| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, | 1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches of Macedonia: |
| 2that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. | 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 according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, | 3I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability, |
| 4begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, | 4they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints, |
| 5and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. | 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 that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. | 6So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete this grace to you. |
| 7But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. | 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 speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. | 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. |
| 10I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. | 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. |
| 11But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. | 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 readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he 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. |
| 13For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality-- | 13It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality-- |
| 14at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be 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, "HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK." | 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. |
| 16But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. | 16Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. |
| 17For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. | 17For he accepted our urging and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. |
| 18We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; | 18We have sent with him the brother who is praised throughout the churches for his gospel ministry. |
| 19and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, | 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. |
| 20taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; | 20We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum administered by us. |
| 21for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. | 21For we are making provision for what is right, not only before the Lord but also before men. |
| 22We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent 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 fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory 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 openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you. | 24Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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