2 Corinthians 9

1 For, indeed, concerning the ministry which is for the saints, it is, superfluous for me, to be writing to you;

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

2 For I know your forwardness of mind—of which, in your behalf, I am boasting unto Macedonians, that, Achaia, hath been prepared for a year past, —and, your zeal, hath stirred up the greater number of them.

For 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.

3 Nevertheless I have sent the brethren, that, our boast in your behalf, be not made void, in this respect, that, even as I was saying, ye may be prepared, —

Yet 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:

4 Lest by any means, if there should come with me Macedonians, and find you unprepared, we, —not to say, ye, —should be put to shame in this confidence.

Lest 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.

5 Necessary, therefore, I regarded it, to exhort the brethren that they would go forward unto you, and make up beforehand your previously- promised blessing. The same, to be ready—thus, as a blessing, and not as of constraint.

Therefore 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.

6 As to this, however, he that soweth sparingly, sparingly, also shall reap, and, he that soweth with blessings, with blessings, also shall reap:

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

7 Each one, according as he hath purposed in his heart, not sorrowfully, nor of necessity, —for, a cheerful giver, God, loveth.

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

8 Moreover God is able to cause, every gracious gift, to superabound unto you, in order that, having in every thing, at every time, every kind of sufficiency of your own, ye may be superabounding unto every good work;

And 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 Even as it is written—He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy, —his righteousness, abideth to futurity. (aiōn g165)

(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. (aiōn g165)

10 Now, he that supplieth seed to the sower, and bread for eating, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and cause to grow your fruits of righteousness:

Now 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; )

11 In every thing, being enriched, unto every kind of liberality, —which, indeed, worketh out, through us, thanksgiving unto God;

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

12 Because, the ministry of this public service, is not only towards filling up the deficiencies of the saints, but also superabounding, through the thanksgiving of many, unto God, —

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

13 [Of many] who, through the proof of this ministry, are glorifying God for your acknowledged submission unto the glad-message of the Christ, and for the liberality of the fellowship, unto them, and unto all, —

Whiles 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;

14 Themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, longing after you, by reason of the surpassing favour of God [resting] upon you: —

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

15 Thanks be unto God, for his unspeakable bounty!

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.