¹⁰ And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.^(A) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,^(B)

¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other^(A) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love^(A) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^(B)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We ought always to thank God for you,^(A) brothers and sisters,^[a] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.^(B)

⁷ And so you became a model^(A) to all the believers in Macedonia^(B) and Achaia.^(C)

¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind^(A) and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on^(B) toward the goal to win the prize^(C) for which God has called^(D) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

¹⁵ All of us, then, who are mature^(E) should take such a view of things.^(F) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.^(G)

⁸ I am not commanding you,^(A) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. ⁹ For you know the grace^(B) of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(C) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,^(D) so that you through his poverty might become rich.^(E)

¹⁰ And here is my judgment^(F) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.^(G)

The Collection for the Lord’s People

8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian^(A) churches. ² In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.^(B)

¹⁸ But grow in the grace^(A) and knowledge^(B) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(C) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.^(D)