Generosity Encouraged

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.^{(A) 7} Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,^(B) not reluctantly or under compulsion,^(C) for God loves a cheerful giver.^{(D) 8} And God is able^(E) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,^(F) you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food^(I) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.^{(J) 11} You will be enriched^(K) in every way so that you can be generous^(L) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.^(M)

The Parable of the Bags of Gold^(A)

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,^(B) who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,^[a] each according to his ability.^(C) Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.^{(D) 20} The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(E) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(F) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.^{(G) 30} And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’^(H)