1 N ow, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:

2 t hat in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

3 F or I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,

For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

4 b egging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,

imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

5 a nd this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.

6 S o we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.

So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.

7 B ut just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.

But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us— see that you abound in this grace also. Christ Our Pattern

8 I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.

9 F or you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

10 I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.

And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago;

11 B ut now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.

but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.

12 F or if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

13 F or this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;

14 a t this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality;

but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.

15 a s it is written, “ He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” Collection for the Judean Saints

16 B ut thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus.

But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

17 F or he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.

For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord.

18 W e have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches;

And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches,

19 a nd not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness,

and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind,

20 t aking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;

avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us—

21 f or we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

22 W e 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.

And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you.

23 A s for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

24 T herefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.

Therefore show to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.