| New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
| 1Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, | 1We want you to know, brothers, about God's grace that was given to the churches of Macedonia. |
| 2that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. | 2In spite of their terrible ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and deep poverty have led them to be abundantly generous. |
| 3For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, | 3I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability. |
| 4begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, | 4They begged us earnestly for the privilege of participating in this ministry to the saints. |
| 5and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. | 5We did not expect that! They gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, since this was God's will. |
| 6So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. | 6So we urged Titus to finish this work of kindness among you in the same way that he had started it. |
| 7But 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. | 7Indeed, the more your faith, speech, knowledge, enthusiasm, and love for us increase, the more we want you to be rich in this work of kindness. |
| 8I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. | 8I am not commanding you but testing the genuineness of your love by the enthusiasm of others. |
| 9For 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. | 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Although he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, so that you, through his poverty, might become rich. |
| 10I 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. | 10I am giving you my opinion on this matter because it will be helpful to you. Last year you were not only willing to do something, but had already started to do it. |
| 11But 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. | 11Now finish what you began, so that your eagerness to do so may be matched by your eagerness to complete it. |
| 12For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. | 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you do not have. |
| 13For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality-- | 13Not that others should have relief while you have hardship. Rather, it is a question of fairness. |
| 14at 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; | 14At the present time, your surplus fills their need, so that their surplus may fill your need. In this way things are fair. |
| 15as it is written, "HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK." | 15As it is written, "The person who had much did not have too much, and the person who had little did not have too little." |
| 16But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. | 16But thanks be to God, who placed in the heart of Titus the same dedication to you that I have. |
| 17For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. | 17He welcomed my request and eagerly went to visit you by his own free will. |
| 18We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; | 18With him we have sent the brother who is praised in all the churches for spreading the gospel. |
| 19and 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, | 19More than that, he has also been selected by the churches to travel with us while we are administering this work of kindness for the glory of the Lord and as evidence of our eagerness to help. |
| 20taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; | 20We are trying to avoid any criticism of the way we are administering this great undertaking. |
| 21for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. | 21We intend to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people. |
| 22We 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. | 22We have also sent with them our brother whom we have often tested in many ways and found to be dedicated. At present he is more dedicated than ever because he has so much confidence in you. |
| 23As 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. | 23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker on your behalf. Our brothers, emissaries from the churches, are bringing glory to the Messiah. |
| 24Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you. | 24Therefore, demonstrate to the churches that you love them and show them publicly why we boast about you. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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