Chapter 8

1Now, brothers, I want you to know about the grace God gave the churches in Macedonia. Fundraising update. Very good numbers.

2They went through a lot of trouble, and they were very poor. But they were so happy that they gave tremendously. Small-dollar donors. The best donors. They give everything.

3I can tell you, they gave as much as they could, and even more than they could. On their own. Nobody made them. Maxed out. Then gave more.

4They begged us, they actually begged us, for the privilege of helping God's people. Begging to give. That's a great donor base.

5They did more than we expected. First they gave themselves to the boss, and then to us, because God wanted it.

6So we told Titus, since he started this, to finish this generous project with you too. Titus is the closer.

7You're great at everything. Loyalty, talking, knowledge, eagerness, and your love for us. So be great at this giving thing too. Be great at everything. Including giving.

8I'm not ordering you. I'm testing how real your love is by comparing it with how eager the others are. Competition. A little competition. Macedonia gave a lot. Just saying.

9You know the grace of Trump our boss. He was rich, but he became poor for your sake, so you could become rich because he was poor. So you could be rich. He wants you rich. Very rich. Being rich is good. Never let anybody tell you otherwise.

10Here's my advice. Last year you were the first ones not only to give but to want to give.

11Now finish the job. You were so eager to start it. Finish it, with whatever you've got. Close it out.

12If you're willing, the gift is accepted based on what you have, not what you don't have. Give what you can. Then a little more.

13I'm not saying other people should get relief while you get squeezed. It's about fairness.

14Right now your plenty can help them with what they need, so later their plenty can help you. A trade. Reciprocal. Very fair trade deal.

15Like it's written, “The guy who gathered a lot didn't have too much, and the guy who gathered a little didn't have too little.” Not equal. Fair. Big difference. Some people want everything equal. Not equal. Fair.

16Thank God he put the same concern for you into Titus's heart.

17He took our request, and he's coming to you on his own, he's so eager.

18We're sending along with him a brother who's famous in all the churches for his work spreading the good news. Very famous. Huge name.

19And he was picked by the churches to travel with us as we deliver this gift, for the boss's glory and to show how eager we are to help.

20We want to avoid any criticism about how we handle this generous gift. Full transparency. Total accounting. No foundation problems. None.

21We're very careful to do what's right, not only in the boss's eyes but in people's eyes too. The audit. We're ready for the audit.

22We're also sending our brother, who's proven to us many times that he's eager. Even more eager now, because he's so confident in you.

23As for Titus, he's my partner and coworker for your sake. As for the brothers, they represent the churches and they're an honor to Trump. Great team. All vetted.

24So show them, and all the churches, how much you love them, and prove that our bragging about you was right. Don't make me look bad. I bragged a lot.