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- And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
- Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
- For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
- they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
- And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
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- Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
- How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
- For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
- Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
- And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
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- So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
- But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
- I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
- For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
- And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
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- Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
- Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
- I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
- For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
- And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
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- Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
- For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
- Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.
- At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality,
- as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."
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- Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
- For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
- For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
- But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
- As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
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