For ifI dothisvoluntarily,I havea reward;but ifagainst my will,I have a stewardshipentrustedto me.
"As for you, my sonSolomon,knowthe Godof your father,and serveHim with a wholeheartand a willingmind;for the LORDsearchesallhearts,and understandseveryintentof the thoughts.Ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will rejectyou forever.
"But whoam I and whoare my peoplethat we should be ableto offeras generously as this?For allthingscome from You, and from Your handwe have givenYou.
of goldfor the [things of] goldand of silverfor the [things of] silver,that is, for allthe workdoneby the craftsmen.Whothen is willingto consecratehimself this dayto the LORD?"
Then the peoplerejoicedbecausethey had offeredso willingly,for they madetheir offeringto the LORDwith a wholeheart,and KingDavidalsorejoicedgreatly.
And the peopleblessedallthe menwho volunteeredto livein Jerusalem.
Then I heardthe voiceof the Lord,saying,"Whomshall I send,and whowill gofor Us?" Then I said,"Heream I. Sendme!"
But if I say,"I will not rememberHim Or speakanymorein His name,"Then in my heartit becomeslike a burningfireShutup in my bones;And I am wearyof holding[it] in, And I cannotendure[it].
So the Spiritliftedme up and tookme away; and I wentembitteredin the rageof my spirit,and the handof the LORDwas strongon me.
But Jonahroseup to fleeto Tarshishfrom the presenceof the LORD.So he wentdownto Joppa,founda shipwhich was goingto Tarshish,paidthe fareand wentdowninto it to gowith them to Tarshishfrom the presenceof the LORD.
"Ohthat there were one among you who would shutthe gates,that you might not uselesslykindle[fire on] My altar!I am not pleasedwith you," saysthe LORDof hosts,"norwill I acceptan offeringfrom you.
"He who receivesa prophetin [the] nameof a prophetshall receivea prophet'sreward;and he who receivesa righteousmanin the nameof a righteous manshall receivea righteous man'sreward.
"Behold,I have told you in advance.
And the Lordsaid,"Whothenis the faithfuland sensiblesteward,whomhis masterwill put in chargeof his servants,to givethem their rationsat the proper time?
"Alreadyhe who reapsis receivingwagesand is gatheringfruitfor lifeeternal;sothat he who sowsand he who reapsmay rejoicetogether.
Ifany man'sworkwhichhe has builton it remains,he will receivea reward.
Nowhe who plantsand he who watersare one;but eachwill receivehis ownrewardaccordingto his ownlabor.
Let a manregardus in this manner,as servantsof Christand stewardsof the mysteriesof God.
For ifI preachthe gospel,I have nothingto boastof, for I am undercompulsion;for woeis me ifI do not preach the gospel.
Whatthenis my reward?That, when I preach the gospel,I may offerthe gospelwithout charge,soas not to make full useof my rightin the gospel.
For ifthe readinessis present,it is acceptableaccordingto what [a person] has,not accordingto what he does not have.
But on the contrary,seeingthat I had been entrustedwith the gospelto the uncircumcised,justas Peter[had been] to the circumcised
Of [this church] I was madea ministeraccordingto the stewardshipfrom Godbestowedon me for your benefit,so that I might fully carryout the [preaching of] the wordof God,
but justas we have been approvedby Godto be entrustedwith the gospel,sowe speak,not as pleasingmen,but Godwho examinesour hearts.
but withoutyour consentI did not wantto doanything,sothat your goodnesswould not be, in effect,by compulsionbut of your own free will.