V 001 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed
on the churches of Macedonia;
V 002 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy
and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
V 003 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power
they were willing of themselves;
V 004 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and
take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
V 005 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own
selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
V 006 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would
also finish in you the same grace also.
V 007 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance,
and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye
abound in this grace also.
V 008 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of
others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
V 009 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he
was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty
might be rich.
V 010 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who
have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
V 011 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a
readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which
ye have.
V 012 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to
that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
V 013 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
V 014 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a
supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for
your want: that there may be equality:
V 015 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and
he that had gathered little had no lack.
V 016 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the
heart of Titus for you.
V 017 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of
his own accord he went unto you.
V 018 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the
gospel throughout all the churches;
V 019 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to
travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory
of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
V 020 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which
is administered by us:
V 021 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord,
but also in the sight of men.
V 022 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes
proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the
great confidence which I have in you.
V 023 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper
concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers
of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
V 024 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of
your love, and of our boasting on your behalf. |
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جمع التبرعات
1-
ونُريدُ، أيُّها الإخوَةُ، أنْ نُخبِرَكُم بِما فَعَلَتْهُ
نِعمَةُ الله في كَنائسِ مَكدونِيَّةَ.
2-
فهُم، معَ كَثرَةِ
المَصاعِبِ التي اَمتَحنَهُمُ الله بِها، فَرِحوا فَرَحًا
عظيمًا وتَحَوَّلَ فَقْرُهُم الشَّديدُ إلى غِنًى
بسَخائِهِم.
3-
وأشْهَدُ أنَّهُم أعطَوا على قَدْرِ طاقَتِهِم،
بَل فَوقَ طاقَتِهِم، ومِنْ تِلقاءِ أنفُسِهِم،
4-
وألَحُّوا
علَينا أنْ نمنَ علَيهِم بالاشتراكِ في إعانَةِ الإخوَةِ
القِدِّيسينَ.
5-
بَل عَمِلوا أكثرَ مِمَّا كُنا نَرجوهُ،
فأسلَموا أنفُسَهم إلى الرَّبِّ أوَّلاً، ثُمَ إلَينا
بِمشيئَةِ الله.
6-
فطَلَبنا مِنْ تيطُسَ أنْ يُتمِّمَ
عِندَكُم هذا العَمَلَ المُبارَكَ كَما اَبتَدأَ بِه.
7-
وكما
أنَّكُم تَمتازونَ في كُلِّ شيءٍ: في الإيمانِ والفَصاحَةِ
والمَعرِفَةِ والحَماسَةِ والمَحبَّةِ لنا، فلَيتكُم
تَمتازونَ أيضًا في هذا العَمَلِ المُبارَكِ.
8-
ولا أقولُ هذا على سبيلِ الأمرِ، بَل لأمتحِنَ بِحماسَةِ
الآخرينَ صِدقَ مَحبَّتِكُم.
9-
وأنتُم تَعرِفونَ نِعمَةَ
رَبِّنا يَسوعَ المَسيحِ: كيفَ اَفتَقَرَ لأجلِكُم، وهوَ
الغَنِيُّ، لتَغتَنُوا أنتُم بِفَقْرِه.
10-
فهذا رَأْيـي في الأمرِ، وهوَ خَيرٌ لكُم، وأنتُمُ الذينَ
كانوا مُنذُ العامِ الماضي أوَّلَ مَنِ اَبتَدأ بِهذا
العَمَلِ، بَل أوَّلَ مَنْ رَغِبَ فيهِ.
11-
تَمِّموا الآنَ هذا العَمَلَ لِيكونَ التَّتميمُ على قَدْرِ
الرَّغبَةِ.
12-
لأنَّهُ متى ظَهَرَتِ
الحَماسَةُ في العَطاءِ، رَضِيَ الله على الإنسانِ بِما
يكونُ عِندَهُ، لا بِما لا يكونُ عِندَهُ.
13-
لا أَعني أنْ تكونوا في ضِيقٍ ويكونَ غَيرُكُم في
راحَةٍ، بَل أَعني أنْ تكونَ بَينَكُم مُساواةِ،
14-
فيَسُدُّ رَخاؤُكُم ما يُعوِزُهُمُ اليومَ، حتى
يسُدَ رخاؤُهم ما يُعوِزُكم غدًا، فتَتِمَ المُساواةُ.
15-
فالكِتابُ يَقولُ: «الذي جَمَعَ كثيرًا ما فَضَلَ
عَنهُ شيءٌ، والذي جمَعَ قليلاً ما نَقصَهُ شيءٌ«.
توصية بتيطس ورفيقيه
16-
الحَمدُ لله الذي جَعَلَ في قَلبِ تيطُسَ مِثلَ هذا
الاهتِمامِ بِكُم،
17-
فَما اَكتَفى بِتَلبِـيَةِ طَلَبِنا، بَل دَفَعَهُ
اَهتِمامُهُ الشَّديدُ إلى المَجيءِ إلَيكُم مِنْ
تِلقاءِ نَفسِهِ.
18-
وأرسَلْنا معَهُ الأخَ الذي تَمدَحُهُ الكنائِسُ
كُلُّها لِعَمَلِهِ في خِدمَةِ البِشارَةِ.
19-
وما هذا كُلُّ شيءٍ، فالكنائِسُ اَختارَتْهُ رَفيقًا
لَنا في السَّفَرِ مِنْ أجلِ هذا العَمَلِ المُبارَكِ
الذي نَقومُ بِه لِمَجدِ الرَّبِّ وتَلبِيَةً
لِرَغْبَتِنا.
20-
ونَحنُ حَريصونَ على أنْ لا يَلومَنا أحدٌ على
الطَّريقَةِ التي نتَولَّى بِها أمرَ هذِهِ الهِبَةِ
الكبيرَةِ مِنَ المالِ،
21-
لأنَّ غايتَنا أنْ نَعمَلَ ما هوَ صالِحٌ، لا في
نَظَرِ الرَّبِّ وحدَهُ، بَل في نَظَرِ النـاسِ أيضًا.
22-
وأرسَلْنا معَهُما أخانا الذي طالَما اَختَبَرناهُ
فَوَجَدناهُ مُجتَهِدًا في كثيرٍ مِنَ الأُمورِ، وهوَ
الآنَ أكثرُ حماسَةً لِثِقَتِهِ الكبـيرَةِ بِكُم.
23-
أمَّا تيطُسُ فهوَ رَفيقي ومُعاوِني عِندَكُم، وأمَّا
الأخوانِ اللذانِ يُرافِقانِه، فَهُما رَسولا
الكنائِسِ وبِهِما يتَمجَّدُ المَسيحُ.
24-
فبَرهِنوا لَهُم أمامَ الكنائِسِ عَنْ مَحبَّتِكُم
وعَنْ صَوابِ اَفتِخارِنا بِكُم. |