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The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem.[a] For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece[b] were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.

But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[c] And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
    Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”[d]

10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity[e] in you.

11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem[f] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.

13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift[g] too wonderful for words!

Footnotes

  1. 9:1 Greek about the offering for God’s holy people.
  2. 9:2 Greek in Achaia, the southern region of the Greek peninsula. Macedonia was in the northern region of Greece.
  3. 9:7 See footnote on Prov 22:8.
  4. 9:9 Ps 112:9.
  5. 9:10 Greek righteousness.
  6. 9:12 Greek of God’s holy people.
  7. 9:15 Greek his gift.

Now gar concerning peri the ho service diakonia · ho to eis the ho saints hagios, there is eimi no necessity perissos for me egō to write graphō to you hymeis, for gar I know oida · ho your hymeis readiness prothumia to help, about which hos I keep boasting kauchaomai to the Macedonians Makedōn, saying that hoti Achaia Achaia has been ready paraskeuazō since apo last year perysi, and kai · ho your hymeis zeal zēlos has stirred up erethizō · ho most of them polys. But de I am sending pempō these ho brothers adelphos so that hina what ho we hēmeis say in praise kauchēma of hyper you hymeis may not · ho be an empty boast kenoō in en · ho this houtos instance meros, that hina you may be eimi ready paraskeuazō just as kathōs I said legō you would be. Lest perhaps pōs if ean some Macedonians Makedōn should come erchomai with syn me egō and kai not find heuriskō you hymeis ready aparaskeuastos, we hēmeis to hina say legō nothing of you hymeis would be humiliated kataischunō by en · ho this houtos confidence hypostasis. Therefore oun I considered hēgeomai it necessary anankaios to urge parakaleō the ho brothers adelphos to hina go proerchomai to eis you hymeis in advance and kai to arrange beforehand prokatartizō the ho generous contribution eulogia you hymeis had previously promised, so that eimi it houtos would be eimi ready hetoimos as hōs a generous gift eulogia and kai not as hōs something you had to do pleonexia.

Remember this houtos: · de the ho one who sows speirō sparingly pheidomenōs will therizō also kai reap therizō sparingly pheidomenōs, and kai the ho one who sows speirō generously epi eulogia will therizō also kai reap therizō generously epi eulogia. Each one hekastos must give as kathōs he has decided proaireō in his ho heart kardia, not reluctantly ek lypē nor ē under ek constraint anankē, for gar it is the cheerful hilaros giver dotēs whom God theos loves agapaō. · ho And de God theos is able dynateō · ho to make all pas grace charis overflow perisseuō to eis you hymeis, so that hina, in en all pas things and at all times pantote, having echō all pas you need autarkeia, you may overflow perisseuō in eis every pas kind of good agathos work ergon. As kathōs it is written graphō, “He has distributed generously, he has given didōmi to the ho poor penēs; · ho his autos righteousness dikaiosynē endures menō for eis all ho time aiōn.” 10 The ho · de one who supplies epichorēgeō seed sporos to the ho sower speirō and kai bread artos for eis food brōsis will supply chorēgeō and kai multiply plēthunō · ho your hymeis seed sporos and kai enlarge auxanō the ho harvest genēma of ho your hymeis righteousness dikaiosynē. 11 In en every pas way you will be made rich ploutizō for eis all pas your generosity haplotēs, which hostis is producing katergazomai through dia us hēmeis thanksgiving eucharistia to ho God theos, 12 because hoti the ho service diakonia of ho this houtos ministry leitourgia is eimi not ou only monon providing prosanaplēroō for the ho needs hysterēma of the ho saints hagios, but alla is also kai overflowing perisseuō through dia many polys thanksgivings eucharistia to ho God theos. 13 By dia their ho approval dokimē of ho this houtos service diakonia, they glorify doxazō · ho God theos for epi your ho obedience hypotagē stemming from ho your hymeis confession homologia in eis the ho gospel euangelion of ho Christ Christos, and kai for the generosity haplotēs of ho your partnership koinōnia with eis them autos and kai with eis everyone pas. 14 And kai in their autos prayers deēsis on hyper your hymeis behalf they yearn epipotheō for you hymeis because dia of the ho surpassing hyperballō grace charis of ho God theos bestowed on epi you hymeis. 15 Thanks charis be to ho God theos for epi · ho his autos inexpressible anekdiēgētos gift dōrea!