4. If any of the people from Macedonia come with me and 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!)
5. So I thought that I should ask these brothers to go to you before we come. They will finish getting in order the gift you promised. Then the gift will be ready when we come, and it will be a gift you wanted to give—not a gift that you hated to give.
6. Remember this: The person who plants a little will have a small harvest. But the person who plants a lot will have a big harvest.
7. Each one should give, then, what he has decided in his heart to give. He should not give if it makes him sad. And he should not give if he thinks he is forced to give. God loves the person who gives happily.
8. And God can give you more blessings than you need. Then you will always have plenty of everything. You will have enough to give to every good work.
9. It is written in the Scriptures:“He gives freely to the poor.The things he does are right and will continue forever.” Psalm 112:9