2 Corinthians 8:5

3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

4 imploring us with much urgency¹ that we would receive the gift and ^athe fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first ^agave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the ^bwill of God.

6 So ^awe urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.

7 But as ^ayou abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see ^bthat you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

8 ^aI speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^athat though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become ^brich.

10 And in this ^aI give advice: ^bIt is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and ^cwere desiring to do a year ago;

11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.

12 For ^aif there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

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2 Corinthians 8:5

And this they did ... - They did not give what we expected only. We knew their poverty, and we expected only a small sum from them.

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 ownselves 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.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 2 Corinthians 8:5:**

Romans 12:13
Romans 15:26
2 Corinthians 8:24
2 Corinthians 8:24
Galatians 2:10

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