2 Corinthians 8:1
ESV
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,
NIV
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
NASB
Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
CSB
We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia:
NLT
Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.
KJV
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
NKJV
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
What does 2 Corinthians 8:1 mean?
After praising the Corinthians for their repentance and humility in response to his letter of rebuke, Paul addresses his effort to raise funds for the suffering Christians in Jerusalem.He begins by praising the churches in the region of Macedonia, which would have included the towns of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. He wants the Christians in Corinth to know how God's grace has been given to these churches. This was true in the sense that people in this region had heard Paul's preaching of the gospel during his second missionary journey and received Christ as Savior (Acts 16:12–40; 17:1–15). Paul's point here, though, was to provide evidence of God's grace to these believers—their own generosity in giving funds to the collection. Paul teaches that the choice to freely give money to meet the needs of other believers is evidence that the givers have themselves received God's grace.
