Generous giving
8
📚✭✭Now, brethren, we inform you of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia✭, 2 📚so that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the riches of their generosity. 3 📚For I bear them witness that according to their ability, indeed, even beyond their ability, on their own they were willing to give, 4 📚pleading with us earnestly that we would accept their gift and participation in the ministry to the saints. 5 📚✭And this they did, not as we expected, but first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God.Request that Corinth follow that example
6 📚✭So we urged Titus, that since he had already made a beginning, so he should also bring to completion✭ this same act of grace among you. 7 📚Therefore, just as you have an abundance in everything, in faith, and speaking, and knowledge, and in complete diligence, and in your love for us, see that you have an abundance of this grace also. 8 📚I am speaking, not by way of commandment✭, but because of the earnestness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
The example of Christ
9 📚✭For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich✭, yet for your sakes he became poor✭, that you through his poverty might become rich.
Paul’s advice
10 📚And in this regard I give my advice. This is best for you: You were the first to prepare to do this service and also to have the desire, and this was a year ago; 11 📚✭now, therefore, carry out the doing of it, so that as there was a readiness to desire, so there may be a completion also, out of what you have. 12 📚For if there is first a willing mind, the gift is acceptable✭ according to what a man has, and not according to what he does not have.
13 📚✭For I do not mean that others should be relieved and you burdened, 14 📚but that there might be an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply what they need, so that some day their abundance may also supply what you need, that there may be equality. 15 📚As it is written, He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.
Paul sends Titus to Corinth
16 📚But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you in the heart of Titus. 17 📚For he not only accepted our exhortation, but being very earnest, he is going to you of his own accord. 18 📚And we are sending with him the brother✭ who is praised throughout all the churches for his service in the gospel. 19 📚And not only this, but he was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gracious gift, which we administer for the glory of the Lord himself, and to show your eagerness to help. 20 📚✭We are arranging things so that no one will blame us for the way this large gift is administered by us, 21 📚preparing matters with integrity, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 📚And we are sending with them our brother, whose diligence we have often proved in many things, but now much more diligent because of the great confidence I have in you. 23 📚If anyone enquires about Titus: He is my partner and fellow worker for you. Or if anyone asks about our brethren: They are the messengers of the churches, and an honour to Christ✭. 24 📚Therefore show them, in the presence of the churches, the proof of your love✭, and of our boasting about you✭.