2 Corinthians 9:8 Meaning of And God Is Able to Bless You Abundantly

2 Corinthians 9:8
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Explanation and Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9:8

God will reward us plentifully, both spiritually and here on earth, for giving charitably as He has commanded.

In 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul discusses the Christian duty to provide financial support for Christians in Jerusalem who were facing economic hardship because of the famine in the 40s in the first century. Historians believe Paul spent close to ten years raising money for these Christians. The Corinthian church was the first of the churches to give to the relief effort, and the first to have the desire to do so (2 Corinthians 8:10-12).

That two chapters of the Bible focused on charity for Judean Christians in an indication of the importance of that effort. These chapters have become commonly referenced instructions for church giving.

The need Paul was seeking to meet at the time was a practical one; however, a deeper meaning of Paul’s call to Christian charity is the importance of caring for the well-being of one’s brothers and sisters in Christ (see, for example, 1 John 3:17, Romans 12:13).

Bible Verse Breakdown – 2 Corinthians 9:8

#1: “And God is able to bless you abundantly…”
God is will reward us for giving to others as he has commanded. Paul states that God is “able” and not “will” because we first have a responsibility unless we fulfill our obligations. If we do so, then God will reward us.

#2: “…so that in all things at all times, having all that you need…”
So we have all that we need and are content that we have enough. We do not need to be afraid of the loss of what we have given. We should not withhold giving because we are worried that we will not have enough to provide for our needs in the future.

This does not mean that Christians will become rich by fulfilling their duty to give as God has commanded. It just means that what they have will be sufficient. The King James Version of this verse states that you will “…always have all sufficiency in all things…” There is only one other place in the Bible that uses the same Greek word for “sufficiency,” which is in 1 Timothy 6:6. It means that we will have enough in a way that we are thankful for what we have, and we will not need to rely on others to provide for us.

#3: “…you will abound in every good work.”
We will receive a large number of good things, both of a spiritual and of an earthly nature. What you receive will allow you to make up what you have given away, and you will be able to give again.

Bible Study on 2 Corinthians 9:8

Expert Overview of 2 Corinthians

Biblical Translations of 2 Corinthians 9:8

NIV
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

NLT
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

ESV
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

KJV
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

NKJV
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.