2 Corinthians 9
Expanded Bible
Help for Fellow Christians
9 I really do not need to write you about this ·help [service; ministry] for ·God’s people [T the saints]. 2 [L For; Because] I know ·you want [your eagerness/willingness] to help. I have been ·bragging [boasting] about this to the ·believers in Macedonia [L Macedonians; 8:1], telling them that you in Achaia [C southern Greece; 1:1] have been ready to give since last year. And your ·desire to give [L zeal; enthusiasm] has ·made most of them ready to give also [L aroused/provoked the majority]. 3 But I am sending the brothers to you so that our ·bragging [boasting] about you in this matter will not be empty words. I want you to be ready, as I said you would be. 4 If any of the ·believers from Macedonia [L Macedonians] come with me and find that you are not ready, we will be ·ashamed [embarrassed; dishonored] that we were so sure of you. (And you will be ·ashamed [embarrassed; dishonored], too!) 5 So I thought I should ·ask [urge; encourage] these brothers to go to you before we do. They will finish getting in order the ·generous gift [blessing] you promised so it will be ready when we come. And it will be a ·generous gift [blessing]—not one ·that you did not want to give [required from you; grudgingly given].
6 Remember this: The person who ·plants a little [sows sparingly] will ·have a small harvest [also reap sparingly], but the person who ·plants a lot [sows generously/bountifully] will ·have a big harvest [also reap generously/bountifully]. 7 Each of you should give as you have decided in your heart to give. You should not ·be sad when you give [or give reluctantly], and you should not give ·because you feel forced to give [out of compulsion]. [L For] God loves the person who gives ·happily [cheerfully]. 8 And God can ·give you more blessings than you need [L overflow/abound all grace to you]. Then ·you will always have plenty of everything [L in all things at all times you will have all you need]— ·enough to give to [abounding/overflowing in] every good work. 9 [L Just as] It is written in the Scriptures:
“He ·gives [L scatters (seed) and gives] freely to the poor.
·The things he does are right and will continue forever [or His righteousness endures forever; Ps. 112:9].”
10 [L For] God is the One who gives seed to the farmer and bread for food. He will ·give you all the seed you need and make it grow [L supply and multiply your seed] so there will be a great harvest ·from your goodness [of your righteousness]. 11 He will make you rich in every way so that you can always give ·freely [generously]. And your giving through us will ·cause many to give thanks [L produce thanksgiving] to God. 12 This ·service you do [L ministry of service] not only helps the needs of ·God’s people [T the saints], it also brings many more thanks to God. 13 It is a proof of your faith. Many people will ·praise [glorify] God because you ·obey [submit to] the ·Good News [Gospel] of Christ—the gospel you ·say you believe [confess]—and because you ·freely [generously] share with them and with all others. 14 And when they pray for you, they will ·wish they could be with [L long for] you because of the great grace that God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his ·gift that is too wonderful for words [indescribable/inexpressible gift].
2 Corinthians 9
Amplified Bible
God Gives Most
9 Now it is unnecessary for me to write to you about the offering [that is to be made] for the saints [in Jerusalem]; 2 for I know your eagerness [to promote this cause], and I have [proudly] boasted to the people of Macedonia about it, telling them that [a]Achaia has been prepared since last year [for this contribution], and your enthusiasm has inspired the majority of them [to respond]. 3 Still, I am sending the brothers [on to you], so that our pride in you may not be an empty boast in this case, and so that you may be prepared, just as I told them you would be; 4 otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of yourselves—will be humiliated for being so confident. 5 That is why I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you [before I come] and make arrangements in advance for this generous, previously promised gift of yours, so that it would be ready, not as something extorted [or wrung out of you], but as a [voluntary and] generous gift.
6 Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [b]generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap [c]generously [and be blessed]. 7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].(A) 8 And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. 9 As it is written and forever remains written,
“He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever!”(B)
10 Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].(C) 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit]. 12 For the ministry of this service (offering) is not only supplying the needs of the saints (God’s people), but is also overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God. 13 Because of this act of ministry, [d]they will glorify God for your obedience to the gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous participation [in this gift] for them and for all [the other believers in need], 14 and they also long for you while they pray on your behalf, because of the surpassing measure of God’s grace [His undeserved favor, mercy, and blessing which is revealed] in you. 15 Now thanks be to God for His indescribable gift [which is precious beyond words]!
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 9:2 Corinth, the capital city of the Roman province of Achaia, was located in the NW part of the Peloponnesus (southern Greece), about 50 miles from Athens. Paul mentions their positive response to this request in Rom 15:26.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6 Lit in blessings.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6 Lit in blessings.
- 2 Corinthians 9:13 I.e. believers in Jerusalem.
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