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:
• 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;
• New Living Translation (NLT)But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you.

Context of 2 Corinthians 9:3

1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 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. 4For 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. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

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 9:4For 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.
• 2 Corinthians 7:14I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.
• 2 Corinthians 8:6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
• 2 Corinthians 9:5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
• 1 Corinthians 16:1Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do.

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