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2 Corinthians 9
New International Version

9 There is no need(A) for me to write to you about this service(B) to the Lord’s people.(C) 2 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. 3 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) 4 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. 5 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

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(N) 7 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) 8 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. 9 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
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2 Corinthians 9
1599 Geneva Bible

9 1 Why, albeit he think well of their ready wills, 3 yet earnestly exhorteth them, 4 he yieldeth a reason: 6 He compareth alms to seed sowing, 10 which God doth repay with great gain.

1 For [a]as touching the ministering to the Saints, it is superfluous for me to write unto you.

2 For I know your readiness of mind, whereof I boast myself of you unto them of Macedonia, and say, that Achaia was prepared a year ago, and your zeal hath provoked many.

3 Now have I sent the brethren, lest our rejoicing over you should be in vain in this behalf, that ye (as I have said) be ready.

4 Lest if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we may not say, you) should be ashamed in this my [b]constant boasting.

5 Wherefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to come before unto you, and to finish your benevolence appointed afore, that it might be ready, and come as of benevolence, and not as of [c]niggardliness.

6 [d]This yet remember, that he which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth liberally, shall reap also liberally.

7 As every man [e]wisheth in his heart, so let him give, not (A)[f]grudgingly, or of [g]necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all [h]grace to abound toward you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound in [i]every good work,

9 ((B)As it is written, He hath sparsed abroad and hath given to the poor: his benevolence remaineth for [j]ever.

10 Also he that findeth seed to the sower, will minister likewise bread for food, and multiply your seed, and increase the [k]fruits of your benevolence.)

11 That on all parts ye may be made rich unto all liberality, which causeth through us thanksgiving unto God.

12 [l]For the ministration of this service not only supplieth the necessities of the Saints, but also abundantly causeth many to give thanks to God,

13 (Which by the [m]experiment of this ministration praise God for your [n]voluntary submission to the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution to them, and to all men.)

14 And in their prayer for you, to long after you greatly, for the abundant grace of God in you.

15 [o]Thanks therefore be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:1 He wisely meeteth with the suspicion which the Corinthians might conceive, as though the Apostle in urging them so carefully, should doubt of their good will. Therefore he witnesseth that he doeth it not to teach them that they ought to help the Saints, seeing that he had become surety for them to the Macedonians, but only to stir them up which were running of themselves to the end that all things might both be in a better readiness, and also be more plentiful.
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:4 The word which he useth, signifieth such a stayedness and settledness of mind, as cannot be moved with any terror or fear.
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 As from covetous men.
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Alms must be given neither niggardly, nor with a loathful mind, or hardly: But as frank and free alms is compared to a sowing which hath a most plentiful harvest of most abundant blessing following it.
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Determineth and appointeth freely with himself.
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:7 With a sparing and niggardly heart.
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Against his will, as loath to be evil reported of.
  8. 2 Corinthians 9:8 All God’s bountiful liberality.
  9. 2 Corinthians 9:8 To help others by all means possible, in doing them good in their necessities.
  10. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Is everlasting: Now David speaketh of a man that feareth God, and loveth his neighbor, who shall never want (saith he) to give to others.
  11. 2 Corinthians 9:10 There is none so good an inheritance to the godly, as bountifulness is.
  12. 2 Corinthians 9:12 Another excellent and double fruit of liberality towards the Saints, is this: that it giveth occasion to praise God, and that our faith is also thereby made manifest.
  13. 2 Corinthians 9:13 By this proof of your liberality in this helping and succoring of them.
  14. 2 Corinthians 9:13 In showing with one consent, that you acknowledge that only Gospel which you have willingly submitted yourselves unto, declaring thereby, that you agree with the Church of Jerusalem.
  15. 2 Corinthians 9:15 Lest by his great commendation and praise, the Corinthians should be puffed up, he shutteth up this exhortation, with this exclamation.
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2 Corinthians 9
New King James Version

Administering the Gift

9 Now concerning (A)the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a (B)year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3 (C)Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this [a]confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to [b]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a [c]grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

6 (D)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [d]bountifully will also reap [e]bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, (E)not grudgingly or of [f]necessity; for (F)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 (G)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:

(H)“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”

10 Now [g]may He who (I)supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, [h]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your (J)righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, (K)which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only (L)supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they (M)glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal (N)sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding (O)grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God (P)for His indescribable gift!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:4 NU confidence.
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 encourage
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit. covetousness
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:7 compulsion
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU omits may
  8. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU will supply
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2 Corinthians 9
English Standard Version

The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

9 Now (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about (B)the ministry for the saints, 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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

6 The point is this: (K)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[d] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, (L)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for (M)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 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. 9 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
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