1 With reference, indeed, to the Fund for your fellow-Christians, it is quite superfluous for me to say anything to you.
1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
1 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you.
1 I do not need to write to you any further about the ministry to the saints.
2 I know, of course, your willingness to help, and I am always boasting of it to the Macedonians. I tell them that you in Greece have been ready for a year past; and it was really your zeal that stimulated most of them.
2 for I know your readiness, of which I (C)boast about you to the (D)Macedonians, namely, that (E)Achaia has been prepared since (F)last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.
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.
2 For I know your eagerness, and I brag about you to the Macedonians:(a)(A) “Achaia(b)(B) has been prepared since last year,” and your zeal(C) has stirred up most of them.(D)
2 For 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.
3 So my reason for sending our Brothers is to prevent what we said about you from proving, in this particular matter, an empty boast, and to enable you to be as well prepared as I have been saying that you are.
3 But I have sent the brethren, in order that our (G)boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, (H)as I was saying, you may be prepared;
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:
3 But I sent the brothers so our boasting about you in the matter would not prove empty, and so you would be prepared just as I said.
3 Now 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.
4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians were to come with me, and find you unprepared, we--to say nothing of you--should feel ashamed of our present confidence.
4 otherwise if any (I)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence.
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.
4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation.(c)
4 Otherwise, 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.
5 Therefore I think it necessary to urge the Brothers to go to you in advance, and to complete the arrangements for the gift, which you have already promised, so that it may be ready, as a gift, before I come, and not look as if it were being given under pressure.
5 So I thought it necessary to urge the (J)brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised (b)(K)bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a (c)(L)bountiful gift and not (d)(M)affected by covetousness.
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.
5 Therefore 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)
5 Therefore, 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.
6 Remember the saying--'Scanty sowing, scanty harvest; plentiful sowing, plentiful harvest.'
6 Now this I say, (N)he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows (e)bountifully will also reap (f)bountifully.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
6 Remember this:(d) The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.
6 Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.
7 Let every one give as he has determined before hand, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves 'a cheerful giver.'
7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not (O)grudgingly or under compulsion, for (P)God loves a cheerful giver.
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.
7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves(G) a cheerful giver.
7 Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.
8 God has power to shower all kinds of blessings upon you, so that, having, under all circumstances and on all occasions, all that you can need, you may be able to shower all kinds of benefits upon others.
8 And (Q)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
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:
8 And 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.
8 Besides, 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.
9 (As Scripture says--'He scattered broadcast, he gave to the poor; His righteousness continues for ever.'
9 as it is written,“(R)He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,His righteousness (g)endures forever.”
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
9 As it is written, "He scatters everywhere and gives to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever."
10 And he who supplies 'seed to the sower, and bread for eating,' will supply you with seed, and cause it to increase, and will multiply 'the fruits of your righteousness').
10 Now He who supplies (S)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (T)increase the harvest of your righteousness;
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;)
10 Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.(K)
10 Now 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.
11 Rich in all things yourselves, you will be able to show liberality to all, which, with our help, will cause thanksgiving to be offered to God.
11 you will be (U)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing (V)thanksgiving to God.
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
11 You will be enriched(L) in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.
11 In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will cause others to give thanks to God because of us,
12 For the rendering of a public service such as this, not only relieves the needs of your fellow-Christians, but also results in the offering to God of many a thanksgiving.
12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying (W)the needs of the (h)saints, but is also overflowing (X)through many thanksgivings to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
12 For the ministry of this service(M) is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God.
12 since 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.
13 Through the evidence afforded by the service thus rendered, you cause men to praise God for your fidelity to your profession of faith in the Good News of the Christ, as well as for the liberality of your contributions for them and for all others.
13 Because of the proof given by this (Y)ministry, they will (Z)glorify God for your obedience to your (AA)confession of the (AB)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your (i)contribution to them and to all,
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;
13 They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of(f) the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity(N) in sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service.
13 Because 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.
14 And they also, in their prayers for you, express their longing to see you, because of the surpassing love of God displayed toward you.
14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
14 And they will have deep affection for(g) you in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
14 And so in their prayers for you they will long for you because of God's exceptional grace that was shown to you.
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International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.
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