The collection for the Lord’s people
1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: they gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15as it is written: ‘The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.’8:15 Exodus 16:18
Titus sent to receive the collection
16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honour the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honour to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.
Poziv na darežljivost
1A sada bih vam, braćo, htio reći o milosti koju je Bog iskazao crkvama u Makedoniji. 2Iako su ljudi tamo proživjeli brojne kušnje i nevolje, obilovali su radošću te je njihovo krajnje siromaštvo urodilo izobilnom darežljivošću. 3Svjedok sam, naime, da su dragovoljno dali ne samo ono što su mogli već i mnogo više. 4Usrdno su nas molili za milost da mogu sudjelovati u prikupljanju pomoći za svete. 5Ne samo da su se ponijeli kako smo se nadali već su sami sebe prije svega stavili na raspolaganje Gospodinu, a onda i nama, pokoravajući se Božjoj volji.
6Zamolili smo zato Tita, koji vas je prvi potaknuo na darivanje, da se vrati k vama i ohrabri vas da dovršite svoj udjel u toj službi darivanja. 7Vi ste u svemu odlični—imate toliko vjere, toliko nadarenih propovjednika, toliko znanje i revnost, takvu ljubav prema nama—istaknite se sada i u ovoj milosrdnoj službi! 8Ne zapovijedam vam to, već vam kao primjer navodim revnost drugih da bih iskušao iskrenost vaše ljubavi.
9Znate kakvu nam je milost iskazao Gospodin Isus Krist. Radi vas je od bogataša postao siromahom, da bi vas svojim siromaštvom mogao obogatiti.
10Savjetujem vam samo da dovršite ono što ste započeli još prije godinu dana, jer ste vi prvi došli na tu zamisao i prvi ste ju počeli ostvarivati. 11Sada biste tu zamisao trebali provesti do kraja s istim oduševljenjem s kojim ste ju i započeli. Darujte koliko možete, prema svojim mogućnostima. 12Ako ste doista spremni darivati druge, nije važno koliko možete dati. Bog očekuje da date ono što imate, a ne ono što nemate. 13Nije nakana da pomognete drugima, a da vi zapadnete u oskudicu, već da bude jednakost. 14Sada vi obilujete i možete njima pomoći. Nekom drugom prigodom, kad vama bude trebalo, oni će svoj suvišak podijeliti s vama. Tako će svačije potrebe biti jednako zadovoljene. 15Sjećate li se što o tome piše u Svetome pismu:
“Onima koji su mnogo skupili,
ništa nije ostalo,
a oni koji su skupili malo,
imali su dovoljno.”8:15 Izlazak 16:18.
Tit i suputnici
16Zahvalan sam Bogu da je Titu u srce ulio jednaku gorljivost za vas kao i meni. 17Spremno je prihvatio našu molbu da vas posjetimo, ali rekao bih da bi vas on i sam drage volje obišao. 18S njime vam šaljemo još jednog brata, dobro poznatoga u svim crkvama po zaslugama u propovijedanju Radosne vijesti. 19Njega su crkve odabrale da nas prati kad budemo nosili dar u Jeruzalem8:19 Vidjeti: 1 Korinćanima 16:3-4. služeći na slavu Gospodinu i pokazujući svoju revnost. 20Tako ćemo izbjegnuti i da tko prigovori zbog načina na koji upravljamo tim velikodušnim iznosom. 21Trudimo se tako činiti dobro pred Bogom, ali i pred ljudima.
22Šaljemo s njima još jednoga brata koji je višestruko prokušan i pokazao se revnim. Sada je još revniji zbog velikog pouzdanja u vas. 23Upita li vas tko za Tita, recite mu da je on moj suradnik na pomaganju vama. A ta su braća izaslanici svojih crkava, ljudi na slavu Kristu. 24Pokažite im stoga da ih volite i dokažite svim crkvama da sam vas s razlogom hvalio.
