9:6 reap. “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Note also Psalm 126:5-6. The bountiful return promised by God for generous giving is not necessarily (though possibly it is in some cases) to be measured in material plenty (but see Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:10-12). He does, indeed, promise to supply our need (Philippians 4:19), but perhaps more commonly the rewards are spiritual, which in terms of eternity are far more valuable. Note II Corinthians 9:8-14. Therefore, when we give with abundance, we are not really “giving,” but “sowing.”

9:8 all grace. God promises an abundance of “all grace” to those who learn the grace of giving and exercise it “cheerfully” (the Greek word in II Corinthians 9:7 is that from which we derive our word “hilarious”). Note the frequent use of superlatives in this verse—“all grace,” “always,” “all sufficiency,” “all things,” “every good work,” with “abound” occurring twice.

9:9 it is written. This testimony is found in Psalm 112:9, where it is describing “the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in His commandments” (Psalm 112:1).

9:11 thanksgiving to God. We are to give thanks “in every thing” (I Thessalonians 5:18). The importance of being thankful is pointed out by the fact that such words as “praise” and “thanksgiving,” with their derivatives, occur some five hundred times in the Bible. A key evidence that a Christian is “filled with the Spirit” is that he or she is habitually “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18,20).

9:15 unspeakable. The great gift of God to man in the sacrificial, redemptive death of His Son for our sins, providing us forgiveness and everlasting life, is beyond all human language to express adequately. We cannot merit such a gift; we can only thank Him for it and, like the Philippians, give ourselves to the Lord and live henceforth only unto Him (II Corinthians 8:5; 5:15). His gift to us must define all our gifts to Him.