Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
If there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared (ean elqwsin sun emoi Makedonev kai eurwsin umav aparaskeuastouv). Condition of third class (undetermined, but stated as a lively possibility) with ean and the second aorist active subjunctive (elqwsin, eurwsin), a bold and daring challenge. Aparaskeuastov is a late and rare verbal adjective from paraskeuazw with a privative, only here in the N.T.
Lest by any means we should be put to shame (mh pwv kataisxunqwmen hmeiv). Negative purpose with first aorist passive subjunctive of kataisxunw (see on II Corinthians 7:14) in the literary plural.
That we say not, ye (ina mh legwmen umeiv). A delicate syntactical turn for what he really has in mind. He does wish that they become ashamed of not paying their pledges.
Confidence (upostasei). This word, common from Aristotle on, comes from ufisthmi, to place under. It always has the notion of substratum or foundation as here; II Corinthians 11:17; Hebrews 1:3. The papyri give numerous examples (Moulton and Milligan's Vocabulary) of the word for "property" in various aspects. So in Hebrews 11:1 "faith is the title-deed of things hoped for." In the LXX it represents fifteen different Hebrew words.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 2 Corinthians 9:4:
1 Corinthians 1:7
1 Corinthians 16:1
2 Thessalonians 1:4
Philemon 1:19
Hebrews 11:1
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