2 Corinthians 9 (ESV) (2024)

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The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

9Now ^(A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about ^(B)the ministry for the saints, ²for 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. ³But ^(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. ⁴Otherwise, 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. ⁵So 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

⁶The point is this: ^(K)whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully^[d] will also reap bountifully. ⁷Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, ^(L)not reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^(M)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And ^(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. ⁹As it is written,

^(O)“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”

¹⁰He 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. ¹²For the ministry of this service is not only supplying ^(T)the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. ¹³By 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, ¹⁴while 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

2 Corinthians 9:3 Or I have sent
2 Corinthians 9:5 Greek blessing; twice in this verse
2 Corinthians 9:5 Or a gift expecting something in return; Greek greed
2 Corinthians 9:6 Greek with blessings; twice in this verse
2 Corinthians 9:8 Or all contentment
2 Corinthians 9:13 Or you

Cross references

2 Corinthians 9:1 : [1 Thess. 4:9]
2 Corinthians 9:1 : See Rom. 15:25
2 Corinthians 9:2 : ch. 8:24
2 Corinthians 9:2 : ch. 8:10
2 Corinthians 9:3 : ch. 8:6, 17, 18, 22
2 Corinthians 9:3 : 1 Cor. 16:2
2 Corinthians 9:4 : [Acts 20:4]
2 Corinthians 9:5 : Gen. 33:11; Judg. 1:15; 1 Sam. 25:27
2 Corinthians 9:5 : [Phil. 4:17]
2 Corinthians 9:5 : [ch. 12:17, 18]
2 Corinthians 9:6 : Prov. 11:24, 25; 22:9; Gal. 6:7, 9; [Mal. 3:10; Luke 6:38]
2 Corinthians 9:7 : Deut. 15:10; See ch. 8:12
2 Corinthians 9:7 : See Ex. 25:2
2 Corinthians 9:8 : Phil. 4:19; [Eph. 3:2]
2 Corinthians 9:9 : Cited from Ps. 112:9
2 Corinthians 9:10 : Isa. 55:10
2 Corinthians 9:10 : [Hos. 10:12]
2 Corinthians 9:11 : 1 Cor. 1:5
2 Corinthians 9:11 : [ch. 1:11]
2 Corinthians 9:12 : ch. 8:14
2 Corinthians 9:13 : See Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:12
2 Corinthians 9:13 : 1 Tim. 6:12, 13; Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 10:23
2 Corinthians 9:15 : [John 3:16; Eph. 2:8]; See ch. 2:14

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Administering the Gift

9Now concerning ^(A)the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; ²for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a ^(B)year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. ³^(C)Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; ⁴lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this ^[a]confident boasting. ⁵Therefore I thought it necessary to ^[b]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a ^[c]grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

⁶^(D)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows ^[d]bountifully will also reap ^[e]bountifully. ⁷So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, ^(E)not grudgingly or of ^[f]necessity; for ^(F)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸^(G)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. ⁹As it is written:

^(H)“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”

¹⁰Now ^[g]may He who ^(I)supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, ^[h]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your ^(J)righteousness, ¹¹while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, ^(K)which causes thanksgiving through us to God. ¹²For the administration of this service not only ^(L)supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, ¹³while, through the proof of this ministry, they ^(M)glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal ^(N)sharing with them and all men, ¹⁴and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding ^(O)grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God ^(P)for His indescribable gift!

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 9:4 NU confidence.
2 Corinthians 9:5 encourage
2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit. covetousness
2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
2 Corinthians 9:7 compulsion
2 Corinthians 9:10 NU omits may
2 Corinthians 9:10 NU will supply

Cross references

2 Corinthians 9:1 : Acts 11:29; Rom. 15:26; 1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 8:4; Gal. 2:10
2 Corinthians 9:2 : 2 Cor. 8:10
2 Corinthians 9:3 : 2 Cor. 8:6, 17
2 Corinthians 9:6 : Prov. 11:24; 22:9; Gal. 6:7, 9
2 Corinthians 9:7 : Deut. 15:7
2 Corinthians 9:7 : Deut. 15:10; 1 Chr. 29:17; [Prov. 11:25]; Rom. 12:8; [2 Cor. 8:12]
2 Corinthians 9:8 : [Prov. 11:24]
2 Corinthians 9:9 : Ps. 112:9
2 Corinthians 9:10 : Is. 55:10
2 Corinthians 9:10 : Hos. 10:12
2 Corinthians 9:11 : 2 Cor. 1:11
2 Corinthians 9:12 : 2 Cor. 8:14
2 Corinthians 9:13 : [Matt. 5:16]
2 Corinthians 9:13 : [Heb. 13:16]
2 Corinthians 9:14 : 2 Cor. 8:1
2 Corinthians 9:15 : [John 3:16; 4:10; Rom. 6:23; 8:32; Eph. 2:8; James 1:17]

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