Acts 24:17

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.

even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.

Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys.

how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,

amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil.

He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?

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

as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”

“I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

“ ‘This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting,

They will call the peoples to the mountain. There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they will draw out the abundance of the seas, the hidden treasures of the sand.”

Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?

It will happen in that day that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

But you will be called Yahweh’s priests. Men will call you the servants of our God. You will eat the wealth of the nations. You will boast in their glory.

“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

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.

I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents.

The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law.

But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost,

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.

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

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

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

To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.

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

By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.

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

He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Ah, the land of the rustling of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia;

Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to Yahweh. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before Yahweh, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Your gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive.

This city will be to me for a name of joy, for praise, and for glory, before all the nations of the earth, which will hear all the good that I do to them, and will fear and tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I provide to it.’ ”

Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he will surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.”

Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.”

“But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.

The Jews therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

A voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.”

He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.

After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.

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

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

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

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

And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

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

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?

The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.

I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.

In that time, a present will be brought to Yahweh of Armies from a people tall and smooth, even from a people awesome from their beginning onward, a nation that measures out and treads down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of Yahweh of Armies, Mount Zion.

When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;

The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.

that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;

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—

who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;

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

We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

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.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, in addition to the free will offering for God’s house which is in Jerusalem.’ ”

Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you.

From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.

“Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon.

Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

Then Paul took the men, and the next day purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

seeing that you can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often and talked with him.

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,

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

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,

But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.