| Berean Study Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. | 1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, |
| 2In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into 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 according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord, | 3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, |
| 4they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. | 4begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— |
| 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. | 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 to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it. | 6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. |
| 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. | 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 making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to 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 sakes 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 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. | 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 you may complete it just as eagerly as you began, 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 eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he 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. |
| 13It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may 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 surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be 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: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.” | 15As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” |
| 16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion 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 not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition. | 17For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. |
| 18Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel. | 18With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. |
| 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. | 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 hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous 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 great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men. | 21for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. |
| 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. | 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 fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, to the glory of 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. |
| 24In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you. | 24So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. |
| The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | 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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