2 Corinthians 9:4

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (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.

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.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It would be an embarrassment to all of us if I showed up with some cowboys from Macedonia and y'all weren't ready after all.

Bible in Basic English
For fear that, if any from Macedonia come with me, and you are not ready, we (not to say, you) might be put to shame in this thing.

Darby Translation
lest haply, if Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, *we*, that we say not *ye*, may be put to shame in this confidence.

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.

World 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 put to shame in this confident boasting.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Lest if any of the Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared, we (not to say, you) be ashamed of this confident boasting.

Weymouth's 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.

King James Version (1611)
Lest happily if they of Macedonia come with mee, & find you vnprepared, wee (that wee say not, you) should bee ashamed in this same confident boasting.

Literal Translation
lest if Macedonians come with me and find you not ready, that we (we do not say you) should be ashamed in this assurance of boasting.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
lest whan they of Macedonia come with me, and fynde you vnprepared, we (I wyl not saye ye) shulde be ashamed in this presumpcion of boostinge.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for if the Macedonians should come with me, and find you unprepared, how shall I, not to say you, be ashamed for having had so little ground to boast of you?

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.

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.

Revised Standard Version
lest if some Macedo'nians come with me and find that you are not ready, we be humiliated--to say nothing of you--for being so confident.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
lest paraveture yf they of Macedonia come with me and fynde you vnprepared the boost that I made in this matter shuld be a shame to vs: I saye not vnto you.

Update Bible Version
lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we- not to mention you-should be put to shame 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.

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.

New Century Version
If any of the people from Macedonia come with me and find that you are not ready, we will be ashamed that we were so sure of you. (And you will be ashamed, too!)

New English Translation
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.

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.

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.

Complete Jewish Bible
For if some Macedonians were to come with me and find you unprepared, we would be humiliated at having been so confident — to say nothing of how you would feel.

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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Lest if they of Macedonia come with me, and finde you vnprepared, we (that wee may not say, you) should be ashamed in this my constant boasting.

George Lamsa Translation
Lest it happen some Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared and we would be ashamed for, because of our pride in you, we would not say anything which would put the blame on you.

Hebrew Names Version
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 put to shame in this confident boasting.

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.

Etheridge Translation
lest, if the Makedunoyee should come with me, and find you not ready, we be shamed-that I may not say, you be shamed-of the boasting which we have boasted.

Murdock Translation
so that, if the Macedonians should come with me, and should find you unprepared, we-not to say, ye-should be put to shame for that glorying in which we gloried.

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. [fn]

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!

New Life Bible
What if some of the people of Macedonia came with me and found you were not ready to send your gift of money? We would all be ashamed since we have talked of you so much.

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.

New Revised Standard
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.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Lest by any means, if there should come with me Macedonians, and find you unprepared, we, - not to say, ye, - should be put to shame in this confidence.

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.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
lest somehow if Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—would be humiliated in connection with this project.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Lest yf they of Macedonia come with me, and fynde you vnprepared, we (I wyll not say you) shoulde be ashamed in this matter of boastyng.

Easy-to-Read Version
If any of those from Macedonia come with me, and they find that you are not ready, we will be ashamed. We will be ashamed that we were so sure of you. And you will be ashamed too!

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.

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!

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lest whanne Macedonyes comen with me, and fynden you vnredi, we be schamed, that we seien you not, in this substaunce.

Contextual Overview

¹If I wrote any more on this relief offering for the poor Christians, I'd be repeating myself. I know you're on board and ready to go. I've been bragging about you all through Macedonia province, telling them, "Achaia province has been ready to go on this since last year." Your enthusiasm by now has spread to most of them. ³Now I'm sending the brothers to make sure you're ready, as I said you would be, so my bragging won't turn out to be just so much hot air. If some Macedonians and I happened to drop in on you and found you weren't prepared, we'd all be pretty red-faced—you and us—for acting so sure of ourselves. So to make sure there will be no slipup, I've recruited these brothers as an advance team to get you and your promised offering all ready before I get there. I want you to have all the time you need to make this offering in your own way. I don't want anything forced or hurried at the last minute.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they: 2 Corinthians 9:2, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

be ashamed: 2 Corinthians 8:24, 2 Corinthians 11:17

Reciprocal: 2 Corinthians 9:3 - have 2 Corinthians 12:21 - my God Philippians 1:6 - confident 2 Thessalonians 1:4 - glory Hebrews 11:1 - substance

Cross-References

Leviticus 3:17
The Peace-Offering "If your offering is a Peace-Offering and you present an animal from the herd, either male or female, it must be an animal without any defect. Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons, the priests, will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present all the fat that covers or is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver that is removed along with the kidneys. Aaron and his sons will burn it on the Altar along with the Whole-Burnt-Offering that is on the wood prepared for the fire: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God . "If your Peace-Offering to God comes from the flock, bring a male or female without defect. If you offer a lamb, offer it to God . Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the Tent of Meeting. The sons of Aaron will throw its blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat on and connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. The priest will burn it on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift to God . "If the offering is a goat, bring it into the presence of God , lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God present the fat that covers and is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat which is around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. The priest will burn them on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance. "All the fat belongs to God . This is the fixed rule down through the generations, wherever you happen to live: Don't eat the fat; don't eat the blood. None of it."

Leviticus 19:26
"Don't eat meat with blood in it. "Don't practice divination or sorcery.

Deuteronomy 12:16
But you may not eat the blood. Pour the blood out on the ground like water. Nor may you eat there the tithe of your grain, new wine, or olive oil; nor the firstborn of your herds and flocks; nor any of the Vow-Offerings that you vow; nor your Freewill-Offerings and Tribute-Offerings. All these you must eat in the Presence of God , your God, in the place God , your God, chooses—you, your son and daughter, your servant and maid, and the Levite who lives in your neighborhood. You are to celebrate in the Presence of God , your God, all the things you've been able to accomplish.

Deuteronomy 12:23
Only this: Absolutely no blood. Don't eat the blood. Blood is life; don't eat the life with the meat. Don't eat it; pour it out on the ground like water. Don't eat it; then you'll have a good life, you and your children after you. By all means, do the right thing in God 's eyes.

Deuteronomy 14:21
Because you are a people holy to God , your God, don't eat anything that you find dead. You can, though, give it to a foreigner in your neighborhood for a meal or sell it to a foreigner. Don't boil a kid in its mother's milk.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me,.... The apostle had determined to come himself, though he was afterwards prevented by Providence, but could not be certain of the coming of the Macedonian brethren with him; however, as it was probable that some of them would come, whose hearts were so much in this work, therefore he judged it fit and proper to send the brethren before hand, in case they should come:

and find you unprepared; not so ready for this service as had been boasted of, and the collection not finished, which had been begun a year ago.

We (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting; or "in this same substance", or "subsistence of boasting": a boasting, which, he thought, they had the most solid and substantial ground and foundation to proceed upon; which, should it come to nothing, must cause shame both in the apostles, who had so largely, and with so much assurance, boasted of them; and in the Corinthians, who must be put to the blush, when it should be told them how much they had been boasted of with respect to their readiness, and yet were unprepared: so תוחלת, "hope", expectation, confidence, is rendered by the Septuagint καυχημα, "boasting", Proverbs 11:7 and in Psalms 39:5 υποστασις, the word here used. And some copies, and also the Vulgate Latin version, only read, "in this substance", or glorying, and leave out boasting as superfluous.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Lest haply if they of Macedonia - If any of the Macedonians should happen to come with me, and should find that you had done nothing. He does not say that they would come with him, but it was by no means improbable that they would. It was customary for some of the members of the churches to travel with Paul from place to place, and the conversation was constant between Macedonia and Achaia. Paul had, therefore, every reason to suppose that some of the Macedonians would accompany him when he should go to Corinth. At all events it was probable that the Macedonians would learn from some quarter whether the Corinthians were or were not ready when Paul should go to them.

should be ashamed ...}We (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed ... - “In this,” says Bloomfield, “one cannot but recognize a most refined and delicate turn, inferior to none of the best Classical writers.” Paul had boasted confidently that the Corinthians would be ready with their collection. He had excited and stimulated the Macedonians by this consideration. He had induced them in this way to give liberally, 2 Corinthians 8:1-4. If now it should turn out after all that the Corinthians had given nothing, or had given stintedly, the character of Paul would suffer. His veracity and his judgment would be called in question, and he would be accused of trick, and artifice, and fraud in inducing them to give. Or if he should not be charged with dishonesty, yet he would be humbled and mortified himself that he had made representations which had proved to be so unfounded. But this was not all. The character of the Corinthians was also at stake. They had purposed to make the collection. They had left the impression in the mind of Paul that it would be done. They had hitherto evinced such a character as to make Paul confident that the collection would be made. If now by any means this should fail, their character would suffer, and they would have occasion to be ashamed that they had excited so confident expectations of what they would do.