9 Now about this service to the kedoshim, it is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you— ² for I know your eagerness. I boast about it to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been preparing for a year already; and your zeal has stirred up most of them. ³ But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not be in vain in this case, so that you may be prepared, just as I kept saying. ⁴ Otherwise, if any Macedonians were to come and find you unprepared, we—not to mention you—would be put to shame in this undertaking. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on to you and arrange ahead of time your generous gift that had been promised beforehand, so that it would be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.

Sowing and Reaping Generosity

⁶ The point is this: whoever sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. ^{[a] 7} Let each one give as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion—for God loves a cheerful giver. ^{[b] 8} And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that by always having enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. ⁹ As it is written,

¹⁰ Now the One who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ^{[d] 11} You will be enriched in everything for all generosity, which through us brings about thanksgiving to God. ¹² For this service of giving is not only supplying the needs of the kedoshim, but is also overflowing with many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ Because of the evidence of this service, they praise God for the obedience of your affirmation of the Good News of Messiah and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to everyone. ¹⁴ And in their prayer for you, they long for you because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!