Jeremiah 1:1-10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,(A) 2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.(B) 3 It came also in the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.(C)
Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”(D)
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”(E) 7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy,’
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.”(F)
9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.(G)
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”(H)
2 Corinthians 8:1-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Encouragement to Be Generous
8 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia, 2 for during a severe ordeal of affliction their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means and even beyond their means, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor[a] of partnering in this ministry to the saints,(A) 5 and not as we expected. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, 6 so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking[b] among you.(B) 7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you[c]—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.[d](C)
8 I do not say this as a command, but I am, by mentioning the eagerness of others, testing the genuineness of your love.(D) 9 For you know the generous act[e] of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.(E) 10 And in this matter I am giving my opinion: it is beneficial for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something.(F) 11 Now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.(G)
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