² In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.^(A)

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:^(A) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world^(B) to be rich in faith^(C) and to inherit the kingdom^(D) he promised those who love him?^(E)

¹³ Because of the service^(A) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God^(B) for the obedience that accompanies your confession^(C) of the gospel of Christ,^(D) and for your generosity^(E) in sharing with them and with everyone else.

⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(A) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(B) They broke bread^(C) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

⁴ However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless^(A) you,

³ so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.^(A) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.^{(B) 4} In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.^(C)

¹⁴ For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators^(A) of God’s churches in Judea,^(B) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people^(C) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews