Kutoa Kwa Ukarimu
18:1 Mdo 16:9Basi sasa ndugu, nataka ninyi mjue kuhusu ile neema ambayo Mungu amewapa makanisa ya Makedonia. 28:2 Kut 36:9; 2Kor 9:11Pamoja na majaribu makali na taabu walizopata, furaha waliyokuwa nayo ilikuwa kubwa, ingawa walikuwa maskini kupindukia, kwa upande wao walifurika kwa wingi wa ukarimu. 38:3 1Kor 16:2Kwa maana nashuhudia kwamba wao walitoa kwa kadiri wawezavyo, hata na zaidi ya uwezo wao, kwa hiari yao wenyewe, 48:4 Mdo 24:17; 9:13wakitusihi kwa bidii wapewe fursa ya kushiriki katika huduma hii ya kuwasaidia watakatifu. 5Wala hawakufanya tulivyotazamia, bali walijitoa wao wenyewe kwa Bwana kwanza na ndipo wakajitoa kwa ajili yetu, kufuatana na mapenzi ya Mungu. 68:6 2Kor 12:18; 2:13Kwa hiyo tulimsihi Tito, kwa kuwa ndiye alianzisha jambo hili, akamilishe tendo hili la neema kwa upande wenu. 78:7 2Kor 9:8; Rum 15:14; 1Kor 1:5; 12:8; 13:1-2; 14:6Lakini kama vile mlivyo mbele sana katika yote: Katika imani, katika usemi, katika maarifa, katika uaminifu wote na katika upendo wenu kwetu sisi, vivyo hivyo tunataka pia mzidi katika neema hii ya kutoa.
88:8 1Kor 7:6Siwaamrishi, lakini nataka kujaribu unyofu wa upendo wenu kwa kuulinganisha na bidii ya wengine. 98:9 Rum 3:24; 2Kor 13:14; Mt 20:28; 2Kor 6:10Kwa maana mnajua neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, kwamba ingawa alikuwa tajiri, kwa ajili yenu alikubali kuwa maskini, ili kwa umaskini wake ninyi mpate kuwa matajiri.
108:10 1Kor 7:25, 40; 16:2-3; 2Kor 9:2Ushauri wangu kuhusu lile lililo bora kwenu juu ya jambo hili ni huu: Mwaka uliopita ninyi mlikuwa wa kwanza si tu kutoa lakini pia mlikuwa na shauku ya kufanya hivyo. 118:11 Kut 25:2; 2Kor 9:2Sasa ikamilisheni kazi hii kwa shauku kama mlivyoanza, jitoleeni kulingana na uwezo wenu. 128:12 Mk 12:43, 44; 2Kor 9:7Kwa kuwa kama nia ya kutoa ipo, kitolewacho kinakubalika kulingana na kile mtu alicho nacho, wala si kwa kile ambacho hana.
13Nia yetu si kwamba wengine wasaidike wakati ninyi mnateseka, bali pawe na uwiano. 148:14 Mdo 4:34; 2Kor 9:12Kwa wakati huu, wingi wa vitu mlivyo navyo usaidie kutosheleza mahitaji yao, ili wakati wao watakapokuwa na wingi wa vitu, nao wapate kutosheleza mahitaji yenu. 158:15 Kut 16:18Ndipo patakuwa na usawa, kama ilivyoandikwa: “Aliyekusanya zaidi hakuwa na ziada, wala aliyekusanya kidogo hakupungukiwa.”
Tito Atumwa Korintho
168:16 2Kor 2:14; Ufu 17:17; 2Kor 2:13Ninamshukuru Mungu ambaye amemtia Tito moyo wa kuwajali ninyi kama mimi ninavyowajali. 178:17 2Kor 8:6Si kwamba Tito amekubali tu ombi letu, bali anakuja kwenu akiwa na shauku kuliko wakati mwingine, tena kwa hiari yake mwenyewe. 188:18 2Kor 12:18; 1Kor 7:17; 2Kor 2:12Nasi tunamtuma pamoja naye ndugu ambaye anasifiwa na makanisa yote kwa huduma yake ya kuhubiri Injili. 198:19 Mdo 14:23; 1Kor 16:3-4Zaidi ya hayo, alichaguliwa na makanisa ili asafiri pamoja nasi tulipokuwa tunapeleka matoleo ya ukarimu, kwa ajili ya utukufu wa Bwana mwenyewe, na ili kuonyesha hisani yetu kuwasaidia. 20Tunataka kuepuka lawama yoyote kuhusu jinsi tunavyosimamia matoleo haya ya ukarimu. 218:21 Rum 12:17; 14:18; Tit 2:14-15Kwa kuwa tunakusudia kufanya kile kilicho haki si machoni mwa Bwana peke yake, bali pia machoni mwa watu wengine.
22Pamoja nao, tunamtuma ndugu yetu ambaye mara kwa mara ametuthibitishia kwa njia nyingi kwamba ana shauku, naam, zaidi sana sasa kwa sababu analo tumaini kuu kwenu. 238:23 2Kor 2:13; Flp 1:17; 2:25Kwa habari ya Tito, yeye ni mwenzangu na mtendakazi pamoja nami miongoni mwenu. Kwa habari za ndugu zetu, wao ni wawakilishi wa makanisa, na utukufu kwa Kristo. 248:24 2Kor 7:4, 14; 9:2Kwa hiyo waonyesheni wazi hawa ndugu uthibitisho wa upendo wenu na sababu inayotufanya tujivune kwa ajili yenu, mbele ya makanisa, ili yapate kuona.
1Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 6Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. 7Therefore, 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. 8I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9For 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. 10And 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. 11Now 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. 12For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 14But 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: 15As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. 16But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. 17For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 18And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; 19And 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: 20Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: 21Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22And 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. 23Whether 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. 24Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
