2 Corinthians 8

My fellow believers, we want to tell you about what God has graciously enabled the groups of believers {here} in Macedonia province to do.

Even though they suffered very much, which tested {how they would respond}, they were extremely generous. They were very joyful {as they did this}, even though they had very little. \*

In fact, I can tell you that {they offered} as much as they could afford, and even more than they could afford. They were the ones who chose to do this.

They were very insistent when they urged us to accept {what they were giving}. They wanted to share in serving God’s people.

Further, they did even more than what we had expected. They dedicated themselves primarily to {serving} the Lord {Jesus} and then also to {serving} us. {That is} just what God wants. \*

Because of that, we encouraged Titus to finish accepting what you are giving, especially since he had already started {doing so}.

As for you, you are already doing well in so many ways. {This includes} how you trust {God}, what you say, how much you know, how you are always eager {to do what is right}, and how much we love you. So, you should also do well in giving {money for fellow believers}. \*

I am not ordering you {to give money}. Rather, I want to show that you really care {for fellow believers} by comparing {what you do} with how other people are always eager {to give money}.

{You should be eager to give money} because you realize that our Lord, Jesus the Messiah, kindly gave up everything he had to help you. {He did that even though} he had very many things. He wanted to give you many things by himself giving up what he had. \*

I am telling you what I think about giving money, because hearing what I think helps you. Last year, you both wanted to and did start {giving money}.

Right now, you should finish what you started. That way, what you finish doing matches what you eagerly wanted {to do}, {which is to give some} of what you have.

Now God approves of {what people give} based on what they have, not based on what they do not have. {This is true} as long as they are eager {to give}. \*

So, it is not that I want you to suffer while other believers do well. Rather, I want {believers to share what they have} equally.

Right now, how much you have can help people who do not have much. Then, when those people have much and you have little, they can help you. That way, believers share {what they have} equally.

{We want it to be} like what someone wrote {when God powerfully gave food to the Israelites}: “The people who had much did not have more than they needed. The people who had little did not have less than they needed.” \*

We thank God for causing Titus to be eager {to care} for you, just like we are.

Indeed, he is visiting you partly because he listened to us urging him {to do so}. Mostly, however, {he is visiting you} because he is so eager {to care for you} that he himself chose {to visit you}. \*

We have chosen a fellow believer to go with Titus. Many groups of believers commend him {because of what he does} for the sake of the good news.

More than that, the groups of believers selected him to travel with me. He is helping us as we work to accept {money for the believers in Jerusalem}. {Accepting this money} honors the Lord {God} and demonstrates how eager we are {to care for fellow believers}. \*

So, we are doing what we can to keep others from criticizing us for what we do {with this money} that people have generously given.

As you can see, before {we started to collect this money}, we planned how to do it well. {We considered} what the Lord {God} thinks, but we also {considered} what other people think. \*

We have chosen another fellow believer to go with Titus and the other man {I have been speaking about}. We have tested him and know for sure that he is eager {to serve God}. In fact, because he is very confident that you {will do what is right}, right now he is particularly eager {to serve with you}.

{I recommend these men.} Titus joins me {in what I do} and works with me to help you. The groups of believers send the other two fellow believers, and they honor the Messiah.

So then, show these three men and also the groups of believers that you really do care {for fellow believers} and that the great things we say about you really are true. \*