25 (A)Whoever brings blessing (B)will be enriched,
    and (C)one who waters will himself be watered.

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25 A generous(A) person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.(B)

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“Blessed are (A)the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

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

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34 Then (A)the King will say to (B)those on his right, ‘Come, you (C)who are blessed by my Father, (D)inherit (E)the kingdom (F)prepared for you (G)from the foundation of the world. 35 For (H)I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you (I)gave me drink, (J)I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

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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)

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The Cheerful Giver

The point is this: (A)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, (B)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for (C)God loves a cheerful giver. And (D)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[b] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

(E)“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Greek with blessings; twice in this verse
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:8 Or all contentment

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)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9

But he who is noble plans noble things,
    and on noble things he stands.

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But the noble make noble plans,
    and by noble deeds(A) they stand.(B)

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Is it not (A)to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
    (B)and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
(C)Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
    (D)and your healing shall spring up speedily;
(E)your righteousness shall go before you;
    (F)the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away (G)the yoke from your midst,
    (H)the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 (I)if you pour yourself out for the hungry
    and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
(J)then shall your light rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your desire in scorched places
    and make your bones strong;
and you shall be (K)like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
    whose waters do not fail.

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:8 Or your righteous One

13 (A)The blessing of him who was (B)about to perish came upon me,
    and I caused (C)the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I (D)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
    my justice was like a robe and (E)a turban.
15 I was (F)eyes to the blind
    and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
    and I searched out (G)the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I (H)broke (I)the fangs of the unrighteous
    and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 (J)Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my (K)nest,
    and I shall multiply my days as (L)the sand,

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13 The one who was dying blessed me;(A)
    I made the widow’s(B) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(C) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.(D)
15 I was eyes(E) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.(F)
16 I was a father to the needy;(G)
    I took up the case(H) of the stranger.(I)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims(J) from their teeth.(K)

18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
    my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(L)

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27 Whoever (A)gives to the poor will not want,
    but he who (B)hides his eyes will get many a curse.

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27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,(A)
    but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.(B)

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16 “If I have (A)withheld anything that the poor desired,
    or have (B)caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 or have eaten my morsel alone,
    and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 (for from my youth the fatherless[a] grew up with me as with a father,
    and from my mother's womb I guided the widow[b]),
19 if I have seen anyone (C)perish for (D)lack of clothing,
    or the needy without (E)covering,
20 if his body has not (F)blessed me,[c]
    and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

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Footnotes

  1. Job 31:18 Hebrew he
  2. Job 31:18 Hebrew her
  3. Job 31:20 Hebrew if his loins have not blessed me

16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor(A)
    or let the eyes of the widow(B) grow weary,(C)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
    not sharing it with the fatherless(D)
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
    and from my birth I guided the widow(E)
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,(F)
    or the needy(G) without garments,
20 and their hearts did not bless me(H)
    for warming them with the fleece(I) from my sheep,

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