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Preparing the Gift

For it is not necessary[a] for me to write you about this service[b] to the saints, because I know your eagerness to help.[c] I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours,[d] that Achaia has been ready to give[e] since last year, and your zeal to participate[f] has stirred up most of them.[g] But I am sending[h] these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready[i] just as I kept telling them. For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated[j] (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.[k] Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution[l] you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift[m] and not as something you feel forced to do.[n] My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously[o] will also reap generously. Each one of you should give[p] just as he has decided in his heart,[q] not reluctantly[r] or under compulsion,[s] because God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace overflow[t] to you so that because you have enough[u] of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow[v] in every good work. Just as it is written, “He[w] has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.”[x] 10 Now God[y] who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion,[z] which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, 12 because the service of this ministry is not only providing for[aa] the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God. 13 Through the evidence[ab] of this service[ac] they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing[ad] with them and with everyone. 14 And in their prayers on your behalf, they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.[ae] 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift![af]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:1 tn Or “it is superfluous.”
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:1 tn Or “this ministry,” “this contribution.”
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn Grk “concerning which I keep boasting to the Macedonians about you.” A new sentence was started here and the translation was simplified by removing the relative clause and repeating the antecedent “this eagerness of yours.”
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn The words “to give” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn The words “to participate” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:2 sn Most of them is a reference to the Macedonians (cf. v. 4).
  8. 2 Corinthians 9:3 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
  9. 2 Corinthians 9:3 tn That is, ready with the collection for the saints.
  10. 2 Corinthians 9:4 tn Or “be disgraced”; Grk “be put to shame.”
  11. 2 Corinthians 9:4 tn Grk “by this confidence”; the words “we had in you” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied as a necessary clarification for the English reader.
  12. 2 Corinthians 9:5 tn Grk “the blessing.”
  13. 2 Corinthians 9:5 tn Grk “a blessing.”
  14. 2 Corinthians 9:5 tn Grk “as a covetousness”; that is, a gift given grudgingly or under compulsion.
  15. 2 Corinthians 9:6 tn Or “bountifully”; so also in the next occurrence in the verse.
  16. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “must do.” The words “of you” and “should give” are not in the Greek text, which literally reads, “Each one just as he has decided in his heart.” The missing words are an ellipsis; these or similar phrases must be supplied for the English reader.
  17. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “in his mind.”
  18. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “not from regret”; Grk “not out of grief.”
  19. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “not out of a sense of duty”; Grk “from necessity.”
  20. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tn Or “abound.”
  21. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tn Or “so that by having enough.” The Greek participle can be translated as a participle of cause (“because you have enough”) or means (“by having enough”).
  22. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tn Or “abound.”
  23. 2 Corinthians 9:9 sn He in the quotation refers to the righteous person.
  24. 2 Corinthians 9:9 sn A quotation from Ps 112:9.
  25. 2 Corinthians 9:10 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  26. 2 Corinthians 9:11 tn Grk “in every way for every generosity,” or “he will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times” (L&N 57.29).
  27. 2 Corinthians 9:12 tn Or “not only supplying.”
  28. 2 Corinthians 9:13 tn Or “proof,” or perhaps “testing” (NRSV).
  29. 2 Corinthians 9:13 tn Or “ministry.”
  30. 2 Corinthians 9:13 tn Or “your partnership”; Grk “your fellowship.”
  31. 2 Corinthians 9:14 tn Grk “the extraordinary grace of God to you”; the point is that God has given or shown grace to the Corinthians.
  32. 2 Corinthians 9:15 tn “Let us thank God for his gift which cannot be described with words” (L&N 33.202).

The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

Now (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about (B)the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, (C)of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready (D)since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. But (E)I am sending[a] the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, (F)as I said you would be. Otherwise, if some Macedonians (G)come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the (H)gift[b] you have promised, so that it may be ready (I)as a willing gift, (J)not as an exaction.[c]

The Cheerful Giver

The point is this: (K)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[d] will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, (L)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for (M)God loves a cheerful giver. And (N)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[e] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

(O)“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”

10 He who supplies (P)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (Q)increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 (R)You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which (S)through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying (T)the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, (U)they[f] will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your (V)confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 (W)Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:3 Or I have sent
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Greek blessing; twice in this verse
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Or a gift expecting something in return; Greek greed
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Greek with blessings; twice in this verse
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:8 Or all contentment
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:13 Or you

The Collection for Christians at Jerusalem

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the offering for the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedo′nia, saying that Acha′ia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brethren so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be; lest if some Macedo′nians come with me and find that you are not ready, we be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren to go on to you before me, and arrange in advance for this gift you have promised, so that it may be ready not as an exaction but as a willing gift.

The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written,

“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness[a] endures for ever.”

10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources[b] and increase the harvest of your righteousness.[c] 11 You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God; 12 for the rendering of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints but also overflows in many thanksgivings to God. 13 Under the test of this service, you[d] will glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others; 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Or benevolence
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:10 Greek sowing
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:10 Or benevolence
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:13 Or they

Il est superflu que je vous écrive touchant l’assistance destinée aux saints. Je connais, en effet, votre bonne volonté, dont je me glorifie pour vous auprès des Macédoniens, en déclarant que l’Achaïe est prête depuis l’année dernière; et ce zèle de votre part a stimulé le plus grand nombre. J’envoie les frères, afin que l’éloge que nous avons fait de vous ne soit pas réduit à néant sur ce point-là, et que vous soyez prêts, comme je l’ai dit. Je ne voudrais pas, si les Macédoniens m’accompagnent et ne vous trouvent pas prêts, que cette assurance tourne à notre confusion, pour ne pas dire à la vôtre. J’ai donc jugé nécessaire d’inviter les frères à se rendre auparavant chez vous, et à s’occuper de votre libéralité déjà promise, afin qu’elle soit prête, de manière à être une libéralité, et non un acte d’avarice.

Sachez-le, celui qui sème peu moissonnera peu, et celui qui sème abondamment moissonnera abondamment. Que chacun donne comme il l’a résolu en son cœur, sans tristesse ni contrainte; car Dieu aime celui qui donne avec joie. Et Dieu peut vous combler de toutes ses grâces, afin que, possédant toujours en toutes choses de quoi satisfaire à tous vos besoins, vous ayez encore en abondance pour toute bonne œuvre, selon qu’il est écrit:

Il a fait des largesses, il a donné aux indigents;
Sa justice subsiste à jamais[a].

10 Celui qui

Fournit de la semence au semeur,
Et du pain pour sa nourriture[b],

vous fournira et vous multipliera la semence, et il augmentera les fruits de votre justice. 11 Vous serez de la sorte enrichis à tous égards pour toute espèce de libéralités qui, par notre moyen, feront offrir à Dieu des actions de grâces. 12 Car le secours de cette assistance non seulement pourvoit aux besoins des saints, mais il est encore une source abondante de nombreuses actions de grâces envers Dieu. 13 En considération de ce secours dont ils font l’expérience, ils glorifient Dieu de votre obéissance dans la profession de l’Evangile de Christ, et de la libéralité de vos dons envers eux et envers tous; 14 ils prient pour vous, parce qu’ils vous aiment à cause de la grâce éminente que Dieu vous a faite. 15 Grâces soient rendues à Dieu pour son don merveilleux!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthiens 9:9 + Ps 112:9
  2. 2 Corinthiens 9:10 + Es 55:10