2 Corinthians 8 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Generosity and Grace

1 Now ^G1161 brothers ^G80, we make ^G1107 known ^G1107 to you the grace ^G5485 of God ^G2316 which has been given ^G1325 in the churches ^G1577 of Macedonia ^G3109,

2 that in a great ^G4183 testing ^G1382 by affliction ^G2347 their abundance ^G4050 of joy ^G5479 and their deep ^G899 poverty ^G4432 abounded ^G4052 unto the richness ^G4149 of their [fn]generosity ^G572. 3 For I testify ^G3140 that according ^G2596 to their ability ^G1411, and beyond ^G3844 their ability ^G1411, they gave of their own ^G830 accord ^G830, 4 begging ^G1189 us with much ^G4183 urging ^G3874 for the grace ^G5485 [fn]of sharing ^G2842 in the ministry ^G1248 to the saints ^G40, 5 and this, not as we had [fn]expected ^G1679, but they first ^G4413 gave ^G1325 themselves ^G1438 to the Lord ^G2962 and to us by the will ^G2307 of God ^G2316. 6 So ^G3779 we encouraged ^G3870 Titus ^G5103 that as he had previously ^G4278 made ^G4278 a ^G2478 beginning ^G4278, so ^G3779 he would also ^G2532 complete ^G2005 in you this ^G3778 gracious ^G5485 work ^G5485 as well ^G2532.

7 But just ^G5618 as you abound ^G4052 in everything ^G3956, in faith ^G4102 and word ^G3056 and knowledge ^G1108 and in all ^G3956 earnestness ^G4710 and in [fn]the love ^G26 we inspired ^G1537 in you, see that you abound ^G4052 in this ^G3778 gracious ^G5485 work ^G5485 also ^G2532. 8 I am not speaking ^G3004 this as a command ^G2003, but as proving ^G1381 through ^G1223 the earnestness ^G4710 of others ^G2087 the sincerity ^G1103 of your love ^G26 also ^G2532. 9 For you know ^G1097 the grace ^G5485 of our Lord ^G2962 Jesus ^G2424 Christ ^G5547, that though being rich ^G4145, yet for your sake ^G1223 He became ^G4433 poor ^G4434, so ^G2443 that you through His poverty ^G4432 might become ^G4147 rich ^G4147. 10 And I give ^G1325 my opinion ^G1106 in this ^G3778 matter, for this ^G3778 is ^G4851 profitable ^G4851 for you, who ^G3748 were the first ^G4278 to ^G4278 begin ^G4278 a year ^G4070 ago ^G4070 not only ^G3440 to do ^G4160 this, but also ^G2532 to desire ^G2309 to do it. 11 But now ^G3570 complete ^G2005 [fn]doing ^G4160 it also ^G2532, so ^G3779 that just ^G2509 as ^G2509 there was the readiness ^G4288 to desire ^G2309 it, so ^G3779 there may be also ^G2532 the completion ^G2005 of it from what you have ^G2192. 12 For if ^G1487 the readiness ^G4288 is present ^G4295, it is acceptable ^G2144 according ^G2526 to ^G2526 what ^G2526 a person has ^G2192, not according ^G2526 to ^G2526 what ^G2526 he does not have ^G2192. 13 For this is not for the relief ^G425 of others ^G243 and for your affliction ^G2347, but by way ^G1537 of equality ^G2471— 14 at this ^G3588 present ^G3568 time ^G2540 your abundance ^G4051 being a supply for their need ^G5303, so ^G2443 that their abundance ^G4051 also ^G2532 may become ^G1096 a supply for your need ^G5303, that there may be equality ^G2471. 15 As it is written ^G1125, “HE WHO gathered MUCH ^G4183 DID NOT HAVE ^G4121 TOO ^G4121 MUCH ^G4121, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE ^G3641 HAD ^G1641 NO ^G3756 LACK ^G1641.”

16 But [fn]thanks ^G5485 be to God ^G2316 who puts ^G1325 the same ^G846 earnestness ^G4710 on ^G5228 your behalf ^G5228 in the heart ^G2588 of Titus ^G5103. 17 For he not only ^G3303 accepted ^G1209 our plea ^G3874, but being ^G5225 himself ^G830 very earnest ^G4705, he has gone ^G1831 out ^G1831 to you of his own ^G830 accord ^G830. 18 And we have sent ^G4842 along ^G4842 with him the brother ^G80 whose ^G3739 praise ^G1868 in the things of the gospel ^G2098 is throughout ^G1223 all ^G3956 the churches ^G1577. 19 And not only ^G3440 this, but he has also ^G2532 been appointed ^G5500 by the churches ^G1577 to travel ^G4898 with us in this ^G3778 gracious ^G5485 work ^G5485 that is being ministered ^G1247 by us for the glory ^G1391 of the Lord ^G2962 Himself ^G846, and to show our readiness ^G4288, 20 [fn]taking ^G4724 precaution ^G4724 lest anyone ^G5100 discredits ^G3469 us in our ministering ^G1247 of this ^G3778 generous ^G100 gift ^G100, 21 for we respect ^G4306 what is good ^G2570, not only ^G3440 in ^G1779 the ^G1799 sight ^G1799 of ^G1799 the Lord ^G2962, but also ^G2532 in ^G1799 the ^G1799 sight ^G1799 of ^G1799 men ^G444. 22 And we have sent ^G4842 with them our brother ^G80, whom ^G3739 we have often ^G4178 tested ^G1381 and found ^G1510 earnest ^G4705 in many ^G4183 things ^G4183, but now ^G3570 even ^G4183 more ^G4183 earnest ^G4705 because of his great ^G4183 confidence ^G4006 in you. 23 As for Titus ^G5103, he is my partner ^G2844 and fellow ^G4904 worker ^G4904 [fn]among ^G1519 you; as for our brothers ^G80, they are [fn]messengers ^G652 of the churches ^G1577, a glory ^G1391 to Christ ^G5547. 24 Therefore ^G3767 [fn]openly ^G4383 before ^G1519 G4383 the churches ^G1577, [fn]show ^G1731 them the proof ^G1732 of your love ^G26 and of our reason ^G2746 for ^G2746 boasting ^G2746 about ^G5228 you.