If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

或作劝化的，就当专一劝化；施舍的，就当诚实；治理的，就当殷勤；怜悯人的，就当甘心。

或劝勉的，要专一劝勉；施舍的，要诚实；治理的，要殷勤；怜悯人的，要乐意。

或劝勉的，要专一劝勉；施舍的，要诚实；治理的，要殷勤；怜悯人的，要乐意。

劝勉的，要诚心劝勉；施舍的，要慷慨施舍；治理的，要殷勤治理；怜悯的，要甘心怜悯。

劝慰的，就应当照着恩赐劝慰；把财物分给人的要真诚；领导的要殷勤；行善的要乐意。

如果是劝勉的，就用在劝勉上；分享的，要慷慨；带领的，要殷勤；怜悯人的，要甘心乐意。

或作勸化的，就當專一勸化；施捨的，就當誠實；治理的，就當殷勤；憐憫人的，就當甘心。

或勸勉的，要專一勸勉；施捨的，要誠實；治理的，要殷勤；憐憫人的，要樂意。

或勸勉的，要專一勸勉；施捨的，要誠實；治理的，要殷勤；憐憫人的，要樂意。

勸勉的，要誠心勸勉；施捨的，要慷慨施捨；治理的，要殷勤治理；憐憫的，要甘心憐憫。

勸慰的，就應當照著恩賜勸慰；把財物分給人的要真誠；領導的要殷勤；行善的要樂意。

或是勸慰的，就該用在勸慰上。分給的呢、要用慷慨的心；督導的呢、要用熱切；憐恤人的呢、要歡悅喜樂。

如果是勸勉的，就用在勸勉上；分享的，要慷慨；帶領的，要殷勤；憐憫人的，要甘心樂意。

或勸慰、則勸慰、濟者以誠、治者以勤、矜者以樂、

或勸慰、則勸慰、其賙濟也、以丹心、其治理也、以殷勤、其矜恤也、以喜樂、

或勸戒者、當勸戒、其施舍也以誠實、其治理也以殷勤、其矜恤也以歡心、

勸慰者勸慰。布施務廣、治人務勤。矜貧恤寡、難得滿腔和氣；

if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Is it encouraging others? Then encourage them. Is it giving to others? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.

the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth,[ let him do it] with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

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.

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure.“ For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.

Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.

Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith.

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

After the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message:“ Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it.”

So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.

Give him a generous farewell gift from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Share with him some of the bounty with which the Lord your God has blessed you.

Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another— or maybe both.

Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.

As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.

Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.

But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity.

When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do— blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

This is a time to celebrate before the Lord your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you.

You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. But you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved?

But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.

The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell themand bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

“ Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows?Have I been stingy with my food and refused to share it with orphans?No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father, and all my life I have cared for widows.Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes and the needy with nothing to wear,did they not praise me for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns.For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the Lord your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.

“ So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock— his church, purchased with his own blood— over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.

The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.

But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.

While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box.Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.“ I tell you the truth,” Jesus said,“ this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.

Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.

I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.

They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.

Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

“ And the King will say,‘ I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.“ Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.Then when you call, the Lord will answer.‘ Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.“ Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well watered garden, like an ever flowing spring.

Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.Since you excel in so many ways— in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us— I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected.

We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world.( This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.Do not be mean spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the Lord, you will be considered guilty of sin.Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—

While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece,

I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation.

Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

Greet all your leaders and all the believers there. The believers from Italy send you their greetings.

I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs.I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride.I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me.I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.

Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly— not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.