The Cheerful Giver

⁶ The point is this: ^(A)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully^[a] will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, ^(B)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^(C)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And ^(D)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency^[b] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written,

¹⁰ He who supplies ^(F)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and ^(G)increase the harvest of your righteousness. ^11 (H)You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which ^(I)through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

¹¹ For no one can lay a ^(A)foundation other ^(B)than that which is laid, ^(C)which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ^13 (D)each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed ^(E)by fire, and ^(F)the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, ^(G)he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, ^(H)but only as through fire.

^16 (I)Do you not know that you^[a] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For ^(J)God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

^18 (K)Let no one deceive himself. ^(L)If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.