8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of
Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there
10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the
village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her,
“Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was
going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”
12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a
single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of
flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I
was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my
13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just
what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use
what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this
is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be
flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the
Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”
15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family
continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour
and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised
1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in
his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 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
3 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. 4 They begged
us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the
believers in Jerusalem. 5 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.
6 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. 7 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.
8 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
9 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.
10 Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you
started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to
give, and you were the first to begin doing it. 11 Now you should
finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the
beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to
what you have. 12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it
eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t
have. 13 Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy
for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should
be some equality. 14 Right now you have plenty and can help
those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share
with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. 15 As
“Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over,
and those who gathered only a little had enough.”
10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I
know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t
have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I
have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know
how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned
the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full
stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything
through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done
well to share with me in my present difficulty.
15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me
financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then
traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even
when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I
don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to
receive a reward for your kindness.
18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously
supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a
sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your
needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in
20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
