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Moreover,brethren, we doyou to wit of the grace of Godbestowedon the churches of Macedonia;
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How thatin a greattrial of affliction the abundance of theirjoyandtheirdeeppoverty*aboundedunto the riches of theirliberality.[a]
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Forto their power, I bear record, yea, andbeyond their power they were willing of themselves;
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Prayinguswithmuchintreaty that we would receive the gift,and take upon us the fellowship of the ministeringto the saints.
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And this they did, notas we hoped, butfirstgave their own selves to the Lord,and unto usby the will of God.
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Insomuch that wedesiredTitus,thatas he had begun, so he wouldalsofinishinyou the samegrace[b]also.
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Therefore,as ye aboundinevery thing, in faith,andutterance,andknowledge,and in alldiligence,and in yourlove*tous, see that ye aboundinthisgracealso.
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I speaknotbycommandment,but by occasion of the forwardness of others,and to prove the sincerity of yourlove.
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For ye know the grace of ourLordJesusChrist,that, though he wasrich, yet foryoursakes he became poor, thatye through hispoverty might be rich.
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AndhereinIgive my advice:forthis is expedient for you,who have begun before, notonly to do, butalso to be forward[c] a yearago.
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Now*thereforeperform the doing of it; thatas there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performancealso out of that which ye have.
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For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according tothat a manhath, and not according to that he hathnot.
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For I mean notthat other men be eased,andyeburdened:
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Butby an equality, that nowat this timeyourabundance may be a supply fortheirwant,thattheirabundancealso may be a supply foryourwant:that there may beequality:
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As it is written, He that had gatheredmuchhadnothingover; and he that had gatheredlittlehadnolack.
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Butthanks be to God,whichput the same earnest careinto the heart of Titusforyou.
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Forindeed he accepted the exhortation;butbeing more forward, of his own accord he wentuntoyou.
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And we have sentwithhim the brother,whosepraise is in the gospelthroughoutall the churches;
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Andnot that only,but who wasalsochosenof the churches to travel with uswiththisgrace,[d]which is administeredbyusto the glory of the sameLord,and declaration of your ready mind:
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Avoidingthis, that noman should blameusinthisabundancewhich is administeredbyus:
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Providing for honest things,notonly in the sight of the Lord,butalso in the sight of men.
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And we have sent with themourbrother,whom we haveoftentimesproved*diligentin many things,butnowmuch more diligent, upon the greatconfidencewhich I have inyou.
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Whether any do enquire ofTitus, he is mypartnerandfellowhelperconcerningyou:orourbrethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
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Wherefore shew yetothem,andbeforethechurches, the proof of yourlove,and of ourboastingonyourbehalf.