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.

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. 7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: 15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. 16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. 17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; 19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: 20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: 21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. 23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. 24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.