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.
Gwĩkĩra Hinya Ũhoro wa Ũtaana
18:1 Atũm 16:9Na rĩrĩ, ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, nĩtũkwenda mũmenye ũhoro wa Wega wa Ngai ũrĩa aheanĩte makanitha-inĩ ma Makedonia. 28:2 Thaam 36:5; 2Akor 9:11Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa andũ acio maageririo na magerio manene-rĩ, gĩkeno kĩao kĩnene na ũthĩĩni wao mũkĩru nĩciatũmire maingĩhĩrwo nĩ ũtaana mũnene. 38:3 1Akor 16:2Nĩgũkorwo niĩ ndĩ mũira atĩ maaheanire indo o ta ũrĩa maahotire, o na makĩruta makĩria ma ũrĩa mangĩahotire, nĩ ũndũ wa kwĩyendera kwao. 48:4 Atũm 24:17; Atũm 9:13Nao magĩtũthaitha na hinya mũno metĩkĩrio kũgwatanĩra ũhoro-inĩ wa gũteithia andũ arĩa aamũre. 5Magĩĩka ũndũ ũcio matiawĩkire ta ũrĩa twerĩgĩrĩire, no maambire kwĩheana o ene kũrĩ Mwathani o na kũrĩ ithuĩ, kũringana na ũrĩa Ngai endete. 68:6 2Akor 12:18Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩtwaringĩrĩirie Tito, kuona atĩ nĩwe wambĩrĩirie ũndũ ũcio, atuĩke wa kũrĩĩkia ũndũ ũcio wa ũtugi wanyu. 78:7 2Akor 9:8; 1Akor 1:5O ta ũrĩa mũgaacagĩra harĩ maũndũ mothe, nĩmo gwĩtĩkia, na ũhoro wa kwaria, na wa ũmenyo, na thĩinĩ wa kĩyo gĩkinyanĩru, o na wa wendo wanyu harĩ ithuĩ-rĩ, kĩingĩhiei wega ũyũ wa gũtugana o naguo.
88:8 1Akor 7:6Ti kũmwatha ndĩramwatha, no ndĩrenda kũgeria wendani wanyu, nyone ũrĩa ũrĩ wa ma ngĩũgerekania na kĩyo kĩa andũ arĩa angĩ. 98:9 2Akor 13:14; Afil 2:6-8Nĩgũkorwo nĩmũũĩ ũhoro wa wega wa Mwathani witũ Jesũ Kristũ atĩ, o na gũtuĩka aarĩ gĩtonga, nĩatuĩkire mũthĩĩni nĩ ũndũ wanyu, nĩgeetha inyuĩ mũtuĩke itonga na ũndũ wa ũrĩa aathĩĩnĩkĩte.
108:10 1Akor 7:25, 40; 2Akor 9:2Ha ũhoro ũyũ-rĩ, mataaro makwa ma ũndũ ũrĩa ũmwagĩrĩire makĩria nĩ atĩrĩ: Mwaka ũcio ũrathirire nĩ inyuĩ mwarĩ a mbere, na to ũndũ wa kũheana gwiki, no o na nĩ ũndũ wa kwĩrirĩria gwĩka ũguo. 118:11 Thaam 25:2; 2Akor 9:2Rĩu-rĩ, kĩrĩĩkiei wĩra ũcio, nĩgeetha kĩyo kĩanyu kĩa wendo wa gwĩka ũguo kĩiganane na kũrĩĩkia kwanyu kwa ũndũ ũcio, kũringana na kĩrĩa mũrĩ nakĩo. 128:12 Mar 12:43-44Mũndũ angĩkorwo arĩ na wendo, kĩheo kĩu nĩgĩtĩkĩrĩku kũringana na ũrĩa mũndũ arĩ na indo, ti kũringana na ũrĩa aciagĩte.
13Kwĩrirĩria gwitũ ti amwe mahũthĩrio mũrigo na inyuĩ mũhinyĩrĩrio, no nĩgeetha andũ othe maigananio. 148:14 Atũm 4:34Ihinda rĩĩrĩ mũingĩhĩtie indo-rĩ, nĩigũteithia wagi wao, nĩgeetha rĩrĩa magaakorwo na indo o nao magaateithia wagi wanyu. Hĩndĩ ĩyo andũ othe nĩmakaigananio, 158:15 Thaam 16:18o ta ũrĩa kwandĩkĩtwo atĩrĩ: “Mũndũ ũrĩa wonganĩtie nyingĩ, ndarĩ kĩndũ aatigĩirio; nake ũrĩa wonganirie nini, ndarĩ kĩndũ aagire.”
Tito Gũtũmwo Korinitho
16Nĩngũcookeria Ngai ngaatho, ũrĩa wekĩrire ngoro-inĩ ya Tito ũhoro wa kũmũrũmbũiya o ta ũrĩa niĩ ndĩ na ũhoro ũcio. 178:17 2Akor 8:6Nĩgũkorwo Tito to mathaithana maitũ aamũkĩrire, no nĩegũũka kũrĩ inyuĩ arĩ na kĩyo kĩnene nĩ ũndũ wa kwĩyendera gwake. 188:18 2Akor 12:18; 1Akor 7:17O na nĩtũgũtũma Tito marĩ hamwe na mũrũ wa Ithe witũ ũrĩa ũrĩ na ngumo njega makanitha-inĩ mothe nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa atungatagĩra Ũhoro-ũrĩa-Mwega. 198:19 1Akor 16:3, 4; Atũm 14:23Makĩria ma ũguo, nĩwe wathuurirwo nĩ makanitha nĩguo atwarane na ithuĩ ũhoro-inĩ wa mũhothi ũcio wa ũtaana, o ũcio tũrutagĩra wĩra nĩguo tũgoocithie Mwathani we mwene, na tuonanie kĩyo kĩrĩa tũrĩ nakĩo gĩa kwenda gũteithia. 20Nĩtũrageria mũno kweherera ũndũ o wothe ũngĩtũma tũrutwo mahĩtia rĩrĩa tũkũramata kĩheo gĩkĩ kĩheanĩtwo na ũtaana. 218:21 Arom 12:17Nĩgũkorwo nĩtũrerutanĩria gwĩka maũndũ marĩa mangĩonwo magĩrĩire mbere ya Mwathani, na to harĩ we wiki, no o na ningĩ monwo marĩ magĩrĩru nĩ andũ o nao.
22Ningĩ hamwe nao, nĩtũgũtũma mũrũ wa Ithe witũ ũngĩ, ũrĩa tuonete maita maingĩ na njĩra nyingĩ atĩ arĩ na kĩyo, o na arĩ nakĩo makĩria nĩ ũndũ wa mwĩhoko wake mũnene harĩ inyuĩ. 238:23 Afil 2:25; 2Akor 2:13Naguo ũhoro wa Tito-rĩ, nĩ mũthiritũ wakwa ũrĩa tũrutithanagia wĩra nake nĩ ũndũ wanyu; na ha ũhoro ũkoniĩ ariũ a Ithe witũ-rĩ, o nĩ atũmwo a makanitha na monanagia ũgooci wa Kristũ. 248:24 2Akor 9:2Tondũ ũcio oniai andũ acio ũira wa wendani wanyu, na gĩtũmi kĩrĩa gĩtũmaga twĩrahe nĩ ũndũ wanyu nĩguo makanitha mone ũndũ ũcio.
