| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. | 1I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. |
| 2For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians: "Achaia has been ready since last year," and your zeal has stirred up most of them. | 2For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving. |
| 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. | 3But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. |
| 4Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation. | 4We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! |
| 5Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion. | 5So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly. |
| 6The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. | 6Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. |
| 7Each person should do as he has decided in his heart--not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. | 7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” |
| 8And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. | 8And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. |
| 9As it is written: He distributed freely; he gave to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. | 9As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” |
| 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. | 10For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. |
| 11You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. | 11Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. |
| 12For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. | 12So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their 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 in sharing with them and with everyone. | 13As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. |
| 14And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. | 14And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. |
| 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! | 15Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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