2 Bakorinta 11 - KBTP & GNTD

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 I wish you would tolerate me, even when I am a bit foolish. Please do! 2 I am jealous for you, just as God is; you are like a pure virgin whom I have promised in marriage to one man only, Christ himself. 3 I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and that you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ—in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake's clever lies. 4 For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!

5 I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called “apostles” of yours! 6 Perhaps I am an amateur in speaking, but certainly not in knowledge; we have made this clear to you at all times and in all conditions.

7 I did not charge you a thing when I preached the Good News of God to you; I humbled myself in order to make you important. Was that wrong of me? 8 While I was working among you, I was paid by other churches. I was robbing them, so to speak, in order to help you. 9 And during the time I was with you I did not bother you for help when I needed money; the believers who came from Macedonia brought me everything I needed. As in the past, so in the future: I will never be a burden to you! 10 By Christ's truth in me, I promise that this boast of mine will not be silenced anywhere in all of Achaia. 11 Do I say this because I don't love you? God knows I love you!

12 I will go on doing what I am doing now, in order to keep those other “apostles” from having any reason for boasting and saying that they work in the same way that we do. 13 Those men are not true apostles—they are false apostles, who lie about their work and disguise themselves to look like real apostles of Christ. 14 Well, no wonder! Even Satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light! 15 So it is no great thing if his servants disguise themselves to look like servants of righteousness. In the end they will get exactly what their actions deserve.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

16 I repeat: no one should think that I am a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, just so I will have a little to boast of. 17 Of course what I am saying now is not what the Lord would have me say; in this matter of boasting I am really talking like a fool. 18 But since there are so many who boast for merely human reasons, I will do the same. 19 You yourselves are so wise, and so you gladly tolerate fools! 20 You tolerate anyone who orders you around or takes advantage of you or traps you or looks down on you or slaps you in the face. 21 I am ashamed to admit that we were too timid to do those things!

But if anyone dares to boast about something—I am talking like a fool—I will be just as daring. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. 23 Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman—but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often. 24 Five times I was given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; 25 three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three shipwrecks, and once I spent twenty-four hours in the water. 26 In my many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from my own people and from Gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends. 27 There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing. 28 And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.

30 If I must boast, I will boast about things that show how weak I am. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus—blessed be his name forever!—knows that I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas placed guards at the city gates to arrest me. 33 But I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.