¹ About the help to God's holy people, there is really no need for me to write to you;

² for I am well aware of your enthusiasm, and I have been boasting of it to the Macedonians that 'Achaia has been ready for a year'; your enthusiasm has been a spur to many others.

³ All the same, I have sent the brothers, to make sure that our boast about you may not prove hollow in this respect and that you may be ready, as I said you would be;

⁴ so that if by chance some of the Macedonians came with me and found you unprepared we -- to say nothing of yourselves -- would not be put to shame by our confidence in you.

⁵ So I have thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go to you ahead of us and make sure in advance of the gift that you have already promised, so that it is all at hand as a real gift and not an imposition.

⁶ But remember: anyone who sows sparsely will reap sparsely as well -- and anyone who sows generously will reap generously as well.

⁷ Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

⁸ God is perfectly able to enrich you with every grace, so that you always have enough for every conceivable need, and your resources overflow in all kinds of good work.

⁹ As scripture says: To the needy he gave without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever.

¹⁰ The one who so freely provides seed for the sower and food to eat will provide you with ample store of seed for sowing and make the harvest of your uprightness a bigger one:

¹¹ you will be rich enough in every way for every kind of generosity that makes people thank God for what we have done.

¹² For the help provided by this contribution not only satisfies the needs of God's holy people, but also overflows into widespread thanksgiving to God;

¹³ because when you have proved your quality by this help, they will give glory to God for the obedience which you show in professing the gospel of Christ, as well as for the generosity of your fellowship towards them and towards all.

¹⁴ At the same time, their prayer for you will express the affection they feel for you because of the unbounded grace God has given you.

¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his gift that is beyond all telling!