But he who is noble plans noble things,
    and on noble things he stands.

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The Cheerful Giver

The point is this: (A)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, (B)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for (C)God loves a cheerful giver. 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. As it is written,

(E)“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”

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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Greek with blessings; twice in this verse
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:8 Or all contentment

for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and (A)their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

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29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, (A)to send relief to (B)the brothers[a] living in Judea. 30 (C)And they did so, sending it to (D)the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 11:29 Or brothers and sisters

39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to (A)the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics[a] and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 9:39 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin

33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And (A)if you (B)lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But (C)love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and (D)you will be sons of (E)the Most High, for (F)he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

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24 (A)One gives (B)freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
25 (C)Whoever brings blessing (D)will be enriched,
    and (E)one who waters will himself be watered.

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He has (A)distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever;
    his (B)horn is exalted in honor.

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16 “If I have (A)withheld anything that the poor desired,
    or have (B)caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 or have eaten my morsel alone,
    and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 (for from my youth the fatherless[a] grew up with me as with a father,
    and from my mother's womb I guided the widow[b]),
19 if I have seen anyone (C)perish for (D)lack of clothing,
    or the needy without (E)covering,
20 if his body has not (F)blessed me,[c]
    and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against (G)the fatherless,
    because I saw my help in (H)the gate,

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Footnotes

  1. Job 31:18 Hebrew he
  2. Job 31:18 Hebrew her
  3. Job 31:20 Hebrew if his loins have not blessed me

David's Kindness to Mephibosheth

And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may (A)show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was (B)Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show (C)the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of (D)Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of (E)Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And (F)Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, (G)for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and (H)you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for (I)a dead dog such as I?”

Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson (J)shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had (K)fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth (L)ate at David's[a] table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, (M)whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for (N)he ate always at the king's table. Now (O)he was lame in both his feet.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 9:11 Septuagint; Hebrew my

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