I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
I speak {G3004} not {G3756} by {G2596} commandment {G2003}, but {G235} by occasion {G1223} of the forwardness {G4710} of others {G2087}, and {G2532} to prove {G1381} the sincerity {G1103} of your {G5212} love {G26}.
I am not issuing an order; rather, I am testing the genuineness of your love against the diligence of others.
I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others.
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
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1 Corinthians 7:6
But I speak this by permission, [and] not of commandment. -
1 John 3:17
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? -
1 John 3:19
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. -
2 Corinthians 6:6
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, -
Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: -
2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. -
James 2:14
¶ What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
In 2 Corinthians 8:8, the Apostle Paul clarifies the nature of his appeal to the Corinthian believers regarding their contribution to the collection for the impoverished saints in Jerusalem. He emphasizes that his encouragement is not a divine command, but rather an invitation prompted by the zealous generosity of other churches, specifically those in Macedonia. Paul's true intent is to provide the Corinthians an opportunity to demonstrate the authentic nature of their proclaimed love.
Context
This verse is situated within Paul's extensive discussion on Christian giving (2 Corinthians chapters 8-9). Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to complete a collection they had started a year prior for the needy believers in Jerusalem. To motivate them, he holds up the remarkable generosity of the Macedonian churches, who, despite their own severe poverty, gave beyond their ability out of sheer willingness (2 Corinthians 8:1-5). Paul's appeal in verse 8 is thus framed as an observation of others' "forwardness" (eagerness) rather than an authoritarian decree, making the Corinthians' participation a voluntary act of love.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
Practical Application
This verse offers timeless insights for believers today: