## Generosity and Grace 

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Now brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 

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that in a great testing by affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the richness of their generosity. 

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For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, _they gave_ of their own accord, 

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begging us with much urging for the grace of sharing in the ministry to the saints, 

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and _this_, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 

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So we encouraged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. 

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But just as you abound in everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, _see_ that you abound in this gracious work also. 

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I am not speaking _this_ as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 

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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though being rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 

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And I give _my_ opinion in this matter, for this is profitable for you, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do _this_, but also to desire _to do it_. 

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But now complete doing it also, so that just as _there was_ the readiness to desire it, so _there may be_ also the completion of it from what you have. 

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For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what _a person_ has, not according to what he does not have. 

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For _this_ is not for the relief of others _and_ for your affliction, but by way of equality-- 

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at this present time your abundance _being a supply_ for their need, so that their abundance also may become _a supply_ for your need, that there may be equality. 

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As it is written, "He who _gathered_ much did not have too much, and he who _gathered_ little had no lack." 

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But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. 

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For he not only accepted our plea, but being himself very earnest, he has gone out to you of his own accord. 

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And we have sent along with him the brother whose praise in _the things of_ the gospel is throughout all the churches. 

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And not only _this_, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work that is being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and _to show_ our readiness, 

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taking precaution lest anyone discredits us in our ministering of this generous gift, 

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for we respect what is good, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 

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And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found earnest in many things, but now even more earnest because of _his_ great confidence in you. 

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As for Titus, _he is_ my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, _they are_ messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. 

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Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.