Single lesson
Sirach 35: Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together
Sirach 35:1–11; Sirach 35:12–20
Sirach 35:1–11 links worship with obedience, mercy, and giving. The passage speaks about offerings at the altar, but it also describes everyday faithfulness, turning from evil, and generous gifts as part of honouring the Lord. This lesson also brings together The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble.
Before you teach
In this wisdom passage from the Catholic additional books, Sirach connects keeping the law and heeding commandments with offerings. The passage then speaks of kindness, alms, and departing from wickedness, before urging generous giving with first fruits, tithes, gladness, and trust that the Lord repays.
Explain the central teaching of Sirach 35: Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together, using two details from the reading. Sirach 35:1–11 teaches that honouring the Lord includes obedient conduct, mercy towards others, and generous giving offered gladly. This passage teaches that the Lord judges impartially, hears the wronged and humble, and brings both righteous judgement and mercy.
Welcome: Sirach 35: Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together
5 minIntroduce “Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together”, “The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble” and locate Sirach 35:1–11; Sirach 35:12–20. Sirach 35:1–11 teaches that honouring the Lord includes obedient conduct, mercy towards others, and generous giving offered gladly. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Sirach 35:1, Sirach 35:6, Sirach 35:11
Read and explain the passage
12 minObedience, generosity, and offerings belong together (Sirach 35:1–11): The passage begins by joining obedience and sacrifice. Keeping the law multiplies offerings, and heeding the commandments is compared with sacrificing a peace offering. Sirach presents worship as more than a ritual act by itself. Obedience is treated as deeply connected with what is offered to the Lord.
The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble (Sirach 35:12–20): The opening warning says not to plan to bribe the Lord with gifts and not to rely on an unrighteous sacrifice. The reason is clear: the Lord is judge, and with him there is no respect of persons. His judgement is not controlled by payment, position, or outward show.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together”, “The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Sirach 35:1, Sirach 35:12
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “Which actions in this passage are spoken of like offerings or sacrifices?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that the Lord judges impartially, hears the wronged and humble, and brings both righteous judgement and mercy. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Sirach 35:1, Sirach 35:2, Sirach 35:3, Sirach 35:4, Sirach 35:5, Sirach 35:20
Make and respond: Wisdom comparison cards
12 minWork on “Sirach 35: Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together: Wisdom comparison cards”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together”, “The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Sirach 35:1, Sirach 35:11, Sirach 35:20
Closing: return to The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble
3 minRevisit Sirach 35:12–20. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Sirach 35:12, Sirach 35:16, Sirach 35:20
Questions to explore
Which actions in this passage are spoken of like offerings or sacrifices?
Look for the actions compared with a peace offering, fine flour, a thank offering, and an atoning sacrifice.
Sirach 35:1, Sirach 35:2, Sirach 35:3
How does Sirach connect the warning not to come empty with the commandment?
Read the warning in one verse and then the reason given in the next verse.
Sirach 35:4, Sirach 35:5
How does the last comparison help explain mercy in this passage?
The text compares mercy in affliction to clouds of rain in drought, showing it as deeply needed and welcome.
Sirach 35:20
Make, think or respond
Sirach 35: Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together: Wisdom comparison cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage commends”, “What it warns against”, “The reason or outcome stated”.
- Read Sirach 35:1–11; Sirach 35:12–20. Use “Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together”, “The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Write a proposed everyday example beside one teaching. Label it as your example and explain which words in the text guided it.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Sirach 35: Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Obedience, generosity, and offerings belong together”, “The impartial Judge hears the wronged and humble” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Sirach 35:1–11; Sirach 35:12–20. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Sirach 35:1–11; Sirach 35:12–20. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Sirach 35
1 He who keeps the law multiplies offerings. He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
2 He who returns a kindness offers fine flour. He who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.
3 To depart from wickedness pleases the Lord. To depart from unrighteousness is an atoning sacrifice.
4 See that you don’t appear in the presence of the Lord empty.
5 For all these things are done because of the commandment.
6 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar. The sweet fragrance of it is before the Most High.
7 The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable. It won’t be forgotten.
8 Glorify the Lord with generosity. Don’t reduce the first fruits of your hands.
9 In every gift show a cheerful countenance, And dedicate your tithe with gladness.
10 Give to the Most High according as he has given. As your hand has found, give generously.
11 For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.
12 Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons.
13 He won’t accept any person against a poor man. He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged.
14 He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherless or the widow, when she pours out her tale.
15 Don’t the tears of the widow run down her cheek? Isn’t her cry against him who has caused them to fall?
16 He who serves God according to his good pleasure will be accepted. His supplication will reach to the clouds.
17 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds. until it comes near, he will not be comforted. He won’t depart until the Most High visits and he judges righteously and executes judgment.
18 And the Lord will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them, until he has crushed the loins of the unmerciful. He will repay vengeance to the heathen until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant and broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous,
19 until he has rendered to every man according to his deeds, and repaid the works of men according to their plans, until he has judged the cause of his people, and he will make them rejoice in his mercy.
20 Mercy is as welcome in the time of his affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.