Commendation of Titus

¹⁶ But thanks be to God, who put in the heart of Titus the same eagerness for you that I myself have. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted our appeal, but since he is more eager than ever, he is going to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ With him we are sending the brother who is praised among all the churches for his work for the gospel,^{(A) 19} and not only that, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us while we are administering this generous undertaking^[a] for the glory of the Lord himself^[b] and to show our goodwill.^{(B) 20} We are making this arrangement lest anyone blame us about this generous gift that we are administering, ²¹ for we are setting our minds on what is right not only before the Lord but also before the people.^{(C) 22} And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found eager in many matters but who is now more eager than ever because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker in your service; as for our brothers, they are messengers^[c] of the churches, the glory of Christ.^{(D) 24} Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you to them.^(E)