2 Corinthians 9
Christian Standard Bible
Motivations for Giving
9 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. 2 For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians,(A) “Achaia(B) has been ready since last year,” and your zeal(C) has stirred up most of them.(D) 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter would not prove empty, and so that you would be ready just as I said. 4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation.[a] 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift(E) you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.(F)
6 The point is this:[b] The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves(G) a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able(H) to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 9 As it is written:
10 Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.(K) 11 You will be enriched(L) in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 12 For the ministry of this service(M) is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity(N) in sharing with them and with everyone. 14 And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9
Lexham English Bible
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
9 For it is unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the ministry to the saints, 2 because I know your readiness to help, concerning which I keep on boasting to the Macedonians about you, that Achaia has been ready to help since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you would not prove to be empty in this case, so that you may be prepared just as I was saying, 4 lest somehow if Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you[a]—would be humiliated in connection with this project. 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.
6 Now the point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly[b] or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you, so that in everything at all times, because you[c] have enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. 9 Just as it is written,
10 Now the one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed, and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow, 11 being made rich in every way for all generosity, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, 12 because the service of this ministry is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but also is overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God. 13 Through the proven character of this service they will glorify God because of the submission of your confession to the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your participation toward them and toward everyone, 14 and they are longing for you in their prayers for you, because of the surpassing grace of God to you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 9:4 Literally “so that we do not speak about you”; some manuscripts have “so that I do not speak about you”
- 2 Corinthians 9:7 Literally “out of sorrow”
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as causal
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 Literally “for the age”
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 A quotation from Ps 112:9
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