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 willingness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3But I have sent the brothers, in order that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this case, so that, as I was saying, you will be prepared; otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we--not to mention you--would be put to shame by this confidence. 5So I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they go on ahead to you and arrange in advance your previously promised generous gift, that the same would be ready as a generous gift, and not as one grudgingly given due to greediness. 6Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who 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

• otherwiseμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• MacedoniansΜακεδώνMakedōn · MacedoniaG3110
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• with me and findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• you unpreparedἀπαρασκεύαστοςaparaskeuastos · unpreparedG532
• we--not to mentionλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• by thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• confidenceὑπόστασιςhupostasis · confidence/essenceG5287

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 9:4

• 2 Corinthians 9:2for I know your willingness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
• 2 Corinthians 8:24Therefore, openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.
• 2 Corinthians 11:17What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

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