鼓励信徒慷慨捐助

弟兄姊妹,我们现在要让你们知道上帝向马其顿各教会所施的恩典。 他们虽然遭遇极大的患难,受尽熬炼,却充满了喜乐,在极度贫穷的情况下仍然十分慷慨乐捐。 我可以证明,他们是甘心乐意,尽其所能地捐助,甚至超过了自己的能力。 他们恳切地求我们准许他们与有需要的圣徒分享上帝的恩典。 他们这样做超过了我们的期望,并且他们按照上帝的旨意首先把自己献给主,然后献给我们。

所以,我们劝提多要继续完成他早先在你们当中开始的这件善事。 你们既然在信心、口才、知识、热心和对我们的爱心上都有突出的表现,也要在这件善事上有突出的表现。 我说这话并非命令你们,而是借着别人的热心考验一下你们爱心的真伪。 因为你们知道我们主耶稣基督的恩典,祂本来富足,却为你们的缘故变得贫穷,使你们借着祂的贫穷可以变得富足。

10 关于捐助的事,我把自己的意见告诉你们:你们一年前开始捐助,并且甘心乐意——这对你们有益。 11 你们现在要把它完成。你们既有恳切愿意的心,就要有始有终。 12 因为人只要按自己的能力甘心乐意地去做,必蒙上帝悦纳,上帝不会强求人做无法做的事。 13 这不是说要别人脱离困境,要你们陷入困境,乃是要均平。 14 现在你们这些富足的人可以帮补那些有需要的人,以便你们有需要的时候,那些富足的人也可以帮补你们,这样才均平。 15 正如圣经上说:“多拾的没有剩余,少拾的也没有缺乏。”

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Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity 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 be rich.

10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

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The Collection for the Lord’s People

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian(A) churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(B) For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,(C) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing(D) in this service(E) to the Lord’s people.(F) And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged(G) Titus,(H) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion(I) this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything(J)—in faith, in speech, in knowledge,(K) in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

I am not commanding you,(L) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace(M) of our Lord Jesus Christ,(N) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,(O) so that you through his poverty might become rich.(P)

10 And here is my judgment(Q) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.(R) 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness(S) to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,(T) not according to what one does not have.

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,(U) so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[b](V)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us
  2. 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18