So, Your Majesty, please take my advice. Stop sinning and do what's right. End your iniquities and be merciful to the oppressed. Maybe then things will continue to go well for you.”
When Jesus heard this he told the man, “You still lack one thing. Go and sell all you have, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me!”
But Zacchaeus stood up and said before the Lord, “Look, I'm giving half of everything I own to the poor, and if I've cheated anybody, I'll pay them back four times as much!”
Since Judas was in charge of the money, some of them thought that Jesus was telling him to go and buy what was needed for the Passover festival, or to donate something to the poor.
He was a religious man who, together with everyone in his household, had great reverence for God. He gave generously to the poor, and prayed regularly to God.
Frightened, Cornelius stared at him and asked, “What do you want, Lord?” “God has paid attention to your prayers, and recognized your generosity to the poor,” he told Cornelius.
Warn those who are rich in the present world not to become proud. Tell them not to place their trust in wealth that is so insecure but in God who so freely gives us everything for our enjoyment.
God wouldn't be so unjust as to forget what you've done and the love you've shown for him by the care you've shown for fellow-believers—something you're still doing.
In the eyes of our God and Father, religion that's pure and genuine is to visit orphans and widows in their suffering, and to keep yourself from being contaminated by the world.
If one of you is living well in this world and you see your Christian brother or sister in need, but you don't show compassion—how can God's love be living in you?
Anyone who says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, is a liar. Anyone who doesn't love a brother whom they can see, can't love God whom they can't see.