2 Corinthians 8:8

THE MESSAGE

I'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.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

Legacy Standard Bible
I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

Simplified Cowboy Version
This ain't a command from me. It's a test. Money is usually the last thing people will part with and I want to see if y'all are as good at giving as the other outfits are. They give eagerly, not with some sort of forced obedience.

Bible in Basic English
I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of others as a test of the quality of your love.

Darby Translation
I do not speak as commanding [it], but through the zeal of others, and proving the genuineness of your love.

Christian Standard Bible®
I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

World English Bible
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I speak not by way of command, but that by the diligence of others, I may prove the sincerity of your love.

Weymouth's New Testament
I am not saying this by way of command, but to test by the standard of other men's earnestness the genuineness of your love also.

King James Version (1611)
I speake not by commandement, but by occasion of the forwardnesse of others, and to prooue the sinceritie of your loue.

Literal Translation
I do not speak according to command, but through the earnestness of others and testing the trueness of your love.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This I saye not as commaudynge, but seynge, other are so diligent, I proue youre loue also, whether it be perfecte or no.

Mace New Testament (1729)
I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected.

Amplified Bible
I am not saying this as a command [to dictate to you], but to prove, by [pointing out] the enthusiasm of others, the sincerity of your love as well.

American Standard Version
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

Revised Standard Version
I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Thys saye I not as commaundynge: but be cause other are so fervent therfore prove I youre love whether it be perfait or no.

Update Bible Version
I don't speak by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

Webster's Bible Translation
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

Young's Literal Translation
not according to command do I speak, but because of the diligence of others, and of your love proving the genuineness,

New Century Version
I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true by comparing you with others that really want to help.

New English Translation
I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.

Berean Standard Bible
I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others.

Contemporary English Version
I am not ordering you to do this. I am simply testing how real your love is by comparing it with the concern that others have shown.

Complete Jewish Bible
I am not issuing an order; rather, I am testing the genuineness of your love against the diligence of others.

English Standard Version
I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.

Geneva Bible (1587)
This say I not by commaundement, but because of the diligence of others: therefore prooue I the naturalnesse of your loue.

George Lamsa Translation
I am not making a demand on you, but I am prompted by the devotion of your fellow believers to test the sincerity of your love.

Hebrew Names Version
I speak not by way of mitzvah, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

International Standard Version
I am not commanding you but testing the genuineness of your love by the enthusiasm of others.1 Corinthians 7:6;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Not as though commanding I command you, but, from the diligence of your companions, the truth of your love would I put to the test.

Murdock Translation
8 I do not actually command you, but by the promptitude of your fellow [fn] , I would test the sincerity of your love.

New King James Version
I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.

New Living Translation
I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.

New Life Bible
I am not saying that you must do this, but I have told you how others have helped. This is a way to prove how true your love is.

English Revised Version
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

New Revised Standard
I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Not by way of injunction, do I speak, but through, others', earnestness, and, the genuineness of your own love, putting to the test.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I speak not as commanding: but by the carefulness of others, approving also the good disposition of your charity.

King James Version
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

Lexham English Bible
I am not saying this as a command, but proving the genuineness of your love by means of the diligence of others.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
This say I not by commaundement, but because of ye feruentnesse of other, & alowing the vnfaynednes of your loue.

Easy-to-Read Version
I am not ordering you to give, but I want to see how real your love is by comparing you with others who have been so ready and willing to help.

New American Standard Bible
I am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well.

Good News Translation
I am not laying down any rules. But by showing how eager others are to help, I am trying to find out how real your own love is.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y seie not as comaundinge, but bi the bisynesse of othere men appreuynge also the good wit of youre charite.

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

speak: 2 Corinthians 8:10, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Corinthians 7:6, 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:25

by occasion: 2 Corinthians 8:1-3, 2 Corinthians 9:2, Romans 11:12-14, Hebrews 10:24

prove: 2 Corinthians 8:24, 2 Corinthians 6:6, Joshua 24:14, Ezekiel 33:31, Romans 12:9, Ephesians 4:15, *marg. Ephesians 6:24, James 2:14-16, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 3:17-19

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:2 - General Deuteronomy 13:3 - ye love the Lord your God Deuteronomy 24:22 - General Psalms 112:4 - he is gracious Proverbs 3:9 - General Matthew 25:22 - I have Luke 19:8 - Behold John 11:36 - Behold John 14:15 - General John 14:24 - that John 21:17 - Feed 1 Corinthians 5:8 - but 1 Corinthians 16:22 - love 2 Corinthians 1:12 - godly 2 Corinthians 5:14 - the love 2 Corinthians 8:17 - but Philippians 1:10 - that ye may be Philippians 2:22 - ye 1 Thessalonians 4:10 - all the Titus 2:7 - sincerity James 2:16 - one 1 John 4:11 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 8:10
He waited seven more days and sent out the dove again. It came back in the evening with a freshly picked olive leaf in its beak. Noah knew that the flood was about finished.

Genesis 8:12
He waited another seven days and sent the dove out a third time. This time it didn't come back.

Song of Solomon 1:15

The Man

Oh, my dear friend! You're so beautiful! And your eyes so beautiful—like doves!

Song of Solomon 2:14
class="poetry"> I'm just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon, a lotus blossom from the valley pools.

The Man

A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds— that's my dear friend among the girls in the village.

The Woman

As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me! Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! Apricots, raisins—anything. I'm about to faint with love! His left hand cradles my head, and his right arm encircles my waist! Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem, by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer: Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you're ready. Look! Listen! There's my lover! Do you see him coming? Vaulting the mountains, leaping the hills. My lover is like a gazelle, graceful; like a young stag, virile. Look at him there, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes—ready! My lover has arrived and he's speaking to me!

The Man

Get up, my dear friend, fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Look around you: Winter is over; the winter rains are over, gone! Spring flowers are in blossom all over. The whole world's a choir—and singing! Spring warblers are filling the forest with sweet arpeggios. Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed, and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms. Oh, get up, dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Come, my shy and modest dove— leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing and your face is ravishing.

Matthew 10:16
"Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I speak not by commandment,.... Either of God, who has not fixed the certain times when, or certain sums which persons are to give, and other circumstances, which are left to discretion; but in general has signified it as his will, that those in necessity are to be relieved by such who are in ability to do it: or as an apostle, he did not speak in an imperious manner, extorting from them a collection, or laying his apostolical injunctions upon them to make one; he did not go about to force or oblige them to it, for men in such cases must act willingly, and what they do, must do of their own accord with cheerfulness, and not through constraint or grudgingly:

but by occasion of the forwardness of others; or "through carefulness for others"; what moved the apostle to propose this matter to the Corinthians, and exhort them to it, were either the forwardness of the Macedonians, cheerfully contributing in the midst of their poverty, and their urgent solicitations that the same good work might go on elsewhere, or else the very great care and concern that he himself had for the poor saints at Jerusalem: it was not therefore to show his apostolical authority, that he sent Titus to them to finish this service; but he was stirred up hereunto, partly by the bounty and solicitations of others, and partly by bowels of compassion within himself, and concern in his own mind for the poor saints; and also, as he adds,

to prove the sincerity of your love; to God, to Christ, to his ministers, and to the saints, particularly the poor; that their love might appear to be true, genuine, hearty, and real to others, to all men as well as to them the apostles.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I speak not by commandment - This does not mean that he had no express command of God in the case, but that he did not mean to command them; he did not speak authoritatively; he did not intend to prescribe what they should give. He used only moral motives, and urged the considerations which he had done to persuade rather than to command them to give; see 2 Corinthians 8:10. He was endeavoring to induce them to give liberally, not by abstract command and law, but by showing them what others had given who had much less ability and much fewer advantages than they had. People cannot be induced to give to objects of charity by command, or by a spirit of dictation and authority. The only successful, as well as the only lawful appeal, is to their hearts and consciences, and sober judgments. And if an apostle did not take upon himself the language of authority and command in matters of Christian benevolence, assuredly ministers and ecclesiastical bodies now have no right to use any such language.

But by occasion of the forwardness of others - I make use of the example of the churches of Macedonia as an argument to induce you to give liberally to the cause.

And to prove the sincerity of your love - The apostle does not specify here what “love” he refers to, whether love to God, to Christ, to himself, or to the church at large. It may be that he designedly used the word in a general sense, to denote love to any good object; and that he meant to say that liberality in assisting the poor and afflicted people of God would be the best evidence of the sincerity of their love to God, to the Redeemer, to him, and to the church. Religion is love; and that love is to be manifested by doing good to all people as we have opportunity. The most substantial evidence of that love is when we are willing to part with. our property, or with whatever is valuable to us, to confer happiness and salvation on others.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 8:8. I speak not by commandment — I do not positively order this; I assume no right or authority over your property; what you devote of your substance to charitable purposes must be your own work, and a free-will offering.

The forwardness of others — Viz. the Churches of Macedonia, which had already exerted themselves so very much in this good work. And the apostle here intimates that he takes this opportunity to apprise them of the zeal of the Macedonians, lest those at Corinth, who excelled in every other gift, should be outdone in this. Their own honour, if better motives were absent, would induce them to exert themselves, that they might not be outdone by others. And then, as they had professed great love for the apostle, and this was a service that lay near his heart, they would prove the sincerity of that professed love by a liberal contribution for the afflicted and destitute Jewish Christians.