Acts 24:17, Romans 15:25, 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15 - LSB - Legacy Standard Bible

2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15

Generosity and Grace

Now brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been ^agiven in the churches of ^bMacedonia, 2 that in a great testing by affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the ^arichness of their ¹generosity. 3 For I testify that ^aaccording to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the ^agrace ¹of sharing in the ^bministry to the saints, 5 and this, not as we had ¹expected, but they first ^agave themselves to the Lord and to us by ^bthe will of God. 6 So we ^aencouraged ^bTitus that as he had previously ^cmade a beginning, so he would also complete in you ^dthis gracious work as well.
7 But just as you ^aabound ^bin everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in ¹the love we inspired in you, see that you ^aabound in this gracious work also. 8 I ^aam not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 9 For you know ^athe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^bthough being rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 And I ^agive my opinion in this matter, for this is profitable for you, who were the first to begin ^ba year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11 But now complete ¹doing it also, so that just as there was the ^areadiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it from what you have. 12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable ^aaccording to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the relief of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for ^atheir need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for ^ayour need, that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “^aHe who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
16 But ¹^athanks be to God who ^bputs the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of ^cTitus. 17 For he not only accepted our ^aplea, but being himself very earnest, he has gone out to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent along with him ^athe brother whose praise in the things of the ^bgospel is throughout ^call the churches. 19 ^aAnd not only this, but he has also been ^bappointed by the churches to travel with us in ^cthis gracious work that is being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ^dreadiness, 20 ¹taking precaution lest anyone discredits us in our ministering of this generous gift, 21 for we ^arespect what is good, not only in ^bthe sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found earnest in many things, but now even more earnest because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for ^aTitus, he is my ^bpartner and fellow worker ¹among you; as for our ^cbrothers, they are ²^dmessengers of the churches, ^ea glory to Christ. 24 Therefore ¹openly before the churches, ²show them the proof of your love and of our ^areason for boasting about you.

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

For ^ait is superfluous for me to write to you about this ^bministry to the ¹saints; 2 for I know your readiness, of which I ^aboast about you to the ^bMacedonians, that ^cAchaia has been prepared since ^dlast year, and your zeal stirred up most of them. 3 But I have sent the brothers, in order that our ^aboasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, ^bas I was saying, you may be prepared; 4 lest if any ^aMacedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—be put to shame in this certainty of ours. 5 So I regarded it necessary to encourage the ^abrothers that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised ^bblessing, so that the same would be ready as a ^cblessing and not as a ¹^dbegrudging obligation.
6 Now this I say, ^ahe who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not ^agrudgingly or under compulsion, for ^bGod loves a cheerful giver. 8 And ^aGod is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,

“^aHe scattered abroad, he gave to the needy,

His righteousness ¹stands forever.”

10 Now He who supplies ^aseed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and ^bincrease the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be ^aenriched in everything for all generosity, which through us is bringing about ^bthanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying ^athe needs of the ¹saints, but is also abounding ^bthrough many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proven character given by this ^aministry, they will ^bglorify God for your obedience to your ^cconfession of the ^dgospel of Christ and for the ¹generosity of your ²fellowship toward them and toward all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, long for you because of the surpassing grace of God on you. 15 ¹^aThanks be to God for His indescribable ^bgift!

Acts 24:17

Romans 15:25

1 Corinthians 16:1

The Collection of Gifts

2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15

Generosity and Grace

God Loves a Cheerful Giver