2 Corinthians 8:13

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—

Legacy Standard Bible
For this is not for the relief of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—

Simplified Cowboy Version
Your gifts aren't supposed to make your life hard and other cowboy's lives easier. It's a way of offering a leg up to someone in need and you know that one day the tables might be turned.

Bible in Basic English
And I am not saying this so that others may get off free, while the weight comes on you:

Darby Translation
For [it is] not in order that there may be ease for others, and for you distress,

Christian Standard Bible®
It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality—

World English Bible
For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For I do not mean, that others should be eased, and you burthened; But by an equality,

Weymouth's New Testament
I do not urge you to give in order that others may have relief while you are unduly pressed,

King James Version (1611)
For I meane not that other men bee eased, and you burthened:

Literal Translation
For it is not that there may be ease to others, but trouble to you;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This is not done to the intent, that other shulde haue ease, and ye cobraunce,

Mace New Testament (1729)
my meaning is not, that you should be distress'd to relieve others, I only recommend an equality;

Amplified Bible
For it is not [intended] that others be relieved [of their responsibility] and that you be burdened [unfairly], but that there be equality [in sharing the burden]—

American Standard Version
For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed;

Revised Standard Version
I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
It is not my mynde that other be set at ease and ye brought into combraunce:

Update Bible Version
For not that others may be eased [and] you distressed; but by equality:

Webster's Bible Translation
For [I mean] not that other men should be eased, and you burdened:

Young's Literal Translation
for not that for others release, and ye pressured, [do I speak,]

New Century Version
We do not want you to have troubles while other people are at ease, but we want everything to be equal.

New English Translation
For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality.

Berean Standard Bible
It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.

Contemporary English Version
I am not trying to make life easier for others by making life harder for you. But it is only fair

Complete Jewish Bible
It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity:

English Standard Version
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness

Geneva Bible (1587)
Neither is it that other men should be eased and you grieued: But vpon like condition, at this time your abundance supplieth their lacke:

George Lamsa Translation
This is not intended to relieve other men and add a burden to you;

Hebrew Names Version
For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

International Standard Version
Not that others should have relief while you have hardship. Rather, it is a question of fairness.

Etheridge Translation
Neither must there be to others ease, and to you anxiety,

Murdock Translation
For it is not, that others may have easement, and you pressure;

New King James Version
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;

New Living Translation
Of course, I don't mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality.

New Life Bible
This does not mean that others do not have to give and you have to give much. You should share alike.

English Revised Version
For [I say] not [this], that others may be eased, [and] ye distressed:

New Revised Standard
I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, not that unto others should be relief, and unto you distress do I speak , but, by equality, in the present season, your surplus for their deficiency, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
For I mean not that others should be eased and you burdened, but by an equality.

King James Version
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

Lexham English Bible
For this is not that for others there may be relief, and for you difficult circumstances, but as a matter of equality.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Truly, not that other be set at ease, & ye brought into combraunce:

Easy-to-Read Version
We don't want you to have troubles while others are comforted. We want everything to be equal.

New American Standard Bible
For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality—

Good News Translation
I am not trying to relieve others by putting a burden on you; but since you have plenty at this time, it is only fair that you should help those who are in need. Then, when you are in need and they have plenty, they will help you. In this way both are treated equally.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And not that it be remyssioun to othere men, and to you tribulacioun;

Contextual Overview

⁸I'm not trying to order you around against your will. But by bringing in the Macedonians' enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you. You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich. ¹⁰So here's what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart's been in the right place all along. You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands. This isn't so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you're shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even. As it is written, Nothing left over to the one with the most, Nothing lacking to the one with the least. I thank God for giving Titus the same devoted concern for you that I have. He was most considerate of how we felt, but his eagerness to go to you and help out with this relief offering is his own idea. We're sending a companion along with him, someone very popular in the churches for his preaching of the Message. But there's far more to him than popularity. He's rock-solid trustworthy. The churches handpicked him to go with us as we travel about doing this work of sharing God's gifts to honor God as well as we can, taking every precaution against scandal. We don't want anyone suspecting us of taking one penny of this money for ourselves. We're being as careful in our reputation with the public as in our reputation with God. That's why we're sending another trusted friend along. He's proved his dependability many times over, and carries on as energetically as the day he started. He's heard much about you, and liked what he's heard—so much so that he can't wait to get there. I don't need to say anything further about Titus. We've been close associates in this work of serving you for a long time. The brothers who travel with him are delegates from churches, a real credit to Christ. Show them what you're made of, the love I've been talking up in the churches. Let them see it for themselves!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

not: Acts 4:34, Romans 15:26, Romans 15:27

Reciprocal: Numbers 35:8 - from them

Cross-References

Genesis 7:11
It was the six-hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month that it happened: all the underground springs erupted and all the windows of Heaven were thrown open. Rain poured for forty days and forty nights.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I mean not that other men be eased and you burdened. Referring either to the givers; and that either to the richer and meaner sort in this church; the apostle's sense being, not to put the whole burden of the collection upon some only, whilst others were excused doing little or nothing; but that everyone should give according to his ability; or to other churches in poorer circumstances; and the apostle's meaning was, not that these churches by reason of their meanness should be entirely free from this service, as it was plain they were not, by the instance of the Macedonians; and that the whole be devolved upon the Corinthian church, and others that were rich; but that all should contribute according to their circumstances: or this may refer to the persons given to, and for whom this beneficence was asked; for the words may be rendered, "for not that there may be ease", or relaxation "to others, and to you affliction" or straitness; that is, his meaning was, not that there should be such a contribution raised for these poor saints at Jerusalem, that they should live in ease and great abundance; whilst their benefactors, through an over abundant generosity to them, were straitened, and their families reduced to great difficulties; this was what was far from his intentions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I mean not that other men be eased ... - I do not intend that others should be eased in order to relieve you. Literally, “Not that there should be rest (ἄνεσις anesis, a letting loose; remission, relaxation) to others, but affliction (θλίψις thlipsis) to you.” Probably the Corinthians were able to contribute more than many other churches, certainly more than the churches of Macedonia 2 Corinthians 8:2, and Paul therefore presses upon them the duty of giving according to their means, yet he by no means intended that the entire burden should come on them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 8:13. That other men be eased — I do not design that you should impoverish yourselves in order that others may live affluently.