6 But G1161 this G5124 I say, He which soweth G4687 sparingly G5340 shall reap G2325 also G2532 sparingly; G5340 and G2532 he which soweth G4687 bountifully G1909 G2129 shall reap G2325 also G2532 bountifully. G1909 G2129
He that hath a bountiful H2896 eye H5869 shall be blessed; H1288 for he giveth H5414 of his bread H3899 to the poor. H1800
Give, G1325 and G2532 it shall be given G1325 unto you; G5213 good G2570 measure, G3358 pressed down, G4085 and G2532 shaken together, G4531 and G2532 running over, G5240 shall men give G1325 into G1519 your G5216 bosom. G2859 For G1063 with the same G846 measure G3358 that G3739 ye mete withal G3354 it shall be measured G488 to you G5213 again. G488
There is H3426 that scattereth, H6340 and yet increaseth; H3254 and there is that withholdeth H2820 more than is meet, H3476 but it tendeth to poverty. H4270 The liberal H1293 soul H5315 shall be made fat: H1878 and he that watereth H7301 shall be watered H3384 also himself.
The wicked H7563 worketh H6213 a deceitful H8267 work: H6468 but to him that soweth H2232 righteousness H6666 shall be a sure H571 reward. H7938
For G1063 God G2316 is not G3756 unrighteous G94 to forget G1950 your G5216 work G2041 and G2532 labour G2873 of love, G26 which G3739 ye have shewed G1731 G1731 toward G1519 his G846 name, G3686 in that ye have ministered G1247 to the saints, G40 and G2532 do minister. G1247
Be G4105 not G3361 deceived; G4105 God G2316 is G3456 not G3756 mocked: G3456 for G1063 whatsoever G3739 G1437 a man G444 soweth, G4687 that G5124 shall he G2325 also G2532 reap. G2325 For G3754 he that soweth G4687 to G1519 his G1438 flesh G4561 shall G2325 of G1537 the flesh G4561 reap G2325 corruption; G5356 but G1161 he that soweth G4687 to G1519 the Spirit G4151 shall G2325 of G1537 the Spirit G4151 reap G2325 life G2222 everlasting. G166 And G1161 let us G1573 not G3361 be weary G1573 in well G2570 doing: G4160 for G1063 in due G2398 season G2540 we shall reap, G2325 if we faint G1590 not. G3361
Cast H7971 thy bread H3899 upon H6440 the waters: H4325 for thou shalt find H4672 it after many H7230 days. H3117
And G1161 this G5124 I say, G3004 that the covenant, G1242 that was confirmed before G4300 of G5259 God G2316 in G1519 Christ, G5547 the law, G3551 which was G1096 four hundred G5071 and G2532 thirty G5144 years G2094 after, G3326 cannot G3756 disannul, G208 that G1519 it should make G2673 the promise G1860 of none effect. G2673
In the morning H1242 sow H2232 thy seed, H2233 and in the evening H6153 withhold H3240 not thine hand: H3027 for thou knowest H3045 not whether H335 shall prosper, H3787 either this or that, or whether they both H8147 shall be alike H259 good. H2896
He that hath pity H2603 upon the poor H1800 lendeth H3867 unto the LORD; H3068 and that which he hath given H1576 will he pay him again. H7999
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 Blessed H835 is he that considereth H7919 the poor: H1800 the LORD H3068 will deliver H4422 him in time H3117 of trouble. H7451 The LORD H3068 will preserve H8104 him, and keep him alive; H2421 and he shall be blessed H833 upon the earth: H776 and thou wilt not deliver H5414 him unto the will H5315 of his enemies. H341 The LORD H3068 will strengthen H5582 him upon the bed H6210 of languishing: H1741 thou wilt make H2015 all his bed H4904 in his sickness. H2483
And G1161 this G5124 I say, G3004 lest G3363 any man G5100 should beguile G3884 you G5209 with G1722 enticing words. G4086
But G1161 now G3570 is G1453 Christ G5547 risen G1453 from G1537 the dead, G3498 and become G1096 the firstfruits G536 of them that slept. G2837
Then G1161 came G3854 the first, G4413 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 thy G4675 pound G3414 hath gained G4333 ten G1176 pounds. G3414 And G2532 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Well, G2095 thou good G18 servant: G1401 because G3754 thou hast been G1096 faithful G4103 in G1722 a very little, G1646 have G2192 thou authority G2468 G1849 over G1883 ten G1176 cities. G4172 And G2532 the second G1208 came, G2064 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 thy G4675 pound G3414 hath gained G4160 five G4002 pounds. G3414 And G1161 he said G2036 likewise G2532 to him, G5129 Be G1096 thou G4771 also G2532 over G1883 five G4002 cities. G4172 And G2532 another G2087 came, G2064 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 behold, G2400 here is thy G4675 pound, G3414 which G3739 I have G2192 kept laid up G606 in G1722 a napkin: G4676 For G1063 I feared G5399 thee, G4571 because G3754 thou art G1488 an austere G840 man: G444 thou takest up G142 that G3739 thou layedst G5087 not G3756 down, G5087 and G2532 reapest G2325 that G3739 thou didst G4687 not G3756 sow. G4687 And G1161 he saith G3004 unto him, G846 Out of G1537 thine own G4675 mouth G4750 will I judge G2919 thee, G4571 thou wicked G4190 servant. G1401 Thou knewest G1492 that G3754 I G1473 was G1510 an austere G840 man, G444 taking up G142 that G3739 I laid G5087 not G3756 down, G5087 and G2532 reaping G2325 that G3739 I did G4687 not G3756 sow: G4687 Wherefore G1302 then G2532 gavest G1325 not G3756 thou G1325 my G3450 money G694 into G1909 the bank, G5132 that G2532 at my coming G2064 I G1473 might G302 have required G4238 mine own G846 with G4862 usury? G5110 And G2532 he said G2036 unto them that stood by, G3936 Take G142 from G575 him G846 the pound, G3414 and G2532 give G1325 it to him that hath G2192 ten G1176 pounds. G3414 (And G2532 they said G2036 unto him, G846 Lord, G2962 he hath G2192 ten G1176 pounds.) G3414 For G1063 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 unto every one G3956 which G3588 hath G2192 shall be given; G1325 and G1161 from G575 him that hath G2192 not, G3361 even G2532 that G3739 he hath G2192 shall be taken away G142 from G575 him. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
2Co 9:1-15. Reasons for His Sending Titus. The Greater Their Bountifulness, the More Shall Be the Return of Blessing to Them, and Thanksgiving to God.
1. For—connected with 2Co 8:16: "Show love to the messengers of the churches; for as concerns the ministration for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you who are so forward already."
write—emphatical: It is superfluous to "write," for you will have witnesses present [Bengel].
2. ready a year ago—to send off the money, owing to the apostle's former exhortation (1Co 16:1, 2).
your zeal—Greek, "the zeal from you," that is, on your part; propagated from you to others.
provoked—that is, stimulated.
very many—Greek, "the greater number," namely, of the Macedonians.
3. have I sent—we should say, "I send"; whereas the ancients put it in the past, the time which it would be by the time that the letter arrived.
the brethren—(2Co 8:18, 22)—Titus and the two others.
should be in vain in this behalf—"should be proved futile in this particular," however true in general (2Co 7:4). A tacit compliment, softening the sharp monition.
as I said—as I was saying (2Co 9:2).
4. if they of Macedonia—rather as Greek, "if Macedonians."
unprepared—with your collection; see 2Co 9:2, "ready," Greek, "prepared."
we, not to say ye—Ye would naturally feel more ashamed for yourselves, than we (who boasted of you) would for you.
confident boasting—The oldest manuscripts read simply "confidence," namely, in your liberality.
5. that they would go before—Translate, "that they should," &c.
whereof ye had notice before—rather, "promised before"; "long announced by me to the Macedonians" (2Co 9:2) [Bengel]. "Your promised bounty" [Ellicott and others].
not as of covetousness—Translate, "not as matter of covetousness," which it would be, if you gave niggardly.
6. I say—Ellicott and others supply the ellipsis thus: "But remember this."
bountifully—literally, "with," or "in blessings." The word itself implies a beneficent spirit in the giver (compare 2Co 9:7, end), and the plural implies the abundance and liberality of the gifts. "The reaping shall correspond to the proportions and spirit of the sowing" [Bengel]. Compare Eze 34:26, "Showers of blessing."
7. according as he purposeth in his heart—Let the full consent of the free will go with the gift [Alford]. Opposed to "of necessity," as "grudgingly" is opposed to "a cheerful giver" (Pr 22:9; 11:25; Isa 32:8).
8. all grace—even in external goods, and even while ye bestow on others [Bengel].
that—"in order that." God's gifts are bestowed on us, not that we may have them to ourselves, but that we may the more "abound in good works" to others.
sufficiency—so as not to need the help of others, having yourselves from God "bread for your food" (2Co 9:10).
in all things—Greek, "in everything."
every good work—of charity to others, which will be "your seed sown" (2Co 9:10).
9. As it is written—realizing the highly blessed character portrayed in Ps 112:9.
He—the "good man" (Ps 112:5).
dispersed—as seed sown with full and open hand, without anxious thought in what direction each grain may fall. It is implied also that he has always what he may disperse [Bengel]. So in Ps 112:9.
the poor—The Greek word is found here only in New Testament, "one in straitened circumstances, who earns his bread by labor." The word usually employed means "one so poor as to live by begging."
his righteousness—Here "beneficence": the evidence of his being righteous before God and man. Compare De 24:13; Mt 6:1, "alms"; Greek, "righteousness."
remaineth—unexhausted and unfailing.
10. Translate, as in Isa 55:10, "He that ministereth (supplieth) seed to the sower and bread for food" (literally, "bread for eating").
minister—rather future, as the oldest manuscripts, "Shall minister (supply) and multiply."
your seed—your means for liberality.
the fruits of your righteousness—the heavenly rewards for your Christian charity (Mt 10:42). Righteousness shall be itself the reward, even as it is the thing rewarded (Ho 10:12; Mt 5:6; 6:33).
11. Compare 2Co 9:8.
bountifulness—Greek, "single-minded liberality." Translated "simplicity," Ro 12:8.
causeth through us—literally, "worketh through us"; that is, through our instrumentality as the distributors.
thanksgiving—on the part of the recipients.
12. Greek, "The ministration of this public service (on your part) is not only still further supplying the wants of the saints (besides the supplies from other quarters), but is abounding also (namely, in respect to relieving the necessities of others in poverty) through many thanksgivings to God."
13. by—through occasion of.
experiment—Translate, "the experience" [Ellicott and others]. Or, "the experimental proof" of your Christian character, afforded by "this ministration."
they—the recipients.
for your professed subjection—Greek, "for the subjection of your profession"; that is, your subjection in accordance with your profession, in relation to the Gospel. Ye yield yourselves in willing subjection to the Gospel precepts, evinced in acts, as well as in profession.
your liberal distribution—Greek, "the liberality of your contribution in relation to them," &c.
14. Translate, "Themselves also with prayer for you, longing after you on account of the exceeding grace of God (resting) upon you." English Version is, however, good sense: They glorify God (2Co 9:13) by the experimental proof, &c., "and by their prayer for you." But the Greek favors the former.
15. his unspeakable gift—the gift of His own Son, which includes all other inferior gifts (2Co 8:9; Ro 8:32). If we have received from God "His unspeakable gift," what great thing is it, if we give a few perishing gifts for His sake?