2 Corinthians 8:1-15 - Generosity In Giving

¹ And we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God which has been bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia; ² that, in much trial of tribulation, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. ³ For, according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord; ⁴ beseeching us with much entreaty as to the grace and the participation in the ministering to the saints; ⁵ and they did this not as we hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God; ⁶ so that we exhorted Titus that, as he began before, so also he would finish in you this same grace also. ⁷ But, as ye abound in everything??n faith, and speech, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us??ee that ye abound in this grace also.

⁸ I am not speaking by way of command; but as proving, through the diligence of others, the sincerity of your love. ⁹ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might become rich. ¹⁰ And I give my judgment in this; for this is profitable for you, who, indeed, began before others, a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. ¹¹ And now complete the doing also; that, as there was a readiness to will, so also there may be the completion out of what ye have; ¹² for, if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he has not. ¹³ For it is not that there may be relief to others, but distress to you; ¹⁴ but, by the rule of equality, your abundance being a supply, at the present time, for their deficiency; that also their abundance may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality: ¹⁵ as it has been written, "He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack."