2 Corinthians 9

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

And concerning the ministration by the saints, it would be superfluous for me to write to you:

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

for I know the goodness of your mind; and therefore I gloried of you before the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath excited many.

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

Yet I sent the brethren, lest the glorying with which we have gloried in you in regard to this matter, should prove vain; and that ye, as I said, may be ready;

4 lest 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.

so that, if the Macedonians should come with me, and should find you unprepared, we-not to say, ye-should be put to shame for that glorying in which we gloried.

5 I 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.

Therefore I was careful to request these my brethren, to go before me unto you, that they might make up this benefaction, of which ye were advised long before to have it ready, as being a benefaction, and not a matter of cupidity.

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

And this I say: He that soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully, shall also reap bountifully.

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

Every man, according to his own views, not with sadness, not by constraint: for the Lord loveth a joyous giver.

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

For it is in the power of God, to make all good abound to you, so that ye may have, at all times, and in every thing, what is sufficient for you; and may abound in every good work.

9 As it is written, “He has scattered abroad. He has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.” (aiōn g165)

As it is written, He hath dispersed and given to the poor; and his righteousness is established for ever. (aiōn g165)

10 Now 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,

Now he that giveth seed to the sower, and bread for food, may he give and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:

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

so that in every thing, ye may be enriched unto all liberality, to the completion of our thanksgiving to God.

12 For 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,

For the performance of this ministration, not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is also rich in many thanksgivings to God.

13 seeing 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,

For on account of the test of this ministration, we glorify God, that ye do subject yourselves to the profession of the gospel of the Messiah, and that in your liberality, ye communicate with them and with all men:

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

and they put up prayer for you, with much love, because of the abundance of the grace of God that is upon you.

15 Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.