The Newe Testament dylygently corrected and compared with the Greke by Willyam Tindale, and fynesshed in the yere of our Lorde God A.M.D. & xxxiiij. in the moneth of Nouember.

¶ The .viii. Chapter.

I Do you to wit brethren / of the grace of god which is geven in the congre∣gacions [ A] of Macedonia / how that the a boundaunce of their reioysing is / that they are tried w^t moche tribulaciō. And therto though they were excedinge poore / yet haue they geuē excedinge richly / and that in singlenesse. For to their powers (I beare recorde) yee and be∣yonde their power / they were willynge of their owne accorde / and prayed vs with gre∣at instaunce that we wolde receave their be∣nefite / and suffre them to be parttakers with other in ministrynge to the saynctes. And this they did / not as we loked for: but gave their awne selves fyrst to the lorde / and af∣ter vnto vs by the will of God: so that we coulde not but desyre Titus to acomplysshe the same benivolence amonge you also / even as he had begonne.

Now therfore / as ye are ryche in all parties [ B] in fayth / in worde / in knowledge / in all fervēt¦nes / and in love / which ye have to vs: even so se that ye be plenteons in this benivolence. Thys saye I not as commaundynge: but be¦cause other are so fervent / therfore prove I youre love / whether it be perfait or no. Ye kno¦we the liberalitie of oure lorde Iesus Christ / which though he were riche / yet for youre sa∣kes be came poore: that ye thorow his pover∣tie / myght be made ryche.

And I geve counsell hereto. For this is ex¦pedient for you / which beganne / not to do on∣ly: but also to will / a yeare a goo. Now therfo∣re performe the dede: that as ther was in you a redines to will / even so ye maye performe the dede / of that which ye have. For if ther be fyrst a willynge mynde / it is accepted accor∣dynge to that a man hath / and not accordinge [ C] to that he hath not.

It is not my mynde that other be set at ea∣se / and ye brought into combraunce: but that ther be egalnes now at this tyme / that youre aboundaunce sucker their lacke: that their abo¦undaunce maye supplie youre lacke: that ther maye be equalite / agreynge to that which is* 1.1 written. He that gaddered moche / had never the more aboundaunce / & he y^t gaddered lytell had never the lesse. Thankes be vnto god / which put in y^• hert of Titus the same good mynde toward you. For he accepted y^e request yee rather he was so well willynge that of his

awne accorde came vnto you.

We haue sent with him that brother whose laude is in the gospell thorow out all the con¦gregacions: and not so only / but is also chosen [ D] of the congregacions to be a felowe with vs in oure iorney concerninge this benivolence that is ministred by vs vnto the prayse of y^e lorde / and to stere vp youre prompt mynde.

For thys we eschue / that eny man shuld re¦buke vs in this plenteous distribucion that is ministred by vs / and therfore make provisi¦on for honest thynges / not in the sight of god only / but also in the sight of men.

We have sent with them a brother of ou∣res whom we have ofte tymes proved diligēt in many thynges / but now moche more dili∣gent. The great confidence which I have in you. hath caused me this to do: partly for Ti∣tus sake which is my felowe and helper as cōcernynge you / partly because of other which are oure brethren / and the messengers of the congregaciōs / and y^e glory of Christ. Wherfo¦re shewe vnto them the proffe of youre love / & of the reioysynge that we have of you / that y^e congregacions maye se it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  exo. xvj.