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17 Those who are kind reward themselves,
    but the cruel do themselves harm.

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17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

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“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

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Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.(A)

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34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,(A) 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,(B) 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’(C) 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’(D)

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34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom(A) prepared for you since the creation of the world.(B) 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,(C) 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me,(D) I was sick and you looked after me,(E) I was in prison and you came to visit me.’(F)

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’(G)

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13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.(A)

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13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.(A) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

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Warning to Rich Oppressors

Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten.(A) Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure[a] during the last days. Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.(B) You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 5.3 Or will eat your flesh, since you have stored up fire

Warning to Rich Oppressors

Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.(E) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.(H) You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J)

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Footnotes

  1. James 5:5 Or yourselves as in a day of feasting

17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit[a] that accumulates to your account.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.17 Gk fruit

17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.(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, 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,(E) 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

Generosity Encouraged

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(A) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,(B) not reluctantly or under compulsion,(C) for God loves a cheerful giver.(D) And God is able(E) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,(F) you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts(G) to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”[a](H)

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food(I) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.(J) 11 You will be enriched(K) in every way so that you can be generous(L) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(M)

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs(N) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(O) 13 Because of the service(P) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God(Q) for the obedience that accompanies your confession(R) of the gospel of Christ,(S) and for your generosity(T) in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9

14 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,(A) 15 but if you do not forgive others,[a] neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 6.15 Other ancient authorities add their trespasses

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.(A) 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.(B)

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27 Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone for[a] your sins with righteousness and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.27 Aram break off

27 Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.(A) It may be that then your prosperity(B) will continue.(C)

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Israel’s Futile Idolatry

57 The righteous perish,
    and no one considers why;
the devout are taken away,
    while no one understands
    that it is due to evil that the righteous are taken away.(A)

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57 The righteous perish,(A)
    and no one takes it to heart;(B)
the devout are taken away,
    and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
    to be spared from evil.(C)

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Psalm 41

Assurance of God’s Help and a Plea for Healing

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

Happy are those who consider the poor;[a]
    the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.(A)
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
    they are called happy in the land.
    You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.(B)
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;
    in their illness you heal all their infirmities.[b](C)

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
    heal me, for I have sinned against you.”(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 41.1 Or weak
  2. 41.3 Heb you change all his bed

Psalm 41[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Blessed(A) are those who have regard for the weak;(B)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.(C)
The Lord protects(D) and preserves them—(E)
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—(F)
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.(G)
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed(H)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.(I)

I said, “Have mercy(J) on me, Lord;
    heal(K) me, for I have sinned(L) against you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.

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)
12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
    you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
    the restorer of streets to live in.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 58.8 Or vindication

Is it not to share your food with the hungry(A)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter(B)
when you see the naked, to clothe(C) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?(D)
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,(E)
    and your healing(F) will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a](G) will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.(H)
Then you will call,(I) and the Lord will answer;(J)
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger(K) and malicious talk,(L)
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,(M)
then your light(N) will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.(O)
11 The Lord will guide(P) you always;
    he will satisfy your needs(Q) in a sun-scorched land(R)
    and will strengthen(S) your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,(T)
    like a spring(U) whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins(V)
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;(W)
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,(X)
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:8 Or your righteous One

the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. “For whom am I toiling,” they ask, “and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.(A)

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There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content(A) with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

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