2 Corinthians 9:5 Meaning and Explanation
“Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul arranges for the gift to be gathered ahead of time, so it would be a true act of generosity, freely given rather than reluctantly squeezed out.
What Does 2 Corinthians 9:5 Mean?
Paul sends the brethren ahead to help 'make up beforehand your bounty' -- to organize the generous gift the Corinthians had already been told about. His aim is the spirit of the giving: that it be a free overflow of generosity ('bounty'), and not something grudging or grasping ('covetousness').
The manner of a gift matters as much as the amount. A gift prepared with joy blesses both giver and receiver; a gift wrung out at the last moment, or given tightly, loses its grace. Paul wants the Corinthians' offering to flow from a willing heart, the kind of open-handed love that mirrors the generosity of God Himself, who gives freely and without reluctance.
2 Corinthians 9:5 in the Original Language
eulogia (εὐλογία), 'bounty' -- literally a blessing; a gift given generously as a blessing.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Corinthians 9:5
What does 2 Corinthians 9:5 mean?
Paul arranges for the gift to be gathered ahead of time, so it would be a true act of generosity, freely given rather than reluctantly squeezed out.