2 Corinthians 9:3

2 Corinthians 9:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
• New International Version (NIV)But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready;

Context of 2 Corinthians 9:3

1I do not need to write to you about the money that you want to send to God's people in Jerusalem. 2I know that you want to help very much. I have told the believers in Macedonia how good you are. I tell them that you believers in Achaia have been ready to give your money since last year. Because you are so ready to help, most of them now also want to help. But I do not want the way that I have praised you not to be true. So I am sending these men, our Christian friends, to come to you. I want to be sure that you will be ready to give your money. That is what I have told people about you. 4Perhaps some believers from Macedonia might come with me. If you are not ready when we come, we would be ashamed. We would be ashamed because we trusted you. And I think that you would be ashamed as well! 5So I decided to tell these men to visit you before I come myself. They will help you to prepare the gift that you promised. Then it will be ready when I arrive. Everyone will know that you really wanted to give this gift. Nobody has made you give it.

2 Corinthians 9:3 word by word

ἔπεμψα δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς, ἵνα μὴ τὸ καύχημα ἡμῶν τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κενωθῇ ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ, ἵνα καθὼς ἔλεγον παρεσκευασμένοι ἦτε,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Yetδέde · thenG1161
• have I sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
• the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• lestἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• boastingκαύχημαkauchēma · prideG2745
• ofὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• youσύsu · youG4771
• should be in vainκενόωkenoō · to emptyG2758
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• behalfμέροςmeros · partG3313
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• I saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• ye mayπαρασκευάζωparaskeuazō · to prepareG3903
• beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 9:3

• 2 Corinthians 9:4Perhaps some believers from Macedonia might come with me. If you are not ready when we come, we would be ashamed. We would be ashamed because we trusted you. And I think that you would be ashamed as well!
• 2 Corinthians 7:14I had told Titus that I was very proud of you. When he came to you, you showed that I was right about you. We have always spoken only true things to you. And when we said good things about you to Titus, you showed that those things were also true.
• 2 Corinthians 8:6Because of that, we asked Titus to continue to help you. He is the person who helped you to start giving money. So he will help you to finish this good work.
• 2 Corinthians 9:5So I decided to tell these men to visit you before I come myself. They will help you to prepare the gift that you promised. Then it will be ready when I arrive. Everyone will know that you really wanted to give this gift. Nobody has made you give it.
• 1 Corinthians 16:1You asked me about the money that you want to give to God's people at Jerusalem. You should do it in the same way that I told the churches in Galatia.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 9:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Yet have I sent the brethren - Titus and his companions, mentioned in the preceding chapter. That, as I said, ye may be ready - And he wished them to be ready, that they might preserve the good character he had given them: this was for their honor; and if they did not take care to do so, he might be reputed a liar; and thus both they and himself be ashamed before the Macedonians, should any of them at this time accompany him to Corinth.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Yet have I sent the brethren - The brethren referred to in 2 Corinthians 8:18, 2 Corinthians 8:22-23. Lest our boasting of you - That you were disposed to contribute, and that you were already prepared, and that the contribution was ready. Should be in vain - Lest anything should have occurred to prevent the collection. I have sent them that they may facilitate it, and that it may be secure and certain. In this behalf - In this respect. That is, lest our…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. 33. 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).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 9:3

• Beneficence
• Emulation
• Liberality
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Administration
• Boast
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Thanks
• Church
• Church Government
• Collection
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Grace
• Paul, the Apostle

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