Then he commanded, "Let the earth produce all kinds of plants, those that bear grain and those that bear fruit"---and it was done.

So the earth produced all kinds of plants, and God was pleased with what he saw.

Don't let us die. Do something! Don't let our fields be deserted. Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We will be the king's slaves, and he will own our land. Give us grain to keep us alive and seed so that we can plant our fields."

Joseph said to the people, "You see, I have now bought you and your lands for the king. Here is seed for you to sow in your fields.

At the time of harvest you must give one-fifth to the king. You can use the rest for seed and for food for yourselves and your families."

"My word is like the snow and the rain that come down from the sky to water the earth. They make the crops grow and provide seed for planting and food to eat.

Remember that the person who plants few seeds will have a small crop; the one who plants many seeds will have a large crop.

Wicked people do not really gain anything, but if you do what is right, you are certain to be rewarded.

Do your planting in the morning and in the evening, too. You never know whether it will all grow well or whether one planting will do better than the other.

It is not that I just want to receive gifts; rather, I want to see profit added to your account.

I said, 'Plow new ground for yourselves, plant righteousness, and reap the blessings that your devotion to me will produce. It is time for you to turn to me, your LORD, and I will come and pour out blessings upon you.'

"Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.

for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God.

May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow more and more and become as great as our love for you.

And you have, in fact, behaved like this toward all the believers in all of Macedonia. So we beg you, our friends, to do even more.