¹ NOW we inform you, brethren, of the grace of God which hath been bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

² that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, hath more abounded to the riches of their liberality.

³ For unto their power, I bear them witness, and above their power, they were voluntarily ready to give:

⁴ with much entreaty praying us that we would receive the gift, and undertake the communication of the contribution for the saints.

⁵ And not merely as we hoped, but gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us according to the will of God.

⁶ So that we exhorted Titus, that as he had been active before, so also he would perfect in you this grace also.

⁷ So as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and elocution, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

⁸ I speak not by commandment, but because of the forwardness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love.

⁹ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor though he was rich, that ye by his poverty should be made rich.

¹⁰ And in this I give my opinion: for this is expedient for you, who have before begun not only to do, but also to be willing a year ago.

¹¹ Now then accomplish also the doing it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be also to perform out of that which ye have.

¹² For if there is first a ready mind, a man is acceptable according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not.

¹³ For I mean not that there should be ease for others and a burden on you;

¹⁴ but that according to equality, your abundance on the present occasion should afford a supply for their deficiency, that their abundance also may supply your deficiency, that there may be equality.

¹⁵ According as it is written, “He that gathered much had no more than others, and he who gathered little, had no less¹.”

1. Exod. xvi. 18.

¹⁶ But thanks be to God, who put the same solicitude for you into the heart of Titus.

¹⁷ For he received in deed the exhortation, but being more diligent, of his own ready mind he went unto you.

¹⁸ We have sent with him also a brother, whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches;

¹⁹ and not only so, but who was chosen by the churches as my fellow-traveller with this charity, ministered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and to shew your ready mind.

²⁰ Avoiding this, that no man should lay any blame to us in this abundance which is administered by us:

²¹ providing what is fair, not only before the Lord, but also before men.

²² And we have sent with him our brother, whom we have often experienced in many things to be a man of diligence, but now much more diligent, through the great confidence which I have in you.

²³ If any inquire concerning Titus, he is my companion and fellow-labourer to you; or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

²⁴ Therefore shew unto them, and in the presence of the churches, a proof of your love, and of our just boasting in you.