Philemon 1:14

Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!

“Speak to the children of Israel, that they take an offering for me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall take my offering.

The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.

or he who exhorts, to his exhorting; he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use its fruit.

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!

You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:

It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

“I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”

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.’”

True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;

Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand,

but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised—

Do all things without complaining and arguing,

This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.

Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,

For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;

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

not as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.

The children of Israel brought a free will offering to Yahweh; every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which Yahweh had commanded to be made by Moses.

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?”

and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to Yahweh, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.

Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Worship Yahweh in holy array. Tremble before him, all the earth.

Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.

Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh, and say, “Isn’t Yahweh among us? No disaster will come on us.”

She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.

But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land?

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

Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries.

For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake,

of which I was made a servant according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you to fulfill the word of God,

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.

I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

‘Take from among you an offering to Yahweh. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as Yahweh’s offering: gold, silver, bronze,

“ ‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without defect. He shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before Yahweh.

“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor,

Every man shall give as he is able, according to Yahweh your God’s blessing which he has given you.

Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.

Then the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to Yahweh; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s dainties, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,

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

He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them,

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.

On the first day of every week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections are made when I come.

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,

Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.

But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak: not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

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

For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!

So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ”

I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you.

Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy array. Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth.

While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”

What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?

For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have.

I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness.

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;