| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. | 1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, |
| 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. | 2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. |
| 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, | 3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, |
| 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. | 4begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of 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 this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. |
| 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. | 6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. |
| 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 as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. |
| 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. | 8I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. |
| 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 sake he became poor, so that you by 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 in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. |
| 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. | 11So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. |
| 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 readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person 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. | 13For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness |
| 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, | 14your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. |
| 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, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” |
| 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 earnest care 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 he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. |
| 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. | 18With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of 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. | 19And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. |
| 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. | 20We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, |
| 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 aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. |
| 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 with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of 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 for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, 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. | 24So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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