Encouragement to Give Generously
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We want you to know, brothers,a about the grace of God that has been 1given among the churches of Macedonia,
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for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and 2their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
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For they gave 3according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,
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and this, not as we expected, but they 6gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
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Accordingly, 7we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you 8this act of grace.
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But as 9you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for youc--10see that you excel in this act of grace also.
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11I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.
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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 12though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
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And in this matter 13I give my judgment: 14this benefits you, who 15a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it.
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So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.
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For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable 16according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
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For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness
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your abundance at the present time should supply 17their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.
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As it is written, 18"Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."
Commendation of Titus
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For 21he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is goingd to you of his own accord.
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With him we are sendinge22the brother who is famous among 23all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.
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And not only that, but he has been 24appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of 25grace that is being ministered by us, 26for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.
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We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us,
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And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)