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¹ Moreover, brethren, we declare to you the grace of God, bestowed on the churches in Macedonia,² That in a great trial of affliction, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality:³ That to their power, I testify, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves,⁴ Praying us with much intreaty, to receive the gift and take a part in ministring it to the saints.⁵ And this they did, not as we hoped; but first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God:⁶ So that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also compleat this gift among you.

⁷ Therefore as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.⁸ I speak not by way of command, but that by the diligence of others, I may prove the sincerity of your love.⁹ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.¹⁰ And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun a year ago, not only to do, but also to do it willingly.¹¹ Now therefore compleat the work, that as there was a ready will, so there may be also a performance, in proportion to what ye have.¹² For if there be first a ready mind, a man is accepted, according to what he hath, not according to what he hath not.¹³ For I do not mean, that others should be eased, and you burthened; But by an equality,¹⁴ let your abundance be at this time a supply to their want; that their abundance also may be a supply to your want, that there may be an equality,¹⁵ As it is written, He that had gathered the most, had nothing over; and he that had gathered the least, did not lack.

¹⁶ But thanks be to God, who put the same diligent care for you in the heart of Titus.¹⁷ For he accepted indeed the exhortation, but being more forward, he went to you of his own accord.¹⁸ And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is through all the churches: (And not only so,¹⁹ but he was also appointed by the churches to be a fellow-traveller with us, with this gift, which is administred by us, to the glory of the Lord himself,²⁰ and for the declaration of our ready mind) Avoiding this, lest any one should blame us in this abundance, which is administred by us.²¹ For we provide things honest, not only before the Lord, but also before men.²² And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, through his great confidence in you.²³ If any inquire concerning Titus, he is my partner, and fellow-labourer with respect to you; or concerning our brethren, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.²⁴ Shew therefore to them before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.