2 Corinthians 8 Parallel Bible Translations

2 Corinthians 8 ▼
swipe to see more →
NET
New English Translation
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches 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 during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity. 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 I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, 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 us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping 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 they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 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 Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. 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 as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you--make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too. 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 am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others. 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 you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could 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 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 So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, 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 to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means. 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 eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have. 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 I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. 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 At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may 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 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.| 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 put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you, 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 because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, he is coming to you of his own accord. 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 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel. 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 In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help. 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 We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering. 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 are concerned about what is right 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 are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in 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 If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. 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 Therefore show them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in 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.
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page