| International Standard Version | King James Bible |
| 1We want you to know, brothers, about God's grace that was given to the churches of Macedonia. | 1Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; |
| 2In spite of their terrible ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and deep poverty have led them to be abundantly generous. | 2How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. |
| 3I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability. | 3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; |
| 4They begged us earnestly for the privilege of participating in this ministry to the saints. | 4Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. |
| 5We did not expect that! They gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, since this was God's will. | 5And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. |
| 6So we urged Titus to finish this work of kindness among you in the same way that he had started it. | 6Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace 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. | 7Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. |
| 8I am not commanding you but testing the genuineness of your love by the enthusiasm of others. | 8I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. |
| 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. | 9For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. |
| 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. | 10And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. |
| 11Now finish what you began, so that your eagerness to do so may be matched by your eagerness to complete it. | 11Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. |
| 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you do not have. | 12For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. |
| 13Not that others should have relief while you have hardship. Rather, it is a question of fairness. | 13For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: |
| 14At the present time, your surplus fills their need, so that their surplus may fill your need. In this way things are fair. | 14But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: |
| 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." | 15As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. |
| 16But thanks be to God, who placed in the heart of Titus the same dedication to you that I have. | 16But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. |
| 17He welcomed my request and eagerly went to visit you by his own free will. | 17For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. |
| 18With him we have sent the brother who is praised in all the churches for spreading the gospel. | 18And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; |
| 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. | 19And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: |
| 20We are trying to avoid any criticism of the way we are administering this great undertaking. | 20Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: |
| 21We intend to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people. | 21Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. |
| 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. | 22And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. |
| 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. | 23Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. |
| 24Therefore, demonstrate to the churches that you love them and show them publicly why we boast about you. | 24Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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