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God Loves a Cheerful Giver

For (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this (B)ministry to the [a]saints; for I know your readiness, of which I (C)boast about you to the (D)Macedonians, that (E)Achaia has been prepared since (F)last year, and your zeal stirred up most of them. But I have sent the brothers, in order that our (G)boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, (H)as I was saying, you may be prepared; lest if any (I)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—be put to shame in this certainty of ours. So I regarded it necessary to encourage the (J)brothers that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised (K)blessing, so that the same would be ready as a (L)blessing and not as a [b](M)begrudging obligation.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:1 Or holy ones
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit covetousness

Why Giving is Important

I do not need to write to you any further about the ministry to the saints. For I know how willing you are, and I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying[a] that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your enthusiasm has stimulated most of them. Now I have sent the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter may not prove to be an idle boast, and so that you may stand ready, just as I said. Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find out that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking. Therefore, I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to visit you ahead of me, to make arrangements in advance for this gift you promised, and to have it ready as something given generously and not forced.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:2 The Gk. lacks saying