29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, rto send relief to the brothers1 living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
17 Now after several years I came yto bring alms to my nation and to present offerings.
25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem wbringing aid to the saints. 26 xFor Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For yif the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,1 I will leave for Spain by way of you.
The Collection for the Saints
1 hNow concerning1 ithe collection for the saints: as I directed jthe churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, kas he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, lI will send mthose whom you accredit by nletter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
Encouragement to Give Generously
1 We want you to know, brothers,1 about the grace of God that has been given kamong the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their labundance of joy and mtheir extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave naccording to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor2 of taking part in the orelief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, pwe urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this qact of grace. 7 But ras you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you3—see that you excel in this act of grace also.
8 sI say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is tgenuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, uyet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might vbecome rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who wa year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their xneed, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, y“Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
Commendation of Titus
16 zBut thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going4 to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending5 athe brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been bappointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we caim at what is dhonorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great econfidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers6 of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our fboasting about you to these men.
The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem
1 Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the gministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready hsince last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But iI am sending7 the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, jas I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some kMacedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift8 you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, lnot as an exaction.9
The Cheerful Giver
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and mwhoever sows bountifully10 will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give nas he has decided in his heart, onot reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a pcheerful giver. 8 And qGod is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency11 in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
r“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies sseed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the tneeds of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, uthey12 will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your vconfession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your wcontribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible xgift!
10 Only, they asked us to dremember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
