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1. And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace God gave the churches in Macedonia.
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1. Moreover G1161 , brethren G80 , we do you to wit G1107 G5213 of the G3588 grace G5485 of God G2316 bestowed G1325 on G1722 the G3588 churches G1577 of Macedonia G3109 ;
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2. They have been tested by great troubles, and they are very poor. But they gave much because of their great joy.
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2. How that G3754 in G1722 a great G4183 trial G1382 of affliction G2347 the G3588 abundance G4050 of their G846 joy G5479 and G2532 their G846 deep G899 poverty G4432 abounded G4052 unto G1519 the G3588 riches G4149 of their G846 liberality G572 .
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3. I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it.
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3. For G3754 to G2596 their power G1411 , I bear record G3140 , yea, and G2532 beyond G5228 their power G1411 they were willing of themselves G830 ;
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4. But they begged and pleaded with us to let them share in this service for God's people.
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4. Praying G1189 us G2257 with G3326 much G4183 entreaty G3874 that we G2248 would receive G1209 the G3588 gift G5485 , and G2532 take upon us the G3588 fellowship G2842 of the G3588 ministering G1248 to G1519 the G3588 saints G40 .
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5. And they gave in a way we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. This is what God wants.
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5. And G2532 this they did, not G3756 as G2531 we hoped G1679 , but G235 first G4412 gave G1325 their own selves G1438 to the G3588 Lord G2962 , and G2532 unto us G2254 by G1223 the will G2307 of God G2316 .
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6. So we asked Titus to help you finish this special work of grace since he is the one who started it.
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6. Insomuch that we G2248 desired G3870 Titus G5103 , that G2443 as G2531 he had begun G4278 , so G3779 he would also G2532 finish G2005 in G1519 you G5209 the G3588 same G5026 grace G5485 also G2532 .
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7. You are rich in everything -- in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us. In the same way, be strong also in the grace of giving.
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7. Therefore G235 , as G5618 ye abound G4052 in G1722 every G3956 thing, in faith G4102 , and G2532 utterance G3056 , and G2532 knowledge G1108 , and G2532 in all G3956 diligence G4710 , and G2532 in G1537 your G5216 love G26 to G1722 us G2254 , see that G2443 ye abound G4052 in G1722 this G5026 grace G5485 also G2532 .
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8. I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true by comparing you with others that really want to help.
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8. I speak G3004 not G3756 by G2596 commandment G2003 , but G235 by occasion of G1223 the G3588 forwardness G4710 of others G2087 , and G2532 to prove G1381 the G3588 sincerity G1103 of your G5212 love G26 .
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9. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor so that by his becoming poor you might become rich.
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9. For G1063 ye know G1097 the G3588 grace G5485 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 , that G3754 , though he was G5607 rich G4145 , yet for your sakes G1223 G5209 he became poor G4433 , that G2443 ye G5210 through his G1565 poverty G4432 might be rich G4147 .
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10. This is what I think you should do: Last year you were the first to want to give, and you were the first who gave.
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10. And G2532 herein G1722 G5129 I give G1325 my advice G1106 : for G1063 this G5124 is expedient G4851 for you G5213 , who G3748 have begun before G4278 , not G3756 only G3440 to do G4160 , but G235 also G2532 to be forward G2309 a year ago G575 G4070 .
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11. So now finish the work you started. Then your "doing" will be equal to your "wanting to do." Give from what you have.
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11. G1161 Now G3570 therefore G2532 perform G2005 the G3588 doing G4160 of it ; that G3704 as G2509 there was a readiness G4288 to will G2309 , so G3779 there may be a performance G2005 also G2532 out of G1537 that which ye have G2192 .
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12. If you want to give, your gift will be accepted. It will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have.
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12. For G1063 if G1487 there be first G4295 a willing mind G4288 , it is accepted G2144 according to that G2526 a man G5100 hath G2192 G1437 , and not G3756 according to that G2526 he hath G2192 not G3756 .
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13. We do not want you to have troubles while other people are at ease, but we want everything to be equal.
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13. For G1063 I mean not G3756 that G2443 other men G243 be eased G425 , and G1161 ye G5213 burdened G2347 :
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14. At this time you have plenty. What you have can help others who are in need. Then later, when they have plenty, they can help you when you are in need, and all will be equal.
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14. But G235 by G1537 an equality G2471 , that now G3568 at G1722 this time G2540 your G5216 abundance G4051 may be a supply for G1519 their G1565 want G5303 , that G2443 their G1565 abundance G4051 also G2532 may be G1096 a supply for G1519 your G5216 want G5303 : that G3704 there may be G1096 equality G2471 :
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15. As it is written in the Scriptures, "The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little."
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15. As G2531 it is written G1125 , He G3588 that had gathered much G4183 had nothing over G4121 G3756 ; and G2532 he G3588 that had gathered little G3641 had no lack G1641 G3756 .
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16. I thank God because he gave Titus the same love for you that I have.
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16. But G1161 thanks G5485 be to God G2316 , which put G1325 the G3588 same G846 earnest care G4710 into G1722 the G3588 heart G2588 of Titus G5103 for G5228 you G5216 .
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17. Titus accepted what we asked him to do. He wanted very much to go to you, and this was his own idea.
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17. For G3754 indeed G3303 he accepted G1209 the G3588 exhortation G3874 ; but G1161 being G5225 more forward G4707 , of his own accord G830 he went G1831 unto G4314 you G5209 .
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18. We are sending with him the brother who is praised by all the churches because of his service in preaching the Good News.
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18. And G1161 we have sent G4842 with G3326 him G846 the G3588 brother G80 , whose G3739 praise G1868 is in G1722 the G3588 gospel G2098 throughout G1223 all G3956 the G3588 churches G1577 ;
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19. Also, this brother was chosen by the churches to go with us when we deliver this gift of money. We are doing this service to bring glory to the Lord and to show that we really want to help.
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19. And G1161 not G3756 that only G3440 , but G235 who was also G2532 chosen G5500 of G5259 the G3588 churches G1577 to travel with G4898 us G2257 with G4862 this G5026 grace G5485 , which is administered G1247 by G5259 us G2257 to G4314 the G3588 glory G1391 of the G3588 same G846 Lord G2962 , and G2532 declaration of your G5216 ready mind G4288 :
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20. We are being careful so that no one will criticize us for the way we are handling this large gift.
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20. Avoiding G4724 this G5124 , that no G3361 man G5100 should blame G3469 us G2248 in G1722 this G5026 abundance G100 which is administered G1247 by G5259 us G2257 :
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21. We are trying hard to do what the Lord accepts as right and also what people think is right.
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21. Providing for G4306 honest things G2570 , not G3756 only G3440 in the sight G1799 of the Lord G2962 , but G235 also G2532 in the sight G1799 of men G444 .
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22. Also, we are sending with them our brother, who is always ready to help. He has proved this to us in many ways, and he wants to help even more now, because he has much faith in you.
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22. And G1161 we have sent with G4842 them G846 our G2257 brother G80 , whom G3739 we have oftentimes G4178 proved G1381 G5607 diligent G4705 in G1722 many things G4183 , but G1161 now G3570 much G4183 more diligent G4706 , upon the great G4183 confidence G4006 which G3588 I have in G1519 you G5209 .
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23. Now about Titus -- he is my partner who is working with me to help you. And about the other brothers -- they are sent from the churches, and they bring glory to Christ.
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23. Whether G1535 any do inquire of G5228 Titus G5103 , he is my G1699 partner G2844 and G2532 fellowhelper G4904 concerning G1519 you G5209 : or G1535 our G2257 brethren G80 be inquired of, they are the messengers G652 of the churches G1577 , and the glory G1391 of Christ G5547 .
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24. So show these men the proof of your love and the reason we are proud of you. Then all the churches can see it.
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24. Wherefore G3767 show G1731 ye to G1519 them G846 , and G2532 before G1519 G4383 the G3588 churches G1577 , the G3588 proof G1732 of your G5216 love G26 , and G2532 of our G2257 boasting G2746 on your behalf G5228 G5216 .
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