3. I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able. They gave even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it.
4. But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God’s people.
5. And they gave in a way that we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. This is what God wants.
6. So we asked Titus to help you finish this special work of grace. He is the one who started this work.
7. You are rich in everything—in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us. And so we want you to be rich also in this gift of giving.
8. I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true love. I do this by showing you that others really want to help.
9. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor. Christ did this so that by his being poor you might become rich.
10. This is what I think you should do: Last year you were the first to want to give. And you were the first who gave.
11. So now finish the work that you started. Then your “doing” will be equal to your “wanting to do.” Give from what you have.
12. If you want to give, your gift will be accepted. Your gift will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have.
13. We do not want you to have troubles while other people are at ease. We want everything to be equal.
14. At this time you have plenty. What you have can help others who are in need. Then later, when they have plenty, they can help you when you are in need. Then all will be equal.
15. As it is written in the Scriptures, “The person who gathered more did not have too much. The person who gathered less did not have too little.”
16. I thank God because he gave Titus the same love for you that I have.