2 Corinthians 8:5

2 Corinthians 8:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
• New International Version (NIV)And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
• New Living Translation (NLT)They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

Context of 2 Corinthians 8:5

3For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.

2 Corinthians 8:5 word by word

καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος θεοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• notοὐou · noG3756
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• we hopedἐλπίζωelpizō · to hope/expectG1679
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• firstπρῶτονprōton · firstG4412
• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• their own selvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• to the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• unto usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 8:5

• 2 Corinthians 5:14For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
• 1 Samuel 1:28Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.
• 2 Chronicles 30:8Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.
• Isaiah 44:3For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;
• Jeremiah 31:33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
• Zechariah 13:9I will bring the one–third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
• Romans 6:13And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
• Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
• Romans 14:7For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
• 1 Corinthians 6:19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
• 2 Corinthians 4:5For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
• 1 Chronicles 12:18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: “We are yours, O David; We are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.
• 2 Chronicles 30:12Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 8:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Not as we hoped - They far exceeded our expectations, for they consecrated themselves entirely to the work of God; giving themselves and all they possessed first unto the Lord; and then, as they saw that it was the will of God that they should come especially forward in this charitable work, they gave themselves to us, to assist to the uttermost in providing relief for the suffering Christians in Judea.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And 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…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. 3-53-5. they were willing--rather, supply from 2Co 8:5, the ellipsis thus, "According to their power ... yea, and beyond their power, THEY GAVE." of themselves--not only not being besought, but themselves beseeching us.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 8:5

• Beneficence
• Consecration
• Emulation
• Macedonia
• Poor
• Tact
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• will of God
• Accept
• Accord
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Church
• Church Government
• Collection
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the

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