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 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. 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. We 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. 6Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lest haplyμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• they of MacedoniaΜακεδώνMakedōn · MacedoniaG3110
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• youσύsu · youG4771
• unpreparedἀπαρασκεύαστοςaparaskeuastos · unpreparedG532
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• we sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• notμήmē · notG3361
• should be ashamedκαταισχύνωkataischunō · to dishonorG2617
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• this sameοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• confidentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• confidentὑπόστασιςhupostasis · confidence/essenceG5287
• boastingκαύχησιςkauchēsis · prideG2746

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 9:4

• 2 Corinthians 9:2For 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.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.
• 2 Corinthians 8:24So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.
• 2 Corinthians 11:17Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool.

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