Parallel Bible results for "2 corinthians 8"

2 Corinthians 8

New International Reader's Version NIRV

1 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given to the churches in Macedonia.

2 They have suffered a great deal. But their joy was more than full. Even though they were very poor, they gave very freely.

3 I give witness that they gave as much as they could. In fact, they gave even more than they could. Completely on their own,

4 they begged us for the chance to share in serving God's people in that way.

5 They did more than we expected. First they gave themselves to the Lord. Then they gave themselves to us in keeping with what God wanted.

6 Titus had already started collecting money from you. So we asked him to get you to finish making your kind gift.

7 You do well in everything else. You do well in faith and in speaking. You do well in knowledge and in complete commitment. And you do well in your love for us. So make sure that you also do well in the grace of giving to others.

8 I am not commanding you to do it. But I want to put you to the test. I want to find out if you really love God. I want to compare your love with that of others.

9 You know the grace shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, he became poor to help you. Because he became poor, you can become rich.

10 Here is my advice about what is best for you in that matter. Last year you were the first to give. You were also the first to want to give.

11 So finish the work. Then your longing to do it will be matched by your finishing it. Give on the basis of what you have.

12 Do you really want to give? Then the gift is received in keeping with what you have, not with what you don't have.

13 We don't want others to have it easy at your expense. We want things to be equal.

14 Right now you have plenty in order to take care of what they need. Then they will have plenty to take care of what you need. That will make things equal.

15 It is written, "Those who gathered a lot didn't have too much. And those who gathered a little had enough."(Exodus 16:18)

16 God put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. I am thankful to God for this.

17 Titus welcomed our appeal. He is also excited about coming to you. It was his own idea.

18 Along with Titus, we are sending another brother. All the churches praise him for his service in telling the good news.

19 He was also chosen by the churches to go with us as we bring the offering. We are in charge of it. We want to honor the Lord himself. We want to show how ready we are to help.

20 We want to keep anyone from blaming us for how we take care of that large gift.

21 We are trying hard to do what is right in the Lord's eyes and in the eyes of people.

22 We are also sending another one of our brothers with them. He has often proved to us in many ways that he is very committed. He is now even more committed because he has great faith in you.

23 Titus is my helper. He and I work together among you. Our brothers are messengers from the churches. They honor Christ.

24 So show them that you really love them. Show them why we are proud of you. Then the churches can see it.

Wycliffe WYC

1 But, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God, that is given in the churches of Macedonia,

2 that in much assaying of tribulation, the plenty of the joy of them was [the abundance, or plenty, of the joy of them was], and the highest poverty of them was plenteous into the riches of the simpleness of them.

3 For I bear witnessing to them, after might and above might they were willful [after virtue, or power, and above virtue they were willful],

4 with much admonishing beseeching us the grace and the communing of [the] ministering, that is made to holy men.

5 And not as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, afterward to us by the will of God.

6 So that we prayed Titus, that as he began, so also he perform in you this grace.

7 But as ye abound in all things, in faith, and word, and knowing [and science, or knowing], and all busyness, moreover and in your charity into us, that also in this grace ye abound.

8 I say not as commanding, but by the busyness of other men proving also the good wit of your charity.

9 And ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he was made needy for you, when he was rich, that ye should be made rich by his neediness [that ye should be made rich by his mis-ease, or neediness].

10 And I give counsel in this thing; for this is profitable to you, that not only have begun to do, but also ye began to have will from the former year [but and to desire from the former year].

11 But now [Now forsooth] perform ye in deed, that as the discretion of will is ready [to desire good], so be it also of performing of that that ye have.

12 For if the will be ready, it is accepted after that that it hath, not after that that it hath not.

13 And not that it be remission to other men [+Forsooth not that it be remission, or idleness/or sloth, to other men], and to you tribulation;

14 but of evenness in the present time your abundance fulfill the need of them, that also the abundance of them be a fulfilling of your need, that evenness be made; [but of evenness, in this present time your abundance fulfill the mis-ease of them, that and the abundance of them be supplement, or fulfilling, of your mis-ease, or need, that evenness be made;]

15 as it is written, He that [hath] gathered much, was not increased, and he that [had] gathered little, had not less.

16 And I do thankings to God, that gave the same busyness for you in the heart of Titus,

17 for [soothly] he received exhortation; but when he was busier, by his will he went forth to you [with his will he went forth to you].

18 And we sent with him a brother, whose praising is in the gospel by all churches.

19 And not only [praised], but also he is ordained of churches the fellow of our pilgrimage into this grace, that is ministered of us to the glory of the Lord, and to our ordained will;

20 eschewing this thing, that no man blame us in this plenty, that is ministered of us to the glory of the Lord.

21 For we purvey good things, not only before God, but also before all men.

22 For we sent with them also our brother, whom we have proved in many things oft, that he was busy, but now much busier, for much trust in you, [Forsooth we sent with them and our brother, whom we have proved in many things oft, to be busy, now forsooth much busier, in much trust in you,]

23 either for Titus, that is my fellow and helper in you, either for our brethren [either our brethren], apostles of the churches of the glory of Christ.

24 Therefore show ye to them in the face of churches, that showing that is of your charity [the showing that is of your charity] and of our glory for you.