They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.

再三地求我们，准他们在这供给圣徒的恩情上有份；

再三恳求我们，准他们在这供给圣徒的善事上有份；

再三恳求我们，准他们在这供给圣徒的善事上有份；

他们恳切地求我们准许他们与有需要的圣徒分享上帝的恩典。

再三恳求我们，准许他们在供应圣徒的事上有分。

用许多乞求的话，恳请我们在对圣徒的服事上给与他们恩准和分享的机会；

再三地求我們，准他們在這供給聖徒的恩情上有分；

再三懇求我們，准他們在這供給聖徒的善事上有份；

再三懇求我們，准他們在這供給聖徒的善事上有份；

他們懇切地求我們准許他們與有需要的聖徒分享上帝的恩典。

再三懇求我們，准許他們在供應聖徒的事上有分。

以再三再四的懇請求我們、讓他們將恩惠和團契捐去供應聖徒的需要。

用許多乞求的話，懇請我們在對聖徒的服事上給與他們恩准和分享的機會；

懇求我儕、俾與於供事聖徒之恩、

殷勤求我、納其所捐者、即施濟聖徒之金、

彼殷勤求我與之共事、納其所捐之貲、以濟聖徒、

彼等且再三懇求吾儕、准其同享賑濟聖徒之特恩；

they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.

they begged us for the chance to share in serving the Lord’s people in that way.

begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—

they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints,

begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,

imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints:

they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints,

Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and[ take upon us] the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints.

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

“ After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God.

When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem.And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me.

I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem.

But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there.For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.

You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me.

Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said,“ Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”But Elisha replied,“ As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused.

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek speaking believers complained about the Hebrew speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said,“ We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen( a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch( an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.

You know that Stephanas and his household were the first of the harvest of believers in Greece, and they are spending their lives in service to God’s people. I urge you, dear brothers and sisters,

“ And the King will say,‘ I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them.But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said,“ Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.

Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

But Jacob insisted,“ No, if I have found favor with you, please accept this gift from me. And what a relief to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the face of God!Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift.

“ Then they will reply,‘ Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’“ And he will answer,‘ I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?

So two good things will result from this ministry of giving— the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone— especially to those in the family of faith.

Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.

We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News.He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem— a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.

So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.

And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her,“ Dear woman, here is your son.”And he said to this disciple,“ Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia.

She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests.“ If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said,“ come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.