| English Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among 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, |
| 2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. | 2that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. |
| 3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, | 3For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, |
| 4begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— | 4begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, |
| 5and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. | 5and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. |
| 6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. | 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, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. | 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 say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. | 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 though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might 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. |
| 10And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. | 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. |
| 11So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. | 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 readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person 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 mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness | 13For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality-- |
| 14your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. | 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, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” | 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 into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. | 16But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. |
| 17For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going 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. |
| 18With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. | 18We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; |
| 19And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. | 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 take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, | 20taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; |
| 21for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. | 21for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. |
| 22And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence 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. |
| 23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of 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. |
| 24So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. | 24Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | 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 |
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