2 Corinthians 9

1 For as touching the ministring to the Saints, it is superfluous for me to write vnto you.

With reference, indeed, to the fund for your fellow Christians, it is quite superfluous for me to say anything to you.

2 For I knowe your readinesse of minde, whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia, and say, that Achaia was prepared a yeere agoe, and your zeale hath prouoked many.

I know, of course, your willingness to help, and I am always boasting of it to the Macedonians. I tell them that you in Greece have been ready for a year past; and it was really your zeal that stimulated most of them.

3 Nowe haue I sent the brethren, lest our reioycing ouer you shoulde bee in vaine in this behalfe, that yee (as I haue sayde) be readie:

So my reason for sending our friends is to prevent what we said about you from proving, in this particular matter, an empty boast, and to enable you to be as well prepared as I have been saying that you are.

4 Lest if they of Macedonia come with me, and finde you vnprepared, we (that wee may not say, you) should be ashamed in this my constant boasting.

Otherwise, if any Macedonians were to come with me, and find you unprepared, we – to say nothing of you – should feel ashamed of our present confidence.

5 Wherefore, I thought it necessarie to exhort the brethren to come before vnto you, and to finish your beneuolence appointed afore, that it might be readie, and come as of beneuolence, and not as of niggardlinesse.

Therefore I think it necessary to beg the friends to go to you in advance, and to complete the arrangements for the gift, which you have already promised, so that it may be ready, as a gift, before I come, and not look as if it were being given under pressure.

6 This yet remember, that he which soweth sparingly, shall reape also sparingly, and hee that soweth liberally, shall reape also liberally.

Remember the saying – “Scanty sowing, scanty harvest; plentiful sowing, plentiful harvest.”

7 As euery man wisheth in his heart, so let him giue, not grudgingly, or of necessitie: for God loueth a cheerefull giuer.

Let everyone give as he has determined before hand, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace to abound towarde you, that yee alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all thinges, may abounde in euery good worke,

God has power to shower all kinds of blessings on you, so that, having, under all circumstances and on all occasions, all that you can need, you may be able to shower all kinds of benefits on others.

9 (As it is written, He hath sparsed abroad and hath giuen to the poore: his beneuolence remayneth for euer. (aiōn g165)

(As scripture says – “He shared freely, he gave to the poor; his righteousness continues for ever.” (aiōn g165)

10 Also hee that findeth seede to the sower, will minister likewise bread for foode, and multiplie your seede, and increase the fruites of your beneuolence, )

And he who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for eating, will supply you with seed, and cause it to increase, and will multiply the fruits of your righteousness).

11 That on all partes yee may bee made rich vnto all liberalitie, which causeth through vs thankesgiuing vnto God.

Rich in all things yourselves, you will be able to show liberality to all, which, with our help, will cause thanksgiving to be offered to God.

12 For the ministration of this seruice not onely supplieth the necessities of the Saintes, but also aboundantly causeth many to giue thankes to God,

For the rendering of a public service such as this, not only relieves the needs of your fellow Christians, but also results in the offering to God of many a thanksgiving.

13 (Which by the experiment of this ministration praise God for your voluntarie submission to the Gospell of Christ, and for your liberall distribution to them, and to all men)

Through the evidence afforded by the service rendered, you cause people to praise God for your fidelity to your profession of faith in the good news of the Christ, as well as for the liberality of your contributions for them and for all others.

14 And in their praier for you, to log after you greatly, for the aboundant grace of God in you.

And they also, in their prayers for you, express their longing to see you, because of the surpassing love of God displayed toward you.

15 Thankes therefore bee vnto God for his vnspeakeable gift.

All thanks to God for his inestimable gift!