2 Corinthians 9:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: 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.

NASB: otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to mention you—would be put to shame by this confidence.

CSB: Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation.

NLT: 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!

KJV: 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.

NKJV: lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.

Paul has boasted to other churches about the eagerness of the Corinthians to give to meet the needs of the Jerusalem Christians. He has sent instructions in a previous letter (1 Corinthians 16:1–4) about exactly how to be ready to make a generous donation. Now Paul and his associates are sending Titus and delegates from other churches ahead of the official delegation to make sure the Corinthians are ready.

Paul is open with them. This is a moment of testing for their own reputations, as well as Paul's. If the church in Corinth has nothing ready to give, it would send a poor message to the Macedonian churches who have given generously in spite of their own poverty. If that happens, Paul will feel embarrassed for being so confident in the Corinthians. He assumes they, too, will be humiliated. He does not want that for himself or for them.

Second Corinthians 9:1–5 describes Paul's concern: that he and the Corinthians will be embarrassed if he shows up in Corinth to collect their contribution to the Jerusalem Christians and they are not ready. He is sending Titus ahead of himself to help them prepare. They were once enthusiastic about participating in the project. Paul hopes his boasting about the Corinthians—which inspired the Macedonians to give sacrificially—will not prove to have been meaningless.

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.

Accessed 4/29/2024 1:12:36 PM