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Jeremiah 7:1-28
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah 7:1-28
New American Standard Bible
Message at the Temple Gate
7 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “(A)Stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the Lord!’” 3 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “(B)Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you live in this place. 4 (C)Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘[a]This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ 5 For (D)if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly (E)practice justice between a person and his neighbor, 6 if you do not oppress the stranger, the [b](F)orphan, or the widow, and do not shed (G)innocent blood in this place, nor (H)follow other gods to your own ruin, 7 then I will let you (I)live in this place, in the (J)land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.
8 “Behold, you are trusting in (K)deceptive words to no avail. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, [c](L)offer sacrifices to Baal, and follow (M)other gods that you have not known, 10 then (N)come and stand before Me in (O)this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are saved!’—so that you may do all these abominations? 11 Has (P)this house, which is called by My name, become a (Q)den of robbers in your sight? Behold, (R)I Myself have seen it,” declares the Lord.
12 “But go now to My place which was in (S)Shiloh, where I (T)made My name dwell at the beginning, and (U)see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these things,” declares the Lord, “and I spoke to you, (V)speaking again and again, but you did not listen, and I (W)called you but you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the (X)house which is called by My name, (Y)in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, just as I (Z)did to Shiloh. 15 I will (AA)hurl you out of My sight, just as I have hurled out all your brothers, all the [d]descendants of (AB)Ephraim.
16 “As for you, (AC)do not pray for this people, and do not lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not plead with Me; for I am not listening to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The [e]children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make sacrificial cakes for the queen of heaven; and they (AD)pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to (AE)provoke Me to anger. 19 (AF)Are they provoking Me?” declares the Lord. “Is it not themselves instead, to their [f]own (AG)shame?” 20 Therefore this is what the Lord [g]God says: “Behold, My (AH)anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on human and animal life, and on the (AI)trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.”
21 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Add your (AJ)burnt offerings to your sacrifices and (AK)eat flesh. 22 For I did not (AL)speak to your fathers, or command them on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 But this is [h]what I commanded them, saying, ‘(AM)Obey My voice, and (AN)I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you shall walk [i]entirely in the way which I command you, so that it may (AO)go well for you.’ 24 Yet they (AP)did not obey or incline their ear, but walked by their own advice and in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and they [j](AQ)went backward and not forward. 25 Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have (AR)sent you all My servants the prophets, sending them daily, again and again. 26 Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but (AS)stiffened their neck; they (AT)did more evil than their fathers.
27 “So you shall (AU)speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will (AV)not answer you. 28 And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that (AW)did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or accept discipline; [k](AX)trustworthiness has perished and has been eliminated from their mouth.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Jeremiah 7:4 Lit They are
- Jeremiah 7:6 Or fatherless
- Jeremiah 7:9 Or burn incense
- Jeremiah 7:15 Lit seed
- Jeremiah 7:18 Lit sons
- Jeremiah 7:19 Lit their faces’
- Jeremiah 7:20 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Jeremiah 7:23 Lit the word
- Jeremiah 7:23 Lit in all the way
- Jeremiah 7:24 Lit were
- Jeremiah 7:28 Or faithfulness
Jeremiah 7:1-28
New International Version
Jeremiah 7:1-28
New International Version
False Religion Worthless
7 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Stand(A) at the gate of the Lord’s house and there proclaim this message:
“‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. 3 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways(B) and your actions, and I will let you live(C) in this place. 4 Do not trust(D) in deceptive(E) words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” 5 If you really change(F) your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly,(G) 6 if you do not oppress(H) the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood(I) in this place, and if you do not follow other gods(J) to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land(K) I gave your ancestors(L) for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting(M) in deceptive(N) words that are worthless.
9 “‘Will you steal(O) and murder,(P) commit adultery(Q) and perjury,[a](R) burn incense to Baal(S) and follow other gods(T) you have not known, 10 and then come and stand(U) before me in this house,(V) which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?(W) 11 Has this house,(X) which bears my Name, become a den of robbers(Y) to you? But I have been watching!(Z) declares the Lord.
12 “‘Go now to the place in Shiloh(AA) where I first made a dwelling(AB) for my Name,(AC) and see what I did(AD) to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke(AE) to you again and again,(AF) but you did not listen;(AG) I called(AH) you, but you did not answer.(AI) 14 Therefore, what I did to Shiloh(AJ) I will now do to the house that bears my Name,(AK) the temple(AL) you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. 15 I will thrust you from my presence,(AM) just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’(AN)
16 “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea(AO) or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen(AP) to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.(AQ) They pour out drink offerings(AR) to other gods to arouse(AS) my anger. 19 But am I the one they are provoking?(AT) declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?(AU)
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign(AV) Lord says: My anger(AW) and my wrath will be poured(AX) out on this place—on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the crops of your land—and it will burn and not be quenched.(AY)
21 “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices(AZ) and eat(BA) the meat yourselves! 22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands(BB) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,(BC) 23 but I gave them this command:(BD) Obey(BE) me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.(BF) Walk in obedience to all(BG) I command you, that it may go well(BH) with you. 24 But they did not listen(BI) or pay attention;(BJ) instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts.(BK) They went backward(BL) and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again(BM) I sent you my servants(BN) the prophets.(BO) 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention.(BP) They were stiff-necked(BQ) and did more evil than their ancestors.’(BR)
27 “When you tell(BS) them all this, they will not listen(BT) to you; when you call to them, they will not answer.(BU) 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction.(BV) Truth(BW) has perished; it has vanished from their lips.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 7:9 Or and swear by false gods
2 Corinthians 8
New American Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 8
New American Standard Bible
Great Generosity
8 Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been (A)given in the churches of (B)Macedonia, 2 that in a [a]great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the (C)wealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that (D)according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, 4 begging us with much urging for the (E)favor [b]of participation in the [c](F)support of the [d]saints, 5 and this, not as we had [e]expected, but they first (G)gave themselves to the Lord and to us by (H)the will of God. 6 So we (I)urged (J)Titus that as he had previously (K)made a beginning, so he would also complete in you (L)this gracious work as well.
7 But just as you (M)excel (N)in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the [f]love we inspired in you, see that you also (O)excel in this gracious work. 8 I (P)am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. 9 For you know (Q)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that (R)though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 I (S)give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin (T)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11 But now finish [g]doing it also, so that just as there was the (U)willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12 For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable (V)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for (W)their need, so that their abundance also may [h]serve as assistance for (X)your need, so that there may be equality; 15 as it is written: “(Y)The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”
16 But (Z)thanks be to God who (AA)puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of (AB)Titus. 17 For he not only accepted our (AC)appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18 We have sent along with him (AD)the brother whose fame in the things of the (AE)gospel has spread through (AF)all the churches; 19 (AG)and not only that, but he has also been (AH)appointed by the churches to travel with us in (AI)this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our (AJ)readiness, 20 [i]taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21 for we (AK)have regard for what is honorable, not only in (AL)the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. 22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for (AM)Titus, he is my (AN)partner and fellow worker [j]among you; as for our (AO)brothers, they are [k](AP)messengers of the churches, (AQ)a glory to Christ. 24 Therefore, [l]openly before the churches, [m]show them the proof of your love and of our (AR)reason for boasting about you.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 8:2 Or severe test of
- 2 Corinthians 8:4 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 8:4 Lit service to the saints
- 2 Corinthians 8:4 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- 2 Corinthians 8:5 Lit hoped
- 2 Corinthians 8:7 Lit love from us in you; one early ms love from you in us
- 2 Corinthians 8:11 Lit the doing
- 2 Corinthians 8:14 Lit become
- 2 Corinthians 8:20 Lit avoiding this
- 2 Corinthians 8:23 Lit for you
- 2 Corinthians 8:23 Lit apostles
- 2 Corinthians 8:24 Lit in the face of the churches
- 2 Corinthians 8:24 Or show the proof...for boasting about you to them
2 Corinthians 8
New International Version
2 Corinthians 8
New International Version
The Collection for the Lord’s People
8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian(A) churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(B) 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,(C) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing(D) in this service(E) to the Lord’s people.(F) 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged(G) Titus,(H) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion(I) this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything(J)—in faith, in speech, in knowledge,(K) in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you,(L) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace(M) of our Lord Jesus Christ,(N) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,(O) so that you through his poverty might become rich.(P)
10 And here is my judgment(Q) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.(R) 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness(S) to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,(T) not according to what one does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,(U) so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[b](V)
Titus Sent to Receive the Collection
16 Thanks be to God,(W) who put into the heart(X) of Titus(Y) the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.(Z) 18 And we are sending along with him the brother(AA) who is praised by all the churches(AB) for his service to the gospel.(AC) 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us(AD) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.(AE) 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.(AF)
22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus,(AG) he is my partner(AH) and co-worker(AI) among you; as for our brothers,(AJ) they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you,(AK) so that the churches can see it.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us
- 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
Jeremiah 8
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah 8
New American Standard Bible
The Sin and Treachery of Judah
8 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “they will (A)bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its leaders, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves. 2 They will spread them out to the sun, the moon, and to all the (B)heavenly [a]lights, which they have loved, which they have served, which they have followed, which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered (C)nor buried; (D)they will be like dung on the face of the ground. 3 And (E)death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the (F)places to which I have driven them,” declares the Lord of armies.
4 “You shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“Do people (G)fall and not get up?
Does one turn away and not [b]repent?
5 Why has this people, Jerusalem,
(H)Turned away in continual apostasy?
They (I)hold on to deceit,
They (J)refuse to return.
6 I (K)have listened and heard,
They have spoken what is not right;
(L)No one repented of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his own course,
Like a (M)horse charging into the battle.
7 Even the stork in the sky
(N)Knows her seasons;
And the (O)turtledove, the swallow, and the crane
Keep to the time of their [c]migration;
But (P)My people do not know
The judgment of the Lord.
8 “(Q)How can you say, ‘We are wise,
And the Law of the Lord is with us’?
But behold, the lying pen of the scribes
Has made it into a lie.
9 The wise men are (R)put to shame,
They are dismayed and caught;
Behold, they have (S)rejected the word of the Lord,
So what kind of wisdom do they have?
10 Therefore I will (T)give their wives to others,
Their fields to new owners;
Because from the least even to the greatest
Everyone is (U)greedy for gain;
From the prophet even to the priest,
Everyone practices deceit.
11 They have (V)healed the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
But there is no peace.
12 Were they (W)ashamed because of the abomination they had done?
They were not ashamed at all,
And they did not know how to be ashamed;
Therefore they will (X)fall among those who fall;
At the (Y)time of their punishment they will collapse,”
Says the Lord.
13 “I will (Z)certainly snatch them away,” declares the Lord.
“There will be (AA)no grapes on the vine
And (AB)no figs on the fig tree,
And the leaf will wither;
And what I have given them will pass away.”’”
14 Why are we sitting still?
(AC)Assemble yourselves, and let’s (AD)go into the fortified cities
And perish there,
For the Lord our God has doomed us
And given us (AE)poisoned water to drink,
Because (AF)we have sinned against the Lord.
15 We (AG)waited for peace, but no good came;
For a time of healing, but behold, terror!
16 From (AH)Dan there is heard the snorting of his horses;
At the sound of the neighing of his (AI)stallions
The whole land quakes;
For they come and (AJ)devour the land and its fullness,
The city and its inhabitants.
17 “For behold, I am (AK)sending serpents among you,
Vipers for which there is (AL)no charm;
And they will bite you,” declares the Lord.
18 [d]My (AM)sorrow is beyond healing,
My (AN)heart is faint within me!
19 Behold, listen! The cry of the daughter of my people from a (AO)distant land:
“Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King not within her?”
“Why have they (AP)provoked Me with their carved images, with foreign [e](AQ)idols?”
20 “Harvest is past, summer is over,
And we are not saved.”
21 I am broken over the (AR)brokenness of the daughter of my people.
I (AS)mourn, dismay has taken hold of me.
22 Is there no (AT)balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
(AU)Why then has not the [f]health of the daughter of my people [g]been restored?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 8:2 Lit host
- Jeremiah 8:4 Lit turn back
- Jeremiah 8:7 Lit coming
- Jeremiah 8:18 As in LXX and ancient versions
- Jeremiah 8:19 Lit futilities
- Jeremiah 8:22 Or healing
- Jeremiah 8:22 Lit gone up
Jeremiah 8
New International Version
Jeremiah 8
New International Version
8 “‘At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones(A) of the people of Jerusalem will be removed(B) from their graves. 2 They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served(C) and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.(D) They will not be gathered up or buried,(E) but will be like dung lying on the ground.(F) 3 Wherever I banish them,(G) all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life,(H) declares the Lord Almighty.’
Sin and Punishment
4 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘When people fall down, do they not get up?(I)
When someone turns away,(J) do they not return?
5 Why then have these people turned away?
Why does Jerusalem always turn away?
They cling to deceit;(K)
they refuse to return.(L)
6 I have listened(M) attentively,
but they do not say what is right.
None of them repent(N) of their wickedness,
saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues their own course(O)
like a horse charging into battle.
7 Even the stork in the sky
knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush
observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know(P)
the requirements of the Lord.
8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise,
for we have the law(Q) of the Lord,”
when actually the lying pen of the scribes
has handled it falsely?
9 The wise(R) will be put to shame;
they will be dismayed(S) and trapped.(T)
Since they have rejected the word(U) of the Lord,
what kind of wisdom(V) do they have?
10 Therefore I will give their wives to other men
and their fields to new owners.(W)
From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;(X)
prophets(Y) and priests alike,
all practice deceit.(Z)
11 They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say,
when there is no peace.(AA)
12 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
No, they have no shame(AB) at all;
they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen;
they will be brought down when they are punished,(AC)
says the Lord.(AD)
13 “‘I will take away their harvest,
declares the Lord.
There will be no grapes on the vine.(AE)
There will be no figs(AF) on the tree,
and their leaves will wither.(AG)
What I have given them
will be taken(AH) from them.[a]’”
14 Why are we sitting here?
Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities(AI)
and perish there!
For the Lord our God has doomed us to perish
and given us poisoned water(AJ) to drink,
because we have sinned(AK) against him.
15 We hoped for peace(AL)
but no good has come,
for a time of healing
but there is only terror.(AM)
16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses(AN)
is heard from Dan;(AO)
at the neighing of their stallions
the whole land trembles.(AP)
They have come to devour(AQ)
the land and everything in it,
the city and all who live there.
17 “See, I will send venomous snakes(AR) among you,
vipers that cannot be charmed,(AS)
and they will bite you,”
declares the Lord.
18 You who are my Comforter[b] in sorrow,
my heart is faint(AT) within me.
19 Listen to the cry of my people
from a land far away:(AU)
“Is the Lord not in Zion?
Is her King(AV) no longer there?”
20 “The harvest is past,
the summer has ended,
and we are not saved.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 8:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
- Jeremiah 8:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
2 Corinthians 9
New American Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 9
New American Standard Bible
God Gives Most
9 For (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this (B)ministry to the [a]saints; 2 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. 3 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; 4 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. 5 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.
6 Now I say this: (M)the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows [d]generously will also reap [e]generously. 7 Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not (N)reluctantly or under compulsion, for (O)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And (P)God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written:
10 Now He who supplies (R)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (S)increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be (T)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing (U)thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying (V)the needs of the [g]saints, but is also overflowing (W)through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this (X)ministry, they will (Y)glorify God for your obedience to your (Z)confession of the (AA)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your [h]contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 (AB)Thanks be to God for His indescribable (AC)gift!
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 9:1 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit blessing
- 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit blessing
- 2 Corinthians 9:6 Lit with blessings
- 2 Corinthians 9:6 Lit with blessings
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 Lit remains
- 2 Corinthians 9:12 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- 2 Corinthians 9:13 Or sharing with them
2 Corinthians 9
New International Version
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:
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
- 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.