Book of Common Prayer

The generosity of the Macedonian churches

8 Let me tell you, my dear family, about the grace which God has given to the Macedonian churches. ² They have been sorely tested by suffering. But the abundance of grace which was given to them, and the depths of poverty they have endured, have overflowed in a wealth of sincere generosity on their part. ³ I bear them witness that of their own accord, up to their ability and even beyond their ability, ⁴ they begged us eagerly to let them have the privilege of sharing in the work of service for God’s people. ⁵ They didn’t just do what we had hoped; they gave themselves, first to the Lord, and then to us as God willed it. ⁶ This put us in a position where we could encourage Titus that he should complete this work of grace that he had begun among you. ⁷ You have plenty of everything, after all—plenty of faith, and speech, and knowledge, and all kinds of eagerness, and plenty of love coming from us to you; so why not have plenty of this grace too?

Copying the generosity of the Lord Jesus

⁸ I’m not saying this as though I was issuing an order. It’s a matter of putting their enthusiasm and your own love side by side, and making sure you genuinely pass the test. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord, Messiah Jesus: he was rich, but because of you he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. ¹⁰ Let me give you my serious advice on this: you began to be keen on this idea, and started putting it into practice, a whole year ago; it will now be greatly to your advantage ¹¹ to complete your performance of it. If you do so, your finishing the job as far as you are able will be on the same scale as your eagerness in wanting to do it. ¹² If the eagerness is there, you see, the deed is acceptable, according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. ¹³ The point is not, after all, that others should get off lightly and you be made to suffer, but rather that there should be equality. ¹⁴ At the present time your abundance can contribute to their lack, so that their abundance can contribute to your lack. That’s what makes for equality, ¹⁵ just as the Bible says: “The one who had much had nothing to spare, and the one who had little didn’t go short.”

Paul’s companions are on their way

¹⁶ But God be thanked, since he put the same eagerness for you into Titus’s heart.

The parables of the persistent widow and the tax-collector

18 Jesus told them a parable, about how they should always pray and not give up.

² “There was once a judge in a certain town,” he said, “who didn’t fear God, and didn’t have any respect for people. ³ There was a widow in that town, and she came to him and said, ‘Judge my case! Vindicate me against my enemy!’

⁴ “For a long time he refused. But, in the end, he said to himself, ‘It’s true that I don’t fear God, and don’t have any respect for people. ⁵ But because this widow is causing me a lot of trouble, I will put her case right and vindicate her, so that she doesn’t end up coming and giving me a black eye.’

⁶ “Well,” said the master, “did you hear what this unjust judge says? ⁷ And don’t you think that God will see justice done for his chosen ones, who shout out to him day and night? Do you suppose he is deliberately delaying? ⁸ Let me tell you, he will vindicate them very quickly. But—when the son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”