9
1 Concerning your Messianic avodas kodesh sherut for the Kedoshim,* it is superfluous for me to send you this iggeret. 2 For I have da'as of your readiness to involve yourself in Messianic Jewish ministry and this is the subject of my glorying to the Macedonians, saying that Achaia has been prepared since last shanah and your kanous has been mezarez (a spur into action) to most of them. 3 And I am sending the Achim b'Moshiach lest our glorying on behalf of you should be made empty in this respect, that you be ready, as I was saying you would be, 4 Lest perhaps if some Macedonians should come with me and they find you unprepared, we should have bushah, to say nothing of you, in this situation. 5 Therefore, I considered it necessary to encourage the Achim b'Moshiach, that they should go on ahead to you and, having arranged in advance the bountiful terumah (contribution) of the havtacha you made previously so that this matanah would be ready so as to be a bracha and not an exaction.
6 Note this: the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing for a bracha of bounty will also reap a bracha of bounty.† 7 Each of you should give as he has decided previously in his lev (heart), not giving bedieved (begrudgingly) nor out of necessity; for Hashem loves a cheerful giver.‡ 8 And Hashem is able to cause to abound to you all Chen v'Chesed Hashem that in everything, always, having all sufficiency, you may abound to every mitzvah. 9 As it has been written, PIZAR NATAN LAEVYONIM TZIDKATO OMEDET LA'AD (He scattered, he gave to the poor, His Righteousness endures forever).§ 10 Now the one supplying ZERA (seed) to the sower and LECHEM for okhel (food)* will supply and will multiply your zera and will increase the p'ri of the Tzedek of you;† 11 You will be enriched in every ma'aseh chesed to all generosity, which produces through us hodayah (thanksgiving) to Hashem;‡ 12 Because the avodas kodesh of this tzedakah is not only filling up the things lacking of the Kedoshim,§ but is also abounding through hodayah rabbah (much thanksgiving) to Hashem; 13 Through the proof of this Messianic Jewish sherut you bring kavod to Hashem on the basis of your submission to your Ani Ma'amin Hoda'a confession of the Besuras HaGeulah of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and on the basis of the generosity of your terumah (contribution) to them and to all kol Bnei Adam; 14 And, reciprocally, the Messianic Jews in Yerushalayim will daven in intercession for you, having great ahavah in Moshiach for you, because of the surpassing Chen v'Chesed Hashem upon you. 15 Baruch Hashem for his indescribable matanah!
* 9:1 2C 8:4,20 † 9:6 Prov 11:24,25; 22:9 ‡ 9:7 Ex 25:2; Dt 15:10; Prov 22:8 TARGUM HASHIVIM § 9:9 Ps 112:9; Mal 3:10 * 9:10 Isa 55:10 † 9:10 Hos 10:12 TARGUM HASHIVIM ‡ 9:11 2C 1:11; 4:15 § 9:12 2C 8:14