2 Corinthians 9


2 Corinthians 9 is the ninth chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It was written by Paul the Apostle and Timothy in Macedonia in 55–56 CE.
This chapter continues "the topic of generous giving" commenced in the previous chapter. The eighteenth-century German theologian Johann Salomo Semler suggested that this chapter was a separate letter later inserted into 2 Corinthians. The Jerusalem Bible notes the possibility that chapter 9 was "a short note to the churches of Achaia, being inserted here subsequently to follow the instructions on the same subject... in chapter 8. The Pulpit Commentary rejects this suggestion.

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 15 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
Achaia was the region within which Corinth was located. The change of wording from "Corinth" to "Achaia" is "somewhat surprising", but it is consistent with the wording in 2 Corinthians 1, where the letter is addressed to "the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia".

Verses 6-7

Paul provides "an assurance grounded in Scripture and partly cited from it, that as we sow, so shall we reap".
  • "To sow bountifully" is literally "to sow with blessings": the spirit of the giver must encompass giving alms with blessings, such that the second reference to "bountiful" blessings simply indicates the same giving in return.
  • "not reluctantly or under compulsion" : that is "of his own will and free choice", from one's very heart; not as directed and forced by others.
  • "For God loves a cheerful giver": The Jewish phrase "with a cheerful countenance", or elsewhere "with a cheerful heart" is from the quotation: "He that doth the commandment, i.e. alms, let him do it "with a cheerful heart"." in the Septuagint has "God blesses a cheerful man, and a giver", which may be what Paul refers to.

    Verse 9

Citing.

Verse 15

Paul knew that all the magnificent promises of God were guaranteed through the perfect sacrifice of Christ. Thus, that "indescribable free gift" would include all the goodness and loyal love that God would extend to mankind through Jesus. Indeed, that gift is so awe-inspiring that it cannot be fully described in human terms.