| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia, | 1Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, |
| 2that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity. | 2that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. |
| 3For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, | 3For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, |
| 4begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints. | 4begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, |
| 5And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God. | 5and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. |
| 6Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. | 6So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. |
| 7But as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you--make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too. | 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. |
| 8I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others. | 8I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. |
| 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could 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 through His poverty might become rich. |
| 10So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, | 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. |
| 11to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means. | 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. |
| 12For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have. | 12For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. |
| 13For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. | 13For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality-- |
| 14At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be 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; |
| 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, "HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK." |
| 16But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you, | 16But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. |
| 17because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, he is coming to you of his own accord. | 17For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. |
| 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel. | 18We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; |
| 19In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help. | 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, |
| 20We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering. | 20taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; |
| 21For we are concerned about what is right not only before the Lord but also before men. | 21for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. |
| 22And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you. | 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. |
| 23If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. | 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. |
| 24Therefore show them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you. | 24Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you. |
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