(A)Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

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Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits(A) of all your crops;

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(A)that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and (B)go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord [a]your God that I have come to the country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’

“Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God. And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was (C)a [b]Syrian, (D)about to perish, and (E)he went down to Egypt and [c]dwelt there, (F)few in number; and there he became a nation, (G)great, mighty, and populous. But the (H)Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. (I)Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. So (J)the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, (K)with great terror and with signs and wonders. He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, (L)“a land flowing with milk and honey”; 10 and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’

“Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God. 11 So (M)you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.

12 “When you have finished laying aside all the (N)tithe of your increase in the third year—(O)the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, 13 then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the [d]holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, (P)nor have I forgotten them. 14 (Q)I have not eaten any of it [e]when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it [f]for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me. 15 (R)Look down from Your holy [g]habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, just as You swore to our fathers, (S)“a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 26:3 LXX my
  2. Deuteronomy 26:5 Or Aramean
  3. Deuteronomy 26:5 As a resident alien
  4. Deuteronomy 26:13 hallowed things
  5. Deuteronomy 26:14 Lit. in my mourning
  6. Deuteronomy 26:14 Or while I was unclean
  7. Deuteronomy 26:15 home

take some of the firstfruits(A) of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name(B) and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering(C) Aramean,(D) and he went down into Egypt with a few people(E) and lived there and became a great nation,(F) powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer,(G) subjecting us to harsh labor.(H) Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice(I) and saw(J) our misery,(K) toil and oppression.(L) So the Lord brought us out of Egypt(M) with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,(N) with great terror and with signs and wonders.(O) He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;(P) 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.(Q)” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites(R) and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice(S) in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth(T) of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe,(U) you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then say to the Lord your God: “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.(V) 14 I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean,(W) nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done everything you commanded me. 15 Look down from heaven,(X) your holy dwelling place, and bless(Y) your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

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(A)On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

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On the first day of every week,(A) each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.(B)

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19 (A)The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. (B)You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

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19 “Bring the best of the firstfruits(A) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.(B)

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17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek (A)the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I [a]have all and abound. I am full, having received from (B)Epaphroditus the things sent from you, (C)a sweet-smelling aroma, (D)an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 4:18 Or have received all

17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.(A) 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus(B) the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant(C) offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

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31 (A)He who oppresses the poor reproaches (B)his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

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31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,(A)
    but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.(B)

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29 “You shall not delay to offer (A)the first of your ripe produce and your juices. (B)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

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29 “Do not hold back offerings(A) from your granaries or your vats.[a]

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and (A)their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

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In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(A) For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,(B) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,

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Is it (A)time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this [a]temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: (B)“Consider your ways!

“You have (C)sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And (D)he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! Go up to the (E)mountains and bring wood and build the [b]temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. (F)You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, (G)I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.

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Footnotes

  1. Haggai 1:4 Lit. house
  2. Haggai 1:8 Lit. house

“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses,(A) while this house remains a ruin?(B)

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(C) to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little.(D) You eat, but never have enough.(E) You drink, but never have your fill.(F) You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,(G) only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(H) to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber(I) and build my house, so that I may take pleasure(J) in it and be honored,(K)” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.(L) What you brought home, I blew(M) away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin,(N) while each of you is busy with your own house.

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Do Not Rob God

“Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
(A)In tithes and offerings.
You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 (B)Bring all the tithes into the (C)storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the (D)windows of heaven
And (E)pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.

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“Will a mere mortal rob(A) God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes(B) and offerings. You are under a curse(C)—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe(D) into the storehouse,(E) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates(F) of heaven and pour out(G) so much blessing(H) that there will not be room enough to store it.(I)

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The Tabernacle Offerings Presented

20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 Then everyone came (A)whose heart [a]was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they (B)brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought (C)earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all (D)jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And (E)every man, with whom was found blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair, red skins of rams, and [b]badger skins, brought them. 24 Everyone who offered an offering of silver or bronze brought the Lord’s offering. And everyone with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it. 25 All the women who were (F)gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 26 And all the women whose hearts [c]stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair. 27 (G)The rulers brought onyx stones, and the stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate, 28 and (H)spices and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 29 The children of Israel brought a (I)freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 35:21 Lit. lifted him up
  2. Exodus 35:23 Or dolphin
  3. Exodus 35:26 Lit. lifted them up

20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn(A) or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman(B) spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27 The leaders(C) brought onyx stones and other gems(D) to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.(E) 29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing(F) brought to the Lord freewill offerings(G) for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

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26 (A)“The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

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26 “Bring the best of the firstfruits(A) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”(B)

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Christ Our Pattern

(A)I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, (B)that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become (C)rich.

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I am not commanding you,(A) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace(B) of our Lord Jesus Christ,(C) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,(D) so that you through his poverty might become rich.(E)

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