Passage

2 Corinthians 9

Book: 2 Corinthians · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2. for I know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very many of them. 3. But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, ye may be prepared: 4. lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence. 5. I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your aforepromised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion. 6. But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7. Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8. And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work: 9. as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever. 10. And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: 11. ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. 12. For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God; 13. seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all; 14. while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:1-15, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints, 2. for I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for a year past. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them. 3. But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared, 4. so that I won’t by any means, if anyone from Macedonia comes there with me and finds you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) should be disappointed in this confident boasting. 5. I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you, and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness. 6. Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7. Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work. 9. As it is written, “He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.” 10. Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; 11. you being enriched in everything to all liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God. 12. For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through many givings of thanks to God; 13. seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all; 14. while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15. Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:1-15, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2. 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. 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 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. 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. ^{bounty: Gr. blessing} ^{whereof: or, which hath been so much spoken of before} 6. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7. 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. 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. (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10. 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. Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. ^{bountifulness: or, liberality: Gr. simplicity} 12. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13. 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. 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 gift." (2 Corinthians 9:1-15, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. For, indeed, concerning the ministration that [is] for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you, 2. for I have known your readiness of mind, which in your behalf I boast of to Macedonians, that Achaia hath been prepared a year ago, and the zeal of you did stir up the more part, 3. and I sent the brethren, that our boasting on your behalf may not be made vain in this respect; that, according as I said, ye may be ready, 4. lest if Macedonians may come with me, and find you unprepared, we, we may be put to shame (that we say not, ye) in this same confidence of boasting. 5. Necessary, therefore, I thought [it] to exhort the brethren, that they may go before to you, and may make up before your formerly announced blessing, that this be ready, as a blessing, and not as covetousness. 6. And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap; 7. each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love, 8. and God [is] able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work, 9. (according as it hath been written, 'He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness doth remain to the age,') 10. and may He who is supplying seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11. in every thing being enriched to all liberality, which doth work through us thanksgiving to God, 12. because the ministration of this service not only is supplying the wants of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13. through the proof of this ministration glorifying God for the subjection of your confession to the good news of the Christ, and [for] the liberality of the fellowship to them and to all, 14. and by their supplication in your behalf, longing after you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you; 15. thanks also to God for His unspeakable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:1-15, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Biblical Stewardship

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.