II Corinthians 8:16-9:5 (13th Tuesday after Pentecost)

II Corinthians 8:16-9:5 (13th Tuesday after Pentecost)

BRETHREN, thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.  For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.  With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel;  and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord and to show our good will.  We intend that no one should blame us about this liberal gift which we are administering,  for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of men.  And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you.  As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker in your service; and as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.  So give proof, before the churches, of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the offering for the saints,  for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedo’nia, saying that Acha’ia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them.  But I am sending the brethren so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be;  lest if some Macedo’nians come with me and find that you are not ready, we be humiliated–to say nothing of you–for being so confident.  So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren to go on to you before me, and arrange in advance for this gift you have promised, so that it may be ready not as an exaction but as a willing gift.