II Corinthians 9:10
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Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Translate, as in Isa 55:10, "He that ministereth (supplieth) seed to the sower and bread for food" (literally, "bread for eating"). minister--rather future, as the oldest manuscripts, "Shall minister (supply) and multiply." your seed--your means for liberality. the fruits of your righteousness--the heavenly rewards for your Christian charity (Mat 10:42). Righteousness shall be itself the reward, even as it is the thing rewarded (Hos 10:12; Mat 5:6; Mat 6:33).
Open source ↗In this chapter the apostle seems to excuse his earnestness in pressing the Corinthians to the duty of charity (Co2 9:1-5), and proceeds to give directions about the acceptable way and manner of performing it, namely, bountifully, deliberately, and freely; and gives good encouragement for so doing (Co2 9:6 to the end).
Open source ↗9:10-14 The Corinthians’ generosity would be matched by God’s generosity (9:10-11). It would also meet the needs of Jewish Christians (9:12), honor God (9:13), show believers in Jerusalem that their Gentile brothers and sisters were genuine believers (9:13), and result in the Jewish believers’ intercessory prayer and affection for the Gentile believers (9:14). Paul envisioned a united, worldwide Christian church, composed of believing Jews and Gentiles who are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28; Eph 2:11-22), which would become a powerful witness to the Lord’s work of reconciliation.
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows,
The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Not that I am seeking a gift, but I am looking for the fruit that may be credited to your account.
Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Purchase us and our land in exchange for food. Then we, along with our land, will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”