2 Corinthians 9:1-5

Expanded Bible

Help for Fellow Christians

9 I really do not need to write you about this ·help [service; ministry] for ·God’s people [^Tthe saints]. ² [^LFor; Because] I know ·you want [your eagerness/willingness] to help. I have been ·bragging [boasting] about this to the ·believers in Macedonia [^LMacedonians; 8:1], telling them that you in Achaia [^Csouthern Greece; 1:1] have been ready to give since last year. And your ·desire to give [^Lzeal; enthusiasm] has ·made most of them ready to give also [^Laroused/provoked the majority]. ³ But I am sending the brothers to you so that our ·bragging [boasting] about you in this matter will not be empty words. I want you to be ready, as I said you would be. ⁴ If any of the ·believers from Macedonia [^LMacedonians] come with me and find that you are not ready, we will be ·ashamed [embarrassed; dishonored] that we were so sure of you. (And you will be ·ashamed [embarrassed; dishonored], too!) ⁵ So I thought I should ·ask [urge; encourage] these brothers to go to you before we do. They will finish getting in order the ·generous gift [blessing] you promised so it will be ready when we come. And it will be a ·generous gift [blessing]—not one ·that you did not want to give [required from you; grudgingly given].