| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 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 granted to the churches of Macedonia: |
| 2In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity. | 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 they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord, | 3I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability, |
| 4they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. | 4they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to 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 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 to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it. | 6So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete this grace to you. |
| 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. | 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 making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others. | 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 sakes 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 11Now finish the work, so that you may complete it just as eagerly as you began, according to your means. | 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 eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one 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. |
| 13It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. | 13It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality-- |
| 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. | 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 had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.” | 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 put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you. | 16Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. |
| 17For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition. | 17For he accepted our urging and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. |
| 18Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel. | 18We have sent with him the brother who is praised throughout the churches for his gospel ministry. |
| 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 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. |
| 20We hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift. | 20We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum 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 are making provision for what is right, not only before the Lord but also before men. |
| 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. | 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 brothers, they are messengers of the churches, to the glory of 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. |
| 24In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you. | 24Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you. |
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