2 Corinthians 8:15

As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

BSB

As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”

KJV

As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

ASV

as it is written, He that [gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [gathered] little had no lack.

BBE

As it says in the Writings, He who had taken up much had nothing over and he who had little had enough.

Original Greek

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καθὼς kathōs Even as G2531 γέγραπται gegraptai it has been written G1125 ὁ ho He G3588 τὸ to the G3588 πολὺ polu much G4183 οὐκ ouk not G3756 ἐπλεόνασεν epleonasen did abound G4121 καὶ kai and G2532 ὁ ho he G3588 τὸ to the G3588 ὀλίγον oligon little G3641 οὐκ ouk not G3756 ἠλαττόνησεν.¶ ēlattonēsen lacked G1641

The early church

Now this happened in the case of the manna. For both they that gathered more, and they that gathered less, were found to have the same quantity, God in this way punishing insatiableness. And this he said at once both to alarm them by what then happened, and to persuade them never to desire to have more nor to grieve at having less. And this one may see happening now in things of this life not in the manna only. For if we all fill but one belly, and live the same length of time, and clothe one body; neither will the rich gain aught by his abundance nor the poor lose aught by his poverty.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 2 Corinthians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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 good meanings are enough, or that good purposes, and the mere profession of a willing mind, are enough to save. Providence gives to some more of the good things of this world, and to some less, that those who have abundance might supply others who are in want. It is the will of God, that by our mutual supplying one another, there should be some sort of equality; not such a levelling as would destroy property, for in such a case there could be no exercise of charity. All should think themselves concerned to relieve those in want. This is shown from the gathering and giving out the manna in the wilderness, Ex 16:18. Those who have most of this world, have no more than food and raiment; and those who have but little of this world, seldom are quite without them.

Read Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 8 →

Parallel passages

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The same words or events elsewhere, including Old Testament passages quoted in the New.

Exodus 16:18

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Quotations And Allusions

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.