2 Corinthians 8:1-15 - Generosity In Giving

¹ Now we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, ² that with a great ordeal of affliction, the abundance of their joy and the extreme depth of their poverty have overflowed to the wealth of their generosity. ³ I testify that [they gave] according to [their] ability, and beyond [their] ability, by their own choice, ⁴ requesting of us with much exhortation the favor and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints, ⁵ and not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and [then] to us, by the will of God. ⁶ So we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun [it], thus he would also complete for you this [act of] grace. ⁷ But just as you excel in everything--in faith and in speaking and in knowledge and with all diligence and in the love from us [that is] in you--so may you excel in this grace also.

⁸ I am not saying [this] as a command, but proving the genuineness of your love by means of the diligence of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that [although he] was rich, for your sake he became poor, in order that you, by his poverty, may become rich. ¹⁰ And I am giving an opinion in this [matter], because this is profitable for you who not only began previously, a year ago, to do [something], but also to want [to do it]. ¹¹ So now also complete the doing [of it], in order that just as [you have] the eagerness to want [to do it], thus also [you may] complete [it] from [what you] have. ¹² For if the eagerness is present {according to what one has}, [it is] acceptable not {according to what one does not have}. ¹³ For [this is] not that for others [there may be] relief, [and] for you difficult circumstances, but [as a matter] of equality. ¹⁴ At the present time your abundance [will be] for their need, in order that their abundance may also be for your need, so that there may be equality, ¹⁵ just 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."