| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 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 granted to the churches of Macedonia: |
| 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. | 2During a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity. |
| 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, | 3I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability, |
| 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. | 4they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry 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 just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves especially to the Lord, then to us by God's will. |
| 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 that just as he had begun, so he should also complete this grace to you. |
| 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. | 7Now as you excel in everything--faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us--excel also in this grace. |
| 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 saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love. |
| 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: Though He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you 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. | 10Now I am giving an opinion on this because it is profitable for you, who a year ago began not only to do something but also to desire 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. | 11But now finish the task as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from 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 eagerness is there, it 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 that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of 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 is available for their need, so their abundance may also become available for our need, so there may 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 has been written: The person who gathered much did not have too much, and the person who gathered little did not have too little. |
| 16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. | 16Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. |
| 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. | 17For he accepted our urging and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. |
| 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. | 18We have sent with him the brother who is praised throughout the churches for his gospel ministry. |
| 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 was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gift that is being administered by us for the glory of 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 are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum 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 are making provision for what is right, not only before the Lord but also before 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. | 22We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent--and now even more diligent 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 coworker serving you; as for our brothers, they are the 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. | 24Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you. |
| 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. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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