Now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been ^aevident in the churches of ^bMacedonia awakening in them a longing to contribute; 2 for during an ordeal of severe distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty together overflowed in the ^awealth of their lavish generosity. 3 For I testify that ^aaccording to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, 4 begging us insistently for the ^aprivilege of participating in the ^bservice for the support of the saints in Jerusalem. 5 Not only did they give materially as we had hoped, but first they ^agave themselves to the Lord and to us as His representatives by ^bthe will of God disregarding their personal interests and giving as much as they possibly could. 6 So we ^aurged ^bTitus that, as he ^cbegan it, he should also complete ^dthis gracious work among you as well.

7 But just as you ^aexcel ^bin everything, and lead the way in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in genuine concern, and in your love for us, see that you ^cexcel in this gracious work of giving also. 8 I ^aam not saying this as a command to dictate to you, but to prove, by pointing out the enthusiasm of others, the sincerity of your love as well. 9 For you are recognizing more clearly ^athe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ His astonishing kindness, His generosity, His gracious favor, that ^bthough He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich (abundantly blessed) . 10 I ^agive you my opinion in this matter: this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin ^ba year ago not only to take action to help the believers in Jerusalem, but also the first to desire to do it. 11 So now finish this, so that your ^aeagerness in desiring it may be equaled by your completion of it, according to your ability. 12 For if the eagerness to give is there, it is acceptable ^aaccording to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For it is not intended that others be relieved of their responsibility and that you be ¹burdened unfairly, but ²that there be equality in sharing the burden— 14 at this present time your surplus over necessities is going to supply ^atheir need, so that at some other time their surplus may be given to supply ^byour need, that there may be equality; 15 as it is written in Scripture, “^aHE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE DID NOT LACK.” Ex 16:18

16 But ^athanks be to God who ^bputs the same genuine concern for you in the heart of ^cTitus. 17 For Titus not only accepted our ^aappeal, but was so very interested in you that he has gone to visit you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent along with him ^athe ¹brother who is praised in the ^bgospel ministry throughout ^call the churches; 19 ^aand not only this, but he has also been ^bappointed by the churches to travel with us in regard to ^cthis gracious offering which we are administering for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ^deagerness as believers to help one another. 20 We are taking precaution so that no one will find anything with which to discredit us in our administration of this generous gift. 21 For we ^ahave regard for what is honorable and above suspicion, not only in ^bthe sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found to be diligent in many things, but who is now even more diligent than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for ^aTitus, he is my ^bpartner and fellow worker in your service; and as for the other two ^cbrothers, they are special ^1dmessengers of the churches, ^ea glory and credit to Christ. 24 Therefore, show these men, in the sight of the churches, the proof of your love and our ^areason for being proud of you.

Now brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been ^agiven in the churches of ^bMacedonia, 2 that in a great testing by affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the ^arichness of their ¹generosity. 3 For I testify that ^aaccording to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the ^agrace ¹of sharing in the ^bministry to the saints, 5 and this, not as we had ¹expected, but they first ^agave themselves to the Lord and to us by ^bthe will of God. 6 So we ^aencouraged ^bTitus that as he had previously ^cmade a beginning, so he would also complete in you ^dthis gracious work as well.

7 But just as you ^aabound ^bin everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in ¹the love we inspired in you, see that you ^cabound in this gracious work also. 8 I ^aam not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 9 For you know ^athe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^bthough being rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 And I ^agive my opinion in this matter, for this is profitable for you, who were the first to begin ^ba year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11 But now complete ¹doing it also, so that just as there was the ^areadiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it from what you have. 12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable ^aaccording to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the relief of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for ^atheir need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for ^byour need, that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “^aHE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.”

16 But ^1athanks be to God who ^bputs the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of ^cTitus. 17 For he not only accepted our ^aplea, but being himself very earnest, he has gone out to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent along with him ^athe brother whose praise in the things of the ^bgospel is throughout ^call the churches. 19 ^aAnd not only this, but he has also been ^bappointed by the churches to travel with us in ^cthis gracious work that is being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ^dreadiness, 20 ¹taking precaution lest anyone discredits us in our ministering of this generous gift, 21 for we ^arespect what is good, not only in ^bthe sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found earnest in many things, but now even more earnest because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for ^aTitus, he is my ^bpartner and fellow worker ¹among you; as for our ^cbrothers, they are ^2dmessengers of the churches, ^ea glory to Christ. 24 Therefore ¹openly before the churches, ²show them the proof of your love and of our ^areason for boasting about you.

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been ^agiven in the churches of ^bMacedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the ^awealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that ^aaccording to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the ^afavor ¹of participation in the ^2bsupport of the ³saints, 5 and this, not as we had ¹expected, but they first ^agave themselves to the Lord and to us by ^bthe will of God. 6 So we ^aurged ^bTitus that as he had previously ^cmade a beginning, so he would also complete in you ^dthis gracious work as well.

7 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 ^cabound in this gracious work also. 8 I ^aam not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 9 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. 10 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. 11 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. 12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable ^aaccording to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for ^atheir need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for ^byour need, that there may be equality; 15 as it is written, “^aHE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.”

16 But ^athanks be to God who ^bputs the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of ^cTitus. 17 For he not only accepted our ^aappeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18 We have sent along with him ^athe brother whose fame in the things of the ^bgospel has spread through ^call the churches; 19 ^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, 20 ¹taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21 for we ^ahave regard for what is honorable, not only in ^bthe sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 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. 23 As for ^aTitus, he is my ^bpartner and fellow worker ¹among you; as for our ^cbrethren, they are ^2dmessengers of the churches, ^ea glory to Christ. 24 Therefore ¹openly before the churches, ²show them the proof of your love and of our ^areason for boasting about you.