¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

Gaius Commended for Generosity

⁵ Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren ^[a]and for strangers, ⁶ who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, ⁷ because they went forth for His name’s sake, ^(A)taking nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ We therefore ought to ^(B)receive^[b] such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

⁶ that the sharing of your faith may become effective ^(A)by the acknowledgment of ^(B)every good thing which is in ^[a]you in Christ Jesus. ⁷ For we ^[b]have great ^[c]joy and ^[d]consolation in your love, because the ^[e]hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

⁵ But you be watchful in all things, ^(A)endure afflictions, do the work of ^(B)an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul’s Valedictory

⁶ For ^(C)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of ^(D)my departure is at hand. ^7 (E)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me ^(F)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous ^(G)Judge, will give to me ^(H)on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

⁶ The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.

Instructions to the Rich

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain ^(A)riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things ^(B)to enjoy. ¹⁸ Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for ^(A)necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this willingly, ^(B)I have a reward; but if against my will, ^(C)I have been entrusted with a stewardship. ¹⁸ What is my reward then? That ^(D)when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel ^[a]of Christ without charge, that I ^(E)may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

Serving All Men

¹⁹ For though I am ^(F)free from all men, ^(G)I have made myself a servant to all, ^(H)that I might win the more; ²⁰ and ^(I)to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the ^[b]law, that I might win those who are under the law; ^21 (J)to ^(K)those who are without law, as without law ^(L)(not being without ^[c]law toward God, but under ^[d]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; ^22 (M)to the weak I became ^[e]as weak, that I might win the weak. ^(N)I have become all things to all men, ^(O)that I might by all means save some. ²³ Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things ^(A)which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, ^(B)to make the Gentiles obedient— ^19 (C)in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

³⁶ “For David, after he had served ^[a]his own generation by the will of God, ^(A)fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and ^[b]saw corruption;