Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift and not as something you feel forced to do.
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
1Preparing the Gift For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints,
2because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.
3But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them.
4For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated(not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.
6My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.
7Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.
8And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.
1Completing the Collection for the Saints Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,
2that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity.
3For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily,
4begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints.
5And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
6Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you.
7But as you excel in everything– in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you– make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.
8I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.
9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.
10So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give,
11to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means.
12For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.
13For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality.
14At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality,
15as it is written:“The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
19In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help.
20We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.
21For we are concerned about what is right not only before the Lord but also before men.
1A Collection to Aid Jewish Christians With regard to the collection for the saints, please follow the directions that I gave to the churches of Galatia:
2On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside some income and save it to the extent that God has blessed you, so that a collection will not have to be made when I come.
3Then, when I arrive, I will send those whom you approve with letters of explanation to carry your gift to Jerusalem.
11You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God,
12because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God.
13Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone.
8I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you!
9When I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
16For even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent something for my need.
17I do not say this because I am seeking a gift. Rather, I seek the credit that abounds to your account.
15And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us,
16and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you.
10And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,
10They requested only that we remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager to do.
8Paul’s Request for Onesimus So, although I have quite a lot of confidence in Christ and could command you to do what is proper,
18Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.
6They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.
26For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
29So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
15But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God
16so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person’s area.
14However, without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness.
12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart.
2Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
9For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.