Generosity Commended

Paul begins with the Macedonian churches, where severe trial and deep poverty have overflowed into rich generosity. They gave according to and beyond their means, begged for the privilege of sharing in the service to the saints, and first gave themselves to the Lord and then to the apostles in keeping with God's will.

N¹ow, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. ²In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity. ³For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord, ⁴they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ⁵And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, through the will of God.

So Paul says he urged Titus to bring this same act of grace to completion in Corinth. He wants them to excel in giving as they do in other gifts, not because he is issuing a command, but because their love is being shown genuine, above all in light of Christ, who became poor for their sake so that they might become rich.

⁶So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it. ⁷But just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you — see that you also excel in this grace of giving. ⁸I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through 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.

Paul then gives his judgment: since the Corinthians were first to desire this work, they should now finish it according to their means. What matters is readiness according to what one has, not pressure beyond it, because the aim is equality, with present surplus meeting present need, as Scripture also bears witness.

¹⁰And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire. ¹¹Now finish the work, so that you may complete it with the same eager desire, according to your means. ¹²For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. ¹³It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. ¹⁴At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality. ¹⁵As it is written: