^9:1For it is not necessary¹ for me to write you about this service² to the saints, ^9:2because I know your eagerness to help.³ I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours,⁴ that Achaia has been ready to give⁵ since last year, and your zeal to participate⁶ has stirred up most of them.⁷^9:3But I am sending⁸ these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready⁹ just as I kept telling them. ^9:4For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated¹⁰ (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.¹¹^9:5Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution¹² you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift¹³ and not as something you feel forced to do.¹⁴

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Footnotes

1 Or “it is superfluous.”
2 Or “this ministry,” “this contribution.”
3 The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
4 Grk “concerning which I keep boasting to the Macedonians about you.” A new sentence was started here and the translation was simplified by removing the relative clause and repeating the antecedent “this eagerness of yours.”
5 The words “to give” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
6 The words “to participate” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
7 Most of them is a reference to the Macedonians (cf. v. 4).
8 This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
9 That is, ready with the collection for the saints.
10 Or “be disgraced”; Grk “be put to shame.”
11 Grk “by this confidence”; the words “we had in you” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied as a necessary clarification for the English reader.
12 Grk “the blessing.”
13 Grk “a blessing.”
14 Grk “as a covetousness”; that is, a gift given grudgingly or under compulsion.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for 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. But 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. Otherwise, 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. So 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.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians, “Achaia has been ready since last year,” and your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter would not prove empty, and so that you would be ready just as I said. Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation. Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.

NLTNew Living Translation

I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.

But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For it is unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the ministry to the saints, because I know your readiness to help, concerning which I keep on boasting to the Macedonians about you, that Achaia has been ready to help since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority of them. But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you would not prove to be empty in this case, so that you may be prepared just as I was saying, lest somehow if Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—would be humiliated in connection with this project. Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.

KJV 1900King James Version

For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 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. 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: 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. 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.

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