| New Living Translation | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. | 1We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia: |
| 2They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. | 2During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. |
| 3For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. | 3I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord, |
| 4They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. | 4they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints, |
| 5They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. | 5and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God's will. |
| 6So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. | 6So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete among you this act of grace. |
| 7Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us —I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. | 7Now as you excel in everything--in faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us--excel also in this act of grace. |
| 8I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches. | 8I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love. |
| 9You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you 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. |
| 10Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. | 10And in this matter I am giving advice because it is profitable for you, who began last year not only to do something but also to want to do it. |
| 11Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. | 11Now also finish the task, so that just as there was an eager desire, there may also be a completion, according to what you have. |
| 12Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. | 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. |
| 13Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. | 13It is not that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality. |
| 14Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. | 14At the present time your surplus is available for their need, so that their abundance may in turn meet your need, in order that there may be equality. |
| 15As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.” Titus and His Companions | 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. |
| 16But thank God! He has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have. | 16Thanks be to God, who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. |
| 17Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was very eager to go and see you. | 17For he welcomed our appeal and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. |
| 18We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News. | 18We have sent with him the brother who is praised among all the churches for his gospel ministry. |
| 19He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem —a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help. | 19And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gracious gift that we are administering for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. |
| 20We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift. | 20We are taking this precaution so that no one will criticize us about this large sum that we are administering. |
| 21We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable. | 21Indeed, we are giving careful thought to do what is right, not only before the Lord but also before people. |
| 22We are also sending with them another of our brothers who has proven himself many times and has shown on many occasions how eager he is. He is now even more enthusiastic 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. |
| 23If anyone asks about Titus, say that he is my partner who works with me to help you. And the brothers with him have been sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ. | 23As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker for you; as for our brothers, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. |
| 24So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified. | 24Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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