¹Brothers and sisters, we want you to know how God showed his kindness^ato the churches in the province of Macedonia. ²While they were being severely tested by suffering, their overflowing joy, along with their extreme poverty, has made them even more generous. ³I assure you that by their own free will they have given all they could, even more than they could afford. ⁴They made an appeal to us, begging us to let them participate in the ministry of God’s kindness to his holy people ⸤in Jerusalem⸥. ⁵They did more than we had expected. First, they gave themselves to the Lord and to us, since this was God’s will. ⁶This led us to urge Titus to finish his work of God’s kindness among you in the same way as he had already started it.

⁷Indeed, the more your faith, your ability to speak, your knowledge, your dedication, and your love for us increase, the more we want you to participate in this work of God’s kindness.

⁸I’m not commanding you, but I’m testing how genuine your love is by pointing out the dedication of others. ⁹You know about the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor in order to make you rich through his poverty.

¹⁰I’m giving you my opinion because it will be helpful to you. Last year you were not only willing ⸤to take a collection⸥ but had already started to do it. ¹¹So finish what you began to do. Then your willingness will be matched by what you accomplish ¹²with whatever contributions you have. Since you are willing to do this, ⸤remember⸥ that people are accepted if they give what they are able to give. God doesn’t ask for what they don’t have.

¹³I don’t mean that others should have relief while you have hardship. Rather, it’s a matter of striking a balance. ¹⁴At the present time, your surplus fills their need so that their surplus may fill your need. In this way things balance out. ¹⁵This is what Scripture says: “Those who had gathered a lot didn’t have too much, and those who gathered a little didn’t have too little.”

¹⁶I thank God for making Titus as dedicated to you as I am. ¹⁷He accepted my request and eagerly went to visit you by his own free will.

¹⁸With him we have sent our Christian brother whom all the churches praise for the way he tells the Good News. ¹⁹More than that, the churches elected him to travel with us and bring this gift of God’s kindness. We are administering it in a way that brings glory to the Lord and shows that we are doing it willingly. ²⁰We don’t want anyone to find fault with the way we are administering this generous gift. ²¹We intend to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people.

²²We have also sent with them our Christian brother whom we have often tested in many ways and found to be a dedicated worker. We find that he is much more dedicated now than ever because he has so much confidence in you.

²³If any questions are raised, remember that Titus is my partner and coworker to help you. The other men are representatives of the churches and bring glory to Christ. ²⁴So give these men a demonstration of your love. Show their congregations that we were right to be proud of you.

9TH CHAPTER

The Reason to Give to the Christians in Jerusalem

¹I don’t need to write anything further to you about helping the Christians ⸤in Jerusalem⸥. ²I know how willing you are to help, and I brag about you to the believers in the province of Macedonia. I tell them, “The people of Greece have been ready ⸤to send their collection⸥ since last year,” and your enthusiasm has moved most of them ⸤to act⸥. ³I’ve sent my coworkers so that when we brag that you’re ready, we can back it up. ⁴Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me, they might find out that you’re not ready after all. This would embarrass us for feeling so confident as much as it would embarrass you. ⁵So I thought that I should encourage our coworkers to visit you before I do and make arrangements for this gift that you had already promised to give. Then it will be the blessing it was intended to be, and it won’t be something you’re forced to do.

⁶Remember this: The farmer who plants a few seeds will have a very small harvest. But the farmer who plants because he has received God’s blessings will receive a harvest of God’s blessings in return. ⁷Each of you should give whatever you have decided. You shouldn’t be sorry that you gave or feel forced to give, since God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸Besides, God will give you his constantly overflowing kindness.^aThen, when you always have everything you need, you can do more and more good things. ⁹Scripture says,

“The person with God’s approval gives freely to the poor.

The things he does with God’s approval continue forever.”

¹⁰God gives seed to the farmer and food to those who need to eat. God will also give you seed and multiply it. In your lives he will increase the things you do that have his approval. ¹¹God will make you rich enough so that you can always be generous. Your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God because of us. ¹²What you do to serve others not only provides for the needs of God’s people, but also produces more and more prayers of thanksgiving to God. ¹³You will honor God through this genuine act of service because of your commitment to spread the Good News of Christ and because of your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else. ¹⁴With deep affection they will pray for you because of the extreme kindness that God has shown you. ¹⁵I thank God for his gift that words cannot describe.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

a 8:1 Or “grace.”
a 9:8 Or “grace.”