7 But as fyou abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see gthat you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

8 hI speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ithat though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become jrich.

10 And in this kI give advice: lIt is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and mwere desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For nif there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, o“He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”