⁷ “Blessed are ^(A)the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

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, ^36 (K)I was naked and you clothed me, ^(L)I was sick and you ^(M)visited me, ^(N)I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And ^(O)the King will answer them, ^(P)‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these ^(Q)my brothers,^[a] you did it to me.’

¹³ For ^(A)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Warning to the Rich

5 Come now, ^(A)you rich, weep and howl for the ^(B)miseries that are coming upon you. ^2 (C)Your riches have rotted and ^(D)your garments are moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. ^(E)You have laid up treasure ^(F)in the last days. ⁴ Behold, ^(G)the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and ^(H)the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of ^(I)the Lord of hosts. ^5 (J)You have lived on the earth in luxury and ^(K)in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in ^(L)a day of slaughter.

^17 (A)Not that I seek the gift, but I seek ^(B)the fruit that increases to your credit.^[a]

The Cheerful Giver

⁶ The point is this: ^(A)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully^[a] will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, ^(B)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^(C)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ 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. ⁹ As it is written,

¹⁰ He who supplies ^(F)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and ^(G)increase the harvest of your righteousness. ^11 (H)You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which ^(I)through us will produce thanksgiving to God. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only supplying ^(J)the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ By their approval of this service, ^(K)they^[c] will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your ^(L)confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, ¹⁴ while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

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

²⁷ Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by ^(A)practicing righteousness, ^(B)and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, ^(C)that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”