Book of Common Prayer

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.

Pray And Don’t Lose Heart: God Will Avenge His People

18 And He was speaking a parable to them with-regard-to^[a] it being necessary that they always be praying and not losing-heart, ² saying, “There was in a certain city a certain judge not fearing God and not having-regard-for^[b] the person. ³ And there was a widow in that city. And she was coming to him, saying, ‘Avenge^[c] me from my adversary’. ⁴ And he was not willing for a time. But after these things, he said within himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor have regard for the person, ⁵ yet because of this widow’s causing me trouble, I will avenge her— in order that she, while continually^[d] coming, may not be wearing me out’”. ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen-to what the unrighteous judge is saying^[e]. ⁷ And shall not God execute vengeance^[f] for His chosen ones— the ones crying-out to Him by day and by night and He is being patient^[g] with them? ⁸ I say to you that He will execute vengeance for them quickly. However, the Son of Man having come, will He find faith^[h] on the earth?”