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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
2 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13
2 Cor 9 V1 V2 V3 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15
OET (OET-LV) Not somehow if may_come with me ones_from_Makedonia, and they_may_find you_all unprepared, may_be_disgraced we, in_order_that not we_may_be_saying you_all, by the confidence this.
OET (OET-RV) Otherwise if somehow some might come with me from Macedonia and find you unprepared, then we (or might we say you all as well) might be disgraced by our confidence.
In this section, Paul told the believers in Corinth that Titus had gone to them (8:16–17) to help them prepare the gift for Paul to take (9:5). An unnamed believer went along with Titus, and Paul described his standing in other churches (8:18–19b). Then Paul described how they intended to be careful regarding this gift (8:19c–21). Paul referred to another unnamed believer who was going with Titus (8:22). He described the standing of Titus and the two believers going with him (8:23) and encouraged the believers in Corinth to treat them well (8:24).
Then Paul reminded the believers in Corinth of their own attitudes regarding this gift (9:1–2) and his goal (9:3–4).
Other examples for this section heading are:
The delegates recommended to the Corinthians (NJB)
Paul commended Titus and his companions
Titus and his companions came to help finish collecting the gift
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared,
Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and see that you(plur) are not ready,
Some believers from Macedonia may come with me. If they see/discover that you have not prepared your gift,
If some Macedonian believers come with me to you, they might find that you have not prepared your gift.
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared: These words indicate that the believers in Corinth might be unprepared with their gift when the Macedonians arrived. Then, the Macedonians would see that the believers in Corinth had not done as they had said they would. Other ways to translate this are:
Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me, they might find out that you’re not ready after all (GW)
Some followers from Macedonia may come with me, and I want them to find that you have the money ready. If you don’t, (CEV)
any Macedonians: This phrase refers to believers from the Macedonian churches. It probably refers to people whom the churches chose to take the gift from the Macedonian churches to Jerusalem. The phrase does not refer to the two unnamed believers of 8:18–24. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
some Macedonian believers (NLT)
other delegates from the churches in Macedonia
find you unprepared: This clause indicates that the Macedonians might discover that the believers in Corinth were not prepared to give the gift. Another way to translate this is:
see that you are unprepared
we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.
we(excl) would be humiliated for being so confident—to say nothing of you.
we would be ashamed by our thinking with no doubts that you would do as you said you would, but you would be ashamed even more.
If you are unprepared, that would shame us for being certain about you. It would shame you even more!
we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed: The Greek words are literally “we, in order that we should not say you, should be ashamed.” The Greek and the BSB emphasize that the believers in Corinth would indeed be ashamed as well. It is a polite way to urge the believers to finish collecting the gift so that neither Paul nor the believers will be ashamed. Other ways to translate this are:
how ashamed we would be—not to speak of your shame— (GNT)
we would be ashamed, but you would be even more ashamed
we will be ashamed… (And you will be ashamed, too!) (NCV)
Your translation should not indicate or imply a rebuke.
ashamed: Paul and the other evangelists were confident and boasted that the believers in Corinth would prepare their gift. But if the believers did not prepare it, both groups would be ashamed. Other ways to translate this word are:
humiliated (RSV)
be put to shame (NJB)
be embarrassed (NLT)
a disgrace it will be to us (REB)
of having been so confident: There is a textual issue in 9:4b. (1) Most early Greek manuscripts have the Greek phrase that the RSV translates as being so confident (BSB, RSV, NIV, GNT, NJB, GW, NET, JBP, REB, ESV). (2) A few early Greek manuscripts have the Greek phrase that the KJV translates as this same confident boasting (KJV only). It is recommended that you follow option (1). This phrase refers to Paul being sure that the believers in Corinth would finish collecting the money for the gift before he arrived in Corinth. For example:
by our confidence in you (NJB)
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast
μή πως
not (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή πώς ἐάν ἔλθωσιν σύν ἐμοί Μακεδόνες καί εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς ἵνα μή λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ)
Here, the word Otherwise introduces a possible situation in which the Corinthians would be unprepared, in contrast to what Paul said in the previous verse about them being ready. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a contrasting situation. Alternate translation: [However] or [But if that did not happen]
Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical
ἐὰν ἔλθωσιν σὺν ἐμοὶ Μακεδόνες, καὶ εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή πώς ἐάν ἔλθωσιν σύν ἐμοί Μακεδόνες καί εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς ἵνα μή λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ)
Here Paul introduces something that could happen when Paul visits them. There are two things that Paul thinks are possibilities. First, Macedonians might travel with him. Second, the Corinthians might be unprepared. Paul wishes to say that if both these things were to happen, both he and the Corinthians would be ashamed. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that introduces something that might happen. Alternate translation: [suppose that Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared; in that case]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἀπαρασκευάστους
unprepared
Here Paul implies that they would be unprepared to give money to the collection. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the idea more explicit. Alternate: “unprepared to contribute” or “unprepared to give generously”
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς, ἵνα μὴ λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς, ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ
˓may_be˒_disgraced we in_order_that (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή πώς ἐάν ἔλθωσιν σύν ἐμοί Μακεδόνες καί εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς ἵνα μή λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ)
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [this situation would shame us—not to mention you.]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς, ἵνα μὴ λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς, ἐν
˓may_be˒_disgraced we in_order_that (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή πώς ἐάν ἔλθωσιν σύν ἐμοί Μακεδόνες καί εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς ἵνα μή λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ)
Here, the phrase not to mention you indicates that Paul thinks that the Corinthians would obviously be ashamed, even more than Paul and his fellow workers. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that expresses that idea. Alternate translation: [we, and most surely you, would be ashamed by] or [we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed by]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ
¬the confidence this
Here, the phrase this situation could refer to: (1) what would actually happen if the Corinthians were unprepared, in contrast to what Paul had told the Macedonians would happen. Alternate translation: [what would actually be true] or [what had happened] (2) how sure Paul had been that the Corinthians would be ready. Alternate translation: [how confident we were] or [this confidence] (3) the project that Paul was undertaking, which was the collection of money for the Jerusalem believers. Alternate translation: [our project] or [what we were planning to do]
Note 7 topic: translate-textvariants
τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ
¬the confidence this
Here most ancient manuscripts read this situation. The ULT follows that reading. Some ancient manuscripts read “this situation of boasting.” Most likely, the phrase “of boasting” was added by accident because it appears in the similar phrase in [11:17](../11/17.md). So, it is recommended that you use the reading of the ULT.
9:1-5 Two motives reinforce the spirit of love in giving: (1) to emulate the Macedonians, who in their poverty had been forthcoming in their generosity (9:2); and (2) not to shame Paul or themselves, since he had boasted about the Corinthians’ generosity to the Macedonians (9:3-5). To ensure the timely gathering of the collection at Corinth, Paul would send the delegates (8:16-24) in advance to make sure the gift you promised is ready.
OET (OET-LV) Not somehow if may_come with me ones_from_Makedonia, and they_may_find you_all unprepared, may_be_disgraced we, in_order_that not we_may_be_saying you_all, by the confidence this.
OET (OET-RV) Otherwise if somehow some might come with me from Macedonia and find you unprepared, then we (or might we say you all as well) might be disgraced by our confidence.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.