Paul said this while collecting money for poor Christians in Jerusalem. He asked the church in Corinth, a Greek city, to give generously. His example was Jesus, who was rich but became poor for their sake. The verse is about giving to the poor. It is not a promise that God will make the giver rich.
A letter about a collection
Paul was a traveling teacher who started small churches across the Roman world. One of them was in Corinth, a busy port city in Greece. He sent them several letters. Chapter 8 of his second letter to them is about money, and it is not about getting more of it.
The Christians in Jerusalem were poor and struggling. Paul was gathering a gift for them from the churches he had started. He told the Corinthians about the churches in Macedonia, to the north. Those people were very poor themselves, and they still gave more than anyone expected.
Then he asked the Corinthians to finish what they had started. And he gave them Jesus as the reason.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9 · King James Version
Where the verse points
Jesus had everything, and he gave it up to come to us. Paul used that to ask the readers to give too. The money in this chapter is moving from people who have some to people who have less.
A few lines later Paul says why. Your extra can supply what they lack, so that there may be equality.
How it gets turned around
Some preachers pull this verse out of the chapter and read it as a promise. Give, and God will make you rich. That flips it upside down. In the chapter, the rich one became poor so others could have. The giving goes down and out, toward the poor.
What it means
Jesus never taught that wealth was the sign of God's love. He said a wildflower outdressed the richest king. God does not pay you back for giving.
If you have been told your giving would buy you a blessing, you can give freely, for love, the way he did.
You can read the full teaching free in the Mercy app.
Read the whole chapter: 2 Corinthians 8
1Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
6Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
7Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
8I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
10And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
11Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
15As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
16But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
17For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
18And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
19And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
20Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
21Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
23Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
24Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
King James Version