2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

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WEBBE

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

BSB

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

KJV

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

ASV

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.

BBE

For you see the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how though he had wealth, he became poor on your account, so that through his need you might have wealth.

Original Greek

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γινώσκετε ginōskete You know G1097 γὰρ gar for G1063 τὴν tēn the G3588 χάριν charin grace G5485 τοῦ tou of the G3588 κυρίου kuriou Lord G2962 ἡμῶν hēmōn of us G3165 Ἰησοῦ Iēsou Jesus G2424 Χριστοῦ Christou Christ G5547 ὅτι hoti that G3754 δι di᾽ for the sake of G1223 ὑμᾶς humas you G4771 ἐπτώχευσεν eptōcheusen He became poor G4433 πλούσιος plousios rich G4145 ὤν ōn being G1510 ἵνα ina so that G2443 ὑμεῖς humeis you yourselves G4771 τῇ tēa (the) G3588 ἐκείνου ekeinou through that G1565 πτωχείᾳ ptōcheia poverty G4432 πλουτήσητε ploutēsēte may be enriched G4147

The early church

'For have in mind,' says he, 'ponder and consider the grace of God and do not lightly pass it by, but aim at realizing the greatness of it both as to extent and nature, and thou wilt grudge nothing of thine. He emptied Himself of His glory that ye, not through His riches but through His poverty, might be rich. If thou believest not that poverty is productive of riches, have in mind thy Lord and thou wilt doubt no longer. For had He not become poor, thou wouldest not have become rich. For this is the marvel, that poverty hath made riches rich.' And by riches here he meaneth the knowledge of godliness, the cleansing away of sins, justification, sanctification, the countless good things which He bestowed upon us and purposeth to bestow. And all these things accrued to us through His poverty. What poverty? Through His taking flesh on Him and becoming man and suffering what He suffered. And yet he owed not this, but thou dost owe to Him.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 2 Corinthians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 7–9

Faith is the root; and as without faith it is not possible to please God, He 11:6, so those who abound in faith, will abound in other graces and good works also; and this will work and show itself by love. Great talkers are not always the best doers; but these Corinthians were diligent to do, as well as to know and talk well. To all these good things the apostle desires them to add this grace also, to abound in charity to the poor. The best arguments for Christian duties, are drawn from the grace and love of Christ. Though he was rich, as being God, equal in power and glory with the Father, yet he not only became man for us, but became poor also. At length he emptied himself, as it were, to ransom their souls by his sacrifice on the cross. From what riches, blessed Lord, to what poverty didst thou descend for our sakes! and to what riches hast thou advanced us through thy poverty! It is our happiness to be wholly at thy disposal.

Read Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 8 →

Cross-references

41

People & places

Jesus

Topics

Jesus, The ChristPoorExampleUnselfishness

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