God Gives Most

9 For ^(A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ^(B)ministry to the ^[a]saints; ² 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. ³ 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; ⁴ 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. ⁵ 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.

⁶ 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. ⁷ 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. ⁸ 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; ⁹ as it is written:

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!

Paul Confronts the Corinthians

10 Now ^(AD)I, Paul, myself ^(AE)urge you by the ^(AF)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who ^(AG)am ^[i]meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! ² I ask that ^(AH)when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I intend to be courageous against ^(AI)some, who regard us as if we walked ^(AJ)according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle ^(AK)according to the flesh, ⁴ for the ^(AL)weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but ^[j]divinely powerful ^(AM)for the destruction of fortresses. ⁵ We are destroying arguments and all ^(AN)arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the ^(AO)obedience of Christ, ⁶ and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever ^(AP)your obedience is complete.

^7 [k](AQ)You are looking at ^[l]things as they are outwardly. ^(AR)If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, have him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, ^(AS)so too are we. ⁸ For if ^(AT)I boast somewhat ^[m]more about our ^(AU)authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, ^9 [n]for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. ¹⁰ For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his ^[o]personal presence is ^(AV)unimpressive and ^(AW)his speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Have such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

¹² For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with ^[p]some of those who ^(AX)commend themselves; but when they ^[q]measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding. ¹³ But we will not boast ^(AY)beyond our measure, but ^[r](AZ)within the measure of the ^[s]domain which God assigned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for ^(BA)we were the first to come even as far as you in the ^(BB)gospel of Christ; ¹⁵ not boasting ^(BC)beyond our measure, that is, in ^(BD)other people’s labors, but with the hope that as ^(BE)your faith grows, we will be, ^[t]within our ^[u]domain, ^(BF)enlarged even more by you, ¹⁶ so as to ^(BG)preach the gospel even to ^(BH)the regions beyond you, and not to boast ^[v](BI)in what has been accomplished in the domain of another. ¹⁷ But ^(BJ)the one who boasts is to boast in the Lord. ¹⁸ For it is not the one who ^(BK)commends himself that is approved, but the one ^(BL)whom the Lord commends.

Comfort in Trouble from Recalling God’s Mighty Deeds.

For the music director; ^[a]according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.