Mosaico decorativo

1. Now about the service to the holy ones, it is superfluous for me to write to you,

1. About the help to God's holy people, there is really no need for me to write to you;

2. for I know your eagerness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them.

2. for I am well aware of your enthusiasm, and I have been boasting of it to the Macedonians that 'Achaia has been ready for a year'; your enthusiasm has been a spur to many others.

3. Nonetheless, I sent the brothers so that our boast about you might not prove empty in this case, so that you might be ready, as I said,

3. All the same, I have sent the brothers, to make sure that our boast about you may not prove hollow in this respect and that you may be ready, as I said you would be;

4. for fear that if any Macedonians come with me and find you not ready we might be put to shame (to say nothing of you) in this conviction.

4. so that if by chance some of the Macedonians came with me and found you unprepared we -- to say nothing of yourselves -- would not be put to shame by our confidence in you.

5. So I thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for your promised gift, so that in this way it might be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an exaction.

5. So I have thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go to you ahead of us and make sure in advance of the gift that you have already promised, so that it is all at hand as a real gift and not an imposition.

6. Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

6. But remember: anyone who sows sparsely will reap sparsely as well -- and anyone who sows generously will reap generously as well.

7. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

7. Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

8. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.

8. God is perfectly able to enrich you with every grace, so that you always have enough for every conceivable need, and your resources overflow in all kinds of good work.

9. As it is written: "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

9. As scripture says: To the needy he gave without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever.

10. The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

10. The one who so freely provides seed for the sower and food to eat will provide you with ample store of seed for sowing and make the harvest of your uprightness a bigger one:

11. You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God,

11. you will be rich enough in every way for every kind of generosity that makes people thank God for what we have done.

12. for the administration of this public service is not only supplying the needs of the holy ones but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God.

12. For the help provided by this contribution not only satisfies the needs of God's holy people, but also overflows into widespread thanksgiving to God;

13. Through the evidence of this service, you are glorifying God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your contribution to them and to all others,

13. because when you have proved your quality by this help, they will give glory to God for the obedience which you show in professing the gospel of Christ, as well as for the generosity of your fellowship towards them and towards all.

14. while in prayer on your behalf they long for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

14. At the same time, their prayer for you will express the affection they feel for you because of the unbounded grace God has given you.

15. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

15. Thanks be to God for his gift that is beyond all telling!



Leggi la Bibbia in un anno

Unisciti alla nostra comunità e completa l'intera Bibbia in 365 giorni. Un percorso strutturato e stimolante per approfondire la tua fede e la tua conoscenza delle Scritture.