2 Corinthians 8:12

2 Corinthians 8:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
• New International Version (NIV)For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

Context of 2 Corinthians 8:12

10This 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. If 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. 13My purpose is not to bring trouble to you. You should not have pain while other people have plenty. Instead, both you and they should have enough. 14At this time, you yourselves have plenty. So you are able to give to those people who do not have enough. One day, things may change. They may have plenty, and you may not have enough. Then they can give money to help you. In that way, you will all have enough when you need it.

2 Corinthians 8:12 word by word

εἰ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται, καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ εὐπρόσδεκτος, οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• there be firstπρόκειμαιprokeimai · to set beforeG4295
• a willing mindὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• a willing mindπροθυμίαprothumia · eagernessG4288
• acceptedεὐπρόσδεκτοςeuprosdektos · acceptableG2144
• according to thatκαθόkatho · insofar asG2526
• a manτιςtis · oneG5100
• hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• ·ἐάνean · ifG1437
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 8:12

• 2 Corinthians 9:7Each of you should think carefully and then decide how much you can give. Then you will not be sad to give that money. Nobody has made you give it. God loves someone who is happy to give help to other people.
• Exodus 25:2‘Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. Every person who wants to give can make a gift to me. You must receive their gifts.
• Exodus 35:5Take an offering to give to the Lord from the things that you have. Everyone who wants to give something may choose to give these things: gold, silver, bronze;
• 1 Chronicles 29:3I want very much to build a beautiful temple for my God. So I have added my own gold and silver to help to build it. I have added that to the other things that I have provided for God's holy temple.
• 2 Chronicles 6:8But the Lord said to my father David, “It was good that you wanted to build a temple to give me honour.
• Proverbs 19:22We all want other people to show faithful love. It is better to be poor than to deceive other people.
• Mark 12:42But then a woman came there. Her husband had died and she was very poor. She put two small coins that had only a little value into the box.
• Mark 14:7You will always have poor people with you. You can help them at any time that you want. But you will not always have me with you.
• Luke 7:44Then he turned towards the woman. ‘You see this woman,’ he said to Simon. ‘When I came into your house, you did not give me water for my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and she has made them dry with her hair.
• Luke 12:47A servant may know what his master wants him to do. Then he should prepare himself and do that. If he does not, his master will punish him very much. He will hit him a lot.
• Luke 16:10If you can trust a person with a very small thing, you can also trust him with bigger things. And if you cannot trust a person with a very small thing, you cannot trust him with big things.
• Luke 21:1Then Jesus looked up and saw something that was happening in the temple. There was a box for money there. Many rich people were putting their gifts of money into the box.
• 1 Peter 4:10God has helped each of you in a certain way. Think carefully about how to use that gift from God well. Remember that God has given many different gifts to his people so that they can help each other.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 8:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12According to that a man hath - According to his real property; not taking that which belongs to his own family, and is indispensably necessary for their support; and not taking that which belongs to others; viz. what he owes to any man.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For if there be first a willing mind - If there is a “readiness” ( ́ prothumia), a disposition to give; if the heart is in it, then the offering will be acceptable to God, whether you be able to give much or little. A willing mind is the first consideration. No donation, however large, can be acceptable where that does not exist; none, however small, can be otherwise than acceptable where that is found. This had relation as used by Paul to the duty of…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. 1-15Paul now focuses on collecting funds for the Jerusalem church (8:4; 9:1). This relief fund aimed to help the poor believers in the holy city (Acts 11:27–30; Romans 15:25–27, 31; Galatians 2:10). Paul had previously given instructions about this matter (1 Corinthians 16:1–2). Now it was time to gather the funds (2 Corinthians 8:6). Paul hoped this gift from non-Jewish congregations to the Jewish church would strengthen ties between the two groups in the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. For--Following up the rule "out of that which ye have" (2Co 8:11), and no more. a willing mind--rather, as Greek, "the readiness," namely, to will, referring to 2Co 8:11. accepted--Greek "favorably accepted." according to that a man hath--The oldest manuscripts omit "a man." Translate, "According to whatsoever it have"; the willing mind, or "readiness" to will, is personified [Alford]. Or better, as Bengel, "He is accepted according to whatsoever he…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 8:12

• Beneficence
• Giving
• Liberality

In the dictionaries

• Accept
• Accord
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Church
• Church Government
• Collection
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Grace
• Paul, the Apostle
• Poverty

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