Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Chapter 7

¹ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from anything that can defile flesh or spirit, and thereby make our holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Trust Reestablished. ² Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn you, for I have already told you that your place in our hearts is secure, so that we will live together and we will die together. ⁴ I have great confidence in you, and I boast about you with intense pride. Despite all of our afflictions, I am greatly encouraged and overflowing with joy.

^5 [a]Even when we arrived in Macedonia, we were unable to rest our bodies, for we were afflicted in every way: conflicts on the outside and fears on the inside. ⁶ But God, who comforts the downcast, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus— ⁷ and not merely by his arrival but also by the encouragement he received from you. He told us of your longing for me, your deep regrets, and your zeal for me, all of which cause me even greater joy.

⁸ Even if I did cause you sorrow with my letter, I do not regret it. I did regret this letter briefly, but, having come to realize that you were sorrowful only for a short time, ⁹ I now am able to rejoice, not because you were grieved but because your sorrow led to repentance. For you were sorrowful in a godly way and so received no harm because of us. ¹⁰ Such godly sorrow results in repentance that leads to salvation and causes no regret, whereas worldly sorrow produces death.

¹¹ For see what earnestness this godly sorrow has produced for you, what eagerness to repent, what indignation, what fear, what yearning, what zeal, what desire to see justice done. In every way, you have proved your innocence in this matter.

¹² Therefore, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who committed the offense or on account of the one who was wronged, but rather that you should be fully aware of your zeal for us in the sight of God. ¹³ In this we have been greatly encouraged.

In addition to being encouraged ourselves, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his mind has been completely refreshed by all of you. ¹⁴ Anything I may have said to him in boasting about you has not caused me to feel ashamed. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus has proved equally true. ¹⁵ And his affection for you grows even more as he recalls the obedience of all of you and how you welcomed him in fear and trembling. ¹⁶ I rejoice because I can rely completely on you.

The Collection for the Christians of Jerusalem^[b]

Chapter 8

Example of Christians of Macedonia. ¹ Now we want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God that has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia. ² In a period of severe affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in rich generosity on their part. ³ I can testify that they contributed to the limit of their resources, and even beyond, ⁴ begging us insistently for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

⁵ Far exceeding our expectations, they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then, by the will of God, to us. ⁶ As a result, we urged Titus that, inasmuch as he had already begun this work of charity, he should bring this enterprise to a successful completion among you.

The Example of Christ. ⁷ Now, inasmuch as you excel in everything—in your faith, your eloquence, your knowledge, your concern for others, and your love for us^[c]—so we want you also to excel in this generous undertaking.

⁸ I am not saying this to you as a command, but rather I am testing the genuine character of your love by the concern you show for others. ⁹ For you are well aware of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich, he became poor for your sake so that by his poverty you might become rich.^[d]

¹⁰ I will now give you my advice about what I believe is appropriate in this matter. Last year, you were the first not only to engage in this good work but also to do so willingly. ¹¹ Now finish it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. ¹² As long as the goodwill is present, the gift will be acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

¹³ I am not suggesting that others should have relief while you are reduced to difficult straits. Rather, there should be an equitable balance. ¹⁴ Your surplus at the present time should relieve the needs of others, so that at another time their surplus may relieve your needs, and in this way there will be equality. ¹⁵ As it is written,

¹⁶ Paul Recommends the Delegates. Thanks be to God for putting into the heart of Titus a concern for you that is the equal of mine. ¹⁷ For he not only welcomed our request, but, because of his great concern, he is coming to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ Together with him, we are sending the brother who is praised by all the Churches for his proclamation of the gospel.^{[e] 19} In addition, he has also been appointed by the Churches to be our traveling companion as we engage in our charitable work for the glory of the Lord and to show our eagerness to be of service.

²⁰ In this way, we want to ensure that no one will be able to criticize us for our handling of this generous collection. ²¹ For we intend to do what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of others.

²² And with them, we are also sending our brother^[f] whose dedication we have tested in many ways and found to be exemplary. Now he is even more dedicated than before because of his great confidence in you.

²³ As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker in your service. And as for the others, they are the apostles of the Churches and the glory of Christ. ²⁴ Therefore, show these men, and all the Churches, the proof of your love and the legitimacy of our boasting about you.

Chapter 9

Let the Offering Be Ready. ¹ In regard to the ministry toward the saints, there really is no necessity for me to write to you. ² For I am fully aware of your eagerness to help, which has been the subject of my boasting about you to the Macedonians, telling them that Achaia has been ready since last year. Your ardor has excited most of them.

³ Nevertheless, I am sending the brethren to ensure that our boasts about you may not seem to have been offered in vain. I want you to be as prepared as I said you would be. ⁴ For if I bring some Macedonians with me and they come to the realization that you are not prepared, it would be a source of shame to us—to say nothing of you—because of our confidence in you. ⁵ Therefore, I thought it necessary to encourage the brethren to go on to you ahead of us and arrange in advance for the gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a genuine gift and not as something that has been granted grudgingly.

God Loves a Cheerful Giver. ⁶ Remember this: if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, and if you sow generously, you will reap generously as well. ⁷ Each person should give as much as he has decided in his heart, not with reluctance or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to enrich you with an abundance of every grace, so that, with all of your needs provided for, you may be able to produce a surplus of good works. ⁹ As it is written,

¹⁰ Generosity Will Prompt Thanksgiving. The one who provides seed for sowing and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ Enriched in every way, you will be able to practice all your acts of generosity, which, through our intervention, will result in thanksgiving to God.

¹² The administering of this public service not only helps to satisfy the needs of the saints but also overflows in countless acts of thanksgiving to God. ¹³ Through the evidence of such service, you are giving glory to God for your obedient profession of the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your contribution to them and to all others as well. ¹⁴ At the same time, their hearts will go out to you in their prayers for you, because of the surpassing grace that God has bestowed upon you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.^[g]