| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1I do not need to write to you any further about the ministry to the saints. | 1For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints, |
| 2For I know how willing you are, and I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your enthusiasm has stimulated 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. |
| 3Now I have sent the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter may not prove to be an idle boast, and so that you may stand ready, just as I said. | 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 any Macedonians come with me and find out that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking. | 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 urge these brothers to visit you ahead of me, to make arrangements in advance for this gift you promised, and to have it ready as something given generously and not forced. | 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. |
| 6Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. | 6My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. |
| 7Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since 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. |
| 8Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any 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 scatters everywhere and gives to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever." | 9Just as it is written, "He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever." |
| 10Now he who supplies seed to the farmer and bread to eat will also supply you with seed and multiply it and enlarge the harvest that results from 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. |
| 11In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will cause others to give thanks to God because of us, | 11You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, |
| 12since this ministry you render is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, it is also overflowing with more and more prayers of thanksgiving 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. |
| 13Because your service in giving proves your love, you will be glorifying God as you obey what your confession of the Messiah's gospel demands, since you are generous in sharing with them and with everyone else. | 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 so in their prayers for you they will long for you because of God's exceptional grace that was shown to 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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