2 Corinthians 8:4

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.

Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;

But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,

that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share;

This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men;

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

Depart from evil, and do good. Seek peace, and pursue it.

Yahweh says: “Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work will be rewarded,” says Yahweh. “They will come again from the land of the enemy.

“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

“Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’

For you always have the poor with you; but you don’t always have me.

For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.

Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going.

You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.

Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’

Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.

(I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)

but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack; that there may be equality.

For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.

Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,

Trust in Yahweh, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.

He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.

I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.

contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.

It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house. We are his house, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.

As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.

So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.

Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.

As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.

When I arrive, I will send whoever you approve with letters to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem.

If it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.

Now I beg you, brothers—you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints—

For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God,

seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all,

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.

So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.