Translation commentary on 2 Corinthians 9:8

As noted at 9.1, the pronoun you is plural here, as throughout chapter 9.

God is able: this may also be rendered “God has the power” (Anchor Bible) or “God can…” (Barclay and Contemporary English Version).

Every blessing is literally “every grace.” New American Bible says “God is able to make every grace abundant for you” (so also New International Version). Here “grace” does not refer to God’s saving grace but rather to the benefits that he freely gives to the Corinthians.

The second half of this verse states that the givers will have enough for their own needs (enough of everything) and enough to give to the needs of others also (provide in abundance). The word translated enough is found elsewhere only in 1 Tim 6.6, where it is translated “contentment.” It carries the idea of self-sufficiency.

For every good work: note that Good News Translation, like Barclay and Phillips, speaks of “every good cause.” Some languages may have to say something like “[to help] all those who are in need.”

Here Paul seems to be intentionally piling up words indicating totality, completeness, and abundance. In this short verse the Greek word for “all [or, every]” occurs four times, “always” once, and the verb “to be abundant” appears twice. The cumulative effect is to emphasize the fact that God takes complete care of all his people at all times. But a literal rendering may sound heavy or unnatural in some languages.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

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