Bible in Basic English
And going even farther than our hope, they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us after the purpose of God.
So that we made a request to Titus that, as he had made a start before, so he might make this grace complete in you.
And that as you are full of every good thing, of faith, of the word, of knowledge, of a ready mind, and of love to us, so you may be full of this grace in the same way.
I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of others as a test of the quality of your love.
For you see the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how though he had wealth, he became poor on your account, so that through his need you might have wealth.
And in this I give my opinion: for it is to your profit, who were the first to make a start a year before, not only to do this, but to make clear that your minds were more than ready to do it.
Then make the doing of it complete; so that as you had a ready mind, you may give effect to it as you are able.
For if there is a ready mind, a man will have God's approval in the measure of what he has, and not of what he has not.
And I am not saying this so that others may get off free, while the weight comes on you:
But so that things may be equal; that from those things of which you have more than enough at the present time their need may be helped, and that if you are in any need they may be a help to you in the same way, making things equal.
As it says in the Writings, He who had taken up much had nothing over and he who had little had enough.
But praise be to God, who puts the same care for you into the heart of Titus.
For while he gladly gave ear to our request, he was interested enough to go to you from the impulse of his heart.
And with him we have sent a brother whose praise in the good news has gone through all the churches;
And not only so, but he was marked out by the churches to go with us in the grace of this giving which we have undertaken to the glory of the Lord and to make clear that our mind was ready:
And so that no man might be able to say anything against us in the business of this giving which has been put into our hands:
For the business has been so ordered by us as to have the approval, not only of the Lord, but of men.
And we have sent with them our brother, whose ready spirit has been made clear to us at times and in ways without number, but it is now all the more so because of the certain faith which he has in you.
If any question comes up about Titus, he is my brother-worker, working with me for you; or about the others, they are the representatives of the churches to the glory of Christ.
Make clear then to them, as representatives of the churches, the quality of your love, and that the things which we have said about you are true.
— 2 Corinthians 8:5-1964, Bible in Basic English
“and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also. But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. But now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not. For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed; but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality: as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. But thanks be to God, who putteth the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. For he accepted indeed our exhortation; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord. And we have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches; and not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter of this grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to show our readiness: avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us: for we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he hath in you. Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow-worker to you-ward; or our brethren, they are the messengers of the churches, they are the glory of Christ. Show ye therefore unto them in the face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your behalf. ”
“This was not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. So we urged Titus, that as he made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace. But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that you also abound in this grace. I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. I give a judgment in this: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing. But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don't have. For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed, but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack; that there may be equality. As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack." But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord. We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known through all the assemblies. Not only so, but who was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness. We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us. Having regard for honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. We have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ. Therefore show the proof of your love to them in front of the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.”
How while they were undergoing every sort of trouble, and were in the greatest need, they took all the greater joy in being able to give freely to the needs of others.
For I give them witness, that as they were able, and even more than they were able, they gave from the impulse of their hearts,
Seriously requesting us that they might have a part in this grace of being servants to the needs of the saints:
And going even farther than our hope, they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us after the purpose of God.
So that we made a request to Titus that, as he had made a start before, so he might make this grace complete in you.
And that as you are full of every good thing, of faith, of the word, of knowledge, of a ready mind, and of love to us, so you may be full of this grace in the same way.
I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of others as a test of the quality of your love.
For you see the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how though he had wealth, he became poor on your account, so that through his need you might have wealth.
And in this I give my opinion: for it is to your profit, who were the first to make a start a year before, not only to do this, but to make clear that your minds were more than ready to do it.
Then make the doing of it complete; so that as you had a ready mind, you may give effect to it as you are able.
For if there is a ready mind, a man will have God's approval in the measure of what he has, and not of what he has not.
And I am not saying this so that others may get off free, while the weight comes on you:
But so that things may be equal; that from those things of which you have more than enough at the present time their need may be helped, and that if you are in any need they may be a help to you in the same way, making things equal.
As it says in the Writings, He who had taken up much had nothing over and he who had little had enough.
But praise be to God, who puts the same care for you into the heart of Titus.
For while he gladly gave ear to our request, he was interested enough to go to you from the impulse of his heart.
And with him we have sent a brother whose praise in the good news has gone through all the churches;
And not only so, but he was marked out by the churches to go with us in the grace of this giving which we have undertaken to the glory of the Lord and to make clear that our mind was ready:
And so that no man might be able to say anything against us in the business of this giving which has been put into our hands:
For the business has been so ordered by us as to have the approval, not only of the Lord, but of men.
And we have sent with them our brother, whose ready spirit has been made clear to us at times and in ways without number, but it is now all the more so because of the certain faith which he has in you.
If any question comes up about Titus, he is my brother-worker, working with me for you; or about the others, they are the representatives of the churches to the glory of Christ.
Make clear then to them, as representatives of the churches, the quality of your love, and that the things which we have said about you are true.