2 Corinthians 9 (KJV) (2024)

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9For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

²For 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.

³Yet 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:

⁴Lest 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.

⁵Therefore 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.

⁶But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

⁷Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

⁸And 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(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

¹⁰Now 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;)

¹¹Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

¹²For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

¹³Whiles 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;

¹⁴And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

¹⁵Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Generosity Encouraged

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.^(N) ⁷Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,^(O) not reluctantly or under compulsion,^(P) for God loves a cheerful giver.^(Q) ⁸And God is able^(R) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,^(S) you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts^(T) to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”^[a]^(U)

¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food^(V) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.^(W) ¹¹You will be enriched^(X) in every way so that you can be generous^(Y) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.^(Z)

¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs^(AA) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.^(AB) ¹³Because of the service^(AC) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God^(AD) for the obedience that accompanies your confession^(AE) of the gospel of Christ,^(AF) and for your generosity^(AG) in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God^(AH) for his indescribable gift!^(AI)

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9

Cross references

2 Corinthians 9:1 : 1Th 4:9
2 Corinthians 9:1 : S Ac 24:17
2 Corinthians 9:1 : S Ac 9:13
2 Corinthians 9:2 : 2Co 8:11, 12, 19
2 Corinthians 9:2 : 2Co 7:4, 14; 8:24
2 Corinthians 9:2 : 2Co 8:10
2 Corinthians 9:2 : S Ac 18:12
2 Corinthians 9:3 : 2Co 8:23
2 Corinthians 9:3 : 1Co 16:2
2 Corinthians 9:4 : Ro 15:26
2 Corinthians 9:5 : ver 3
2 Corinthians 9:5 : Php 4:17
2 Corinthians 9:5 : 2Co 12:17, 18
2 Corinthians 9:6 : Pr 11:24, 25; 22:9; Gal 6:7, 9
2 Corinthians 9:7 : Ex 25:2; 2Co 8:12
2 Corinthians 9:7 : Dt 15:10
2 Corinthians 9:7 : Ro 12:8
2 Corinthians 9:8 : Eph 3:20
2 Corinthians 9:8 : Php 4:19
2 Corinthians 9:9 : Mal 3:10
2 Corinthians 9:9 : Ps 112:9
2 Corinthians 9:10 : Isa 55:10
2 Corinthians 9:10 : Hos 10:12
2 Corinthians 9:11 : 1Co 1:5
2 Corinthians 9:11 : ver 5
2 Corinthians 9:11 : 2Co 1:11; 4:15
2 Corinthians 9:12 : 2Co 8:14
2 Corinthians 9:12 : S 2Co 1:11
2 Corinthians 9:13 : S 2Co 8:4
2 Corinthians 9:13 : S Mt 9:8
2 Corinthians 9:13 : S Heb 3:1
2 Corinthians 9:13 : S 2Co 2:12
2 Corinthians 9:13 : ver 5
2 Corinthians 9:15 : S 2Co 2:14
2 Corinthians 9:15 : Ro 5:15, 16

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Motivations for Giving

9Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. ²For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians,^(A) “Achaia^(B) has been ready since last year,” and your zeal^(C) has stirred up most of them.^(D) ³But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter would not prove empty, and so that you would be ready just as I said. ⁴Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation.^[a] ⁵Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift^(E) you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.^(F)

⁶The point is this:^[b] The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves^(G) a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able^(H) to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. ⁹As it is written:

He distributed freely;^(I)
he gave to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.^[c]^(J)

¹⁰Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.^(K) ¹¹You will be enriched^(L) in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. ¹²For the ministry of this service^(M) is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity^(N) in sharing with them and with everyone. ¹⁴And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Footnotes

9:4 Or in this confidence
9:6 Lit And this
9:9 Ps 112:9

Cross references

9:2 : Ac 16:9
9:2 : Ac 18:12
9:2 : Nm 25:13
9:2 : 2Co 8:18; 12:18
9:5 : Ac 11:30
9:5 : Eph 5:3
9:7 : Lk 6:35; Jn 3:16; 12:43; 2Th 2:13; Rv 12:11
9:8 : Eph 3:20
9:9 : Jn 16:32
9:9 : Ps 112:9; 1Jn 2:17
9:10 : Is 55:10–11; Hs 10:12
9:11 : 1Co 1:5; 2Co 6:10
9:12 : Heb 8:6
9:13 : Php 4:10

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