| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; | 1For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints, |
| 2for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. | 2because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them. |
| 3Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; | 3But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them. |
| 4lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. | 4For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you. |
| 5Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. | 5Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift and not as something you feel forced to do. |
| 6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. | 6My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. |
| 7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. | 7Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. |
| 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. | 8And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work. |
| 9As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” | 9Just as it is written, "He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever." |
| 10Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, | 10Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow. |
| 11while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. | 11You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, |
| 12For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, | 12because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God. |
| 13while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, | 13Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone. |
| 14and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. | 14And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you. |
| 15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! | 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! |
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