2 Corinthians 9

Modern

Literal

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

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

¹For indeed, concerning the ministry to the saints, it is superfluous 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.

²For I know your readiness, which I boast of to Macedonians on behalf of you, that Achaia has been prepared from a year ago, and your zeal provoked the greater part.

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.

³But I sent the brothers so that our boasting that is on behalf of you in this matter should not be made void, so that you may be prepared, as I have been saying—

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.

⁴lest perhaps if Macedonians should come with me and should find you unprepared, we would be put to shame—not that we might say you—in this confidence.

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.

⁵Therefore I deemed it necessary to exhort the brothers that they should go before to you and should complete beforehand your foreannounced blessing, thus for this to be ready as a blessing and not as covetousness.

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

⁶Now this: The one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing upon blessings will also reap upon blessings,

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.^a

⁷each as he has purposed in the heart, not out of grief or out of necessity. 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.

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

⁹As it is written:

“He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor;

His righteousness endures forever.”^a

⁹As it has been written: “He scattered abroad; He gave to the poor; His righteousness remains to the age.”

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.

¹⁰Now the One supplying seed to the one sowing and bread for food will supply and will multiply your seed and will increase the fruits 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.

¹¹being enriched in every way to all generosity, which produces through us 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.

¹²For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings 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.

¹³through the proof of this ministry, glorifying God upon your submission of confession to the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of the fellowship to them and to all.

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

¹⁴And their supplication is for you, longing for you on account of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

¹⁵Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!