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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>2 Corinthians 8</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_corinthians/8.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//2_corinthians/8-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/2_corinthians/">2 Corinthians</a> > 2 Corinthians 8</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_corinthians/7.htm" title="2 Corinthians 7">◄</a> 2 Corinthians 8 <a href="../2_corinthians/9.htm" title="2 Corinthians 9">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/2_corinthians/8.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/2_corinthians/8.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/2_corinthians/8.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/2_corinthians/8.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/2_corinthians/8.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/2_corinthians/8.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/2_corinthians/8.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Generosity Commended<br /><span class="cross">(<a href ="../philippians/4.htm#10">Philippians 4:10–20</a>)</span><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity. <A name="4"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord, <A name="5"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, because it was the will of God. <A name="7"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it. <A name="8"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> —see that you also excel in this grace of giving. <A name="9"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others. <A name="10"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire. <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Now finish the work, so that you may complete it just as eagerly as you began, according to your means. <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. <A name="14"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality. <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>As it is written: <p class="indent1stline">“He who gathered much had no excess, <p class="indent2"> and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> <A name="17"></a><p class="hdg">Titus Commended<br /><span class="cross">(<a href ="../titus/1.htm">Titus 1:1–4</a>)</span><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you. <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition. <A name="19"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel. <A name="20"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the offering<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> —the gracious gift we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help. <A name="21"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>We hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift. <A name="22"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men. <A name="23"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>And we are sending along with them our brother whose earnestness has been proven many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you. <A name="24"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> of the churches, to the glory of Christ. <span class="reftext"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">7</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Or <i>in your love for us</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">15</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <a href="../exodus/16.htm#18">Exodus 16:18</a><br><span class="fnverse">19</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> See <a href="../1_corinthians/16.htm#3">1 Corinthians 16:3–4</a>.<br><span class="fnverse">23</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> Or <i>apostles</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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