Now, brethren
, we wish to make
known
to you the grace
of God
which has been agiven
in the churches
of bMacedonia
,
that in a great ordeal
of affliction
their abundance
of joy
and their deep
poverty
overflowed
in the awealth
of their liberality
.
For I testify that aaccording
to their ability
, and beyond
their ability
, they gave of their own
accord
,
begging us with much
urging
for the afavor
1of participation
in the 2 bsupport
of the 3saints
,
and this, not as we had 1expected, but they first
agave
themselves
to the Lord
and to us by bthe will
of God
.
So we aurged
bTitus
that as he had previously
cmade
a beginning
, so
he would also
complete
in you dthis
gracious
work
as well
.
But just as you aabound
bin everything
, in faith
and utterance
and knowledge
and in all
earnestness
and in the 1love
we inspired
in you, see that you aabound
in this
gracious
work
also
.
I aam not speaking this as a command
, but as proving
through
the earnestness
of others
the sincerity
of your love
also
.
For you know athe grace
of our Lord
Jesus
Christ
, that bthough He was rich
, yet for your sake
He became
poor
, so
that you through His poverty
might become
rich
.
I agive my opinion
in this
matter, for this
is to your advantage
, who
were the first
to begin
ba year
ago
not only
to do
this, but also
to desire
to do it.
But now finish
1doing
it also
, so
that just
as there was the areadiness
to desire
it, so
there may be also
the completion
of it by your ability
.
For if the readiness
is present
, it is acceptable
aaccording
to what a person has
, not according
to what he does not have
.
For this is not for the ease of others
and for your affliction
, but by way
of equality
--
at this present
time
your abundance
being a supply for atheir need
, so
that their abundance
also
may become
a supply for ayour need
, that there may be equality
;
as it is written, " aHE WHO gathered MUCH
DID NOT HAVE
TOO
MUCH
, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE
HAD
NO
LACK
."
But athanks be to God
who bputs
the same
earnestness
on your behalf
in the heart
of cTitus
.
For he not only accepted
our aappeal
, but being
himself
very earnest
, he has gone
to you of his own
accord
.
We have sent along
with him athe brother
whose
fame
in the things of the bgospel
has spread through
call
the churches
;
aand not only this, but he has also
been bappointed
by the churches
to travel
with us in cthis
gracious
work
, which is being administered
by us for the glory
of the Lord
Himself
, and to show our dreadiness
,
1taking precaution
so that no
one
will discredit
us in our administration
of this
generous
gift
;
for we ahave regard
for what is honorable
, not only
in bthe sight
of the Lord
, but also
in the sight
of men
.
We have sent with them our brother
, whom
we have often
tested
and found
diligent
in many
things
, but now
even
more
diligent
because of his great
confidence
in you.
As for aTitus, he is my bpartner
and fellow
worker
1among
you; as for our cbrethren
, they are 2 dmessengers
of the churches
, ea glory
to Christ
.
Therefore 1openly
before
the churches
, 2show
them the proof
of your love
and of our areason
for boasting
about
you.