Study Desk

I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.

So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.

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.

And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.

Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.

At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality,

In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you.

Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.

So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else's territory.

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.

I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you.

And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.

I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.

You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.