2 Corinthians — Chapter 9

1Now about the service to the saints, there is no need for me to write to you.

2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise.

3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove empty, but that you will be prepared, just as I said.

4Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.

5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly.

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

7Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

9As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

10Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.

11You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God.

12For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

13Because of the proof this ministry provides, the saints will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all the others.

14And their prayers for you will express their affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

1For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

2For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

3Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

4Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

5Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

6But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

10Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

11Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

12For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

13Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

14And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

15Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

1For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

2for I know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very many of them.

3But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, ye may be prepared:

4lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence.

5I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your aforepromised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion.

6But this [I say,] He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

7[Let] each man [do] according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:

9as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever.

10And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:

11ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God.

12For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God;

13seeing that through the proving [of you] by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of [your] contribution unto them and unto all;

14while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.

15Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

1For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints

2because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.

3But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them.

4For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

5Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift and not as something you feel forced to do.

6My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.

7Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.

8And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.

9Just as it is written, “He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.”

10Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.

11You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God,

12because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God.

13Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone.

14And in their prayers on your behalf, they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.

15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

1It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,

2for I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for a year past. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them.

3But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared,

4lest by any means, if anyone from Macedonia comes there with me and finds you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) would be disappointed in this confident boasting.

5I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you, and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness.

6Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

7Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

9As it is written, “He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.”

10Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;

11you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.

12For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God;

13seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all;

14while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.

15Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!