Notam autem facimus vobis, fratres, gratiam Dei, quæ data est in ecclesiis Macedoniæ:

Now we make known unto you, brethren, the grace of God, that hath been given in the churches of Macedonia.

And now, brethren, we must tell you about the grace which God has lavished upon the churches of Macedonia:

quod in multo experimento tribulationis abundantia gaudii ipsorum fuit, et altissima paupertas eorum, abundavit in divitias simplicitatis eorum:

That in much experience of tribulation, they have had abundance of joy; and their very deep poverty hath abounded unto the riches of their simplicity.

how well they have stood the test of distress, how abundantly they have rejoiced over it, how abject is their poverty, and how the crown of all this has been a rich measure of generosity in them.

quia secundum virtutem testimonium illis reddo, et supra virtutem voluntarii fuerunt,

For according to their power (I bear them witness), and beyond their power, they were willing.

I can testify that of their own accord they undertook to do all they could, and more than they could;

cum multa exhortatione obsecrantes nos gratiam, et communicationem ministerii, quod fit in sanctos.

With much entreaty begging of us the grace and communication of the ministry that is done toward the saints.

they begged us, most urgently, to allow them the privilege of helping to supply the needs of the saints.

Et non sicut speravimus, sed semetipsos dederunt primum Domino, deinde nobis per voluntatem Dei,

And not as we hoped, but they gave their own selves first to the Lord, then to us by the will of God:

And their gift went beyond our hopes; they gave their own services to the Lord, which meant, as God willed, to us;

ita ut rogaremus Titum, ut quemadmodum cœpit, ita et perficiat in vobis etiam gratiam istam.

Insomuch, that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so also he would finish among you this same grace.

so that we were able to ask Titus to visit you again, and finish this gracious task he had begun, as part of his mission.

Sed sicut in omnibus abundatis fide, et sermone, et scientia, et omni sollicitudine, insuper et caritate vestra in nos, ut et in hac gratia abundetis.

That as in all things you abound in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all carefulness; moreover also in your charity towards us, so in this grace also you may abound.

You excel in so much already, in faith, in power of utterance, in knowledge of the truth, in devotion of every kind, in your loving treatment of us; may this gracious excellence be yours too.

Non quasi imperans dico: sed per aliorum sollicitudinem, etiam vestræ caritatis ingenium bonum comprobans.

I speak not as commanding; but by the carefulness of others, approving also the good disposition of your charity.

I say this, not to lay any injunction on you, but only to make sure that your charity rings true by telling you about the eagerness of others.

Scitis enim gratiam Domini nostri Jesu Christi, quoniam propter vos egenus factus est, cum esset dives, ut illius inopia vos divites essetis.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor, for your sakes; that through his poverty you might be rich.

(You do not need to be reminded how gracious our Lord Jesus Christ was; how he impoverished himself for your sakes, when he was so rich, so that you might become rich through his poverty),

Et consilium in hoc do: hoc enim vobis utile est, qui non solum facere, sed et velle cœpistis ab anno priore:

And herein I give my advice; for this is profitable for you, who have begun not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago.

I am only giving you my advice, then, in this matter; you can claim that as your due, since it was you who led the way, not only in acting, but in proposing to act, as early as last year.

nunc vero et facto perficite: ut quemadmodum promptus est animus voluntatis, ita sit et perficiendi ex eo quod habetis.

Now therefore perform ye it also in deed; that as your mind is forward to be willing, so it may be also to perform, out of that which you have.

It remains for you now to complete your action; readiness of the will must be completed by deeds, as far as your means allow.

Si enim voluntas prompta est, secundum id quod habet, accepta est, non secundum id quod non habet.

For if the will be forward, it is accepted according to that which a man hath, not according to that which he hath not.

We value a man’s readiness of will according to the means he has, not according to the means he might have, but has not;

Non enim ut aliis sit remissio, vobis autem tribulatio, sed ex æqualitate.

For I mean not that others should be eased, and you burthened, but by an equality.

and there is no intention that others should be relieved at the price of your distress. No, a balance is to be struck,

In præsenti tempore vestra abundantia illorum inopiam suppleat: ut et illorum abundantia vestræ inopiæ sit supplementum, ut fiat æqualitas, sicut scriptum est:

In this present time let your abundance supply their want, that their abundance also may supply your want, that there may be an equality,

and what you can spare now is to make up for what they want; so that what they can spare may, in its turn, make up for your want, and thus the balance will be redressed.

Qui multum, non abundavit: et qui modicum, non minoravit.

As it is written: He that had much, had nothing over; and he that had little, had no want.

So we read in scripture, He who had gathered much had nothing left over, and he who had gathered little, no lack.

Gratias autem Deo, qui dedit eamdem sollicitudinem pro vobis in corde Titi,

And thanks be to God, who hath given the same carefulness for you in the heart of Titus.

I thank God for inspiring the heart of Titus, your representative, with the same eagerness.

quoniam exhortationem quidem suscepit: sed cum sollicitior esset, sua voluntate profectus est ad vos.

For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more careful, of his own will he went unto you.

He has accepted our invitation; but indeed, of his own choice he was eager to visit you.

Misimus etiam cum illo fratrem, cujus laus est in Evangelio per omnes ecclesias:

We have sent also with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel through all the churches.

And we are sending with him that brother of ours, who has won the praise of all the churches by his proclamation of the gospel;

non solum autem, sed et ordinatus est ab ecclesiis comes peregrinationis nostræ in hanc gratiam, quæ ministratur a nobis ad Domini gloriam, et destinatam voluntatem nostram:

And not that only, but he was also ordained by the churches companion of our travels, for this grace, which is administered by us, to the glory of the Lord, and our determined will:

he, too, is the man whom the churches have appointed to be our companion in this gracious ministry of ours, to further the Lord’s glory and our own resolve.

devitantes hoc, ne quis nos vituperet in hac plenitudine, quæ ministratur a nobis.

Avoiding this, lest any man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us.

They were anxious that no suspicion should be aroused against us, with these great sums to handle;

Providemus enim bona non solum coram Deo, sed etiam coram hominibus.

For we forecast what may be good not only before God, but also before men.

it is not only in the Lord’s sight, but in the sight of men, that we have to study our behaviour.

Misimus autem cum illis et fratrem nostrum, quem probavimus in multis sæpe sollicitum esse: nunc autem multo sollicitiorem, confidentia multa in vos,

And we have sent with them our brother also, whom we have often proved diligent in many things; but now much more diligent, with much confidence in you,

And, to accompany these, we are sending a brother of whose eagerness we have had good proof, in many ways and upon many occasions; now he is more eager than ever, such is the confidence he feels in you.

sive pro Tito, qui est socius meus, et in vos adjutor, sive fratres nostri, Apostoli ecclesiarum, gloria Christi.

Either for Titus, who is my companion and fellow labourer towards you, or our brethren, the apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.

As for Titus, he is my partner and has shared my work among you; as for these brethren of ours, they are the envoys of the churches, the glory of Christ:

Ostensionem ergo, quæ est caritatis vestræ, et nostræ gloriæ pro vobis, in illos ostendite in faciem ecclesiarum.

Wherefore shew ye to them, in the sight of the churches, the evidence of your charity, and of our boasting on your behalf.

give them proof, then, of your charity, and of the good reason we have to be proud of you, for all the churches to see.