Motivations for Giving

Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians,(A) “Achaia(B) has been ready since last year,” and your zeal(C) has stirred up most of them.(D) But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter would not prove empty, and so that you would be ready just as I said. Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation.[a] Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift(E) you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 9:4 Or in this confidence

God Gives Most

For (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this (B)ministry to the [a]saints; 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. 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; 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. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:1 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit blessing
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit blessing