1 Nowl[1 Thess. 4:9] it is superfluous for me to write to you aboutmSee Rom. 15:25 the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness,nch. 8:24 of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been readyoch. 8:10 since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 Butpch. 8:6, 17, 18, 22 I am sending1Or I have sent the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this matter, so that you may be ready,q1 Cor. 16:2 as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedoniansr[Acts 20:4] come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for thesGen. 33:11; Judg. 1:15; 1 Sam. 25:27 gift you have promised, so that it may be readyt[Phil. 4:17] as a willing gift,u[ch. 12:17, 18] not as an exaction.1Or a gift expecting something in return; Greek greed
6 The point is this:vProv. 11:24, 25; 22:9; Gal. 6:7, 9; [Mal. 3:10; Luke 6:38] whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 Each one must give as he has made up his mind,wDeut. 15:10; See ch. 8:12 not reluctantly or under compulsion, forxSee Ex. 25:2 God loves a cheerful giver.
8 AndyPhil. 4:19; [Eph. 3:2] God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency1Or all contentment in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
9 As it is written,
zCited from Ps. 112:9 “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever. ”
10 He who suppliesaIsa. 55:10 seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing andb[Hos. 10:12] increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 c1 Cor. 1:5 You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, whichd[ch. 1:11] through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplyingech. 8:14 the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service,fSee Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:12 they1Or you will glorify God because of your submission flowing from yourg1 Tim. 6:12, 13; Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 10:23 confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 h[John 3:16; Eph. 2:8]; See ch. 2:14 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!