Mark 12:41-44

Common English Bible

A poor widow’s contribution

⁴¹Jesus sat across from the collection box for the temple treasury and observed how the crowd gave their money. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money. ⁴²One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny.^[a] ⁴³Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than everyone who’s been putting money in the treasury. ⁴⁴All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Mark 12:42 Or two lepta (the smallest Greek copper coin, each worth 1/128 of a single day’s pay), that is, a kodrantes (the smallest Roman coin, equal in value to two lepta)

2 Corinthians 8:1-6

Common English Bible

Encouragement to give generously

8 Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia. ²While they were being tested by many problems, their extra amount of happiness and their extreme poverty resulted in a surplus of rich generosity. ³I assure you that they gave what they could afford and even more than they could afford, and they did it voluntarily. ⁴They urgently begged us for the privilege^[a] of sharing in this service for the saints. ⁵They even exceeded our expectations, because they gave themselves to the Lord first and to us, consistent with God’s will. ⁶As a result, we challenged Titus to finish this work of grace with you the way he had started it.