God Loves A Cheerful Giver
1 As to the services which are being rendered to God's people, it is really unnecessary for me to write 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 For I know your earnest willingness, on account of which I habitually boast of you to the Macedonians, pointing out to them that for a whole year you in Greece have been ready; and the greater number of them have been spurred on by your ardour.
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 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 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 Still I send the brethren in order that in this matter our boast about you may not turn out to have been an idle one; so that, as I have said, you may be ready;
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 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 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 for fear that, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we--not to say you yourselves--should be put to the blush in respect to 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 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 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 I have thought it absolutely necessary therefore to request these brethren to visit you before I myself come, and to make sure beforehand that the gift of love which you have already promised may be ready as a gift of love, and may not seem to have been something which I have extorted from you.
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 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 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.
The Cheerful Giver
6 But do not forget that he who sows with a niggardly hand will also reap a niggardly crop, and that he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
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 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 each contribute what he has decided upon in his own mind, and not do it reluctantly or under compulsion. "It is a cheerful giver that God loves."
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 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 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 And God is able to bestow every blessing on you in abundance, so that richly enjoying all sufficiency at all times, you may have ample means for all good works.
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 (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(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 it is written, "He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor, his almsgiving remains for ever."
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,“(R)He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,His righteousness (g)endures forever.”
9 As it is written, "He scatters everywhere and gives to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever."
10 And God who continually supplies seed for the sower and bread for eating, will supply you with seed and multiply it, and will cause your almsgiving to yield a plentiful harvest.
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 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 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 May you be abundantly enriched so as to show all liberality, such as through our instrumentality brings thanksgiving to God.
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
11 you will be (U)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing (V)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 service rendered in this sacred gift not only helps to relieve the wants of God's people, but it is also rich in its results and awakens a chorus of thanksgiving 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 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 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 For, by the practical proof of it which you exhibit in this service, you cause God to be extolled for your fidelity to your professed adherence to the Good News of the Christ, and for the liberality of your contributions for them and for all who are in need,
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 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 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 while they themselves also in supplications on your behalf pour out their longing love towards you because of God's surpassing grace which is resting upon you.
14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing 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.