2 Corinthians 8:15

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
as it is written, "HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK."

Legacy Standard Bible
As it is written, "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Remember, the Good Book says, "Those who hoarded had nothing, but those who gathered just what they needed had enough."

Bible in Basic English
As it says in the Writings, He who had taken up much had nothing over and he who had little had enough.

Darby Translation
According as it is written, He who [gathered] much had no excess, and he who [gathered] little was nothing short.

Christian Standard Bible®
As it has been written: The person who gathered much did not have too much, and the person who gathered little did not have too little.

World English Bible
As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
As it is written, He that had gathered the most, had nothing over; and he that had gathered the least, did not lack.

Weymouth's New Testament
Even as it is written, "He who gathered much had not too much, and he who gathered little had not too little."

King James Version (1611)
As it is written, Hee that had gathered much, had nothing ouer, and hee that had gathered little, had no lacke.

Literal Translation
even as it has been written, "He gathering much, he had nothing left over, and he gathering little had no less." Ex. 16:18

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that there maye be equalite. As it is wrytten: He yt gathered moch, had not the more: and he that gathered litle, wanted nothinge.

Mace New Testament (1729)
as it is written, " he that had much, had nothing over, and he that had little, had no lack."

Amplified Bible
as it is written [in Scripture], "HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE DID NOT LACK."

American Standard Version
as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack.

Revised Standard Version
As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
that ther maye be equalite agreynge to that which is written. He that gaddered moche had never the more aboundaunce and he yt gaddered lytell had never the lesse.

Update Bible Version
as it is written, He that [gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [gathered] little had no lack.

Webster's Bible Translation
As it is written, He that [had gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [had gathered] little had no want.

Young's Literal Translation
according as it hath been written, `He who [did gather] much, had nothing over; and he who [did gather] little, had no lack.'

New Century Version
As it is written in the Scriptures, "The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little."

New English Translation
as it is written: " The one who gathered much did not have too much , and the one who gathered little did not have too little ."

Berean Standard Bible
As it is written: "He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall."

Contemporary English Version
just as the Scriptures say, "Those who gathered too much had nothing left. Those who gathered only a little had all they needed."

Complete Jewish Bible
It is as the Tanakh says, "He who gathered much had nothing extra, and he who gathered little had nothing lacking."

English Standard Version
As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."

Geneva Bible (1587)
As it is written, Hee that gathered much, had nothing ouer, and hee that gathered litle, had not the lesse.

George Lamsa Translation
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

Hebrew Names Version
As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."

International Standard Version
As it is written,Exodus 16:18;">[xr] "The person who had much did not have too much, and the person who had little did not have too little."Exodus 16:18">[fn]

Etheridge Translation
As it is written, He who took up much had no superfluity, and he who took up little was not deficient.

Murdock Translation
As it is written, He who gathered much, had nothing over; and he that gathered little, was not deficient.

New King James Version
As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack." Exodus 16:18">[fn]

New Living Translation
As the Scriptures say, "Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough."

New Life Bible
The Holy Writings say, "The man who gathered much did not have too much. The man who did not gather much had enough."

English Revised Version
as it is written, He that [gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [gathered] little had no lack.

New Revised Standard
As it is written, "The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Even as it is written - He that gathered the much, had not more than enough, and, he that gathered the little, had not less,

Douay-Rheims Bible
As it is written: He that had much had nothing over; and he that had little had no want.

King James Version
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

Lexham English Bible
just as it is written, "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
As it written: He that had much, had not the more aboundaunce, and he that had litle, had not the lesse.

Easy-to-Read Version
As the Scriptures say, "Those who gathered much did not have too much, and those who gathered little did not have too little."

New American Standard Bible
as it is written: "THE ONE WHO HAD GATHERED MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND THE ONE WHO HAD GATHERED LITTLE DID NOT HAVE TOO LITTLE."

Good News Translation
As the scripture says, "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that gaderide myche, was not encresid, and he that gaderide litil, hadde not lesse.

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

Exodus 16:18, Luke 22:35

Reciprocal: Joshua 19:9 - too much Luke 6:38 - and it Acts 2:44 - had 2 Corinthians 9:12 - only 1 John 3:17 - whoso

Gill's Notes on the Bible

As it is written,.... In Exodus 16:18

he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; respect is had to the history of the manna, a sort of food God prepared for the Israelites in the wilderness; and which were gathered by them every morning, by some more, by others less; and yet when it came to be measured, every man had his "omer" and no more, one had nothing over, and the other not at all deficient; each man had his proper and equal quantity; and which, by the Jews w, is looked upon as a miracle that was wrought: many useful instructions may be learned from this history, as that as there was a general provision made by God for the Israelites, good and bad, and the mixed multitude that came from Egypt with them; so there is an universal providence of God which reaches to all creatures, even to the vegetable, to the birds of the air, and beasts of the field, to all the individuals of human nature, and to the bad among them as well as the good; though to the latter it is more special, who of all men have the least reason to be distrustful and uneasy: and as that provision was daily, so is that providential supply which all creatures have from God; he is to be trusted to, and depended on daily; application is to be made to him every day for daily bread; nor should there be any anxious concern for the morrow. Moreover, as the Israelites, though the manna was prepared for them, were to rise in the morning and gather it before the sun waxed hot; so notwithstanding the providence of God, and the daily care he takes of men, yet diligence, industry, and the use of means are highly commendable. And as some gathered more and others less, yet upon measuring it with the "omer", there was an entire equality, one had not more nor less than another; so upon the winding up of things in Providence, such as have gathered much riches in the morning of life, in the evening of death will have nothing over, nor anything to show more than others; and they that have gathered little will appear to have had no lack; both will have had food and raiment, and no more, only with this difference, some will have enjoyed a richer diet and clothing, and others a meaner, and both suitable to their circumstances in life; which may instruct us to depend upon divine Providence, daily to be content with such things as we have, and to make a proper use of what is gathered, whether more or less, and not only for ourselves, but for the good of others. This discovers the egregious folly of such, who are anxiously concerned for the gathering and amassing much worldly riches together; which when they have done, they lay it up for themselves, and do not make use of it for common good, neither for the good of civil society, nor the interest of religion. Let it be observed, that those Israelites who from a selfish covetous disposition, and distrust of divine Providence, left of their manna till the morning, "it bred worms and stank": which was by the just judgment of God inflicted as a punishment; for otherwise it was capable of being kept longer. So when covetous mortals lay up for themselves for time to come, and do not communicate to the necessities of others, such a practice breeds and produces worms, moth, and rottenness in their estates, which gradually decrease, or are suddenly taken from them, or they from them: such an evil disposition is the root and cause of many immoralities in life; it greatly prejudices professors of religion in things spiritual; and it tends to their everlasting ruin, to breed that worm of an evil conscience that will never die, and to render their persons stinking and abominable, both in the sight of God and men.

w Jarchi & Aben Ezra in Exod. xvi. 18. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 76. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As it is written - see Exodus 16:18.

He that had gathered much ... - 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 needs 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 favored 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 not wealth hoarded up when it might be properly employed; wealth that should have been distributed to relieve the needs of others, become corrupting in its nature, and offensive in the sight of holy and benevolent minds? Compare James 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. He that had gathered much, had nothing over — On the passage to which the apostle alludes, Exodus 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.