11 For (A)the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall [a]open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 15:11 freely open

11 There will always be poor people(A) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.(B)

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(A)For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; (B)but Me you do not have always.

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The poor you will always have with you,[a] and you can help them any time you want.(A) But you will not always have me.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:7 See Deut. 15:11.

11 (A)For you have the poor with you always, but (B)Me you do not have always.

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11 The poor you will always have with you,[a](A) but you will not always have me.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:11 See Deut. 15:11.

For (A)the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

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You will always have the poor among you,[a](A) but you will not always have me.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.

but (A)you shall [a]open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 15:8 freely open

Rather, be openhanded(A) and freely lend them whatever they need.

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The Outworking of Love

16 (A)By this we know love, (B)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But (C)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?

18 My little children, (D)let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

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16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.(A) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.(B) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,(C) how can the love of God be in that person?(D) 18 Dear children,(E) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.(F)

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Sharing in All Things

32 Now the multitude of those who believed (A)were of one heart and one soul; (B)neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with (C)great power the apostles gave (D)witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And (E)great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; (F)for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 (G)and laid them at the apostles’ feet; (H)and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

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The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.(A) 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify(B) to the resurrection(C) of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace(D) was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them,(E) brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet,(F) and it was distributed to anyone who had need.(G)

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33 (A)Sell what you have and give (B)alms; (C)provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

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33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.(A) Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven(B) that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.(C)

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The (A)rich and the poor have this in common,
The (B)Lord is the maker of them all.

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Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.(A)

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that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and (A)their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency [a]that we would receive the gift and (B)the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first (C)gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the (D)will of God. So (E)we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as (F)you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see (G)that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

(H)I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, (I)that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become (J)rich.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:4 NU, M omit that we would receive, thus changing text to urgency for the favor and fellowship

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(A) For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,(B) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing(C) in this service(D) to the Lord’s people.(E) And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged(F) Titus,(G) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion(H) this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything(I)—in faith, in speech, in knowledge,(J) in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

I am not commanding you,(K) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace(L) of our Lord Jesus Christ,(M) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,(N) so that you through his poverty might become rich.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us

45 and [a]sold their possessions and goods, and (A)divided[b] them among all, as anyone had need.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:45 would sell
  2. Acts 2:45 distributed

45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.(A)

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42 Give to him who asks you, and (A)from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

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42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.(A)

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28 Then one of them, named (A)Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of (B)Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send (C)relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 (D)This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

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28 One of them, named Agabus,(A) stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world.(B) (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)(C) 29 The disciples,(D) as each one was able, decided to provide help(E) for the brothers and sisters(F) living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders(G) by Barnabas(H) and Saul.(I)

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