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2 Corinthians 9
New Living Translation

The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

9 I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem.[a] 2 For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece[b] were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.

3 But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. 4 We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! 5 So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.

6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[c] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
    Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”[d]

10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity[e] in you.

11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem[f] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.

13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift[g] too wonderful for words!

Footnotes

  1. 9:1 Greek about the offering for God’s holy people.
  2. 9:2 Greek in Achaia, the southern region of the Greek peninsula. Macedonia was in the northern region of Greece.
  3. 9:7 See footnote on Prov 22:8.
  4. 9:9 Ps 112:9.
  5. 9:10 Greek righteousness.
  6. 9:12 Greek of God’s holy people.
  7. 9:15 Greek his gift.
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2 Corinthians 9
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Motivations for Giving

9 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. 2 For I know your eagerness, and I brag about you to the Macedonians:[a](A) “Achaia[b](B) has been prepared since last year,” and your zeal(C) has stirred up most of them.(D) 3 But I sent the brothers so our boasting about you in the matter would not prove empty, and so you would be prepared just as I said. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation.[c] 5 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)

6 Remember this:[d] The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves(G) a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able(H) to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 9 As it is written:

He scattered;(I)
He gave to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.(J)[e]

10 Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.(K) 11 You will be enriched(L) in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 12 For the ministry of this service(M) is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. 13 They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of[f] the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity(N) in sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service. 14 And they will have deep affection for[g] you in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:2 Macedonia was a Roman province in the northern area of modern Greece.
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:2 Achaia was the Roman province, south of Macedonia, where Corinth was located.
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:4 Or in this confidence
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Lit And this
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Ps 112:9
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:13 Or your obedient confession to
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:14 Or will long for
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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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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
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament

9 Now gar concerning peri the ho service diakonia · ho to eis the ho saints hagios, there is eimi no necessity perissos for me egō to write graphō to you hymeis, 2 for gar I know oida · ho your hymeis readiness prothumia to help, about which hos I keep boasting kauchaomai to the Macedonians Makedōn, saying that hoti Achaia Achaia has been ready paraskeuazō since apo last year perysi, and kai · ho your hymeis zeal zēlos has stirred up erethizō · ho most of them polys. 3 But de I am sending pempō these ho brothers adelphos so that hina what ho we hēmeis say in praise kauchēma of hyper you hymeis may not mē · ho be an empty boast kenoō in en · ho this houtos instance meros, that hina you may be eimi ready paraskeuazō just as kathōs I said legō you would be. 4 Lest mē perhaps pōs if ean some Macedonians Makedōn should come erchomai with syn me egō and kai not find heuriskō you hymeis ready aparaskeuastos, we hēmeis— to hina say legō nothing mē of you hymeis— would be humiliated kataischunō by en · ho this houtos confidence hypostasis. 5 Therefore oun I considered hēgeomai it necessary anankaios to urge parakaleō the ho brothers adelphos to hina go proerchomai to eis you hymeis in advance and kai to arrange beforehand prokatartizō the ho generous contribution eulogia you hymeis had previously promised, so that eimi it houtos would be eimi ready hetoimos as hōs a generous gift eulogia and kai not mē as hōs something you had to do pleonexia.

6 Remember this houtos: · de the ho one who sows speirō sparingly pheidomenōs will therizō also kai reap therizō sparingly pheidomenōs, and kai the ho one who sows speirō generously epi eulogia will therizō also kai reap therizō generously epi eulogia. 7 Each one hekastos must give as kathōs he has decided proaireō in his ho heart kardia, not mē reluctantly ek lypē nor ē under ek constraint anankē, for gar it is the cheerful hilaros giver dotēs whom God theos loves agapaō. · ho 8 And de God theos is able dynateō · ho to make all pas grace charis overflow perisseuō to eis you hymeis, so that hina, in en all pas things and at all times pantote, having echō all pas you need autarkeia, you may overflow perisseuō in eis every pas kind of good agathos work ergon. 9 As kathōs it is written graphō, “He has distributed generously, he has given didōmi to the ho poor penēs; · ho his autos righteousness dikaiosynē endures menō for eis all ho time aiōn.” 10 The ho · de one who supplies epichorēgeō seed sporos to the ho sower speirō and kai bread artos for eis food brōsis will supply chorēgeō and kai multiply plēthunō · ho your hymeis seed sporos and kai enlarge auxanō the ho harvest genēma of ho your hymeis righteousness dikaiosynē. 11 In en every pas way you will be made rich ploutizō for eis all pas your generosity haplotēs, which hostis is producing katergazomai through dia us hēmeis thanksgiving eucharistia to ho God theos, 12 because hoti the ho service diakonia of ho this houtos ministry leitourgia is eimi not ou only monon providing prosanaplēroō for the ho needs hysterēma of the ho saints hagios, but alla is also kai overflowing perisseuō through dia many polys thanksgivings eucharistia to ho God theos. 13 By dia their ho approval dokimē of ho this houtos service diakonia, they glorify doxazō · ho God theos for epi your ho obedience hypotagē stemming from ho your hymeis confession homologia in eis the ho gospel euangelion of ho Christ Christos, and kai for the generosity haplotēs of ho your partnership koinōnia with eis them autos and kai with eis everyone pas. 14 And kai in their autos prayers deēsis on hyper your hymeis behalf they yearn epipotheō for you hymeis because dia of the ho surpassing hyperballō grace charis of ho God theos bestowed on epi you hymeis. 15 Thanks charis be to ho God theos for epi · ho his autos inexpressible anekdiēgētos gift dōrea!

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