Parallel Bible results for "2-corinthians 8"

2 Corinthians 8

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 Now, brothers, we must tell you about the grace God has given the congregations in Macedonia.

2 Despite severe trials, and even though they are desperately poor, their joy has overflowed in a wealth of generosity.

3 I tell you they have not merely given according to their means, but of their own free will they have given beyond their means.

4 They begged and pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service for God's people.

5 Also, they didn't do this in the way we had expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord, which means, by God's will, to us.

6 All this has led us to urge Titus to bring this same gracious gift to completion among you, since he has already made a beginning of it.

7 Just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in diligence of every kind, and in your love for us - see that you excel in this gift too.

8 I am not issuing an order; rather, I am testing the genuineness of your love against the diligence of others.

9 For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was - for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty.

10 As I say, in regard to this matter I am only giving an opinion. A year ago you were not only the first to take action but the first to want to do so. Now it would be to your advantage

11 to finish what you started, so that your eagerness in wanting to commence the project may be matched by your eagerness to complete it, as you contribute from what you have.

12 For if the eagerness to give is there, the acceptability of the gift will be measured by what you have, not by what you don't have.

13 It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity:

14 at present your abundance can help those in need; so that when you are in need, their abundance can help you - thus there is reciprocity.

15 It is as the Tanakh says, "He who gathered much had nothing extra, and he who gathered little had nothing lacking."

16 Now I thank God for making Titus as devoted to you as we are;

17 for he not only responded to our urging, but, being so devoted, he is coming to you on his own initiative.

18 And with him we are sending the brother whose work for the Good News is praised in all the congregations;

19 not only that, he has also been appointed by the congregations to travel with us, so that the way we administer this charitable work will bring honor to the Lord and show our eagerness to help.

20 Our aim in this is to show that our conduct in dealing with these substantial sums is above reproach;

21 for we take pains to do what is right not only in the sight of God but also in the sight of other people. i

22 With these two we are sending another brother of ours, one whose diligence we have tested many times in many ways, but who is now all the more diligent because of his great confidence in you.

23 As for Titus, he is my partner who works with me on your behalf; and the other brothers with him are emissaries of the congregations and bring honor to the Messiah.

24 So the love you show these men will justify our pride in you to them, and through them to the congregations that sent them.

New International Version NIV

1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.

2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,

4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.

5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.

6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.

7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.

11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.

12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.

14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality,

15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you.

17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.

18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel.

19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.

20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift.

21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you.

23 As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ.

24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.