2 Corinthians 8:5
And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
2 Corinthians 8:5 in other translations
| BSB | And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, because it was the will of God. |
|---|---|
| WEB | This was not as we had expected, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. |
| ASV | and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. |
| YLT | and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God, |
| DARBY | And not according as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us by God's will. |
| BBE | And going even farther than our hope, they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us after the purpose of God. |
| Webster | And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God: |
What does 2 Corinthians 8:5 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 8:3-5
3-5. they were willing--rather, supply from 2Co 8:5, the ellipsis thus, "According to their power ... yea, and beyond their power, THEY GAVE." of themselves--not only not being besought, but themselves beseeching us.
Barnes' Notes
Not as we hoped. Not according to the utmost of our hopes. We were greatly disappointed in the amount which they gave, and in the manner in which it was done.
But first gave their own selves to the Lord. They first made an entire consecration of themselves and all that they had to the Lord. They kept nothing back. They felt that all they had was his. And where a people honestly and truly devote themselves to God, they will find no difficulty in having the means to contribute to the cause of charity.
And unto us by the will of God. That is, they gave themselves to us to be directed in regard to the contribution to be made. They complied with our wishes and followed our directions. The phrase, "by the will of God," means evidently that God moved them to this, or that it was to be traced to his direction and providence. It is one of the instances in which Paul traces everything that is right and good to the agency and direction of God.
(*) "Hoped" "expected"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8:1-6
The grace of God must be owned as the root and fountain of all the good in us, or done by us, at any time. It is great grace and favour from God, if we are made useful to others, and forward to any good work. He commends the charity of the Macedonians. So far from needing that Paul should urge them, they prayed him to receive the gift. Whatever we use or lay out for God, it is only giving him what is his own. All we…
2 Corinthians 8:5 in the original Greek
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Cross references for 2 Corinthians 8:5
- Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
- Romans 14:7-9
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
- Romans 6:13
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
- 2 Corinthians 8:1
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
- 2 Chronicles 30:12
Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
- 1 Chronicles 12:18
Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
- 1 Samuel 1:28
Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.
- Jeremiah 31:33
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
- Isaiah 44:3-5
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
- 2 Chronicles 30:8
Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- 2 Corinthians 8:4
Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
- 2 Corinthians 8:5
And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
- 2 Corinthians 8:6
Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
2 Corinthians 8:5 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y no como lo esperábamos, mas aun á sí mismos se dieron primeramente al Señor, y á nosotros por la voluntad de Dios. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | et non seulement comme nous l’avions espéré, mais ils se sont donnés premièrement eux-mêmes au Seigneur, et puis à nous, par la volonté de Dieu; |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und nicht wie wir hofften, sondern sie gaben sich selbst zuerst dem Herrn und uns durch Gottes Willen, |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Et non sicut speravimus, sed semetipsos dederunt primum Domino, deinde nobis per voluntatem Dei, |