Generosity Commended (Philippians 4:10–20)
1 ULT Now we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, BSB BSB: Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.
2 ULT that during a severe trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity. BSB BSB: In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.
3 ULT For I testify that{ they gave} according to their ability, and beyond their ability, of their own accord, BSB BSB: For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,
4 ULT with much urging they pleaded with us{ for} the favor and the fellowship of this ministry{ that is} to the saints. BSB BSB: they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
5 ULT And not as we hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us, by the will of God. BSB BSB: And 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.
6 ULT So we urged Titus that, just as he began, in the same way he would also complete for you this grace as well. BSB BSB: So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.
7 ULT But even as you abound in everything, in faith and in speech and in knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love from us in you, so also you should abound in this act of grace. BSB BSB: But 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.
8 ULT I say this not according to a command, but also proving the genuineness of your love through the earnestness of others. BSB BSB: I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others.
9 ULT For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he became poor for your sake{ though} being rich so that by the poverty of that one, you might become rich. BSB BSB: For 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.
10 ULT And I give my opinion in this, for this is profitable for you, who not only began to do this a year ago, but also to desire{ to do it}. BSB BSB: And 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.
11 ULT But now also complete{ what you began} to do, so that just as{ there was} the readiness of the desire, so also{ there may be} the completion from what you have. BSB BSB: Now finish the work, so that you may complete it with the same eager desire, according to your means.
12 ULT For if the readiness is already there,{ it is} fully acceptable according to whatever one might have, not according to what he does not have. BSB BSB: For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
13 ULT For{ this is} not so that{ there is} relief for others{ but} tribulation for you, but out of equality. BSB BSB: It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.
14 ULT At the present time, your abundance{ is} for the lack of those ones, so that also the abundance of those ones may be for your need, so that there may be equality, BSB BSB: At 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.
15 ULT just as it is written:“The one{ gathering} much did not have too much, and the one{ gathering} little did not have too little.” BSB BSB: As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”
Titus Commended (Titus 1:1–4)
16 ULT But thanks{ be} to God, the one placing the same earnestness on your behalf into the heart of Titus. BSB BSB: But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.
17 ULT For he not only accepted our appeal, but being very eager, he has gone to you of his own accord. BSB BSB: For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.
18 ULT Now we have sent together with him the brother of whom is the praise throughout all of the churches in the gospel, BSB BSB: Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.
19 ULT And not only this, but he also was chosen by the churches as our traveling companion, along with this grace that is being administered by us to the glory of the Lord, and{ to show} our readiness; BSB BSB: More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the gracious offering we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.
20 ULT avoiding this, that no one might blame us concerning this generosity being administered by us. BSB BSB: We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.
21 ULT For we consider beforehand{ what is} good, not only before the Lord, but also before men. BSB BSB: For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
22 ULT Now we sent our brother with them, whom we proved in many ways,{ and} often being eager. But now he is even more eager{ because of his} great confidence that{ he has} in you. BSB BSB: And we are sending along with them our brother who has proven his earnestness to us many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.
23 ULT As for Titus,{ he is} my partner and fellow worker for you. As{ for} our brothers,{ they are} messengers of the churches, a glory of Christ. BSB BSB: As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24 ULT Therefore, prove to them to the faces of the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting about you. BSB BSB: In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.