1Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been bestowed in the churches of Macedonia;
2that under a great trial of distress the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty increased the riches of their liberality;
3for according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,
4begging of us with much entreaty the favor of sharing in the ministration to the saints;
5and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God;
6so that we urged Titus, that, as he had already made a beginning, so he would also finish among you this bounty also.
7But as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this exercise of liberality also.
8I speak not by way of command, but by reason of the earnestness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love.
9For 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.
10And I only give an opinion in this matter. For this is expedient for you, who began before others, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago.
11Now 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.
12For if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, not according to what he hath not.
13For it is not that others may be eased, and you burdened,
14but to make an equality; at the present season your abundance meeting their deficiency, that their abundance may at another time meet your deficiency; that there may be equality;
15as it is written: “He that gathered much, had nothing over; and he that gathered little, had no lack.”
16But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus;
17for he accepted indeed the exhortation; but being very earnest, he went of his own accord to you.
18And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches;
19and not that only, but who was also appointed by the churches as our fellow-traveler in the matter of this bounty, which is administered by us to the honor of the Lord himself, and of our ready mind;
20since we are careful of this, that no one should blame us in our management of this abundant liberality;
21for we take forethought for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often in many things proved to be zealous, but now much more zealous through the great confidence which he hath in you.
23As to Titus, he is my partner and fellow-laborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24Display to them, therefore, before the churches, the proof of your love, and of what we have boasted on your behalf.