2 Corinthians 8-10

II Corinthians 8

¹And we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God, that hath been given in the assemblies of Macedonia,

²because in much trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, did abound to the riches of their liberality;

³because, according to their power, I testify, and above their power, they were willing of themselves,

⁴with much entreaty calling on us to receive the favour and the fellowship of the ministration to the saints,

⁵and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God,

⁶so that we exhorted Titus, that, according as he did begin before, so also he may finish to you also this favour,

⁷but even as in every thing ye do abound, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us, that also in this grace ye may abound;

⁸not according to command do I speak, but because of the diligence of others, and of your love proving the genuineness,

⁹for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor -- being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich.

¹⁰and an opinion in this do I give: for this to you is expedient, who not only to do, but also to will, did begin before -- a year ago,

¹¹and now also finish doing it, that even as there is the readiness of the will, so also the finishing, out of that which ye have,

¹²for if the willing mind is present, according to that which any one may have it is well-accepted, not according to that which he hath not;

¹³for not that for others release, and ye pressured, do I speak,

¹⁴but by equality, at the present time your abundance -- for their want, that also their abundance may be for your want, that there may be equality,

¹⁵according as it hath been written, ‘He who did gather much, had nothing over; and he who did gather little, had no lack.'

¹⁶And thanks to God, who is putting the same diligence for you in the heart of Titus,

¹⁷because indeed the exhortation he accepted, and being more diligent, of his own accord he went forth unto you,

¹⁸and we sent with him the brother, whose praise in the good news is through all the assemblies,

¹⁹and not only so, but who was also appointed by vote by the assemblies, our fellow-traveller, with this favour that is ministered by us, unto the glory of the same Lord, and your willing mind;

²⁰avoiding this, lest any one may blame us in this abundance that is ministered by us,

²¹providing right things, not only before the Lord, but also before men;

²²and we sent with them our brother, whom we proved in many things many times being diligent, and now much more diligent, by the great confidence that is toward you,

²³whether -- about Titus -- my partner and towards you fellow-worker, whether -- our brethren, apostles of assemblies -- glory of Christ;

²⁴the shewing therefore of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf, to them shew ye, even in the face of the assemblies.

II Corinthians 9

¹For, indeed, concerning the ministration that is for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,

²for I have known your readiness of mind, which in your behalf I boast of to Macedonians, that Achaia hath been prepared a year ago, and the zeal of you did stir up the more part,

³and I sent the brethren, that our boasting on your behalf may not be made vain in this respect; that, according as I said, ye may be ready,

⁴lest if Macedonians may come with me, and find you unprepared, we -- we may be put to shame (that we say not -- ye) in this same confidence of boasting.

⁵Necessary, therefore, I thought it to exhort the brethren, that they may go before to you, and may make up before your formerly announced blessing, that this be ready, as a blessing, and not as covetousness.

⁶And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;

⁷each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,

⁸and God is able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work,

⁹(according as it hath been written, ‘He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness doth remain to the age,')

¹⁰and may He who is supplying seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

¹¹in every thing being enriched to all liberality, which doth work through us thanksgiving to God,

¹²because the ministration of this service not only is supplying the wants of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

¹³through the proof of this ministration glorifying God for the subjection of your confession to the good news of the Christ, and for the liberality of the fellowship to them and to all,

¹⁴and by their supplication in your behalf, longing after you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you;

¹⁵thanks also to God for His unspeakable gift!

II Corinthians 10

¹And I, Paul, myself, do call upon you -- through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ -- who in presence, indeed am humble among you, and being absent, have courage toward you,

²and I beseech you, that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;

³for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war,

⁴for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds,

⁵reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

⁶and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.

⁷The things in presence do ye see? if any one hath trusted in himself to be Christ's, this let him reckon again from himself, that according as he is Christ's, so also we are Christ's;

⁸for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;

⁹that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,

¹⁰‘because the letters indeed -- saith one -- are weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech despicable.'

¹¹This one -- let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, we are in deed.

¹²For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,

¹³and we in regard to the unmeasured things will not boast ourselves, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure did appoint to us -- to reach even unto you;

¹⁴for not as not reaching to you do we stretch ourselves overmuch, for even unto you did we come in the good news of the Christ,

¹⁵not boasting of the things not measured, in other men's labours, and having hope -- your faith increasing -- in you to be enlarged, according to our line -- into abundance,

¹⁶in the places beyond you to proclaim good news, not in another's line in regard to the things made ready, to boast;

¹⁷and he who is boasting -- in the Lord let him boast;

¹⁸for not he who is commending himself is approved, but he whom the Lord doth commend.