2 Corinthians 8 Parallel Bible Translations

2 Corinthians 8 ▼
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1 But we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia; We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their [free-hearted] liberality. for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
3 For according to [their] power, I bear witness, and beyond [their] power, [they were] willing of their own accord, For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
4 begging of us with much entreaty [to give effect to] the grace and fellowship of the service which [was to be rendered] to the saints. begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.
5 And not according as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us by God's will. and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 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 that we begged Titus that, according as he had before begun, so he would also complete as to you this grace also; Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 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 even as ye abound in every way, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in love from you to us, that ye may abound in this grace also. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 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 do not speak as commanding [it], but through the zeal of others, and proving the genuineness of your love. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 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 ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes he, being rich, became poor, in order that ye by his poverty might be enriched. 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 by his poverty might become rich. 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 I give [my] opinion in this, for this is profitable for you who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 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 But now also complete the doing of it; so that as [there was] the readiness to be willing, so also to complete out of what ye have. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 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 readiness be there, [a man is] accepted according to what he may have, not according to what he has not. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13 For [it is] not in order that there may be ease for others, and for you distress, For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.
14 but [on the principle] of equality; in the present time your abundance for their lack, that their abundance may be for your lack, so that there should be equality. your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 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 According as it is written, He who [gathered] much had no excess, and he who [gathered] little was nothing short. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” 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 But thanks [be] to God, who gives the same diligent zeal for you in the heart of Titus. But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you.
17 For he received indeed the entreaty, but, being full of zeal, he went of his own accord to you; For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.
18 but we have sent with him the brother whose praise [is] in the glad tidings through all the assemblies; With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel.
19 and not only [so], but [is] also chosen by the assemblies as our fellow-traveller with this grace, ministered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and [a witness of] our readiness; And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 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 avoiding this, that any one should blame us in this abundance [which is] administered by us; We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift.
21 for we provide for things honest, not only before [the] Lord, but also before men. for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 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 And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved to be of diligent zeal in many things, and now more diligently zealous through the great confidence [he has] as to you. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 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 Whether as regards Titus, [he is] my companion and fellow-labourer in your behalf; or our brethren, [they are] deputed messengers of assemblies, Christ's glory. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 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 Shew therefore to them, before the assemblies, the proof of your love, and of our boasting about you. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. 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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