order that our aboasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, bas I was saying, you may be prepared; 4lest if any aMacedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—be put to shame in this certainty of ours. 5So I regarded it necessary to encourage the abrothers that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bblessing, so that the same would be ready as a cblessing and not as a 1,dbegrudging obligation.
6Now this I say, ahe who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing. 7Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not agrudgingly or under compulsion, for bGod loves a cheerful giver. 8And aGod is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9as it is written, “aHe scattered abroad, he gave to the needy,His righteousness 1stands forever.”
10Now He who supplies aseed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and bincrease the harvest of your righteousness; 11you will be aenriched in everything for all generosity, which through us is bringing about bthanksgiving to God. 12For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying athe needs of the 1saints, but is also abounding bthrough many thanksgivings to God. 13Because of the proven character given by this aministry, they will bglorify God for your obedience to your cconfession of the dgospel of Christ and for the 1generosity of your 2fellowship toward them and toward all, 14while they also, by prayer on your behalf, long for you because of the surpassing grace of God on you. 151,aThanks be to God for His indescribable bgift!