2 Corinthians 8:10

2 Corinthians 8:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
• New International Version (NIV)And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago;

Context of 2 Corinthians 8:10

8I am not telling you that you must do this. I have told you how much other believers want to give their money. In that way, I want to see if you really love other people who need your help. 9You know that our Lord Jesus Christ is very kind. He was rich, but he made himself poor to help you. So then, because he became poor, you could become rich. This is what I think you should do. Last year, you were the first people to give money. You really wanted to do that. So the best thing for you is to finish what you started to do. 11Now finish the work. When you started, you wanted very much to do it. Now you should want just as much to finish it. You should give what you are able to give. 12If you really want to give, then God will accept your gift. God does not want you to give more than you are able to give. He will be happy about what you can give.

2 Corinthians 8:10 word by word

καὶ γνώμην ἐν τούτῳ δίδωμι· τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν συμφέρει, οἵτινες οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• hereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• I giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• adviceγνώμηgnōmē · resolutionG1106
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• is expedientσυμφέρωsumpherō · be profitableG4851
• for youσύsu · youG4771
• whoὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• have begun beforeπροενάρχομαιproenarchomai · to begin beforehandG4278
• notοὐou · noG3756
• onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
• to doὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• to be forwardθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• ·ἀπόapo · away fromG575
• a year agoπέρυσιperusi · last yearG4070

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 8:10

• 1 Corinthians 7:25You asked me a question about people who have not yet married. The Lord has not told me any special rule about this. But I will tell you what I myself think about it. The Lord has been very kind to me. You know that you can believe what I say.
• 2 Corinthians 12:1I must continue to praise myself. It will not really help you, but I will tell you anyway. The Lord has shown me special things, like in a dream.
• Proverbs 19:17If you are kind to poor people, you are lending money to the Lord. He will pay back the debt to you.
• Matthew 10:42People may think that my disciples are unimportant. But God will bless anyone who gives even a drink of cold water to one of them. I tell you, that person will never lose God's help.’
• John 11:50It is better that one man should die on behalf of our people. That is better than if all Israel's people should die.’
• John 16:7But what I tell you is true. It will be better for you if I go away. Because, if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I do go away, I will send him to you.
• John 18:14It was Caiaphas who had already spoken to the Jewish leaders. He had told them, ‘It is better that one man should die on behalf of the people.’
• 1 Corinthians 6:12Some of you believers may say, ‘I am free to do anything that I want to do.’ That may be true, but not everything will help you. I could say, ‘I am free to do the things that I want to do.’ Yes, but I will not let anything rule over me.
• 1 Corinthians 10:23Some of you may say, ‘We are free to do anything that we want to do!’ But not everything is good for you to do. You may say, ‘We are free to do anything!’ But not everything helps you to be strong as a believer.
• Philippians 4:17It is not your gifts themselves that I want. But I want you to do good things so that God will bless you in return.
• 1 Timothy 6:18Tell those rich people to do many good things to help other people. They should be very kind to other people and share their things with them.
• Hebrews 13:16Remember to be kind to other people. Share with them the things that you have. God is happy with sacrifices like that.
• James 2:15For example, maybe a believer does not have enough clothes to wear or enough food to eat.
• 2 Corinthians 8:8I am not telling you that you must do this. I have told you how much other believers want to give their money. In that way, I want to see if you really love other people who need your help.
• 2 Corinthians 9:2I know that you want to help very much. I have told the believers in Macedonia how good you are. I tell them that you believers in Achaia have been ready to give your money since last year. Because you are so ready to help, most of them now also want to help.
• 2 Corinthians 8:3Let me tell you this. They gave as much money as they were able to give. Then they gave even more than that! They gave it because they wanted to.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 8:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Herein I give my advice - For I speak not by way of commandment, 2 Corinthians 8:8. For this is expedient for you - It is necessary you should do this to preserve a consistency of conduct; for ye began this work a year ago, and it is necessary that ye should complete it as soon as possible. Not only to do, but also to be forward - - , literally, to do and to will; but as the will must be before the deed, , must be taken here in the sense of delight, as it…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10And herein I give my advice - Not undertaking to command them, or to prescribe how much they should give. Advice will go much further than commands on the subject of charities. For this is expedient for you - ( ́ sumpherei). That is, this will be of advantage to you; it will be profitable; it will be becoming. The idea is, that they were bound by a regard to consistency and to their own welfare, to perform what they had purposed. It became them; it was…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 10-15 Good purposes are like buds and blossoms, pleasant to behold, and give hopes of good fruit; but they are lost, and signify nothing without good deeds. Good beginnings are well; but we lose the benefit, unless there is perseverance. When men purpose that which is good, and endeavour, according to their ability, to perform also, God will not reject them for what it is not in their power to do. But this scripture will not justify those who think…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10A year ago, you began collecting an offering for Jerusalem, inspired by 1 Corinthians 16:1–2. Therefore, this letter is written at least one year after 1 Corinthians.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. advice--Herein he does not (as some misinterpret the passage) disclaim inspiration for the advice he gives; but under the Spirit, states that it is his "opinion" [Alford] or "judgment" [Ellicott, and others], not a command, that so their offering might be free and spontaneous. this--my giving you an advice, not a command. who have begun before--"seeing that ye have begun before" the Macedonian churches; "a year ago" should be connected with this…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 8:10

• Beneficence
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Accept
• Accord
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Church
• Church Government
• Collection
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Expedient
• Forward; Forwardness
• Grace

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings