Macedonia Gave Sacrificially, So We Urged Titus To Go Complete Your Gracious Gift

8 Now we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God having been granted in the churches of Macedonia^[a]— ² that in a great test of ^[b] affliction their abundance of joy and their down deep poverty abounded into the riches of their generosity. ³ Because I testify that they gave in accordance with their ability and beyond their ability, of-their-own-accord, ⁴ with a great appeal begging from us the favor^[c] and the partnership^[d] in this ministry to the saints— ⁵ and not as we hoped^[e], but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God— ⁶ so that we urged^[f] Titus that just as he previously-began, so also he should complete this grace^[g] with reference to you also.

I Urge You To Abound In This Grace of Giving Because It Is Beneficial For You!

⁷ But just as you are abounding in everything— in faith and speech and knowledge and all earnestness, and in the love from us in you— I urge that you also be abounding in this grace. ⁸ I am not speaking by way of command, but am proving^[h] through the earnestness of others the genuineness of your love also. ⁹ For you know the grace^[i] of our Lord Jesus Christ— that for your sakes He became-poor while being rich, in order that you might become-rich by the poverty of that One. ¹⁰ And I am giving an opinion in this matter, for this^[j] is beneficial for you, who began-beforehand from last year not only the doing, but the wanting to do. ¹¹ But now indeed complete the doing, so that just as was the eagerness of the wanting, so also may be the completing out of what you have.

A Gift Proportionate To Your Abundance Is Acceptable For Their Need

¹² For if the eagerness is there, it ^[k] is acceptable to whatever degree a person may have, not to-the-degree he does not have. ¹³ For it is not in order that there may be rest^[l] for others, affliction^[m] for you, but out of equality^[n]— ¹⁴ at the present time your abundance^[o] being for the need of those ones, in order that the abundance of those ones also may come-to-be for your need, so that there may be equality. ¹⁵ Just as it has been written [in Ex 16:18], “The one gathering much did not increase^[p], and the one gathering little did not have-less”.

Titus Was Eager To Go To You. So Demonstrate Your Love For All To See

¹⁶ Now thanks be to God, the One having given the same^[q] earnestness^[r] for you in the heart of Titus. ¹⁷ Because he welcomed the urging^[s]— but being more^[t] earnest, went-out^[u] to you of-his-own-accord! ¹⁸ And we sent with him the brother^[v] whose praise in^[w] the good-news is through all the churches, ¹⁹ and not only this, but who was also appointed^[x] by the churches to be our fellow-traveler with this grace-gift being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our eagerness^[y]— ²⁰ avoiding this: that anyone should fault^[z] us in this abundance being ministered by us. ²¹ For we are providing-for^[aa] good things not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people. ²² And we sent with them our brother whom we often proved in many things as being diligent, but now is much more diligent with great confidence in you. ²³ If any ask^[ab] about Titus— he is my partner and fellow-worker for you; if as to our brothers^[ac]— they are delegates^[ad] of the churches, a glory of ^[ae] Christ. ²⁴ Therefore, be demonstrating^[af] to them, to the face^[ag] of the churches, the demonstration of your love and our boasting about you.