2 Corinthians 9:4
New International Version
For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.

New Living Translation
We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them!

English Standard Version
Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident.

Berean Standard Bible
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.

Berean Literal Bible
Otherwise, if Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we--not that we might say you--would be put to shame in this confidence.

King James Bible
Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

New King James Version
lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.

New American Standard Bible
otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to mention you—would be put to shame by this confidence.

NASB 1995
otherwise if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we— not to speak of you— will be put to shame by this confidence.

NASB 1977
lest if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to speak of you) should be put to shame by this confidence.

Legacy Standard Bible
lest if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—be put to shame in this certainty of ours.

Amplified Bible
otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of yourselves—will be humiliated for being so confident.

Christian Standard Bible
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation.

American Standard Version
lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Lest you come with me to Macedonia and they find you unprepared and we would be ashamed; for we would not say that you would be ashamed by that boasting which we boasted.

Contemporary English Version
Some followers from Macedonia may come with me, and I want them to find that you have the money ready. If you don't, I would be embarrassed for trusting you to do this. But you would be embarrassed even more.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me, and find you unprepared, we (not to say ye) should be ashamed in this matter.

English Revised Version
lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me, they might find out that you're not ready after all. This would embarrass us for feeling so confident as much as it would embarrass you.

Good News Translation
However, if the people from Macedonia should come with me and find out that you are not ready, how ashamed we would be--not to speak of your shame--for feeling so sure of you!

International Standard Version
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find out that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking.

Literal Standard Version
lest if Macedonians may come with me, and find you unprepared, we may be put to shame (that we do not say—you) in this same confidence of boasting.

Majority Standard Bible
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident in our boasting.

New American Bible
for fear that if any Macedonians come with me and find you not ready we might be put to shame (to say nothing of you) in this conviction.

NET Bible
For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

New Revised Standard Version
otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking.

New Heart English Bible
so that I won't by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) should be disappointed in this confidence.

Webster's Bible Translation
Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

Weymouth New Testament
for fear that, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we--not to say you yourselves--should be put to the blush in respect to this confidence.

World English Bible
lest by any means, if anyone from Macedonia comes there with me and finds you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) would be disappointed in this confident boasting.

Young's Literal Translation
lest if Macedonians may come with me, and find you unprepared, we -- we may be put to shame (that we say not -- ye) in this same confidence of boasting.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove empty, but that you will be prepared, just as I said. 4Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we— to say nothing of you— would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the bountiful gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly.…

Cross References
Romans 15:26
For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.

Philemon 1:19
I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it--not to mention that you owe me your very self.


Treasury of Scripture

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, you) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

they.

2 Corinthians 9:2
For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; …

be ashamed.

2 Corinthians 8:24
Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

2 Corinthians 11:17
That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

Jump to Previous
Ashamed Blush Boasting Confidence Confident Disappointed Fear Find Haply Macedonia Macedonians Macedo'nians Means Otherwise Ready Respect Shame Speak Won't Yourselves
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Ashamed Blush Boasting Confidence Confident Disappointed Fear Find Haply Macedonia Macedonians Macedo'nians Means Otherwise Ready Respect Shame Speak Won't Yourselves
2 Corinthians 9
1. He yields the reason why he sent Titus and his brothers beforehand.
6. And he proceeds in stirring them up to a bountiful alms, as being but a kind of sowing of seed,
10. which shall return a great increase to them,
13. and occasion a great sacrifice of thanksgivings unto God.














(4) Lest haply if they of Macedonia . . .--The Greek for "Macedonians" has no article, and the word is meant to stir up something like an esprit de corps. "Surely you Achaians won't allow Macedonians to come and see that you fall short of what I told them about?" It is a probable, but not, as some have thought, a necessary inference, that neither of the two unnamed brethren of 2Corinthians 8:18; 2Corinthians 8:22, were of that province. What he now indicates is, that it is, at all events, probable that when he comes to pay his deferred visit he will be accompanied by Macedonians. If, then, they were still not ready, there would be shame for him; how much more for them!

In this same confident boasting.--Literally, in this confidence of boasting; but the better MSS. give "in this confidence" only. The word so translated (hypostasis), literally, "that which stands under, the base or ground of anything," has the interest of a long subsequent history in metaphysical and theological controversies, of which we find, perhaps, the first trace in Hebrews 1:3, where it appears as "person," and Hebrews 11:1, where it is rendered "substance." (See Notes on those passages.) In Hebrews 3:14, it has the same meaning as in this passage. . . .

Verse 4. - They of Macedonia; rather, Macedonians; i.e. any friends from Macedonia (Acts 20:4). Shall Achaians have to blush before Macedonians? We, that we say not ye. Nothing can exceed the delicacy of this touch. St. Paul asks them to be ready with their contributions for his sake, not for their own; that he may not have to blush for his generous words respecting them, whereas really the discredit would be simply theirs. Confident boasting; rather, confidence. The reading "of boasting" is not genuine here. For the word hypostasis in the sense of "confidence," see 2 Corinthians 11:17; Hebrews 3:4. The use of the word to represent the "Persons" of the Blessed Trinity is later. The other sense of the word, "substance" (or underlying base of attributes), is found in Hebrews 1:3.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Otherwise,
μή (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

if [any]
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

Macedonians
Μακεδόνες (Makedones)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3110: A Macedon, i.e. Inhabitant of Macedonia.

come
ἔλθωσιν (elthōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

with
σὺν (syn)
Preposition
Strong's 4862: With. A primary preposition denoting union; with or together.

me
ἐμοὶ (emoi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

find
εὕρωσιν (heurōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

unprepared,
ἀπαρασκευάστους (aparaskeuastous)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 532: Unprepared. Unready.

we—
ἡμεῖς (hēmeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

say
λέγωμεν (legōmen)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

nothing
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

of you—
ὑμεῖς (hymeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

would be ashamed of
καταισχυνθῶμεν (kataischynthōmen)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2617: From kata and aischunomai; to shame down, i.e. Disgrace or put to the blush.

[having been]
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

so
ταύτῃ (tautē)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

confident.
ὑποστάσει (hypostasei)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5287: From a compound of hupo and histemi; a setting under, i.e. concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance.


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 9:4 So that I won't by any means (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 9:3
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