February 25, 2026
2 Corinthians 8 ESV
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.
Discussion Questions:
In chapter 8 the Apostle Paul turns to the topic of the collection for the poor in Jerusalem (“relief of the saints” verse 4).
1) In verses 1-15 the Apostle Paul is appealing to the brethren in Corinth to contribute. How does the Apostle Paul encourage them to give generously?
2) In verses 16-24 Paul informs the Corinthian brethren that three brothers will be coming to Corinth to collect the money.
· Titus
· Brother “A” (verses 18-21)
· Brother “B” (verse 22)
Why are three brothers commissioned to do this work?
Discussion Summary:
Verses 1-15: Paul appealed to the Corinthian brethren to take up the collection for the poor brethren in Jerusalem. He gives them the example of the brethren in Macedonia in northern Greece. These brethren were poorer than the brethren in southern Greece but they gave generously. The brethren in Corinth had worked through many of their issues and Paul recalled the positive things that they were known for in verse 7. He told them that they excelled in many things and they should excel in giving. Paul reminded them of how generous Jesus had been in coming to earth as their saviour. Their giving should be an outpouring of their heart for what Jesus had done for them. Paul also used an example from the Old Testament in Exodus 16:18. This refers to the gathering of manna every morning by the Israelites while in the wilderness. Even though they could not gather more than one day’s worth, and even though some gathered more and some less, everyone always had what was needed.
This collection is often referred to by other words such as “grace” in verse 1. While this has the meaning of generosity, it also can have theological implications. This shows that the collection meant more than just money for brethren. It was a way to establish unity and brotherhood between the Jewish and gentile brethren. It made them see themselves as one body of Christ.
Verses 16-24: Three brothers were appointed by Paul to handle the collection of the money. In this way they were witnesses that the funds of which Paul was ultimately responsible for, were being handled properly. We also read in 2 Corinthians 11:26 that bandits were a problem that Paul had dealt with in the past. He was assuring the brethren that these funds would be safeguarded on the way to Jerusalem.
No one knows exactly who these two brethren accompanying Titus were. We do know that they were part of the brothers that accompanied Paul and helped him in his ministry. In Acts 20:4 we are given some of the names of these brethren.
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