welfare

⁷If one of your brothers, who dwells within the gates of your city, in the land which the Lord your God will give to you, falls into poverty, you shall not harden your heart, nor tighten your hand. ⁸Instead, you shall open your hand to the poor, and you shall lend to him whatever you perceive him to need. ⁹Take care, lest perhaps an impious thought might creep within you, and you might say in your heart: ‘The seventh year of remission approaches.’ And so you might turn your eyes away from your poor brother, unwilling to lend to him what he has asked. If so, then he may cry out against you to the Lord, and it will be a sin for you. ¹⁰Instead, you shall give to him. Neither shall you do anything craftily while assisting him in his needs, so that the Lord your God may bless you, at all times and in all things to which you will put your hand. ¹¹The poor will not be absent from the land of your habitation. For this reason, I instruct you to open your hand to your indigent and poor brother, who lives among you in the land.

²⁷Whoever gives to the poor shall not be in need. Whoever despises his petition will suffer scarcity.

³⁵I have revealed all things to you, because by laboring in this way, it is necessary to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

⁶But we strongly caution you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to draw yourselves away from every brother who is walking in disorder and not according to the tradition that they received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know the manner in which you ought to imitate us. For we were not disorderly among you. ⁸Nor did we eat bread from anyone for free, but rather, we worked night and day, in hardship and weariness, so as not to be burdensome to you. ⁹It was not as if we had no authority, but this was so that we might present ourselves as an example to you, in order to imitate us. ¹⁰Then, too, while we were with you, we insisted on this to you: that if anyone was not willing to work, neither should he eat. ¹¹For we have heard that there are some among you who act disruptively, not working at all, but eagerly meddling.

⁸Nor did we eat bread from anyone for free, but rather, we worked night and day, in hardship and weariness, so as not to be burdensome to you.

⁹When you will have harvested the grain fields of your land, you shall not cut it down to the surface of the land, even to the ground, nor shall you gather the remaining ears of grain. ¹⁰Neither shall you gather the clusters or individual grapes which fall down in your vineyard, but you shall leave them for paupers and travelers to take. I am the Lord your God.

²complete my joy by having the same understanding, holding to the same charity, being of one mind, with the same sentiment. ³Let nothing be done by contention, nor in vain glory. Instead, in humility, let each of you esteem others to be better than himself. ⁴Let each of you not consider anything to be your own, but rather to belong to others. ⁵For this understanding in you was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized. ⁷Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and accepting the state of a man.

¹But we who are stronger must bear with the feebleness of the weak, and not so as to please ourselves. ²Each one of you should please his neighbor unto good, for edification.

¹⁴My brothers, what benefit is there if someone claims to have faith, but he does not have works? How would faith be able to save him? ¹⁵So if a brother or sister is naked and daily in need of food, ¹⁶and if anyone of you were to say to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and nourished,” and yet not give them the things that are necessary for the body, of what benefit is this? ¹⁷Thus even faith, if it does not have works, is dead, in and of itself. ¹⁸Now someone may say: “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works! But I will show you my faith by means of works. ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. You do well. But the demons also believe, and they tremble greatly.

¹⁷Render to no one harm for harm. Provide good things, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men. ¹⁸If it is possible, in so far as you are able, be at peace with all men. ¹⁹Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord.” ²⁰So if an enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap burning coals upon his head. ²¹Do not allow evil to prevail, instead prevail over evil by means of goodness.

¹⁰Then, too, while we were with you, we insisted on this to you: that if anyone was not willing to work, neither should he eat.

⁷And seek the peace of the city, to which I have caused you to be taken away, and pray to the Lord on its behalf. For your peace will be in its peace.

¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think over you, says the Lord: thoughts of peace and not of affliction, so that I may give you patience and an end.

¹The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, in order to make known to his servants the things that must soon occur, and which he signified by sending his Angel to his servant John;