God Loves a Cheerful Giver
(1 Corinthians 16:1–4)

1  Περὶ (Concerning) μὲν (indeed) γὰρ (for) τῆς (the) διακονίας (ministry) τῆς (-) εἰς (to) τοὺς (the) ἁγίους (saints) περισσόν (superfluous) μοί (for me) ἐστιν (it is) τὸ (-) γράφειν (to write) ὑμῖν (to you⁺)· 2  οἶδα (I know) γὰρ (for) τὴν (the) προθυμίαν (readiness) ὑμῶν (of you⁺) ἣν (which) ὑπὲρ (on behalf of) ὑμῶν (you⁺) καυχῶμαι (I boast of) Μακεδόσιν (to Macedonians) ὅτι (that) Ἀχαΐα (Achaia) παρεσκεύασται (has been prepared) ἀπὸ (from) πέρυσι (a year ago), καὶ (and) τὸ (-) ὑμῶν (your⁺) ζῆλος (zeal) ἠρέθισεν (provoked) τοὺς (the) πλείονας (greater part).

3  Ἔπεμψα (I sent) δὲ (however) τοὺς (the) ἀδελφούς (brothers), ἵνα (so that) μὴ (not) τὸ (the) καύχημα (boasting) ἡμῶν (of us) τὸ (that is) ὑπὲρ (about) ὑμῶν (you⁺) κενωθῇ (should be made void) ἐν (in) τῷ (the) μέρει (matter) τούτῳ (this), ἵνα (so that) καθὼς (as) ἔλεγον (I have been saying) παρεσκευασμένοι (prepared) ἦτε (you⁺ may be), 4  μή (Not) πως (perhaps) ἐὰν (if) ἔλθωσιν (should come) σὺν (with) ἐμοὶ (me) Μακεδόνες (Macedonians) καὶ (and) εὕρωσιν (should find) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) ἀπαρασκευάστους (unprepared) καταισχυνθῶμεν (would be put to shame) ἡμεῖς (we), ἵνα (that) μὴ (not) λέγωμεν (we might say) ὑμεῖς (you⁺), ἐν (in) τῇ (the) ὑποστάσει (confidence) ταύτῃ (this). 5  ἀναγκαῖον (Necessary) οὖν (therefore) ἡγησάμην (I deemed it) παρακαλέσαι (to exhort) τοὺς (the) ἀδελφοὺς (brothers) ἵνα (that) προέλθωσιν (they should go before) εἰς (to) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) καὶ (and) προκαταρτίσωσιν (should complete beforehand) τὴν (the) προεπηγγελμένην (foreannounced) εὐλογίαν (blessing) ὑμῶν (of you⁺), ταύτην (this) ἑτοίμην (ready) εἶναι (to be) οὕτως (thus) ὡς (as) εὐλογίαν (a blessing) καὶ (and) μὴ (not) ὡς (as) πλεονεξίαν (covetousness).

6  Τοῦτο (This) δέ (now), ὁ (The one) σπείρων (sowing) φειδομένως (sparingly) φειδομένως (sparingly) καὶ (also) θερίσει (will reap), καὶ (and) ὁ (the one) σπείρων (sowing) ἐπ’ (upon) εὐλογίαις (blessings) ἐπ’ (upon) εὐλογίαις (blessings) καὶ (also) θερίσει (will reap). 7  ἕκαστος (each) καθὼς (as) προῄρηται (he has purposed) τῇ (in the) καρδίᾳ (heart), μὴ (not) ἐκ (out of) λύπης (grief) ἢ (or) ἐξ (out of) ἀνάγκης (necessity)· ἱλαρὸν (a cheerful) γὰρ (for) δότην (giver) ἀγαπᾷ (loves) ὁ (-) Θεός (God). 8  δυνατεῖ (Able is) δὲ (now) ὁ (-) Θεὸς (God) πᾶσαν (all) χάριν (grace) περισσεῦσαι (to make abound) εἰς (to) ὑμᾶς (you⁺), ἵνα (so that) ἐν (in) παντὶ (every way) πάντοτε (always) πᾶσαν (all) αὐτάρκειαν (sufficiency) ἔχοντες (having) περισσεύητε (you⁺ may abound) εἰς (to) πᾶν (every) ἔργον (work) ἀγαθόν (good), 9  καθὼς (As) γέγραπται (it has been written)·

Ἐσκόρπισεν (He scattered abroad), ἔδωκεν (He gave) τοῖς (to the) πένησιν (poor),

ἡ (the) δικαιοσύνη (righteousness) αὐτοῦ (of Him) μένει (remains) εἰς (to) τὸν (the) αἰῶνα (age).

10  Ὁ (The One) δὲ (now) ἐπιχορηγῶν (supplying) σπόρον (seed) τῷ (to the one) σπείροντι (sowing) καὶ (and) ἄρτον (bread) εἰς (for) βρῶσιν (food) χορηγήσει (will supply) καὶ (and) πληθυνεῖ (will multiply) τὸν (the) σπόρον (seed) ὑμῶν (of you⁺) καὶ (and) αὐξήσει (will increase) τὰ (the) γενήματα (fruits) τῆς (of the) δικαιοσύνης (righteousness) ὑμῶν (of you⁺)· 11  ἐν (in) παντὶ (every way) πλουτιζόμενοι (being enriched) εἰς (to) πᾶσαν (all) ἁπλότητα (generosity), ἥτις (which) κατεργάζεται (produces) δι’ (through) ἡμῶν (us) εὐχαριστίαν (thanksgiving) τῷ (-) Θεῷ (to God). 12  ὅτι (For) ἡ (the) διακονία (ministry) τῆς (of the) λειτουργίας (service) ταύτης (this) οὐ (not) μόνον (only) ἐστὶν (is) προσαναπληροῦσα (supplying) τὰ (the) ὑστερήματα (needs) τῶν (of the) ἁγίων (saints), ἀλλὰ (but) καὶ (also) περισσεύουσα (is abounding) διὰ (through) πολλῶν (many) εὐχαριστιῶν (thanksgivings) τῷ (-) Θεῷ (to God)· 13  διὰ (through) τῆς (the) δοκιμῆς (proof) τῆς (of the) διακονίας (ministry) ταύτης (this) δοξάζοντες (glorifying) τὸν (-) Θεὸν (God) ἐπὶ (upon) τῇ (the) ὑποταγῇ (submission) τῆς (of the) ὁμολογίας (of confession) ὑμῶν (of you⁺) εἰς (to) τὸ (the) εὐαγγέλιον (gospel) τοῦ (-) Χριστοῦ (of Christ) καὶ (and) ἁπλότητι (the generosity) τῆς (of the) κοινωνίας (fellowship) εἰς (to) αὐτοὺς (them) καὶ (and) εἰς (to) πάντας (all), 14  καὶ (and) αὐτῶν (their) δεήσει (supplication) ὑπὲρ (is for) ὑμῶν (you⁺) ἐπιποθούντων (longing) ὑμᾶς (for you⁺) διὰ (on account of) τὴν (the) ὑπερβάλλουσαν (surpassing) χάριν (grace) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (of God) ἐφ’ (upon) ὑμῖν (you⁺). 15  Χάρις (Thanks be) τῷ (-) Θεῷ (to God) ἐπὶ (for) τῇ (the) ἀνεκδιηγήτῳ (indescribable) αὐτοῦ (of Him) δωρεᾷ (gift).