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

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!

Hindi ko na kinakailangang sumulat pa sa inyo tungkol sa pagtulong sa mga pinabanal[a] ng Dios sa Judea, dahil alam ko namang gustong-gusto ninyong tumulong. Ipinagmamalaki ko pa nga ito sa mga taga-Macedonia. Sinasabi ko sa kanila na mula pa noong nakaraang taon, kayong mga taga-Acaya ay handa ng magbigay ng tulong, at ito nga ang nagtulak sa karamihan sa kanila na magbigay din. Kaya nga pinauna ko na riyan sina Tito, para matiyak na handa na kayo sa inyong tulong gaya ng ipinagmalaki ko sa mga taga-Macedonia. Sa ganoon, hindi nila masasabi na walang kwenta ang pagmamalaki namin tungkol sa inyo. Sapagkat kung dumating ako riyan kasama ang ilang mga taga-Macedonia at makita nilang hindi pa pala kayo handa sa inyong ibibigay gaya ng sinabi ko sa kanila, mapapahiya ako at pati na rin kayo. Kaya nga naisip kong paunahin ang mga kapatid na ito sa akin para habang hindi pa ako nakakarating ay malikom na ang inyong mga ipinangakong tulong. At sa ganitong paraan, makikita ng mga tao na kusang-loob ang inyong pagbibigay, at hindi dahil napilitan lamang.

Tandaan ninyo ito: Ang naghahasik ng kaunti ay umaani ng kaunti, at ang naghahasik ng marami ay umaani ng marami. Ang bawat isa sa inyo ay magbigay nang ayon sa sariling kapasyahan, nang walang pag-aatubili, at hindi sapilitan, dahil mahal ng Dios ang mga nagbibigay nang may kagalakan. At magagawa ng Dios na ibigay sa inyo ang higit pa sa inyong mga pangangailangan, para sa lahat ng panahon ay maging sapat kayo sa lahat ng bagay, at lagi ninyong matutulungan ang iba. Gaya ng sinasabi sa Kasulatan,

“Namigay siya sa mga dukha;
kailanman ay hindi makakalimutan ang kanyang mabubuting gawa.”

10 Ang Dios na nagbibigay ng binhi sa magsasaka at tinapay na makakain, ang siya ring magbibigay ng inyong mga pangangailangan para lalo pa kayong makatulong sa iba. 11 Pasasaganain kayo ng Dios sa lahat ng bagay para lagi kayong makatulong sa iba. At marami ang magpapasalamat sa Dios dahil sa tulong na ipinapadala ninyo sa kanila sa pamamagitan namin.

12 Dahil sa inyong pagbibigay, hindi lamang ninyo tinutugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga mananampalataya[b] na nasa Judea, kundi magiging dahilan din ito para marami ang magpasalamat sa Dios. 13 Sapagkat pinatutunayan ninyo sa inyong pagtulong na sinusunod ninyo ang Magandang Balita tungkol kay Cristo na inyong pinaniniwalaan. At dahil sa pagtulong ninyo sa kanila at sa iba pa, papupurihan nila ang Dios. 14 Buong puso silang mananalangin para sa inyo dahil sa dakilang biyaya ng Dios na ipinamalas niya sa inyo. 15 Pasalamatan natin ang Dios sa kanyang kaloob na hindi natin kayang ipaliwanag.

Footnotes

  1. 9:1 pinabanal: Tingnan ang “footnote” sa 1:1.
  2. 9:12 mga mananampalataya: sa Griego, hagios, tingnan ang “footnote” sa 8:4.

For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

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