8 My Christian friends, let me tell you about the believers in the churches in Macedonia. God has been very kind to them. 2 They have had bad troubles, but they continued to be very happy. As a result, they gave a lot of money to other people. They themselves are very poor, but they still helped other people a lot. 3 Let me tell you this. They gave as much money as they were able to give. Then they gave even more than that! They gave it because they wanted to. 4 They wanted the chance to help God's people. That would make them happy. So they asked us many times to help them to do this. 5 They did more than we had even hoped for! First, they gave themselves to the Lord. Then they also gave themselves to us. They did that because God wanted them to do it.
6 Because of that, we asked Titus to continue to help you. He is the person who helped you to start giving money. So he will help you to finish this good work. 7 You have so much of everything! You trust God very well. You speak well. You know everything. You want to do many good things. You love us even more than we love you! So also do the best that you can as you give money to help others.
8 I am not telling you that you must do this. I have told you how much other believers want to give their money. In that way, I want to see if you really love other people who need your help. 9 You know that our Lord Jesus Christ is very kind. He was rich, but he made himself poor to help you. So then, because he became poor, you could become rich. [ a ]
10 This is what I think you should do. Last year, you were the first people to give money. You really wanted to do that. So the best thing for you is to finish what you started to do. 11 Now finish the work. When you started, you wanted very much to do it. Now you should want just as much to finish it. You should give what you are able to give. 12 If you really want to give, then God will accept your gift. God does not want you to give more than you are able to give. He will be happy about what you can give.
13 My purpose is not to bring trouble to you. You should not have pain while other people have plenty. Instead, both you and they should have enough. 14 At this time, you yourselves have plenty. So you are able to give to those people who do not have enough. One day, things may change. They may have plenty, and you may not have enough. Then they can give money to help you. In that way, you will all have enough when you need it. 15 It says this in the Bible:
‘The person who picked up a lot did not have too much.
And the person who picked up a small amount also had enough.’ [ b ]
16 Titus wants to help you just as much as we do. We thank God that he has made Titus ready to do that. 17 He was very happy when we asked him to come to you. He himself already wanted to help you. So he really decided to visit you for himself. 18 We are sending another man with Titus. He is also a believer. The Christians in all the other churches praise this man. They say that he works hard to tell people the good news about Christ. 19 Those Christians in the other churches have also chosen this man to travel with us. They want him to help us when we take this gift. Our work will show that the Lord is great. It will also show that we are ready to help.
20 We want to be very careful about this large gift of money. That is why the other believer will come with us. We do not want anyone to say that we have done something wrong. 21 Our purpose is to do only what is right. We want the Lord to see that, and people must see it as well. [ c ]
22 We will also send another believer along with the other men. This man has always shown us that we can trust him. He has wanted to help in many different ways. Now that he is very sure about you, he wants to help even more.
23 As for Titus himself, he works along with me, to help you. The other believers are coming on behalf of the churches that sent them. They want to show that Christ is great. 24 So show these men that you love them. Then all the churches will be sure about you. They will know that we were right to be proud of you.
8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you what God’s grace has done in the churches in Macedonia. 2 These believers have been tested by great troubles, and they are very poor. But their great joy caused them to be very generous in their giving. 3 I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. No one told them to do this. It was their idea. 4 But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God’s people. 5 And they gave in a way that we did not expect: They gave themselves to the Lord and to us before they gave their money. This is what God wants.
6 So we asked Titus to help you finish this special work of giving. He is the one who started this work. 7 You are rich in everything—in faith, in speaking ability, in knowledge, in the willingness to help, and in the love you learned from us. So now we want you to be rich in this work of giving too.
8 I am not ordering you to give, but I want to see how real your love is by comparing you with others who have been so ready and willing to help. 9 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that he gave up his heavenly riches for you. He gave up everything so that you could be richly blessed.
10 This is what I think you should do: Last year you were the first to want to give, and you were the first who gave. 11 So now finish the work you started. Then your “doing” will be equal to your “wanting to do.” Give from what you have. 12 If you want to give, your gift will be accepted. Your gift will be judged by what you have, not by what you don’t have. 13 We don’t want you to have troubles while others are comforted. We want everything to be equal. 14 At this time you have plenty and can provide what they need. Then later, when they have plenty, they can provide what you need. Then everyone will have an equal share. 15 As the Scriptures say,
“Those who gathered much did not have too much,
and those who gathered little did not have too little.” ( A )
16 I thank God because he gave Titus the same love for you that I have. 17 Titus agreed to do what we asked. In fact, he himself wanted very much to come see you. 18 We are sending with Titus the brother who is praised by all the churches. He is praised because of his service to the Good News. 19 Also, he was chosen by the churches to go with us when we carry this gift. We are doing this service to bring honor [ a ] to the Lord and to show that we really want to help.
20 We are being careful so that no one will criticize us about the way we are caring for this large gift. 21 We are trying to do what is right. We want to do what the Lord accepts as right and also what people think is right.
22 Also, we are sending with them our brother who is always ready to help. He has proved this to us in many ways. And he wants to help even more now because he has much faith in you.
23 Now about Titus—he is my partner. He is working together with me to help you. And about the other brothers—they are sent from the churches, and they bring honor to Christ. 24 So show these men that you really have love. Show them why we are proud of you. Then all the churches can see it.
8 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
8 Now, brothers and sisters , we make known to you the grace of God which has been ( A ) given in the churches of ( B ) Macedonia, 2 that in a [ a ] great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the ( C ) wealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that ( D ) according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, 4 begging us with much urging for the ( E ) favor [ b ] of participation in the [ c ] ( F ) support of the [ d ] saints, 5 and this , not as we had [ e ] expected, but they first ( G ) gave themselves to the Lord and to us by ( H ) the will of God. 6 So we ( I ) urged ( J ) Titus that as he had previously ( K ) made a beginning, so he would also complete in you ( L ) this gracious work as well.
7 But just as you ( M ) excel ( N ) in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the [ f ] love we inspired in you, see that you also ( O ) excel in this gracious work. 8 I ( P ) am 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 ( Q ) the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ( R ) though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 I ( S ) give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin ( T ) a year ago not only to do this , but also to desire to do it . 11 But now finish [ g ] doing it also, so that just as there was the ( U ) willingness 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 ( V ) according 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 ( W ) their need, so that their abundance also may [ h ] serve as assistance for ( X ) your need, so that there may be equality; 15 as it is written: “ ( Y ) The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little .”
16 But ( Z ) thanks be to God who ( AA ) puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of ( AB ) Titus. 17 For he not only accepted our ( AC ) appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18 We have sent along with him ( AD ) the brother whose fame in the things of the ( AE ) gospel has spread through ( AF ) all the churches; 19 ( AG ) and not only that , but he has also been ( AH ) appointed by the churches to travel with us in ( AI ) this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ( AJ ) readiness, 20 [ i ] taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21 for we ( AK ) have regard for what is honorable, not only in ( AL ) the 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 ( AM ) Titus, he is my ( AN ) partner and fellow worker [ j ] among you; as for our ( AO ) brothers, they are [ k ] ( AP ) messengers of the churches, ( AQ ) a glory to Christ. 24 Therefore, [ l ] openly before the churches, [ m ] show them the proof of your love and of our ( AR ) reason for boasting about you.
8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian ( A ) churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. ( B ) 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, ( C ) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing ( D ) in this service ( E ) to the Lord’s people. ( F ) 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged ( G ) Titus, ( H ) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion ( I ) this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything ( J ) —in faith, in speech, in knowledge, ( K ) in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you [ a ] —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, ( L ) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace ( M ) of our Lord Jesus Christ, ( N ) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, ( O ) so that you through his poverty might become rich. ( P )
10 And here is my judgment ( Q ) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. ( R ) 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness ( S ) to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, ( T ) not according to what one does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, ( U ) so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” [ b ] ( V )
16 Thanks be to God, ( W ) who put into the heart ( X ) of Titus ( Y ) the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. ( Z ) 18 And we are sending along with him the brother ( AA ) who is praised by all the churches ( AB ) for his service to the gospel. ( AC ) 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us ( AD ) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. ( AE ) 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man. ( AF )
22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, ( AG ) he is my partner ( AH ) and co-worker ( AI ) among you; as for our brothers, ( AJ ) they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, ( AK ) so that the churches can see it.
