| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1I do not need to write to you any further about the ministry to the saints. | 1Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, |
| 2For I know how willing you are, and I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your enthusiasm has stimulated most of them. | 2for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. |
| 3Now I have sent the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter may not prove to be an idle boast, and so that you may stand ready, just as I said. | 3But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. |
| 4Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find out that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking. | 4Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. |
| 5Therefore, I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to visit you ahead of me, to make arrangements in advance for this gift you promised, and to have it ready as something given generously and not forced. | 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. |
| 6Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. | 6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. |
| 7Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. | 7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. |
| 8Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any good work. | 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. |
| 9As it is written, "He scatters everywhere and gives to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever." | 9As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” |
| 10Now he who supplies seed to the farmer and bread to eat will also supply you with seed and multiply it and enlarge the harvest that results from your righteousness. | 10He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. |
| 11In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will cause others to give thanks to God because of us, | 11You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. |
| 12since this ministry you render is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, it is also overflowing with more and more prayers of thanksgiving to God. | 12For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. |
| 13Because your service in giving proves your love, you will be glorifying God as you obey what your confession of the Messiah's gospel demands, since you are generous in sharing with them and with everyone else. | 13By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, |
| 14And so in their prayers for you they will long for you because of God's exceptional grace that was shown to you. | 14while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. |
| 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! | 15Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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