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 don’t need to write anything further to you about helping the Christians ⌞in Jerusalem⌟. 2I know how willing you are to help, and I brag about you to the believers in the province of Macedonia. I tell them, “The people of Greece have been ready ⌞to send their collection⌟ since last year,” and your enthusiasm has moved most of them ⌞to act⌟. I’ve sent my coworkers so that when we brag that you’re ready, we can back it up. 4Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me, they might find out that you’re not ready after all. This would embarrass us for feeling so confident as much as it would embarrass you. 5So I thought that I should encourage our coworkers to visit you before I do and make arrangements for this gift that you had already promised to give. Then it will be the blessing it was intended to be, and it won’t be something you’re forced to do.

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 9:4Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me, they might find out that you’re not ready after all. This would embarrass us for feeling so confident as much as it would embarrass you.
• 2 Corinthians 7:14I didn’t have to be ashamed of anything I had said to him when I bragged about you. Since everything we told you was true, our bragging to Titus has also proved to be true.
• 2 Corinthians 8:6This led us to urge Titus to finish his work of God’s kindness among you in the same way as he had already started it.
• 2 Corinthians 9:5So I thought that I should encourage our coworkers to visit you before I do and make arrangements for this gift that you had already promised to give. Then it will be the blessing it was intended to be, and it won’t be something you’re forced to do.
• 1 Corinthians 16:1Now, concerning the money to be collected for God’s people ⌞in Jerusalem⌟: I want you to do as I directed 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