It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints, 2for I know your eagerness to serve, of which I boast on your behalf to the Macedonians, that you in Achaia have been ready for the past year. Your zeal has stirred up many of them. 3But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that you may be ready, just as I said, 4so that if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) should be disappointed in this confident boasting. 5I thought it necessary therefore to ask the brothers to visit you ahead of time and make arrangements for the generous gift that you promised before. Then the gift might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of grudging obligation.
6Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Let each man give according to what he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God1 loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all you need in everything, may abound in every good work. 9As it is written,
“He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.“ 2
10Now may he who…
“supplies seed to the sower and bread for food,” 3
…supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11May you be enriched in every way so that you can be generous at all times, which through us will result in thanksgiving to God. 12For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but also abounds in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Through the proof given by your service, others will praise God for the obedience to your confession of the Injil4 of AL-MASIH5, and for your generous contribution to them and to all; 14while they themselves also, with prayers on your behalf, long for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15Now thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
- 9:7 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 9:9 Quoting the Zabur 112:9 which says: “He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever. His horn will be exalted with honour.” ↩︎
- 9:10 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 55:10-11 which says: “For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and does not return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread for food; so shall my Word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” ↩︎
- 9:13 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎ - 9:13 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎