2 Corinthians 9
King James Version
9 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
2 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.
3 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:
4 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.
5 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.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 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:
9 (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.
2 Corinthians 9
Lexham English Bible
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
9 For it is unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the ministry to the saints, 2 because I know your readiness to help, concerning which I keep on boasting to the Macedonians about you, that Achaia has been ready to help since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you would not prove to be empty in this case, so that you may be prepared just as I was saying, 4 lest somehow if Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you[a]—would be humiliated in connection with this project. 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.
6 Now the point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly[b] or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you, so that in everything at all times, because you[c] have enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. 9 Just as it is written,
10 Now the one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed, and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow, 11 being made rich in every way for all generosity, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, 12 because the service of this ministry is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but also is overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God. 13 Through the proven character of this service they will glorify God because of the submission of your confession to the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your participation toward them and toward everyone, 14 and they are longing for you in their prayers for you, because of the surpassing grace of God to you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 9:4 Literally “so that we do not speak about you”; some manuscripts have “so that I do not speak about you”
- 2 Corinthians 9:7 Literally “out of sorrow”
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as causal
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 Literally “for the age”
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 A quotation from Ps 112:9
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software