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But those who are noble plan noble things,
    and by noble things they stand.(A)

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The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.(A) Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.(B) And God is able to provide you with every blessing[a] in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.(C) As it is written,

“He scatters abroad; he gives to the poor;
    his righteousness[b] endures forever.”(D)

10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.[c] 11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us,

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Footnotes

  1. 9.8 Gk gift or grace
  2. 9.9 Or benevolence
  3. 9.10 Or benevolence

for during a severe ordeal of affliction their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

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29 The disciples determined that, according to their ability, each would send relief to the brothers and sisters living in Judea;(A) 30 this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.(B)

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39 So Peter got up and went with them, and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.(A)

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33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.[a] Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 6.35 Other ancient authorities read despairing of no one

24 Some give freely yet grow all the richer;
    others withhold what is due and only suffer want.(A)
25 A generous person will be enriched,
    and one who gives water will get water.(B)

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They have distributed freely; they have given to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever;
    their horn is exalted in honor.(A)

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16 “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired
    or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail(A)
17 or have eaten my morsel alone
    and the orphan has not eaten from it—(B)
18 for from my youth I reared the orphan[a] like a father,
    and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow[b]
19 if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing
    or a poor person without covering,
20 whose loins have not blessed me,
    and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;(C)
21 if I have raised my hand against the orphan
    because I saw I had supporters at the gate;(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 31.18 Heb him
  2. 31.18 Heb her

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

David asked, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”(A) Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and he was summoned to David. The king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “At your service!”(B) The king said, “Is there anyone remaining of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” Ziba said to the king, “There remains a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”(C) The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”(D) Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, “Mephibosheth!” He answered, “I am your servant.”(E) David said to him, “Do not be afraid, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan; I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you yourself shall eat at my table always.”(F) He did obeisance and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog such as I?”(G)

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

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Footnotes

  1. 9.11 Gk: Heb my