2Cor.8.1
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2Cor.8.1
Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province.
2Cor.8.1
And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
2Cor.8.1
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
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Now I want to tell you, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done for the churches in Macedonia.
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How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
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Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts.
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Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
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that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
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Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity.
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For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
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I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could--far more than they could afford!-
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For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
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For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,
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For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will.
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Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
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pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians.
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they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
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imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
2Cor.8.4
They begged us again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift for the Christians in Jerusalem.
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And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
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This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.
2Cor.8.5
And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
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And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
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Best of all, they went beyond our highest hopes, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us for whatever directions God might give them.
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Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
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That's what prompted us to ask Titus to bring the relief offering to your attention, so that what was so well begun could be finished up.
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So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
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So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.
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So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to complete your share in this ministry of giving.
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Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
2Cor.8.7
You do so well in so many things--you trust God, you're articulate, you're insightful, you're passionate, you love us--now, do your best in this, too.
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But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
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But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us--see that you abound in this grace also.
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Since you excel in so many ways--you have so much faith, such gifted speakers, such knowledge, such enthusiasm, and such love for us--now I want you to excel also in this gracious ministry of giving.
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I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
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I'm not trying to order you around against your will. But by bringing in the Macedonians' enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you.
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I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
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I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.
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I am not saying you must do it, even though the other churches are eager to do it. This is one way to prove your love is real.
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For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2Cor.8.9
You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us--in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.
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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.
2Cor.8.9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
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You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
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And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
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So here's what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale.
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And here is my advice 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.
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And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago;
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I suggest that you finish what you started a year ago, for you were the first to propose this idea, and you were the first to begin doing something about it.
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Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
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Your heart's been in the right place all along. You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it.
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Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
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but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.
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Now you should carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it. Give whatever you can according to what you have.
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For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
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Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands.
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For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
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For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
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If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don't have.
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For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
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This isn't so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you're shoulder to shoulder with them all the way,
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Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.
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For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;
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Of course, I don't mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little. I only mean that there should be some equality.
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But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
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your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even.
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At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality,
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but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack--that there may be equality.
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Right now you have plenty and can help them. Then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, everyone's needs will be met.
2Cor.8.15
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
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As it is written, Nothing left over to the one with the most, Nothing lacking to the one with the least.
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as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."
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As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."
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Do you remember what the Scriptures say about this? "Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough."
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But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
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I thank God for giving Titus the same devoted concern for you that I have.
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I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you.
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But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
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I am thankful to God that he has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have.
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For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
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He was most considerate of how we felt, but his eagerness to go to you and help out with this relief offering is his own idea.
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For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.
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For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord.
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He welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was eager to go and see you.
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And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
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We're sending a companion along with him, someone very popular in the churches for his preaching of the Message.
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And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel.
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And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches,
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We are also sending another brother with Titus. He is highly praised in all the churches as a preacher of the Good News.
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And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
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But there's far more to him than popularity. He's rock-solid trustworthy. The churches handpicked him to go with us as we travel about doing this work of sharing God's gifts to honor God as well as we can,
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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.
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and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind,
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He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem--a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.
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Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
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taking every precaution against scandal. We don't want anyone suspecting us of taking one penny of this money for ourselves.
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We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift.
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avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us--
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By traveling together we will guard against any suspicion, for we are anxious that no one should find fault with the way we are handling this generous gift.
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Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
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We're being as careful in our reputation with the public as in our reputation with God.
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For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.
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providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
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We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to know we are honorable.
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And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
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That's why we're sending another trusted friend along. He's proved his dependability many times over, and carries on as energetically as the day he started. He's heard much about you, and liked what he's heard--so much so that he can't wait to get there.
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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.
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And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you.
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And we are also sending with them another brother who has been thoroughly tested and has shown how earnest he is on many occasions. He is now even more enthusiastic because of his increased confidence in you.
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Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
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I don't need to say anything further about Titus. We've been close associates in this work of serving you for a long time. The brothers who travel with him are delegates from churches, a real credit to Christ.
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As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ.
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If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
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If anyone asks about Titus, say that he is my partner who works with me to help you. And these brothers are representatives of the churches. They are splendid examples of those who bring glory to Christ.
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Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
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Show them what you're made of, the love I've been talking up in the churches. Let them see it for themselves!
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Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.
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Therefore show to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
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So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.
