2 Corinthians 9:14
in 2 Corinthians 9And their prayers for you will express their affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.
KJV
And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 9
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThirdly, on account of what these saints have from God that they may give thanks to God; hence he says: glorifying God also in their praying for you, i.e., they glorify God for the fact that those holy men pray for you; the men, I …
This site's exposition
your professed subjection unto the gospel
on 2 Corinthians 9:13-14
Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men: the recipients in Jerusalem will read the gift itself as evidence, proof that Gentile believers genuinely submit to the same gospel, and the bench notes that Paul lets the money argue a theological point the collection was always partly designed to make, the unity of Jew and Gentile in one body. And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you: the gift returns as intercession, Jerusalem's saints praying for the very Gentiles their own tradition had long held at arm's length, a bond of prayer running back across the gift's original direction.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 336 · Written before 458.
proposed
The Corinthians will reap the benefit of the prayers of the poor. Those prayers come out of great love.
"While they themselves also with supplication." 'For in respect of these things,' saith he, 'they give thanks to God, but in respect of your love and your coming together, they beseech Him that they may be counted worthy to see you. For they long after this, not for the money's sake, but that they may be witnesses of the grace that hath been bestowed upon you.' Seest thou Paul's wisdom, how after having exalted them, he ascribed the whole to God by calling the thing "grace?" For seeing he had spoken great things of them, in that he called them ministers and exalted them unto a great height, (since they offered service whilst he himself did but administer,) and termed them 'proved,' he shows that God was the Author of all these things.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Moreover, they also pray for you, as though to be counted worthy of seeing you, not for the sake of possessions, but for the sake of the grace of God abundantly given to you. Again he calls the work of almsgiving grace, ascribing everything to …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And thus should we recompense the kindnesses we receive when we are not in a capacity of recompensing them in any other way; and, as this is the only recompence the poor can make, so it is often greatly for the advantage of the rich.
And by their prayer for you,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
The exceeding grace of God in you - By the ὑπερβαλλουσαν χαριν, superabounding or transcending grace, of God, which was in them, the apostle most evidently means the merciful and charitable disposition which they had towards the suffering saints. The whole connection, indeed the whole chapter, proves this; and the apostle attributes this to its right source, the grace or goodness of God. They had the means of charity, but God had given these means; they had a feeling, and charitable heart, but God was the author of it.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Translate, "Themselves also with prayer for you, longing after you on account of the exceeding grace of God (resting) upon you." English Version is, however, good sense: They glorify God (2Co 9:13) by the experimental proof, &c., "and by their prayer for you." But the Greek favors the former.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And by their prayer for you - On the grammatical construction of this difficult verse, Doddridge and Bloomfield may be consulted. It is probably to be taken in connection with 2Co 9:12, and 2Co 9:13 is a parenthesis. Thus interpreted, the sense will be, “The administration of this service 2Co 9:12 will produce abundant thanks to God. It will also 2Co 9:14 produce another effect. It will tend to excite the prayers of the saints for you, and thus produce important benefits to yourselves. They will earnestly desire your welfare, they will anxiously pray to be united in Christian friendship with those who have been so signally endowed with the grace of God.” The sentiment is, that charity should be shown to poor and afflicted Christians because it will lead them to pray for us and to desire our welfare. The prayers of the poorest Christian for us are worth more than all we usually bestow on them in charity; and he who has secured the pleadings of a child of God, however humble, in his behalf, has made a good use of his money. Which long after you - Who earnestly desire to see and know you. Who will sincerely desire your welfare, and who will thus be led to pray for you. For the exceeding grace of God in you - On account of the favor which God has shown to you: the strength and power of the Christian principle, manifesting itself in doing good to those whom you have never seen. The apostle supposes that the exercise of a charitable disposition is to be traced entirely to God. God is the author of all grace; he alone excites in us a disposition to do good to others.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | by their | G846 → | 5565 times |
| δεήσει | deesei | supplication | G1162 → | |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐπιποθούντων | epipothounton | a longing | G1971 → | |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | for you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| διὰ | dia | on account of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπερβάλλουσαν | huperballousan | surpassing | G5235 → | |
| χάριν | charin | grace | G5485 → | 153 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ὑμῖν. | humin | you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
αὐτῶνby their
autonG846 →5565 times
δεήσειsupplication
deeseiG1162 →
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐπιποθούντωνa longing
epipothountonG1971 →
ὑμᾶςfor you
humasG4771 →2973 times
διὰon account of
diaG1223 →664 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὑπερβάλλουσανsurpassing
huperballousanG5235 →
χάρινgrace
charinG5485 →153 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐφ᾽upon
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ὑμῖν.you.
huminG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 4:1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
it leads to
- Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm…
- 1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
- Psalms 27:14
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- Philippians 2:16
as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- Philippians 1:27
Through
1 Timothy 1:14And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:13
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 1:7–8
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
- 2 Timothy 1:13
Through
Philippians 1:8God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Romans 1:9
God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
- Romans 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Corinthians

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 20 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 336; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.
