Christian Giving
1 Our friends, we want you to know what God's grace has accomplished in the churches in Macedonia. 2 They have been severely tested by the troubles they went through; but their joy was so great that they were extremely generous in their giving, even though they are very poor. 3 I can assure you that they gave as much as they could, and even more than they could. Of their own free will 4 they begged us and pleaded for the privilege of having a part in helping God's people in Judea. 5 It was more than we could have hoped for! First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God's will they gave themselves to us as well. 6 So we urged Titus, who began this work, to continue it and help you complete this special service of love. 7 You are so rich in all you have: in faith, speech, and knowledge, in your eagerness to help and in your love for us. And so we want you to be generous also in this service of love.
8 I am not laying down any rules. But by showing how eager others are to help, I am trying to find out how real your own love is. 9 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; rich as he was, he made himself poor for your sake, in order to make you rich by means of his poverty.
10 My opinion is that it is better for you to finish now what you began last year. You were the first, not only to act, but also to be willing to act. 11 On with it, then, and finish the job! Be as eager to finish it as you were to plan it, and do it with what you now have. 12 If you are eager to give, God will accept your gift on the basis of what you have to give, not on what you don't have.
13-14 I am not trying to relieve others by putting a burden on you; but since you have plenty at this time, it is only fair that you should help those who are in need. Then, when you are in need and they have plenty, they will help you. In this way both are treated equally. 15 As the scripture says, “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
Titus and His Companions
16 How we thank God for making Titus as eager as we are to help you! 17 Not only did he welcome our request; he was so eager to help that of his own free will he decided to go to you. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is highly respected in all the churches for his work in preaching the gospel. 19 And besides that, he has been chosen and appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this service of love for the sake of the Lord's glory and in order to show that we want to help.
20 We are being careful not to stir up any complaints about the way we handle this generous gift. 21 Our purpose is to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of others.
22 So we are sending our brother with them; we have tested him many times and found him always very eager to help. And now that he has so much confidence in you, he is all the more eager to help. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and works with me to help you; as for the other brothers who are going with him, they represent the churches and bring glory to Christ. 24 Show your love to them, so that all the churches will be sure of it and know that we are right in boasting about you.
1 Mēs jums, brāļi, aizrādām uz Dieva žēlastību, kas ir izpaudusies Maķedonijas draudzēs, 2 jo tur, lai gan bēdu smagi pārbaudīti un paši dzīvodami lielā nabadzībā, viņu prieks izpaudies lielā sirsnībā; 3 tie ir labprātīgi ziedojuši pēc savām spējām, pat pāri spējām, to es apliecinu; 4 ar lielu sirsnību tie piedāvāja savu kalpošanu svētajiem mīlestībā 5 un ziedoja vairāk, kā cerējām, - sevi papriekš Dievam un pēc Dieva prāta arī mums. 6 Tad mēs lūdzām Titu, lai viņš, kā jau iesācis mūsu vidū šo ziedojumu lietu, novestu to līdz galam. 7 Bet, tā kā jūs esat sekmēm bagāti visās lietās: ticībā, vārdā, atziņā, visādos centienos un savā mīlestībā uz mums, tad esiet bagāti arī šinī labdarības lietā. 8 To es nesaku pavēlēdams, bet ar centību, kas redzama pie citiem, gribēdams pārbaudīt jūsu mīlestību, vai tā ir īsta. 9 Jo jūs zināt mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus žēlastību, ka Viņš, bagāts būdams, ir tapis nabags jūsu dēļ, lai Viņa nabadzība kļūtu jums par bagātību. 10 Un šinī lietā mans padoms ir tāds: tas jums ir par labu, ka jūs pērn lietu iesākuši ne vien ar darbu, bet arī ar labo gribu, 11 tagad pabeidziet iesākto darbu, lai labajai gribai seko arī izpildīšana pēc iespējas. 12 Jo, kur ir laba griba, tā ir apsveicama ar to, cik tā spēj, vairāk nevar sagaidīt, 13 jo nevar prasīt, lai citu atvieglošana jūs novestu grūtībās; bet lai notiktu izlīdzināšana: 14 jūsu pārpalikums tagad lai nāk par labu viņu trūkumam, un arī viņu pārpalikums lai nāktu jums par labu, lai tā notiktu izlīdzināšana, kā ir rakstīts: 15 kam bija daudz, netapa bagāts; kam bija maz, netapa nabags. - 16 Bet paldies Dievam, kas Titam devis sirdī tādu pašu rūpību par jums. 17 Viņš sekoja manam aicinājumam un, būdams uzcītīgs, pats labprātīgi nogāja pie jums. 18 Mēs esam viņam līdzi nosūtījuši brāli, kam visās draudzēs ir laba slava evaņģēlija lietā; 19 un ne tādēļ vien, bet viņš ir mūsu draudžu izraudzītais pavadonis šinī mīlestības darbā, ko mēs strādājam, lai paustu Tā Kunga godu un savu labo gribu. 20 Tā mēs nodrošināmies, ka neviens mums neceltu neslavu bagāto dāvanu dēļ, ko esam savākuši. 21 Jo mēs dzenamies pēc tā, kas labs, ne tik vien Tā Kunga, bet arī cilvēku priekšā. 22 Tiem līdzi mēs nosūtījām mūsu brāli, par kura centību vairākkārt dažādos gadījumos esam pārliecinājušies. Tagad viņa centība ir vēl lielāka pilnīgā paļāvībā uz jums. 23 Kas attiecas uz Titu, tad viņš ir mans biedrs un līdzstrādnieks jūsu vidū; kas attiecas uz mūsu brāļiem, tie ir draudžu sūtņi Kristum par godu. 24 Tad nu parādiet viņiem savu mīlestību un attaisnojiet mūsu labo atsauksmi par jums viņu un draudžu priekšā.
