1 But we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia; 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their free-hearted liberality. 3 For according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they were willing of their own accord, 4 begging of us with much entreaty to give effect to the grace and fellowship of the service which was to be rendered to the saints. 5 And not according as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us by God’s will. 6 So that we begged Titus that, according as he had before begun, so he would also complete as to you this grace also;

7 but even as ye abound in every way, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in love from you to us, that ye may abound in this grace also. 8 I do not speak as commanding it, but through the zeal of others, and proving the genuineness of your love. 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes he, being rich, became poor, in order that ye by his poverty might be enriched. 10 And I give my opinion in this, for this is profitable for you who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago. 11 But now also complete the doing of it; so that as there was the readiness to be willing, so also to complete out of what ye have. 12 For if the readiness be there, a man is accepted according to what he may have, not according to what he has not. 13 For it is not in order that there may be ease for others, and for you distress, 14 but on the principle of equality; in the present time your abundance for their lack, that their abundance may be for your lack, so that there should be equality. 15 According as it is written, He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little was nothing short.

16 But thanks be to God, who gives the same diligent zeal for you in the heart of Titus. 17 For he received indeed the entreaty, but, being full of zeal, he went of his own accord to you; 18 but we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the glad tidings through all the assemblies; 19 and not only so, but is also chosen by the assemblies as our fellow-traveller with this grace, ministered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and a witness of our readiness; 20 avoiding this, that any one should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us; 21 for we provide for things honest, not only before the Lord, but also before men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved to be of diligent zeal in many things, and now more diligently zealous through the great confidence he has as to you. 23 Whether as regards Titus, he is my companion and fellow-labourer in your behalf; or our brethren, they are deputed messengers of assemblies, Christ’s glory. 24 Shew therefore to them, before the assemblies, the proof of your love, and of our boasting about you.

1 Ja nüüd, vennad ja õed, tahame, et te teaksite, millist armu on Jumal Makedoonia kogudustele andnud. 2 Rasked kannatused on andnud neile ülevoolavat rõõmu ja nende äärmine vaesus on saanud headuse rohkeks rikkuseks. 3 Sest ma tunnistan, et nad annetasid nii palju kui võimalik ja isegi rohkem, kui nad olid suutelised andma. Nad ise on vabatahtlikult 4 anunud meid tungivalt, et saaksid osa eesõigusest abistada Jumala rahvast. 5 Seda oli rohkem, kui me lootsime, sest nad andsid Jumala tahtel iseendid esmalt Issandale ja siis ka meile. 6 Seetõttu me julgustasime Tiitust, et ta teie hulgas viiks lõpule annetuste korjamise, nii nagu ta seda kord oli alustanud. 7 Nii nagu te olete külluslikud kõiges: oma usus, kõnes, tunnetuses, agaruses ja armastuses meie vastu; olge nüüd külluslikud ka andmise armus.

8 Ma ei ütle seda käsuna, vaid võrreldes teiste agarusega tahan proovida teie armastuse siirust. 9 Sest te tunnete meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse armu, et ta oli rikas, kuid sai teie pärast vaeseks, et teie saaksite rikkaks tema vaesusest.

10 Ja siin on minu arvamus selle kohta, mis on teile parim. Mullu olite esimesed mitte ainult andma, vaid ka tahtma. 11 Nüüd viige täide oma tegemine. Samasuguse tahtmisega nagu te alustasite, viige see ka lõpule, arvestades oma võimalusi. 12 Sest kui meil on tahtmist anda, võtab Jumal meie anni vastu. Me ei pea andma sellest, mida meil ei ole, vaid sellest, mis meil on. 13 Meie soov ei ole, et te teisi aidates raskustesse satuksite, vaid et oleks võrdsus. 14 Nii tulgu teie küllusest neile, mida nad vajavad, et omakorda nende küllusest tuleks teile, mida vajate teie. See on võrdsuse mõte, 15 nagu on kirjutatud: „Kes korjas palju, sellel ei jäänud üle, ja kes korjas vähe, sellel ei jäänud puudu."

16 Aga tänu olgu Jumalale, kes pani Tiituse südamesse samasuguse hoole teie pärast. 17 Sest Tiitus mitte üksnes ei võtnud kuulda meie soovi, vaid ta tuleb teie juurde suure innuga ja omal tahtel. 18 Temaga koos me saatsime venna, keda on evangeeliumi kuulutamises kiidetud kõigis kogudustes. 19 Veel enam, ta on koguduste poolt valitud meie kaaslaseks edasi toimetama annetust, mida me kogume Issanda kiituseks ja meie abivalmiduse näitamiseks. 20 Me ei anna kellelegi põhjust meid laimata selle küllusliku anni pärast, mida me kogume, 21 sest me püüame toimida õigesti mitte ainult Issanda, vaid ka inimeste silmis.

22 Lisaks saatsime nendega ühe venna, kes on meile sageli mitmel moel tõestanud oma püüdlikkust, ja nüüd veelgi enam oma suure usalduse tõttu teie vastu. 23 Mis puutub Tiitusesse, siis ta on minu kaastöötaja ja abiline teie teenimises. Mis puutub vendadesse, siis nemad on koguduste saadikud ja Kristuse au. 24 Näidake siis nendele oma armastust ja õigustage meie kiitlemist teie üle, et seda võiksid näha ka kogudused.