¹⁷ But ^(A)whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

^16 (A)But do not forget to do good and to share, for ^(B)with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Generosity to the Poor

⁷ “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the ^[a]gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, ^(A)you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, ⁸ but ^(B)you shall ^[b]open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. ⁹ Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your ^(C)eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and ^(D)he cry out to the Lord against you, and ^(E)it become sin among you. ¹⁰ You shall surely give to him, and ^(F)your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because ^(G)for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. ¹¹ For ^(H)the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall ^[c]open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

Obedience by Faith

^20 (A)If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, ^[a]how can he love God ^(B)whom he has not seen?

¹¹ He answered and said to them, ^(A)“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, ^(B)let him do likewise.”

^15 (A)If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to ^[a]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a ^[b]grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

^6 (A)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows ^[c]bountifully will also reap ^[d]bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, ^(B)not grudgingly or of ^[e]necessity; for ^(C)God loves a cheerful giver. ^8 (D)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. ⁹ As it is written: