2 Bakorinta 11 - KBTP & CEVUS06

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Giving is a powerful act that reflects the heart of God and His desire for us to live generously. Throughout the Bible, we find numerous teachings that emphasize the importance and impact of giving. Whether it’s through offering our time, resources, or love, the act of giving not only blesses others but also enriches our own lives. Here are seven Bible verses that highlight the power of giving and encourage us to embrace a life of generosity.

1. Acts 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When we give to others, especially those in need, we are not only helping them but also experiencing the joy and fulfillment that comes from generosity. It reminds us that true happiness is found in selflessness.

2. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The emphasis on giving cheerfully reminds us that our attitude matters. God values a heart that gives freely and joyfully, knowing that our contributions can lead to abundant blessings.

3. Proverbs 11:25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Generosity is not just about meeting the needs of others; it also brings personal renewal and prosperity. When we give, we often receive in return, not necessarily in material wealth, but in spiritual and emotional well-being. The act of giving refreshes both the giver and the recipient.

4. Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Jesus emphasizes the abundance that comes from giving. The imagery of a generous measure being returned to us illustrates that our giving will not go unnoticed or unrewarded. When we give with an open heart, we can expect God’s blessings to overflow in our lives.

5. Matthew 6:3-4 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

We should give quietly and humbly, without seeking recognition or praise. The focus is on the sincerity and purity of our giving. God sees our acts of kindness, even when they are done in secret, and He will reward us accordingly. It reminds us that true giving is done for the benefit of others, not for personal glory.

6. Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Sharing what we have with others is a sacrifice that pleases God. This verse highlights the importance of being mindful of others’ needs and taking action to meet them. It serves as a reminder that our acts of generosity are not just good deeds; they are expressions of our faith and love for God.

7. James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

All we have comes from God. Recognizing that every gift we receive is from Him encourages us to be generous in sharing those gifts with others. When we give, we are participating in God’s work, distributing His blessings to those around us.

Conclusion

The Bible teaches that giving is a powerful way to express our faith, love, and gratitude. These verses reveal that generosity not only impacts those we help but also enriches our own lives, bringing us closer to God and His purposes. Whether through our resources, time, or compassion, giving allows us to reflect God’s love in a tangible way, creating a ripple effect of blessings that extend far beyond what we can see. By embracing a spirit of generosity, we open ourselves up to experience the fullness of life that God desires for us.

Banyepi banozwiti batumwa ba Jesu

1 Ndoyemula kuti mube ne moyonlefu ne bulengwe gwangu. Ibeni ne moyonlefu nami! 2 Ndohwa ndina kubinda mu muli kunodwa ku Ndzimu, ngobe ndakamubigilidza ndobolo kumuyisa kuna Kirisiti muli mwanadi mbuyanana una nlume nng'ompela, iye Kirisiti. 3 Koga ndodziyidzika nge kuti se nyoka yakatjengela Efa nge kutjenjelela ntome kwayo, mikumbulo yenyu inowotjinyiwa, mube musiya kuzwipa kwe malebeswa kakale kwakatjena muna Kirisiti. 4 Moamutjila nge kushatha mmwe ne mmwe unozha esumikila Jesu upoga muna watakasumikila, mukaamutjila meya ipoga muna yamakaamutjila kakale mukaamutjila ndebo mbuya ipoga muna yamakaamutjila mutili!

5 Anditoduma kuti ndi ntukunu pa batumwa ibabo banoyi bakulukulu. 6 Nenguba ndisi nyambi yelebeleka, koga ndina zibo. Ikoku takakutjenesa kumuli misi yose ne mu zwithu zose.

7 Apa ndakathama jinyo nge kuzwiyisa pasi kuti imwi mukudziwe, nge kusumikila ndebo mbuya ye Ndzimu kumuli kuzhe kwe kushaka bhatsho imwe mu muli kene? 8 Ndakakwibila makubungano mamwe ngoamutjila bhatsho muali kushingila imwi. 9 Ngono pandakabe ndi namwi, koga ndisheta, andina wandakabe ntolo kunli, ngobe zwandakabe ndisheta zwakadusiwa nge zwikamu zwinodwa ku Makedoniya. Ndizo ndakaletja kumulemesela, kene anditowomulemesela. 10 Se malebeswa a Kirisiti ali mundili, kuzwikudza kwangu ikoku akutowonyaladziwa mu mituthu ye Akaiya. 11 Apa ndoleba ikoku ngekutini? Ngekuti ndisingamude kene? Ndzimu unoziba kuti ndomuda!

12 Tjandinoshinga ngwenu ndowodwilila nditjishinga, kuti ndishayise ibabo mazwikudzo ibaba banoshaka kuti batogwe se banolizana naswi muna tjabanozwikudza nditjo. 13 Bathu bakajali batumwa be manyepkhwa, bashingi banotjebela, banozwithama batumwa ba Kirisiti. 14 Ngono akutotjenamisa, ngobe na iye Satani unozwithama ntumwa we kudzimu we tjedza. 15 Ndizo akutotjenamisa ha balanda babe na ibobo bezwithama balanda be ndulamo. Bhelelo labo lowofanana ne mishingo yabo.

Kudziyila kwa Paulo ali ntumwa wa Jesu

16 Ndobgwililula nditi ngakusibe ne unokumbula kuti ndi tjilengwe. Koga ha mungakumbula sa ikoko, mundiamutjile se tjilengwe, kuti ndizo namibo ndizwikudze kutukununu. 17 Tjandinoleba anditotjileba nge simba la She, koga ndolebeleka se tjilengwe mu kuzwikudza kwakajali. 18 Se banji bezwikudza ngekwe zwe shango namibo ndowozwikudza, 19 ngobe mothamila zwilengwe moyonlefu na iko makashatha, imwi nge kwenyu makatjenjela. 20 Mobe ne moyonlefu ha nthu emuthama balanda, kene emutjebela kene emubhatilapo, kene emulingila pasi, kene emulonga shaula mate. 21 Ndina shoni kuleba kuti iswi takakong'wa kuthama zwithu izwezo!

Koga tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaanozwikudza nditjo, ndolebeleka se tjilengwe, namibo ndingazwikudza nditjo. 22 Kene Bahebheru? Namibo ndi iye. Kene Baiziraela? Namibo ndi iye. Kene be ludzi gwa Abhurahama? Namibo ndi igo. 23 Kene balanda Bakirisiti? Imi ndi nlanda unoyita pabali. Ndoleba se mpengo! Ndakashinga kwakasima kubapinda kwazo, ndakabe mu ng'umba ye busungwa kanjinji kubapinda, ndakalobgwa kanjinji abe pejo nge lufu kanjinji. 24 Ndakalobgwa kashanu nge Bajuta shamu dzili makumi manna anodusa ing'ompela. 25 Ndakalobgwa katatu nge zwikombo nge Baroma, akikithidziwa nge mabgwe. Katatu kose ikepe tjandakabe ndiyenda nditjo tjakanyumbgwila mu gungwa ha angama mu vula nge kuzwibhatilila mu zwipithu zwe ikepe busiku gose amuka ndishwa ndakajalo zhuba lose. 26 Ndakayenda njendo njinji, abe mu mbatsha dze njizi ne dze zwigebeng'a, abe mu mbatsha dze bakanyi kwangu ne be zwitjaba, abe mu mbatsha mu mizi mikulu, abe mu mbatsha mu tjilambanyika nenge mu gungwa, abe mu mbhatsha mu zwikamu zwe manyepkhwa. 27 Ndakashinga kunolema, apitsha masiku manjinji ndisingayizele, muzhala ne nyota, kanjinji ndisingaje, ndipota ndisina zwiambalo. 28 Ngono kuzhe kwe zwimwe zwithu, ndodziyidzika zhuba ne zhuba ndikumbula ngekwe makubungano wose. 29 Panobe mmwe asakasima, imi ndozwihwa ndisakasimabo, panobe mmwe awila mu jinyo imi ndozhala buyendasi.

30 Ha kuli kuti ndina kuzwikudza, ndowozwikudza ngekwe zwithu zwinolakidza kusasima kwangu. 31 Ndzimu ibo Tate ba She Jesu, iwo unokudziwa kusingapele, unoziba kuti anditonyepa. 32 Pandakabe ndili mu Damasiko, nlauli wakabe ali pasi kwa Mambo Aretasi wakabiga balindi pa nkoba we nzi nkulu kundibhata. 33 Koga ndakadelusigwa kuzhe nge buli limu guma ndili mu itundu, abe ndileya mbatsha dze mazwimisilo awe.

Paul and the False Apostles

1 Please put up with a little of my foolishness. 2 I am as concerned about you as God is. You were like a virgin bride I had chosen only for Christ. 3 But now I fear that you will be tricked, just as Eve was tricked by that lying snake. I am afraid that you might stop thinking about Christ in an honest and sincere way. 4 We told you about Jesus, and you received the Holy Spirit and accepted our message. But you let some people tell you about another Jesus. Now you are ready to receive another spirit and accept a different message. 5 I think I am as good as any of those super apostles. 6 I may not speak as well as they do, but I know as much. And this has already been made perfectly clear to you.

7 Was it wrong for me to lower myself and honor you by preaching God's message free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by taking money from them to serve you. 9 Even when I was in need, I still didn't bother you. In fact, some of the Lord's followers from Macedonia brought me what I needed. I have not been a burden to you in the past, and I will never be a burden. 10 As surely as I speak the truth about Christ, no one in Achaia can stop me from bragging about this. 11 And it isn't because I don't love you. God himself knows how much I do love you.

12 I plan to go on doing just what I have always done. Then those people won't be able to brag about doing the same things we are doing. 13 Anyway, they are no more than false apostles and dishonest workers. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ. 14 And it is no wonder. Even Satan tries to make himself look like an angel of light. 15 So why does it seem strange for Satan's servants to pretend to do what is right? Someday they will get exactly what they deserve.

Paul's Sufferings for Christ

16 I don't want any of you to think I am a fool. But if you do, then let me be a fool and brag a little. 17 When I do all this bragging, I do it as a fool and not for the Lord. 18 Yet if others want to brag about what they have done, so will I. 19 And since you are so smart, you will gladly put up with a fool. 20 In fact, you let people make slaves of you and cheat you and steal from you. Why, you even let them strut around and slap you in the face. 21 I am ashamed to say we are too weak to behave in such a way.

If they can brag, so can I, but it is a foolish thing to do. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Jews? So am I. Are they from the family of Abraham? Well, so am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a fool to talk this way, but I serve him better than they do. I have worked harder and have been put in jail more times. I have been beaten with whips more and have been in danger of death more often.

24 Five times my own people gave me 39 lashes with a whip. 25 Three times the Romans beat me with a big stick, and once my enemies stoned me. I have been shipwrecked three times, and I even had to spend a night and a day in the sea. 26 During my many travels, I have been in danger from rivers, robbers, my own people, and foreigners. My life has been in danger in cities, in deserts, at sea, and with people who only pretended to be the Lord's followers.

27 I have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold from not having enough clothes to keep me warm. 28 Besides everything else, each day I am burdened down, worrying about all the churches. 29 When others are weak, I am weak too. When others are tricked into sin, I get angry.

30 If I have to brag, I will brag about how weak I am. 31 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, knows I am not lying. And God is to be praised forever! 32 The governor of Damascus at the time of King Aretas had the city gates guarded, so he could capture me. 33 But I escaped by being let down in a basket through a window in the city wall.