Generous Giving
1 My friends, we want you to know that the churches in Macedonia have shown others God's gift of undeserved grace. 2 Although they were going through hard times and were very poor, they were glad to give generously. 3 They gave as much as they could afford and even more, simply because they wanted to. 4 They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God's people. 5 And they did more than we had hoped. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.
6 Titus was the one who got you started doing this good thing, so we begged him to help you finish what you had begun. 7 You do everything better than anyone else. You have stronger faith. You speak better and know more. You are eager to give, and you love us better. Now you must give more generously than anyone else.
8 I am not ordering you to do this. I am simply testing how real your love is by comparing it with the concern that others have shown. 9 You know our Lord Jesus Christ treated us with undeserved grace by giving up all his riches, so you could become rich.
10 A year ago you were the first ones to give, and you gave because you wanted to. So listen to my advice. 11 I think you should finish what you started. If you give according to what you have, you will prove you are as eager to give as you were to think about giving. 12 It doesn't matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have.
13 I am not trying to make life easier for others by making life harder for you. But it is only fair 14 for you to share with them when you have so much, and they have so little. Later, when they have more than enough, and you are in need, they can share with you. Then everyone will have a fair share, 15 just as the Scriptures say,
“Those who gathered
too much
had nothing left.
Those who gathered
only a little
had all they needed.”
Titus and His Friends
16 I am grateful that God made Titus care as much about you as we do. 17 When we begged Titus to visit you, he said he would. He wanted to because he cared so much for you. 18 With Titus we are also sending one of the Lord's followers who is well known in every church for spreading the good news. 19 The churches chose this follower to travel with us while we carry this gift that will bring praise to the Lord and show how much we hope to help. 20 We don't want anyone to find fault with the way we handle your generous gift. 21 But we want to do what pleases the Lord and what people think is right.
22 We are also sending someone else with Titus and the other follower. We approve of this man. In fact, he has already shown us many times that he wants to help. And now he wants to help even more than ever, because he trusts you so much. 23 Titus is my partner, who works with me to serve you. The other two followers are sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ. 24 Treat them in such a way that the churches will see your love and will know why we bragged about you.
VIII.
Pamūdynōjums uz labdareibu.
1 Es grybu jums, brōli, pastōsteit par tū žēlesteibu, kuru sajēme Makedonijas draudze. 2 Kai daudzejū spaidu pōrbaudejumūs jim ir prīcas pōrpiļneiba, tai dziļā nabadzeibā pasarōdeja vīnkōršeibas pōrpiļneiba. 3 Pa vareibai, es varu aplīcynōt, pōrōk par vareibu, jī beja labdeveigi, 4 un nu mums ļūti lyudze žēlesteibas, ka jim atļautu pīsadaleit pi svātūs pabaļsteišonas; 5 un na tik vin šytū, bet ari jī poši sevi, kai mes cerējom, sōkumā nūdeve Kungam un tad, saskaņā ar Dīva grybu, arī mums. 6 Un Titam mes pīsacejam, ka jys tū mīlesteibas dorbu pi jums izvastu leidz golam, kai jys jau agrōk beja īsōcis. 7 Un kai jyus sevi atzeimējot vysā kamā: ticeibā, mōceibā, zynōšonā, ikvīnā centeibā un mīlesteibā, kuru mes jyusūs uzmūdynōjom, tai atzeimejit sevi arī šytamā mīlesteibas dorbā. 8 Bet es šytō nasoku kai pavēles, bet tikai, lai caur tū centeibu pōrbaudeit jyusu mīlesteibu. 9 Jums ir zynoma myusu Kunga Jezus Kristus mīlesteiba, kai Jys bogōts byudams, jyusu dēļ palyka nabadzeigs, lai jyus caur Jō nabadzeibu palyktu bogōti. 10 Šamā lītā es jums dūdu tikai vīnu padūmu un tys jums byus nūdereigs, jo jyus na tikai pošu lītu, bet arī gribēšonu īsōcet jau pagōjušajā godā. 11 Izpiļdit tad tagad tū dorbūs, lai gataveibai kas beja nūdūmā, atbylstu, skotūtīs pēc monta, izpiļdeišona. 12 Un labdeveiba ir teicama, jo tei nūteik manteibas rūbežōs un nav pōrōka par montu. 13 Bet jums nav jōnūnōk tryukumā, lai citi byutu pōrpiļneibā; te jōītur leidzsvors. 14 Šymā laikā jyusu pōrpiļneigums lai paleidz jūs tryuceigumam, ka, nu ūtras puses, jūs pōrpiļneigums paleidzātu jyusu tryuceigumam. 15 Tai lai īsastōj leidzsvors, kai stōv raksteits: Kas savōce daudzi, tam pōrpiļneibas nabeja un kas nadaudzi savōce arī tys tryukuma nacīte.
16 Paļdis Dīvam, ka Jys Titam sirdī īlēja šytū centeibu, 17 lai jys munu pīsacejumu labprōt uzajemtu; jā, centeibas pylns pats nu sevis jys uzajēme braukt pi jums. 18 Reizē ar jū mes syutam brōli, kura slava caur Evangelija sludynōšonu izaplota pa vysom draudzem. 19 Un na tys vin, jys nu draudzem ir izlaseits par myusu leidzceļōtōju mīlesteibas dorbā, kuru mes Kunga gūdam un myusu lobōs grybas pīrōdeišonai uzajēmem. 20 Mes nagrybātu, ka sakarā ar bogōteigajom dōvonom, uz mums krystu kaidas aizdūmas; 21 jo mums jōsaryupej na tikai par tū, kas ir lobs Kunga prīškā, bet arī par tū, kas ļaužu prīškā 22 Mes syutam leidza sovu brōli, kurs daudzkōrteigi un dažaidi sovu centeibu ir pīrōdejis un lelajā paļōveibā uz jums ir vēļ centeigōks. 23 Kas atsateic uz Titu, tad jys ir muns leidzgōjējs un leidzstrōdnīks pi jums. Kas atsateic uz myusu brōlim, tad jī ir draudžu apostoli un Kristus gūds. 24 Jim tad draudzes prīškā parōdit sovu mīlesteibu un attaisnojit jyusu nu mums cyldynōšonu.
