1 C hristian brothers, we want you to know how the loving-favor of God has been shown in the churches in the country of Macedonia.

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

2 T hey have been put to the test by much trouble, but they have much joy. They have given much even though they were very poor.

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

3 T hey gave as much as they could because they wanted to.

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

4 T hey asked from their hearts if they could help the Christians in Jerusalem.

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

5 I t was more than we expected. They gave themselves to the Lord first. Then they gave themselves to us to be used as the Lord wanted.

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 W e asked Titus to keep on helping you finish this act of love. He was the one to begin this.

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

7 Y ou are rich in everything. You have faith. You can preach. You have much learning. You have a strong desire to help. And you have love for us. Now do what you should about giving 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 saying that you must do this, but I have told you how others have helped. This is a way to prove how true your love is.

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

9 Y ou know of the loving-favor shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, but He became poor for your good. In that way, because He became poor, you 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 T his is what I think. You had better finish what you started a year ago. You were the first to want to give a gift of money.

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 N ow do it with the same strong desires you had when you started.

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 I f a man is ready and willing to give, he should give of what he has, not of 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 T his does not mean that others do not have to give and you have to give much. You should share alike.

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

14 Y ou have more than you need now. When you have need, then they can help you. You should share alike.

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 T he Holy Writings say, “The man who gathered much did not have too much. The man who did not gather much had enough.” Titus Will Be Coming

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 I thank God that He gave Titus the same desire to help you.

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

17 H e was glad when we asked him to help you. He decided himself to go to you.

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

18 W e are sending the Christian brother along. He is respected in the churches for his preaching.

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

19 N ot only that, but he has been asked by the churches to travel with me to Jerusalem. He will help in giving them the gift. The Lord will be honored by it because it shows how we want to help each other.

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 W e want everyone to trust us with the way we take this large gift of money to them.

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

21 W e want to do the right thing. We want God and men to know we are honest.

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

22 W e are sending another Christian brother with them. We have tested him many times. His faith has proven to be true. He wants very much to help because he trusts 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 T itus works with me to help you. The other two Christian brothers have been sent by the churches. Their lives honor 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 S how these men you love them and let the churches see your love. Show them the reason I am proud of you.

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