2 Corinthians 8:1-8

International Children’s Bible

Christian Giving

8 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God gave the churches in Macedonia. ² They have been tested by great troubles. And they are very poor. But they gave much because of their great joy. ³ I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able. They gave even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it. ⁴ But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God’s people. ⁵ And they gave in a way that we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. This is what God wants. ⁶ So we asked Titus to help you finish this special work of grace. He is the one who started this work. ⁷ You are rich in everything—in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us.^[a] And so we want you to be rich also in this gift of giving.

⁸ I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true love. I do this by showing you that others really want to help.