| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, | 1For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints, |
| 2for 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. | 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. |
| 3But 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. | 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. |
| 4Otherwise, 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. | 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. |
| 5So 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. | 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. |
| 6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever 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. |
| 7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, 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 to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in 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 distributed freely, 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." |
| 10He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest 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. |
| 11You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving 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 ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in 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. |
| 13By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, | 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. |
| 14while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon 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 inexpressible gift! | 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! |
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