2 Corinthians 9:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: By 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,

NIV: Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

NASB: Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,

CSB: Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone.

NLT: As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.

KJV: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

NKJV: while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,

Scripture makes a case for why Christian charity matters on several different levels. In this particular passage, Paul is writing to the Christians in Corinth about giving generously to meet the needs of suffering Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Despite that specific audience, Paul's teaching here has a broad application to Christians of any time and place who give to meet the needs of others.

Christian giving allows believers to participate in God's work of freely distributing goods to the poor and increasing thankfulness to God in the world. In addition, giving can also create a powerful connection between those who give and those who receive.

At the time Paul wrote these words, connection between Jewish Christians in Jerusalem and the growing population of non-Jewish Christians—referred to as either "Gentiles" or "Greeks"—was frayed. In some cases, Jewish believers who had grown up under the law, as God's chosen and set apart people, struggled with the transition to welcoming Gentiles recently converted from paganism. Paul saw the need of these Jewish Christians as an opportunity for Gentile Christians to build connection.

If the Jewish Christians "approve of this service," meaning that they accept the gift from the Greek Christians in good faith, they will glorify God. Specifically, the Jewish Christians will see that their Gentile siblings in Christ believe in the same gospel of Jesus, and that they care for believers besides themselves. In other words, the generous gift of the Corinthian believers will be evidence that Christ and the love of Christ are real in them, something the Jewish Christians needed to understand and accept.

Second Corinthians 9:6–15 contains Paul's explanation of benefits and opportunities tied to generous giving. The key point is that godly giving is a Christlike act of grace. God does not intend giving to be done as an obligation, or under a cloud of legalism. Rather, it should be inspired and driven by a willing and cheerful heart. Giving is an opportunity for believers to participate with God in meeting the needs of the poor. God increases the ability of believers who give generously to give even more. This results in increasing His righteousness on earth, as well as in causing thankfulness to Him to overflow. He will be glorified by those who receive the gift and pray for those who give.

Paul continues to urge the Corinthians to follow through on their commitment. They had agreed to contribute to a collection for suffering Christians in Jerusalem. They should give willingly, even cheerfully, according to what they had agreed earlier. Not only will they participate with God in meeting the physical needs of others, they will contribute to an overflowing thankfulness to God. They will build a connection with their suffering siblings in Christ that will also bring glory to God. This chapter points out that God expects Christian giving to be faith-based, voluntary, and cheerful—not legalistic, oppressive, or mandatory.

Second Corinthians chapter 9 continues an appeal begun earlier in the letter. Paul urges the Corinthians to participate in the gift to the Jerusalem Christians. Paul is concerned their earlier enthusiasm might have waned. Everyone should give what he or she previously decided to give and do so willingly and cheerfully. God makes those who give generously abound so that they will be able to give even more. The result goes beyond meeting physical needs to increasing God's righteousness on earth, causing thankfulness to Him to overflow, and bringing glory to Him as connections are forged between the givers and those whose needs are met. After this, Paul will return to a defense of his spiritual legitimacy.

Second Corinthians returns to similar themes as those Paul mentioned in his first letter to this church. Paul is glad to hear that the church in Corinth has heeded his advice. At the same time, it is necessary for Paul to counter criticisms about his personality and legitimacy. Most of this text involves that subject. The fifth chapter, in contrast, contains comforting words which Christians have quoted often in times of hardship. Paul also details his expectations that the church in Corinth will make good on their promise to contribute to the needs of suffering believers in Jerusalem.