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Great Generosity

¹ Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been ^(C1)given in the churches of ^(C2)Macedonia,² that in a ^(F1)great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the ^(C1)wealth of their liberality.³ For I testify that ^(C1)according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily,⁴ begging us with much urging for the ^(C1)favor ^(F1)of participation in the ^(F2)(C2)support of the ^(F3)saints,⁵ and this, not as we had ^(F1)expected, but they first ^(C1)gave themselves to the Lord and to us by ^(C2)the will of God.⁶ So we ^(C1)urged ^(C2)Titus that as he had previously ^(C3)made a beginning, so he would also complete in you ^(C4)this gracious work as well.

⁷ But just as you ^(C1)excel ^(C2)in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the ^(F1)love we inspired in you, see that you also ^(C1)excel in this gracious work.⁸ I ^(C1)am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well.⁹ For you know ^(C1)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^(C2)though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.¹⁰ I ^(C1)give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin ^(C2)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.¹¹ But now finish ^(F1)doing it also, so that just as there was the ^(C1)willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.¹² For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable ^(C1)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.¹³ For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality—¹⁴ at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for ^(C1)their need, so that their abundance also may ^(F1)serve as assistance for ^(C1)your need, so that there may be equality;¹⁵ as it is written: "^(C1)THE ONE WHO HAD GATHERED MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND THE ONE WHO HAD GATHERED LITTLE DID NOT HAVE TOO LITTLE."

¹⁶ But ^(C1)thanks be to God who ^(C2)puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of ^(C3)Titus.¹⁷ For he not only accepted our ^(C1)appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.¹⁸ We have sent along with him ^(C1)the brother whose fame in the things of the ^(C2)gospel has spread through ^(C3)all the churches;^19 (C1)and not only that, but he has also been ^(C2)appointed by the churches to travel with us in ^(C3)this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ^(C4)readiness,^20 (F1)taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;²¹ for we ^(C1)have regard for what is honorable, not only in ^(C2)the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people.²² We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.²³ As for ^(C1)Titus, he is my ^(C2)partner and fellow worker ^(F1)among you; as for our ^(C3)brothers, they are ^(F2)(C4)messengers of the churches, ^(C5)a glory to Christ.²⁴ Therefore, ^(F1)openly before the churches, ^(F2)show them the proof of your love and of our ^(C1)reason for boasting about you.