2 Corinthians 9–10

Motivations for Giving

9Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. ²For I know your eagerness, and I brag about you to the Macedonians: ^uv“Achaia ^wxhas been prepared since last year,” and your zeal ^yhas stirred up most of them. ^z3But 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. ⁴For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation. ^a5Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift ^byou promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion. ^c

⁶Remember this: ^dThe person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves ^ea cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able ^fto make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. ⁹As it is written:

He scattered; ^g

He gave to the poor;

His righteousness endures forever. ^hi

¹⁰Now 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. ^j11You will be enriched ^kin every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. ¹²For the ministry of this service ^lis not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. ¹³They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of ^mthe gospel of Christ, and for your generosity ⁿin sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service. ¹⁴And they will have deep affection for ^oyou in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

Paul’s Apostolic Authority

10Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. ²I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way. ^pq3For though we live in the body, ^rwe do not wage war in an unspiritual way, ^s4since the weapons of our warfare ^tare not worldly, ^ubut are powerful ^vthrough God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments ⁵and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge ^wof God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. ⁶And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed.

⁷Look at what is obvious. ^xIf anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, ^yhe should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. ⁸For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up ^zand not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed. ⁹I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. ¹⁰For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.” ¹¹Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.

¹²For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend ^athemselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, ^bthey lack understanding. ^c13We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned ^dto us, which reaches even to you. ¹⁴For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hope ^ethat as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged, ¹⁶so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you, ^fnot boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry. ^g17So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord. ^hi18For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends. ^j