| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. | 1Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. |
| 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. | 2In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity. |
| 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, | 3For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord, |
| 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. | 4they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. |
| 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. | 5And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, because it was the will of God. |
| 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. | 6So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it. |
| 7But since you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you --see that you also excel in this grace of giving. | 7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. |
| 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. | 8I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness 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 Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. |
| 10And here is my judgment 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. | 10And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire. |
| 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. | 11Now finish the work, so that you may complete it just as eagerly as you began, according to your means. |
| 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. | 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. |
| 13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. | 13It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. |
| 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, | 14At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality. |
| 15as it is written: "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little." | 15As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.” |
| 16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. | 16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you. |
| 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. | 17For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition. |
| 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. | 18Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel. |
| 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. | 19More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the offering—the gracious gift we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help. |
| 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. | 20We hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift. |
| 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man. | 21For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men. |
| 22In 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. | 22And we are sending along with them our brother whose earnestness has been proven many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you. |
| 23As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. | 23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, to the glory of Christ. |
| 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it. | 24In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you. |
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