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!

Footnotes

  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

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!

Footnotes

  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

There is no need(A) for me to write to you about this service(B) to the Lord’s people.(C) For I know your eagerness to help,(D) and I have been boasting(E) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year(F) you in Achaia(G) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. But I am sending the brothers(H) in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.(I) For if any Macedonians(J) come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers(K) to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift,(L) not as one grudgingly given.(M)

Generosity Encouraged

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(N) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,(O) not reluctantly or under compulsion,(P) for God loves a cheerful giver.(Q) And God is able(R) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,(S) you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts(T) to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”[a](U)

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food(V) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.(W) 11 You will be enriched(X) in every way so that you can be generous(Y) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(Z)

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs(AA) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(AB) 13 Because of the service(AC) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God(AD) for the obedience that accompanies your confession(AE) of the gospel of Christ,(AF) and for your generosity(AG) in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God(AH) for his indescribable gift!(AI)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9

夸奖亚该亚信徒的热心

论到供给圣徒的事,我不必写信给你们。 因为我知道你们乐意的心,常对马其顿人夸奖你们,说亚该亚人预备好了,已经有一年了,并且你们的热心激动了许多人。 但我打发那几位弟兄去,要叫你们照我的话预备妥当,免得我们在这事上夸奖你们的话落了空。 万一有马其顿人与我同去,见你们没有预备,就叫我们所确信的反成了羞愧,你们羞愧更不用说了。 因此,我想不得不求那几位弟兄先到你们那里去,把从前所应许的捐资预备妥当,就显出你们所捐的是出于乐意,不是出于勉强。

少种少收多种多收

“少种的少收,多种的多收”,这话是真的。 各人要随本心所酌定的,不要作难,不要勉强,因为捐得乐意的人是神所喜爱的。 神能将各样的恩惠多多地加给你们,使你们凡事常常充足,能多行各样善事, 如经上所记:“他施舍钱财,周济贫穷,他的仁义存到永远。”

增添仁义的果子

10 那赐种给撒种的、赐粮给人吃的,必多多加给你们种地的种子,又增添你们仁义的果子, 11 叫你们凡事富足,可以多多施舍,就借着我们使感谢归于神。 12 因为办这供给的事,不但补圣徒的缺乏,而且叫许多人越发感谢神。 13 他们从这供给的事上得了凭据,知道你们承认基督、顺服他的福音,多多地捐钱给他们和众人,便将荣耀归于神。 14 他们也因神极大的恩赐显在你们心里,就切切地想念你们,为你们祈祷。 15 感谢神,因他有说不尽的恩赐!