Administering the Gift

Now concerning (A)the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a (B)year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. (C)Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this [a]confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to [b]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a [c]grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

(D)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [d]bountifully will also reap [e]bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, (E)not grudgingly or of [f]necessity; for (F)God loves a cheerful giver. (G)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:

(H)“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”

10 Now [g]may He who (I)supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, [h]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your (J)righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, (K)which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only (L)supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they (M)glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal (N)sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding (O)grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God (P)for His indescribable gift!

Notas al pie

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:4 NU confidence.
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 encourage
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit. covetousness
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:7 compulsion
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU omits may
  8. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU will supply

περι μεν γαρ της διακονιας της εις τους αγιους περισσον μοι εστιν το γραφειν υμιν

οιδα γαρ την προθυμιαν υμων ην υπερ υμων καυχωμαι μακεδοσιν οτι αχαια παρεσκευασται απο περυσι και ο εξ υμων ζηλος ηρεθισεν τους πλειονας

επεμψα δε τους αδελφους ινα μη το καυχημα ημων το υπερ υμων κενωθη εν τω μερει τουτω ινα καθως ελεγον παρεσκευασμενοι ητε

μηπως εαν ελθωσιν συν εμοι μακεδονες και ευρωσιν υμας απαρασκευαστους καταισχυνθωμεν ημεις ινα μη λεγωμεν υμεις εν τη υποστασει ταυτη της καυχησεως

αναγκαιον ουν ηγησαμην παρακαλεσαι τους αδελφους ινα προελθωσιν εις υμας και προκαταρτισωσιν την προκατηγγελμενην ευλογιαν υμων ταυτην ετοιμην ειναι ουτως ως ευλογιαν και μη ωσπερ πλεονεξιαν

τουτο δε ο σπειρων φειδομενως φειδομενως και θερισει και ο σπειρων επ ευλογιαις επ ευλογιαις και θερισει

εκαστος καθως προαιρειται τη καρδια μη εκ λυπης η εξ αναγκης ιλαρον γαρ δοτην αγαπα ο θεος

δυνατος δε ο θεος πασαν χαριν περισσευσαι εις υμας ινα εν παντι παντοτε πασαν αυταρκειαν εχοντες περισσευητε εις παν εργον αγαθον

καθως γεγραπται εσκορπισεν εδωκεν τοις πενησιν η δικαιοσυνη αυτου μενει εις τον αιωνα

10 ο δε επιχορηγων σπερμα τω σπειροντι και αρτον εις βρωσιν χορηγησαι και πληθυναι τον σπορον υμων και αυξησαι τα γεννηματα της δικαιοσυνης υμων

11 εν παντι πλουτιζομενοι εις πασαν απλοτητα ητις κατεργαζεται δι ημων ευχαριστιαν τω θεω

12 οτι η διακονια της λειτουργιας ταυτης ου μονον εστιν προσαναπληρουσα τα υστερηματα των αγιων αλλα και περισσευουσα δια πολλων ευχαριστιων τω θεω

13 δια της δοκιμης της διακονιας ταυτης δοξαζοντες τον θεον επι τη υποταγη της ομολογιας υμων εις το ευαγγελιον του χριστου και απλοτητι της κοινωνιας εις αυτους και εις παντας

14 και αυτων δεησει υπερ υμων επιποθουντων υμας δια την υπερβαλλουσαν χαριν του θεου εφ υμιν

15 χαρις δε τω θεω επι τη ανεκδιηγητω αυτου δωρεα

For, indeed, concerning the ministration that [is] for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,

for I have known your readiness of mind, which in your behalf I boast of to Macedonians, that Achaia hath been prepared a year ago, and the zeal of you did stir up the more part,

and I sent the brethren, that our boasting on your behalf may not be made vain in this respect; that, according as I said, ye may be ready,

lest if Macedonians may come with me, and find you unprepared, we -- we may be put to shame (that we say not -- ye) in this same confidence of boasting.

Necessary, therefore, I thought [it] to exhort the brethren, that they may go before to you, and may make up before your formerly announced blessing, that this be ready, as a blessing, and not as covetousness.

And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;

each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,

and God [is] able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work,

(according as it hath been written, `He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness doth remain to the age,')

10 and may He who is supplying seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

11 in every thing being enriched to all liberality, which doth work through us thanksgiving to God,

12 because the ministration of this service not only is supplying the wants of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

13 through the proof of this ministration glorifying God for the subjection of your confession to the good news of the Christ, and [for] the liberality of the fellowship to them and to all,

14 and by their supplication in your behalf, longing after you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you;

15 thanks also to God for His unspeakable gift!

God Gives Most

For (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this (B)ministry to the [a]saints; for I know your willingness, of which I (C)boast about you to the (D)Macedonians, namely, that (E)Achaia has been prepared since (F)last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I have sent the brothers, in order that our (G)boasting about you may not prove empty in this case, so that, (H)as I was saying, you will be prepared; otherwise, if any (I)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to mention you—would be put to shame by this confidence. So I considered it necessary to urge the (J)brothers that they go on ahead to you and arrange in advance your previously promised [b](K)generous gift, that the same would be ready as a [c](L)generous gift, and not as one grudgingly given due to greediness.

Now I say this: (M)the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows [d]generously will also reap [e]generously. Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not (N)reluctantly or under compulsion, for (O)God loves a cheerful giver. And (P)God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written:

(Q)He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness [f]endures forever.”

10 Now He who supplies (R)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (S)increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be (T)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing (U)thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying (V)the needs of the [g]saints, but is also overflowing (W)through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this (X)ministry, they will (Y)glorify God for your obedience to your (Z)confession of the (AA)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your [h]contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 (AB)Thanks be to God for His indescribable (AC)gift!

Notas al pie

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:1 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit blessing
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit blessing
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Lit with blessings
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Lit with blessings
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Lit remains
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:12 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  8. 2 Corinthians 9:13 Or sharing with them