8:1  Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which He gave to the churches of Macedonia,

8:2   that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

8:3   For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,

8:4  begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,

8:5   and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

8:6   So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.

8:7   But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.

8:8   I do not speak this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

8:9   For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He had riches , yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

8:10   I give my opinion in this matter, for this proves your advantage, who became the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.

8:11   But now finish doing it also, so that just as you had the readiness to desire it, so you may complete it by your ability.

8:12   For if the readiness has presented itself, we find it acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

8:13   For this occurs not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality--

8:14   at this present time your abundance providing a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may come equality;

8:15   as the scriptures say, " HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK."

8:16   But we give thanks to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus.

8:17   For he not only accepted our appeal, but showing himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.

8:18   We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches;

8:19   and not only this, but he has also received appointment by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which the Lord administered by us for the His glory , and to show our readiness,

8:20  taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;

8:21   for we have regard for what proves honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

8:22   We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.

8:23   As for Titus, he serves as my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they serve as messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

8:24   Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.