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35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,(A)

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16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters.(A) 17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?(B)

18 Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.(C) 19 And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him(D)

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15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food(A) 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?

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“If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor.(A) You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.(B) Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,’ and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor[a] might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.(C) 10 Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.(D) 11 Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 15.9 Heb he

16 does not wrong anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,(A)

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does not oppress anyone but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,(A)

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16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

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27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.(A)

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Service Well-Pleasing to God

13 Let mutual affection continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.(A) Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 13.3 Gk were in the body

Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.(A)

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13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality to strangers.(A)

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17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but rather on God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.(A) 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share,(B) 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

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20 Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.”

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32 the stranger has not lodged in the street;
    I have opened my doors to the traveler—(A)

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Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them
    and not to hide yourself from your own kin?(A)
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator[a] shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.(B)
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.”

If you remove the yoke from among you,
    the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,(C)
10 if you offer your food to the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be like the noonday.(D)
11 The Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your needs in parched places
    and make your bones strong,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water
    whose waters never fail.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 58.8 Or vindication

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you;(A) they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God,(B) for they began their journey for the sake of Christ,[a] accepting no support from nonbelievers.[b](C) Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we may become coworkers with the truth.

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Footnotes

  1. 7 Gk for the sake of the name
  2. 7 Gk the gentiles

10 For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the[a] love that you showed for his sake[b] in serving the saints, as you still do.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 6.10 Other ancient authorities add labor of
  2. 6.10 Gk for his name

I have[a] indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 7 Other ancient authorities read we have

10 she must be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.(A)

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28 Those who steal must give up stealing; rather, let them labor, doing good work with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.

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Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.(A) 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.(B) As it is written,

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

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, 12 for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. 13 Through the testing of this ministry you[d] glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your partnership with them and with all others,(D) 14 while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you.

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Footnotes

  1. 9.8 Gk gift or grace
  2. 9.9 Or benevolence
  3. 9.10 Or benevolence
  4. 9.13 Or they

Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you[a]—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.[b](A)

I do not say this as a command, but I am, by mentioning the eagerness of others, testing the genuineness of your love.(B) For you know the generous act[c] 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.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 8.7 Other ancient authorities read your love for us
  2. 8.7 Gk this grace or gift
  3. 8.9 Gk the grace or gift

Encouragement to Be Generous

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia, for during a severe ordeal of affliction their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the favor[a] of partnering in this ministry to the saints,(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 8.4 Gk grace or gift

23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 16.23 Other ancient authorities add verse 24, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.

15 When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.(A)

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