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 readiness, 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 brethren, in order that our ^(G)boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, ^(H)as I was saying, you may be prepared; ⁴ otherwise if any ^(I)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the ^(J)brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised ^[b](K)bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a ^[c](L)bountiful gift and not ^[d](M)affected by covetousness.

⁶ Now this I say, ^(N)he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows ^[e]bountifully will also reap ^[f]bountifully. ⁷ Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not ^(O)grudgingly or under compulsion, for ^(P)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And ^(Q)God is able to make all grace abound 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 ^(S)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and ^(T)increase the harvest of your righteousness; ¹¹ you will be ^(U)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing ^(V)thanksgiving to God. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying ^(W)the needs of the ^[h]saints, but is also overflowing ^(X)through many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ Because of the proof given by this ^(Y)ministry, they will ^(Z)glorify God for your obedience to your ^(AA)confession of the ^(AB)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your ^[i]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 (AC)Thanks be to God for His indescribable ^(AD)gift!

Paul Describes Himself

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

^7 [l](AR)You are looking at ^[m]things as they are outwardly. ^(AS)If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, ^(AT)so also are we. ⁸ For even if ^(AU)I boast somewhat ^[n]further about our ^(AV)authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, ^9 [o]for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. ¹⁰ For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his ^[p]personal presence is ^(AW)unimpressive and ^(AX)his speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Let 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 are not bold to class or compare ourselves with ^[q]some of those who ^(AY)commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. ¹³ But we will not boast ^(AZ)beyond our measure, but ^[r](BA)within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned 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 ^(BB)we were the first to come even as far as you in the ^(BC)gospel of Christ; ¹⁵ not boasting ^(BD)beyond our measure, that is, in ^(BE)other men’s labors, but with the hope that as ^(BF)your faith grows, we will be, ^[s]within our sphere, ^(BG)enlarged even more by you, ¹⁶ so as to ^(BH)preach the gospel even to ^(BI)the regions beyond you, and not to boast ^[t](BJ)in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. ¹⁷ But ^(BK)he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. ¹⁸ For it is not he who ^(BL)commends himself that is approved, but he ^(BM)whom the Lord commends.

Comfort in Trouble from Recalling God’s Mighty Deeds.

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