2 Corinthians 8:15
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
2 Corinthians 8:15 in other translations
| BSB | As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.” |
|---|---|
| WEB | As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” |
| ASV | as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. |
| YLT | according as it hath been written, ‘He who did gather much, had nothing over; and he who did gather little, had no lack.' |
| DARBY | According as it is written, He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little was nothing short. |
| BBE | As it says in the Writings, He who had taken up much had nothing over and he who had little had enough. |
| Webster | As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no want. |
What does 2 Corinthians 8:15 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. (Ex 16:18; Septuagint). As God gave an equal portion of manna to all the Israelites, whether they could gather much or little; so Christians should promote by liberality an equality, so that none should need the necessaries of life while others have superfluities. "Our luxuries should yield to our neighbor's comforts; and our comforts to his necessities" [J. Howard].
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Verse 15. As it is written. See Ex 16:18.
He that had gathered much, etc. This passage was originally applied to the gathering of manna by the children of Israel. The manna which fell around the camp of Israel was gathered every morning. All that were able were employed in gathering it; and when it was collected, it was distributed in the proportion of an omer, or about five pints to each man. Some would be more active and more successful than others. Some by age or infirmity would collect little; probably many by being confined to the camp would collect none. They who had gathered more than an omer, therefore, would in this way contribute to the wants of others, and would be constantly manifesting a spirit of benevolence. And such was their willingness to do good in this way, such their readiness to collect more than they knew would be demanded for their own use, and such the arrangement of Providence in furnishing it, that there was no want; and there was no more gathered than was needful to supply the demands of the whole. Paul applies this passage, therefore, in the very spirit in which it was originally penned, he means to say that the rich Christians at Corinth should impart freely to their poorer brethren. They had gathered more wealth than was immediately necessary for their families or themselves. They should, therefore, impart freely to those who had been less successful. Wealth, like manna, is the gift of God. It is like that spread by his hand around us every day. Some are able to gather much more than others. By their skill, their health, their diligence, or by providential arrangements, they are eminently successful. Others are feeble, or sick, or aged, or destitute of skill, and are less successful. All that is obtained is by the arrangement of God. The health, the strength, the skill, the wisdom by which we are enabled to obtain it, are all his gift. That which is thus honestly obtained, therefore, should be regarded as his bounty, and we should esteem it a privilege daily to impart to others less favoured and less successful. Thus society will be bound more closely together. There will be, as there was among the Israelites, the feelings of universal brotherhood. There will be on the one hand the happiness flowing from the constant exercise of the benevolent feelings; on the other the strong ties of gratitude. On the one hand the evils of poverty will be prevented, and on the other the not less, though different, evils resulting from superabundant wealth. Is it a forced and unnatural analogy also to observe, that wealth, like manna, corrupts by being kept in store? Manna, if kept more than a single day, became foul and loathsome. Does wealth, hoarded up when it might be properly employed--wealth that should have been distributed to relieve the wants of others--become corrupting in its nature, and offensive in the sight of holy and benevolent minds? Comp. Jas 5:2-4. Wealth, like manna, should be employed in the service which God designs--employed to diffuse everywhere the blessings of religion, comfort, and peace.
(a) "written" Ex 16:18 (*) "lack" "want"
He that had gathered much, etc. This passage was originally applied to the gathering of manna by the children of Israel. The manna which fell around the camp of Israel was gathered every morning. All that were able were employed in gathering it; and when it was collected, it was distributed in the proportion of an omer, or about five pints to each man. Some would be more active and more successful than others. Some by age or infirmity would collect little; probably many by being confined to the camp would collect none. They who had gathered more than an omer, therefore, would in this way contribute to the wants of others, and would be constantly manifesting a spirit of benevolence. And such was their willingness to do good in this way, such their readiness to collect more than they knew would be demanded for their own use, and such the arrangement of Providence in furnishing it, that there was no want; and there was no more gathered than was needful to supply the demands of the whole. Paul applies this passage, therefore, in the very spirit in which it was originally penned, he means to say that the rich Christians at Corinth should impart freely to their poorer brethren. They had gathered more wealth than was immediately necessary for their families or themselves. They should, therefore, impart freely to those who had been less successful. Wealth, like manna, is the gift of God. It is like that spread by his hand around us every day. Some are able to gather much more than others. By their skill, their health, their diligence, or by providential arrangements, they are eminently successful. Others are feeble, or sick, or aged, or destitute of skill, and are less successful. All that is obtained is by the arrangement of God. The health, the strength, the skill, the wisdom by which we are enabled to obtain it, are all his gift. That which is thus honestly obtained, therefore, should be regarded as his bounty, and we should esteem it a privilege daily to impart to others less favoured and less successful. Thus society will be bound more closely together. There will be, as there was among the Israelites, the feelings of universal brotherhood. There will be on the one hand the happiness flowing from the constant exercise of the benevolent feelings; on the other the strong ties of gratitude. On the one hand the evils of poverty will be prevented, and on the other the not less, though different, evils resulting from superabundant wealth. Is it a forced and unnatural analogy also to observe, that wealth, like manna, corrupts by being kept in store? Manna, if kept more than a single day, became foul and loathsome. Does wealth, hoarded up when it might be properly employed--wealth that should have been distributed to relieve the wants of others--become corrupting in its nature, and offensive in the sight of holy and benevolent minds? Comp. Jas 5:2-4. Wealth, like manna, should be employed in the service which God designs--employed to diffuse everywhere the blessings of religion, comfort, and peace.
(a) "written" Ex 16:18 (*) "lack" "want"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 He that had gathered much, had nothing over - On the passage to which the apostle alludes, Exo 16:18, I have stated that, probably, every man gathered as much manna as he could, and when he brought it home and measured it by the omer, (for this was the measure for each man's eating), if he had a surplus it went to the supply of some other family that had not been able to collect enough; the family being large, and the time in which the manna might be gathered, before the heat of the day, not being sufficient to collect a supply for so numerous a household; several of whom might be so confined as not to be able to collect for themselves. Thus there was an equality among the Israelites in reference to this thing; and in this light these words of St. Paul lead us to view the passage. To apply this to the present case: the Corinthians, in the course of God's providence, had gathered more than was absolutely necessary for their own support; by giving the surplus to the persecuted and impoverished Christian Jews these would be an equality; both would then possess the necessaries of life, though still the one might have more property than the other.
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8:10-15
Good purposes are like buds and blossoms, pleasant to behold, and give hopes of good fruit; but they are lost, and signify nothing without good deeds. Good beginnings are well; but we lose the benefit, unless there is perseverance. When men purpose that which is good, and endeavour, according to their ability, to perform also, God will not reject them for what it is not in their power to do. But this scripture will…
2 Corinthians 8:15 in the original Greek
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Cross references for 2 Corinthians 8:15
- Exodus 16:18
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
- Luke 22:35
And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- 2 Corinthians 8:14
But 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:
- 2 Corinthians 8:15
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
- 2 Corinthians 8:16
But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
2 Corinthians 8:15 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Como está escrito: El que recogió mucho, no tuvo más; y el que poco, no tuvo menos. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | selon qu’il est écrit: « Celui qui recueillait beaucoup n’avait pas plus, et celui qui recueillait peu n’avait pas moins ». |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | "Wer viel sammelte, hatte nicht Überfluß, und wer wenig sammelte, hatte nicht Mangel". |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Qui multum, non abundavit: et qui modicum, non minoravit. |