'We want1you3to know,1brothers,4about the5grace6of God8that has been given10among11the12churches13of Macedonia,15 for1in2a severe3test4of affliction,5their10abundance7of joy9and11their16extreme1314poverty15have overflowed17in18a wealth20of generosity22on their part.23 For1they gaveaccording to2theirmeans,3asI can testify,4and5beyond6theirmeans,7of their own accord,8 begging4us5earnestly123for the6favor7oftaking part10in the11[relief]12of14the15saints —16 and1this,not2as3we expected,4but5they gave7themselves6first8to the9Lord10and then11by13the will14of God15to us.12 Accordingly,12we4urged3Titus5that6as7he had started,8so9he should complete11among12you13this17[act of] grace.16 But1as2you excel5in3everything4—in faith,6in speech,8in knowledge,10in all12earnestness,13and14in16our17love20for18you —19seethat21you excel27in23this24act ofgrace26also.22 I say [this]4not1as2a command,3but5to prove16by6the7earnestness9of others8thatyour13love14also10isgenuine.15 For2you know1the3grace4of6our7Lord6Jesus8Christ,9that10thoughhe was15rich,14yet10for11your12sake11he became poor,13so that16you17by20his19poverty20might become rich.21 And1in3this [matter]4I give5myjudgment:2this6benefits9you,8who10a year ago2021started19not11only12to do14this [work]13but15also16to desire18to [do] it.17 So now1finish6doing5it4as well,3so that7yourreadiness10in desiring12it15may be matched by yourcompleting16itout of17what you have.1819 For2if1the3readiness4is there,5it isacceptable9according to6what7a person has,8not10according to11whathe does13not12have.13 For2I donot1meanthat3others4should beeased5andyou6burdened,7but8that as a matterof9fairness10 your6abundance7at1the2present3time4should[supply]8their10need,11so that12their15abundance16may17[supply]18your20need,21that22there may be23fairness.24 As1it is written,2Whoever [gathered]4much5had7nothing6left over,7and8whoever [gathered]10little11had13no12lack.13 But2thanks1beto God,4who put6into12the13heart14of Titus15the7same8earnest care9I havefor10you.11 For1he5not only3accepted5ourappeal,4but7being8himselfvery earnest6he is going10to11you12of his own accord.9 With3him4we are sending1the5brother6who7isfamous9among13all14the15churches16for his preachingof10the11gospel.12 And3not1only2that,but4he has been appointed6by7the8churches9to travel with10us11as we carry outthis15[act of] grace14that is being ministered17by18us,19for20the glory25of the23Lord24himself22and26to showour28good will.27 Wetake1this [course]2so thatno3one4should blame6us5about7this10generous [gift]9that is being administered12by13us,14 for2we aim at1what ishonorable3not4only5in the6Lord’s7sight6but8also9in the sight10of man.11 And2with1them3we are sending1our6brother5whom7we have8often11tested8and[found]13earnest12in9many matters,10but15who isnow14more16earnest17than ever because of hisgreat19confidence18in21you.22 As for2Titus,3he ismy5partner4and6fellow worker9for7your [benefit].8[And as for]10our12brothers,11they aremessengers13of the churches,14the glory15of Christ.16 So2give14proof3before1516the17churches18of5your6love5and7of9our8boasting9about10you11to12these men.13