Ahora, hermanos, os damos a conocer la gracia de Dios que ha sido dada^a en las iglesias de Macedonia^b; 2 pues en medio de una gran prueba de aflicción, abundó¹ su gozo, y su profunda pobreza sobreabundó en la riqueza^a de su liberalidad. 3 Porque yo testifico que según sus posibilidades^a, y aun más allá de sus posibilidades, dieron de su propia voluntad, 4 suplicándonos con muchos ruegos el privilegio¹ de participar en el sostenimiento de² los santos^a; 5 y esto no como lo habíamos esperado, sino que primeramente se dieron^a a sí mismos al Señor, y luego a nosotros por la voluntad de Dios^b. 6 En consecuencia, rogamos a Tito^a que como él ya había comenzado antes^b, así también llevara a cabo en vosotros esta obra de gracia^c. 7 Mas así como vosotros abundáis^a en todo: en fe, en palabra, en conocimiento, en toda solicitud, y en el amor que hemos inspirado en vosotros¹, ved que también abundéis^b en esta obra de gracia^c. 8 No digo esto como un mandamiento^a, sino para probar¹, por la solicitud de otros, también la sinceridad de vuestro amor. 9 Porque conocéis la gracia de nuestro Señor Jesucristo^a, que siendo rico, sin embargo por amor a vosotros se hizo pobre, para que vosotros por medio de su pobreza^b llegarais a ser ricos. 10 Y doy mi opinión^a en este asunto, porque esto os conviene a vosotros, que fuisteis los primeros en comenzar hace un año^b nosolo a hacer esto, sino también a desear hacerlo. 11 Ahora pues, acabad también de¹ hacerlo; para que como hubo la buena voluntad^a para desearlo, así también la haya para llevarlo a cabo según² lo que tengáis. 12 Porque si hay¹ buena voluntad, se acepta según lo que se tiene, no según lo que no se tiene^a. 13 Esto¹ no es para holgura de otros y para aflicción vuestra, sino para que haya igualdad; 14 en el momento actual vuestra abundancia suple la necesidad de ellos, para que también la abundancia de ellos supla¹ vuestra necesidad^a, de modo que haya igualdad. 15 Como está escrito: EL QUE recogió MUCHO, NO TUVO DEMASIADO; Y EL QUE recogió POCO, NO TUVO ESCASEZ^a.

16 Pero gracias a Dios^a que pone la misma solicitud por vosotros en el corazón^b de Tito^c. 17 Pues él nosolo aceptó nuestro ruego, sino que, siendo de por sí muy diligente¹, ha ido a vosotros por su propia voluntad^a. 18 Y junto con él hemos enviado al hermano^a cuya fama en las cosas del evangelio^b se ha divulgado por todas las iglesias^c; 19 y nosolo esto^a, sino que también ha sido designado por las iglesias como nuestro compañero de viaje^b en esta obra de gracia^c, la cual es administrada por nosotros para la gloria del Señor mismo, y para manifestar nuestra buena voluntad^d; 20 teniendo cuidado de¹ que nadie nos desacredite en esta generosa ofrenda administrada por nosotros; 21 pues nos preocupamos por lo que es honrado, nosolo ante los ojos del Señor, sino también ante los ojos de los hombres^a. 22 Y con ellos hemos enviado a nuestro hermano, de quien hemos comprobado con frecuencia que fue diligente en muchas cosas, pero que ahora es mucho más diligente debido a la gran confianza que tiene en vosotros. 23 En cuanto a Tito^a, es mi compañero^b y colaborador entre vosotros¹; en cuanto a nuestros hermanos^c, son mensajeros^2d de las iglesias y gloria de Cristo^e. 24 Por tanto, mostradles abiertamente ante las iglesias¹ la prueba de vuestro amor, y de nuestra razón para jactarnos respecto a vosotros^2a.

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 and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been ^agiven in the churches of ^bMacedonia, 2 that in a ¹great 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 voluntarily, 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 ^aexcel ^bin everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the ¹love we inspired in you, see that you also ^cexcel in this gracious work. 8 I ^aam not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. 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 ^awillingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12 For if the willingness 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 hardship, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for ^atheir need, so that their abundance also may ¹serve as assistance for ^byour need, so that there may be equality; 15 as it is written: “^aTHE ONE WHO HAD GATHERED MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND THE ONE WHO HAD GATHERED LITTLE DID NOT HAVE TOO LITTLE.”

16 But ^athanks be to God who ^bputs the same earnestness in 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 that, 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 other people. 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 ^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.