The Cheerful Giver

⁶ The point is this: ^(A)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully^[a] will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, ^(B)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^(C)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And ^(D)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency^[b] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written,

¹⁰ He who supplies ^(F)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and ^(G)increase the harvest of your righteousness. ^11 (H)You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which ^(I)through us will produce thanksgiving to God. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only supplying ^(J)the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ By their approval of this service, ^(K)they^[c] will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your ^(L)confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, ¹⁴ while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. ^15 (M)Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Robbing God

⁶ “For ^(A)I the Lord do not change; ^(B)therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. ^7 (C)From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. ^(D)Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. ^(E)But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ ⁸ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. ^(F)But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ ^(G)In your tithes and contributions. ^9 (H)You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. ^10 (I)Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby ^(J)put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open ^(K)the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. ¹¹ I will rebuke ^(L)the devourer^[a] for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² Then ^(M)all nations will call you blessed, for you will be ^(N)a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.