Each of you has received a gift that you can use to serve others. You should use it as something that God has trusted you with. These gifts come in many forms.
But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace wasn’t wasted on me. No, I worked harder than all the other apostles—though it wasn’t me doing the work. God’s grace was with me.
They were glad to do it, and it acknowledges their debt of gratitude. After all, if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they should also share their own earthly blessings with the Jews.
Because a church leader takes care of God’s family, he must be blameless. He must not push people around, or get angry easily, or get drunk, or try to get money by cheating people.
The Lord answered, “Suppose a master gives one of his servants the job of giving the other servants their food at the right time, as a faithful and wise manager.
Who thinks you’re different from anyone else? What do you have that wasn’t given to you? And if it was given to you, why do you brag as though it came from you?
Another was Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household. A woman named Susanna and many others were also there. These women were using their own money to support Jesus and the 12 disciples.
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and not help you? When did we see that you were a stranger, or that you needed clothes, or that you were sick or in prison, and not help you?’
“Suppose a master puts one of his slaves in charge of the other slaves and tells him to give them their food at the right time. The master would want to choose a faithful and wise slave to do that.
There will be terrible suffering in those days, worse than any other time from the beginning of the world until now, and there will never be anything like it again.
After you’ve suffered for a little while, the God of all grace will restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. He has called you to share in his eternal glory in Christ.
With the help of Silas, who I consider to be a faithful brother, I’ve written you this short letter to encourage you and to confirm that this is the true grace of God. Remain strong in it.