1 And|strong="G1161" now|strong="G1161", brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G1161" sisters, we|strong="G1161" want to|strong="G1722" tell|strong="G1107" you|strong="G5210" what|strong="G3588" God’s|strong="G2316" grace|strong="G5485" has|strong="G2316" done in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" churches|strong="G1577" in|strong="G1722" Macedonia|strong="G3109".
2 These|strong="G3748" believers have|strong="G4052" been|strong="G2532" tested by|strong="G1722" great|strong="G4183" troubles|strong="G2347", and|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3588" very|strong="G0846" poor. But|strong="G2532" their|strong="G0846" great|strong="G4183" joy|strong="G5479" caused them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G2532" very|strong="G0846" generous in|strong="G1722" their|strong="G0846" giving.
3 I|strong="G2532" can tell you|strong="G3754" that|strong="G3754" they|strong="G2532" gave as|strong="G2596" much as|strong="G2596" they|strong="G2532" were|strong="G3748" able and|strong="G2532" even|strong="G2532" more|strong="G2596" than|strong="G3844" they|strong="G2532" could afford. No one|strong="G3748" told them|strong="G2596" to|strong="G2596" do|strong="G2532" this|strong="G3748". It|strong="G2532" was|strong="G3748" their|strong="G2532" idea.
4 But|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" asked us|strong="G1519" again|strong="G2532" and|strong="G2532" again|strong="G2532"—they|strong="G2532" begged|strong="G1189" us|strong="G1519" to|strong="G1519" let them|strong="G3326" share|strong="G2842" in|strong="G1519" this|strong="G3588" service|strong="G1248" for|strong="G1519" God’s people|strong="G4183".
5 And|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" gave|strong="G1325" in|strong="G2316" a|strong="G1325" way|strong="G1223" that|strong="G2316" we|strong="G2249" did|strong="G1325" not|strong="G3756" expect|strong="G1679": They|strong="G2532" gave|strong="G1325" themselves|strong="G1438" to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" and|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" us|strong="G1325" before|strong="G4413" they|strong="G2532" gave|strong="G1325" their|strong="G1438" money. This|strong="G3588" is|strong="G2316" what|strong="G3588" God|strong="G2316" wants|strong="G2307".
6 So|strong="G2443" we|strong="G2249" asked|strong="G3870" Titus|strong="G5103" to|strong="G1519" help you|strong="G5210" finish|strong="G2005" this|strong="G3778" special work|strong="G5485" of|strong="G5485" giving. He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3778" the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3778" who|strong="G3588" started this|strong="G3778" work|strong="G5485".
7 You|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3956" rich in|strong="G1722" everything|strong="G3956"—in|strong="G1722" faith|strong="G4102", in|strong="G1722" speaking|strong="G3056" ability, in|strong="G1722" knowledge|strong="G1108", in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" willingness to|strong="G2443" help, and|strong="G2532" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" love|strong="G0026" you|strong="G5210" learned from|strong="G1537" us|strong="G1537". So|strong="G2443" now|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2249" want you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G2443" be|strong="G2532" rich in|strong="G1722" this|strong="G3778" work|strong="G5485" of|strong="G1537" giving too|strong="G2532".
8 I|strong="G2532" am|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3756" ordering you|strong="G3004" to|strong="G3004" give|strong="G3004", but|strong="G0235" I|strong="G2532" want to|strong="G3004" see|strong="G1381" how real your|strong="G2532" love|strong="G0026" is|strong="G3588" by|strong="G1223" comparing you|strong="G3004" with|strong="G1223" others|strong="G2087" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2532" been|strong="G2532" so|strong="G2532" ready and|strong="G2532" willing to|strong="G3004" help.
9 You|strong="G5210" know|strong="G1097" the|strong="G3588" grace|strong="G5485" of|strong="G1223" our|strong="G2424" Lord|strong="G2962" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547". You|strong="G5210" know|strong="G1097" that|strong="G3754" he|strong="G3754" gave up his|strong="G1223" heavenly riches|strong="G4147" for|strong="G1063" you|strong="G5210". He|strong="G3754" gave up everything so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G3754" you|strong="G5210" could be|strong="G1510" richly blessed.
10 This|strong="G3778" is|strong="G3778" what|strong="G3588" I|strong="G2532" think you|strong="G5210" should|strong="G3778" do|strong="G4160": Last|strong="G3778" year|strong="G4070" you|strong="G5210" were|strong="G3778" the|strong="G3588" first|strong="G4278" to|strong="G2309" want|strong="G2309" to|strong="G2309" give|strong="G1325", and|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" were|strong="G3778" the|strong="G3588" first|strong="G4278" who|strong="G3588" gave|strong="G1325".
11 So|strong="G2532" now|strong="G1161" finish|strong="G2005" the|strong="G3588" work you|strong="G3779" started. Then|strong="G2532" your|strong="G2192" “doing|strong="G4160"” will|strong="G2309" be|strong="G2532" equal to|strong="G2309" your|strong="G2192" “wanting|strong="G2309" to|strong="G2309" do|strong="G4160".” Give|strong="G4160" from|strong="G1537" what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G3779" have|strong="G2192".
12 If|strong="G1487" you|strong="G1437" want to|strong="G3756" give, your|strong="G1437" gift will|strong="G2192" be|strong="G2192" accepted. Your|strong="G1437" gift will|strong="G2192" be|strong="G2192" judged by|strong="G2192" what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G1437" have|strong="G2192", not|strong="G3756" by|strong="G2192" what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G1437" don’t|strong="G3756" have|strong="G2192".
13 We|strong="G3568" don’t|strong="G3756" want you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G1519" have|strong="G3588" troubles|strong="G2347" while|strong="G1722" others|strong="G0243" are|strong="G3588" comforted. We|strong="G3568" want everything to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G3568" equal.
14 At|strong="G1722" this|strong="G3588" time|strong="G2540" you|strong="G5210" have|strong="G2532" plenty and|strong="G2532" can provide what|strong="G3588" they|strong="G2532" need|strong="G5303". Then|strong="G2532" later, when|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2532" plenty, they|strong="G2532" can provide what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G5210" need|strong="G5303". Then|strong="G2532" everyone will|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2532" an|strong="G1096" equal share.
15 As|strong="G2531" the|strong="G3588" Scriptures say,
16 I|strong="G1161" thank|strong="G5485" God|strong="G2316" because|strong="G1722" he|strong="G0846" gave|strong="G1325" Titus|strong="G5103" the|strong="G3588" same|strong="G0846" love for|strong="G5228" you|strong="G5210" that|strong="G0846" I|strong="G1161" have|strong="G3588".
17 Titus agreed to|strong="G4314" do|strong="G1831" what|strong="G3588" we|strong="G3754" asked. In|strong="G4314" fact|strong="G3754", he|strong="G3754" himself|strong="G0830" wanted very|strong="G0830" much to|strong="G4314" come|strong="G1831" see you|strong="G5210".
18 We|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3956" sending with|strong="G3326" Titus the|strong="G3956" brother|strong="G0080" who|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3739" praised by|strong="G1722" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" churches|strong="G1577". He|strong="G0846" is|strong="G3739" praised because|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1223" his|strong="G0846" service to|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" Good|strong="G2098" News|strong="G2098".
19 Also|strong="G2532", he|strong="G2532" was|strong="G3588" chosen by|strong="G5259" the|strong="G3588" churches|strong="G1577" to|strong="G4314" go with|strong="G4862" us when|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2249" carry this|strong="G3778" gift|strong="G5485". We|strong="G2249" are|strong="G3778" doing this|strong="G3778" service to|strong="G4314" bring honor|strong="G1391" to|strong="G4314" the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" and|strong="G2532" to|strong="G4314" show that|strong="G3778" we|strong="G2249" really want to|strong="G4314" help.
20 We|strong="G2249" are|strong="G3778" being careful so|strong="G3361" that|strong="G3778" no|strong="G3361" one|strong="G5100" will|strong="G3778" criticize us|strong="G1722" about|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" way|strong="G1722" we|strong="G2249" are|strong="G3778" caring for|strong="G1722" this|strong="G3778" large gift|strong="G0100".
21 We|strong="G2532" are|strong="G2532" trying to|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532" what|strong="G0235" is|strong="G0444" right|strong="G2570". We|strong="G2532" want to|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532" what|strong="G0235" the|strong="G2532" Lord|strong="G2962" accepts as|strong="G2532" right|strong="G2570" and|strong="G2532" also|strong="G2532" what|strong="G0235" people|strong="G0444" think is|strong="G0444" right|strong="G2570".
22 Also|strong="G1161", we|strong="G2249" are|strong="G1510" sending with|strong="G1722" them|strong="G0846" our|strong="G1722" brother|strong="G0080" who|strong="G3739" is|strong="G1510" always ready to|strong="G1519" help. He|strong="G0846" has|strong="G3739" proved this|strong="G3588" to|strong="G1519" us|strong="G1519" in|strong="G1722" many|strong="G4183" ways. And|strong="G1161" he|strong="G0846" wants to|strong="G1519" help even|strong="G1161" more|strong="G4183" now|strong="G1161" because|strong="G1722" he|strong="G0846" has|strong="G3739" much|strong="G4183" faith|strong="G3739" in|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210".
23 Now|strong="G2532" about|strong="G5228" Titus|strong="G5103"—he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G5547" my|strong="G1699" partner|strong="G2844". He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G5547" working together|strong="G2532" with|strong="G2532" me|strong="G1473" to|strong="G1519" help you|strong="G5210". And|strong="G2532" about|strong="G5228" the|strong="G2532" other brothers|strong="G0080"—they|strong="G2532" are|strong="G2532" sent|strong="G0652" from|strong="G1391" the|strong="G2532" churches|strong="G1577", and|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" bring|strong="G1519" honor|strong="G1391" to|strong="G1519" Christ|strong="G5547".
24 So|strong="G3767" show|strong="G1731" these|strong="G3588" men|strong="G0846" that|strong="G0846" you|strong="G5210" really have|strong="G2532" love|strong="G0026". Show|strong="G1731" them|strong="G0846" why we|strong="G2249" are|strong="G3588" proud of|strong="G1577" you|strong="G5210". Then|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" churches|strong="G1577" can see it|strong="G0846".