2 Corinthians 9:4

2 Corinthians 9:4 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (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.
• English Standard Version (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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.

Context of 2 Corinthians 9:4

2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise. 3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove empty, but that you will be prepared, just as I said. Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly. 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

2 Corinthians 9:4 word by word

μή πως ἐὰν ἔλθωσιν σὺν ἐμοὶ Μακεδόνες καὶ εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους, καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς, ἵνα μὴ λέγω ὑμεῖς, ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃRead the interlinear

• Otherwiseμήmē · notG3361
• Otherwiseπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• MacedoniansΜακεδώνMakedōn · MacedoniaG3110
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• youσύsu · youG4771
• unpreparedἀπαρασκεύαστοςaparaskeuastos · unpreparedG532
• toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• would be ashamed ofκαταισχύνωkataischunō · to dishonorG2617
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• soοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• confidentὑπόστασιςhupostasis · confidence/essenceG5287

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 9:4

• 2 Corinthians 9:2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.
• 2 Corinthians 8:24In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.
• 2 Corinthians 11:17In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 9:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Lest haply if they of Macedonia - If any of the Macedonians should happen to come with me, and should find that you had done nothing. He does not say that they would come with him, but it was by no means improbable that they would. It was customary for some of the members of the churches to travel with Paul from place to place, and the conversation was constant between Macedonia and Achaia. Paul had, therefore, every reason to suppose that some of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5Two reasons encourage the spirit of love in giving: to follow the example of the Macedonians, who were generous despite their poverty (9:2); and to avoid embarrassing Paul or themselves, as he had praised the Corinthians' generosity to the Macedonians (9:3–5). To ensure the collection at Corinth is ready on time, Paul will send delegates (8:16–24) ahead to prepare the promised gift.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. 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.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 9:4

• Beneficence
• Emulation
• Liberality
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Macedonia
• Administration
• Boast
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Thanks
• Church
• Church Government
• Collection
• Confidence
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings