Generosity Commended (Philippians 4:10–20)
1 UST My fellow believers, we want to tell you about what God has graciously enabled the groups of believers{ here} in Macedonia province to do. BSB BSB: Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.
2 UST Even though they suffered very much, which tested{ how they would respond}, they were extremely generous. They were very joyful{ as they did this}, even though they had very little. BSB BSB: In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.
3 UST In fact, I can tell you that{ they offered} as much as they could afford, and even more than they could afford. They were the ones who chose to do this. BSB BSB: For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,
4 UST They were very insistent when they urged us to accept{ what they were giving}. They wanted to share in serving God’ s people. BSB BSB: they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
5 UST Further, they did even more than what we had expected. They dedicated themselves primarily to{ serving} the Lord{ Jesus} and then also to{ serving} us.{ That is} just what God wants. 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 UST Because of that, we encouraged Titus to finish accepting what you are giving, especially since he had already started{ doing so}. BSB BSB: So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.
7 UST As for you, you are already doing well in so many ways.{ This includes} how you trust{ God}, what you say, how much you know, how you are always eager{ to do what is right}, and how much we love you. So, you should also do well in giving{ money for fellow believers}. 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 UST I am not ordering you{ to give money}. Rather, I want to show that you really care{ for fellow believers} by comparing{ what you do} with how other people are always eager{ to give money}. BSB BSB: I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others.
9 UST { You should be eager to give money} because you realize that our Lord, Jesus the Messiah, kindly gave up everything he had to help you.{ He did that even though} he had very many things. He wanted to give you many things by himself giving up what he had. 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 UST I am telling you what I think about giving money, because hearing what I think helps you. Last year, you both wanted to and did start{ giving money}. 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 UST Right now, you should finish what you started. That way, what you finish doing matches what you eagerly wanted{ to do},{ which is to give some} of 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 UST Now God approves of{ what people give} based on what they have, not based on what they do not have.{ This is true} as long as they are eager{ to give}. 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 UST So, it is not that I want you to suffer while other believers do well. Rather, I want{ believers to share what they have} equally. BSB BSB: It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.
14 UST Right now, how much you have can help people who do not have much. Then, when those people have much and you have little, they can help you. That way, believers share{ what they have} equally. 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 UST { We want it to be} like what someone wrote{ when God powerfully gave food to the Israelites}:“The people who had much did not have more than they needed. The people who had little did not have less than they needed.” 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 UST We thank God for causing Titus to be eager{ to care} for you, just like we are. BSB BSB: But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.
17 UST Indeed, he is visiting you partly because he listened to us urging him{ to do so}. Mostly, however,{ he is visiting you} because he is so eager{ to care for you} that he himself chose{ to visit you}. BSB BSB: For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.
18 UST We have chosen a fellow believer to go with Titus. Many groups of believers commend him{ because of what he does} for the sake of the good news. BSB BSB: Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.
19 UST More than that, the groups of believers selected him to travel with me. He is helping us as we work to accept{ money for the believers in Jerusalem}.{ Accepting this money} honors the Lord{ God} and demonstrates how eager we are{ to care for fellow believers}. 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 UST So, we are doing what we can to keep others from criticizing us for what we do{ with this money} that people have generously given. BSB BSB: We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.
21 UST As you can see, before{ we started to collect this money}, we planned how to do it well.{ We considered} what the Lord{ God} thinks, but we also{ considered} what other people think. 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 UST We have chosen another fellow believer to go with Titus and the other man{ I have been speaking about}. We have tested him and know for sure that he is eager{ to serve God}. In fact, because he is very confident that you{ will do what is right}, right now he is particularly eager{ to serve with 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 UST { I recommend these men.} Titus joins me{ in what I do} and works with me to help you. The groups of believers send the other two fellow believers, and they honor the Messiah. 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 UST So then, show these three men and also the groups of believers that you really do care{ for fellow believers} and that the great things we say about you really are true. 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.