New Living Translation
2 Corinthians 9:3
3But 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.
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 really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. 2For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving. 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. 4We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! 5So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 92 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 9:4We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them!
- 2 Corinthians 7:14I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true!
- 2 Corinthians 8:6So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.
- 2 Corinthians 9:5So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.
- 1 Corinthians 16:1Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to 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
In the dictionaries
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
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