Learn from What Happened in the Time of Moses

10 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that all our ancestors who left Egypt were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea. ² They were all united with Moses by baptism in the cloud and in the sea. ³ All of them ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all of them drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Yet, God was not pleased with most of them, so their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.

⁶ These things have become examples for us so that we won’t desire what is evil, as they did. ⁷ So don’t worship false gods as some of them did, as Scripture says, “The people sat down to a feast which turned into an orgy.” ⁸ We shouldn’t sin sexually as some of them did. Twenty-three thousand of them died on one day. ⁹ We shouldn’t put the Lord^[a] to the test as some of them did. They were killed by snakes. ¹⁰ Don’t complain as some of them did. The angel of death destroyed them. ¹¹ These things happened to make them an example for others. These things were written down as a warning for us who are living in the closing days of history. ¹² So, people who think they are standing firmly should be careful that they don’t fall.

¹³ There isn’t any temptation that you have experienced which is unusual for humans. God, who faithfully keeps his promises, will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. But when you are tempted, he will also give you the ability to endure the temptation as your way of escape.

The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

8 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know how God showed his kindness^[a] to the churches in the province of Macedonia. ² While they were being severely tested by suffering, their overflowing joy, along with their extreme poverty, has made them even more generous. ³ I assure you that by their own free will they have given all they could, even more than they could afford. ⁴ They made an appeal to us, begging us to let them participate in the ministry of God’s kindness to his holy people in Jerusalem. ⁵ They did more than we had expected. First, they gave themselves to the Lord and to us, since this was God’s will. ⁶ This led us to urge Titus to finish his work of God’s kindness among you in the same way as he had already started it.

⁷ Indeed, the more your faith, your ability to speak, your knowledge, your dedication, and your love for us increase, the more we want you to participate in this work of God’s kindness.

⁸ I’m not commanding you, but I’m testing how genuine your love is by pointing out the dedication of others. ⁹ You know about the kindness of our Lord Yeshua Christ. He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor in order to make you rich through his poverty.

¹⁰ I’m giving you my opinion because it will be helpful to you. Last year you were not only willing to take a collection but had already started to do it. ¹¹ So finish what you began to do. Then your willingness will be matched by what you accomplish ¹² with whatever contributions you have. Since you are willing to do this, remember that people are accepted if they give what they are able to give. God doesn’t ask for what they don’t have.

¹³ I don’t mean that others should have relief while you have hardship. Rather, it’s a matter of striking a balance. ¹⁴ At the present time, your surplus fills their need so that their surplus may fill your need. In this way things balance out. ¹⁵ This is what Scripture says: “Those who had gathered a lot didn’t have too much, and those who gathered a little didn’t have too little.”