⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, ^(A)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^(B)God loves a cheerful giver.

¹² For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable ^(A)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

³⁵ In all things ^(A)I have shown you that ^(B)by working hard in this way we must ^(C)help the weak and ^(D)remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed ^(E)to give than to receive.’”

¹⁷ I know, my God, ^(A)that you test the heart and ^(B)have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.

^2 (A)“Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From ^(B)every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me.

⁷ “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, ^(A)you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, ⁸ but ^(B)you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. ⁹ Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your ^(C)eye look grudgingly^[a] on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he ^(D)cry to the Lord against you, and ^(E)you be guilty of sin. ¹⁰ You shall give to him freely, and ^(F)your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because ^(G)for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. ¹¹ For ^(H)there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ^(I)‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; ^(A)the one who leads,^[a] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with ^(B)cheerfulness.