Devine Scripture

2 Corinthians 9:7

What does 2 Corinthians 9:7 mean?

A plain-English look at 2 Corinthians 9:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 2 Corinthians 9:7 means

Each believer should give according to a personal, settled decision before God—“as he has purposed in his heart.” The gift should not be dragged out by pressure or guilt. God takes pleasure in a cheerful giver because cheerful giving reflects His own generous heart. True generosity is willing, thoughtful, and joyful. This verse honors both liberty and responsibility: liberty from compulsion, responsibility to purposefulness. It calls for integrity between one’s heart, means, and act of giving. Such giving is worship. It flows from grace received and trusts that God values the heart’s posture as much as the amount.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Let every man do after the purpose of his heart; not giving with grief, or by force: for God takes pleasure in a ready giver.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

each according as he is purposed in his heart; not grievingly, or of necessity; forGod loves a cheerful giver.

Context

Having stated the sowing-and-reaping principle, Paul defines the spirit of giving. Verse 7 centers the heart: intentional, not grudging or coerced, and marked by cheerfulness. This prepares for verse 8, where Paul grounds cheerful generosity in God’s power to supply “all sufficiency.” The flow shows that right motives do not float free from reality; they are upheld by God’s grace. The next verses (8–11) expand this assurance, linking God’s abundant provision to believers’ ability to continue doing good works and to the multiplying of thanksgiving to God.

v.6But thisI say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

v.7This passage

v.8And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Proverbs 11:25

    The liberal soul shall be made fat; And he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

  • Romans 12:8

    or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

  • James 5:9

    Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors.

  • Exodus 35:5

    Take ye from among you an offering unto Jehovah; whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Jehovah’s offering: gold, and silver, and brass,

  • Isaiah 32:5

    The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

  • Proverbs 23:6

    Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, Neither desire thou his dainties:

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