2 Corinthians 9 14

2 Corinthians 9:14 kjv

And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

2 Corinthians 9:14 nkjv

and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.

2 Corinthians 9:14 niv

And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

2 Corinthians 9:14 esv

while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

2 Corinthians 9:14 nlt

And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.

2 Corinthians 9 verses

2 Corinthians 9 14 Meaning

This verse describes the profound impact of the Corinthians' generous contribution to the needy saints in Jerusalem. It reveals that the recipients of this aid, alongside giving thanks to God, earnestly long for and pray for the Corinthians. Their prayers and longing are a direct response to seeing the "surpassing grace of God" so clearly evident in the Corinthians' acts of sacrificial giving. The grace of God is not just upon the Corinthians for their ability to give, but also powerfully manifests through their giving, eliciting fervent spiritual affection and intercession from those they serve.

2 Corinthians 9 14 Context

This verse is embedded in chapters 8 and 9 of 2 Corinthians, which constitute Paul's extensive instruction and appeal regarding a collection for the impoverished Christian believers in Jerusalem. The broader context includes Paul defending his apostleship, confronting false teachers, and emphasizing principles of Christian living. Chapters 8 and 9 specifically address the "grace" of giving. Paul uses the generous example of the Macedonian churches (2 Cor 8:1-7) and the ultimate example of Christ (2 Cor 8:9) to encourage the Corinthians to fulfill their pledge. The collection serves not only to alleviate physical needs but also to strengthen the bond between Gentile and Jewish believers, manifesting unity in Christ. The Corinthians' generosity proves the genuineness of their love and obedience to the gospel, which then brings forth thanksgiving to God from the recipients, and ultimately leads to their heartfelt prayers and longing for the Corinthian believers as seen in this verse. It is a demonstration that true spiritual prosperity includes tangible acts of love and sharing.

2 Corinthians 9 14 Word analysis

• "while they long for you"

  • Greek: ἐπιποθέντες (epipothontes), from epipotheō
  • Meaning: To yearn deeply, intensely desire, crave, long for with affection.
  • Significance: This is not a casual sentiment but a fervent, heartfelt yearning, reflecting a spiritual bond formed by the act of giving. It highlights the profound emotional and relational impact of the Corinthians' benevolence on the recipients.
  • Context: It signifies more than just appreciation; it's a desire for fellowship, presence, and perhaps mutual encouragement, showing the transformative power of grace expressed through tangible aid.

• "and pray for you"

  • Greek: δεόμενοι (deomenoi), from deomai
  • Meaning: To beg, entreat, implore, supplicate; to ask for something from necessity.
  • Significance: This emphasizes the serious and earnest nature of their intercession. The recipients, moved by God's grace demonstrated through the Corinthians, are driven to appeal to God on their behalf.
  • Context: It highlights the spiritual reciprocity within the body of Christ. Material blessings (from Corinthians) result in spiritual blessings (prayers from recipients), creating a divine cycle of grace. This counters any notion of a one-way transaction.

• "because of"

  • Greek: διὰ (dia)
  • Meaning: On account of, by means of, through.
  • Significance: This preposition establishes the direct causal link. The recipients' longing and prayers are not merely a polite reaction, but a direct and inevitable outcome rooted in a profound recognition.

• "the surpassing grace"

  • Greek: ὑπερβάλλουσαν χάριν (hyperballousan charin)
  • Meaning: Hyperballousan from hyperballō means "to throw beyond, excel, surpass, exceed." Charin is "grace, favor, gift." So, "exceeding grace," "overflowing grace," "extraordinary grace."
  • Significance: This refers to the remarkable and abundant nature of God's grace. It suggests a grace that is beyond measure, evident both in God enabling the Corinthians to give and in how it manifests through their actions. This grace isn't just internal but spills out in tangible, observable ways.
  • Context: Paul often links grace to generosity (2 Cor 8:1, 9:8). Here, it’s not only grace enabling them to give, but also God’s grace visibly operative through their giving, seen and recognized by others. It challenges any self-righteousness in giving, emphasizing God as the ultimate source and enabler.

• "of God"

  • Greek: τοῦ Θεοῦ (tou Theou)
  • Meaning: Pertaining to God, sourced from God.
  • Significance: Reinforces that this "surpassing grace" originates wholly from God. It prevents any attribution of the giving to mere human benevolence or wealth, instead placing the divine initiative at the forefront.

• "upon you"

  • Greek: ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν (eph' hymin), a compound of epi (upon) and hymin (you).
  • Meaning: Upon, on, with respect to, concerning you.
  • Significance: The grace is directly "on" the Corinthians, working in and through them. It's not abstract but present and active in their lives, demonstrating God's favor and empowering their actions.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "while they long for you and pray for you": This phrase demonstrates the profound, reciprocal spiritual fellowship generated by physical aid. It's a two-fold response: an emotional connection (longing) and an active spiritual engagement (prayer). This highlights the unity of the body of Christ, where believers, though geographically distant, are spiritually interconnected and interdependent. It transcends mere transactional charity into true Christian kinship.
• "because of the surpassing grace of God upon you": This reveals the ultimate cause and credit for the Corinthian's actions and the recipients' response. The source of the generosity is divine grace, not human effort alone. The recognition of this grace is what moves the recipients to heartfelt prayers and longing. It confirms that genuine Christian generosity is a visible manifestation of God's work in a believer's life, and that this divine signature leads to worship (thanksgiving) and deeper spiritual bonds (longing and prayer) among believers.

2 Corinthians 9 14 Bonus section

The reciprocal nature of giving and receiving within the church (material aid leading to spiritual prayer and longing) underscores a key aspect of Paul's theology of Christian community. This exchange signifies a spiritual circulation where grace flows from God, empowers believers to give, meets the needs of others, and then returns to God in thanksgiving and to the givers in prayerful intercession. This also served as a powerful counter to potential sectarianism between Jewish and Gentile believers; the practical love shown by the Gentiles to the Jerusalem saints broke down walls and demonstrated their shared identity in Christ. This "proof" or "testing" (2 Cor 9:13) of the Corinthians' love, manifested through their generosity, was therefore crucial not just for physical relief but for strengthening Christian unity and glorifying God.

2 Corinthians 9 14 Commentary

2 Corinthians 9:14 concisely portrays the transformative power of God's grace manifested through generous giving within the Christian community. Paul illustrates that the practical act of financial support by the Corinthians is far from a mere administrative task; it cultivates profound spiritual benefits for all involved. The recipients of the aid, rather than simply expressing gratitude, are moved to an intense spiritual yearning for and earnest intercession on behalf of their benefactors. This response is not due to the Corinthians' wealth or efforts, but because they discern the "surpassing grace of God" actively at work upon and through them. This grace enables their giving, sustains it, and glorifies God through its outcome.

The verse highlights several key theological truths: firstly, genuine Christian giving is always a product of divine grace, enabling believers to go beyond their natural inclination. Secondly, acts of practical love and sharing strengthen the bonds within the universal church, fostering deep fellowship and mutual spiritual dependence (material provision from one group, fervent prayer from another). Thirdly, such acts become a powerful testimony to God's transformative work, drawing others into worship and recognition of His glory. It also subtly reinforces that spiritual capital (prayers) is as valuable, if not more, than material capital. This divine economy elevates selfless charity beyond humanitarian aid to an act that produces spiritual longing and intercessory prayer, binding the body of Christ in enduring love and faith.