2 Corinthians

慷慨的捐助

1弟兄们，我把 神赐给马其顿众教会的恩告诉你们，

2就是他们在患难中受大试炼的时候，仍有满足的快乐，在极穷之间还格外显出他们乐捐的厚恩。

3我可以证明，他们是按着力量，而且也过了力量，自己甘心乐意地捐助，

4再三地求我们，准他们在这供给圣徒的恩情上有分；

5并且他们所做的，不但照我们所想望的，更照 神的旨意先把自己献给主，又归附了我们。

6因此我劝提多，既然在你们中间开办这慈惠的事，就当办成了。

7你们既然在信心、口才、知识、热心，和待我们的爱心上，都格外显出满足来，就当在这慈惠的事上也格外显出满足来。

8我说这话，不是吩咐你们，乃是借着别人的热心试验你们爱心的实在。

9你们知道我们主耶稣基督的恩典：他本来富足，却为你们成了贫穷，叫你们因他的贫穷，可以成为富足。

10我在这事上把我的意见告诉你们，是与你们有益；因为你们下手办这事，而且起此心意，已经有一年了，

11如今就当办成这事。既有愿做的心，也当照你们所有的去办成。

12因为人若有愿做的心，必蒙悦纳，乃是照他所有的，并不是照他所无的。

13我原不是要别人轻省，你们受累，

14乃要均平，就是要你们的富余，现在可以补他们的不足，使他们的富余，将来也可以补你们的不足，这就均平了。

15如经上所记：多收的也没有余； 少收的也没有缺。

提多和他的同工

16多谢 神，感动提多的心，叫他待你们殷勤，像我一样。

17他固然是听了我的劝，但自己更是热心，情愿往你们那里去。

18我们还打发一位兄弟和他同去，这人在福音上得了众教会的称赞。

19不但这样，他也被众教会挑选，和我们同行，把所托与我们的这捐资送到了，可以荣耀主，又表明我们乐意的心。

20这就免得有人因我们收的捐银很多，就挑我们的不是。

21我们留心行光明的事，不但在主面前，就在人面前也是这样。

22我们又打发一位兄弟同去；这人的热心，我们在许多事上屡次试验过。现在他因为深信你们，就更加热心了。

23论到提多，他是我的同伴，一同为你们劳碌的。论到那两位兄弟，他们是众教会的使者，是基督的荣耀。

24所以，你们务要在众教会面前显明你们爱心的凭据，并我所夸奖你们的凭据。

Generosity Commended

1Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.

2In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.

3For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,

4they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

5And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, through the will of God.

6So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.

7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

8I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others.

9For 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.

10And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.

11Now finish the work, so that you may complete it with the same eager desire, according to your means.

12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

13It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.

14At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality.

15As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess,and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”

Titus Commended

16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.

17For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.

18Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.

19More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the gracious offeringwe administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.

20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.

21For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.

22And we are sending along with them our brother who has proven his earnestness to us many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.

23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengersof the churches, the glory of Christ.

24In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.