2 Corinthians 8 5

2 Corinthians 8:5 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.

2 Corinthians 8:5 nkjv

And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.

2 Corinthians 8:5 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.

2 Corinthians 8:5 esv

and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

2 Corinthians 8:5 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.

2 Corinthians 8 verses

2 Corinthians 8 5 Meaning

This verse explains the remarkable and unexpected generosity of the Macedonian churches in giving to the collection for the saints in Jerusalem. Paul indicates that their giving surpassed his expectations because their motivation was fundamentally spiritual: they first fully committed themselves to the Lord, and consequently, to Paul and his apostolic team, all in accordance with God's will. Their material giving flowed directly from their prior, complete self-giving to Christ.

2 Corinthians 8 5 Context

Chapter 8 of 2 Corinthians is primarily concerned with an appeal to the Corinthian church to complete their promised collection for the impoverished saints in Jerusalem. Paul uses the Macedonian churches as a compelling example of extraordinary generosity despite their own poverty. The Corinthians had previously expressed willingness to contribute a year earlier but had not yet finalized their giving. Paul, while being careful not to command them, motivates them through the example of the Macedonians and the supreme example of Christ's self-sacrifice. Verse 5 is pivotal in explaining the root cause of the Macedonians' generosity: it was not mere sentiment or obligation, but a deeply spiritual act flowing from a complete surrender of themselves to Christ and His will, and then, consequently, their service and material gifts extended to Paul and the church's needs. This serves as a gentle rebuke and a profound lesson for the Corinthians, urging them to put their spiritual commitment before their material possessions.

2 Corinthians 8 5 Word analysis

• οὐ (ou): (Gr. ou) "not." A straightforward negative, emphasizing Paul's surprise and that their giving wasn't just as he expected, but far beyond.
• καθὼς (kathōs): (Gr. kathōs) "as, just as, according as." Indicates comparison, but here implying "up to the measure that."
• ἠλπίσαμεν (ēlpisamen): (Gr. elpizō) "we had expected/hoped." From the verb "to hope, to expect." It highlights Paul's own surprise and the exceeding nature of their deed. The aorist tense implies a past expectation, now superseded.
• ἀλλὰ (alla): (Gr. alla) "but, on the contrary." A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a significant contrast between Paul's expectation and their actual actions.
• ἑαυτοὺς (heautous): (Gr. heautous) "themselves." A reflexive pronoun, critically emphasizing that the object of their giving was themselves. It speaks of personal, volitional, and holistic dedication – body, soul, and spirit. This is a complete surrender.
• ἔδωκαν (edōkan): (Gr. didōmi) "they gave." A simple past tense (aorist active indicative) of "to give." It signifies a definite, completed action, a conscious and decisive act of self-giving.
• πρῶτον (prōton): (Gr. prōton) "first." This adverb is key, establishing priority. Their self-giving to the Lord preceded all other acts of generosity or commitment. This sequence underscores a profound spiritual truth: right relationship with God first, then fruitful service.
• τῷ Κυρίῳ (tō Kyriō): (Gr. ho Kyrios) "to the Lord." The dative case indicates the recipient of their self-giving. In the New Testament, "the Lord" refers primarily to Jesus Christ. Their surrender was directly to Christ Himself, recognizing His ownership and authority over their lives.
• καὶ (kai): (Gr. kai) "and." Connects the two recipients of their giving.
• ἡμῖν (hēmin): (Gr. hēmin) "to us." The dative plural pronoun "to us" refers to Paul and his fellow workers (likely Timothy and Titus, who were with him or involved in this collection). Their submission to Paul's apostolic leadership and partnership in ministry flowed naturally from their prior dedication to Christ. This signifies trust, obedience to God-given authority, and partnership in gospel work.
• διὰ (dia): (Gr. dia) "through, by means of." A preposition here taking the genitive case, indicating the instrumental cause or means. Their entire action – self-giving to the Lord and to the apostles – occurred by means of God's will.
• θελήματος (thelēmatos): (Gr. thelēma) "will." The genitive of thelēma, meaning "will, desire, purpose." It denotes God's active, divine purpose and plan behind their extraordinary actions.
• Θεοῦ (Theou): (Gr. Theos) "of God." The genitive of Theos. This specifies that the will originating these acts was God's. It elevates their giving from a human impulse to a divinely ordained and enabled response.

Word-Group Analysis:

• οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν (ou kathōs ēlpisamen) - "not as we had expected": This phrase immediately sets a tone of pleasant surprise for Paul. The Macedonians' actions not only met expectations for generosity but greatly exceeded them, indicating an exceptional depth of commitment that transcended mere human estimation.
• ἀλλὰ ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ Κυρίῳ (alla heautous edōkan prōton tō Kyriō) - "but they gave themselves first to the Lord": This is the core statement. The contrasting "but" highlights that their unexpected level of giving came from an unexpected (or at least remarkable) source: complete personal surrender. The reflexive "themselves" denotes their entire being. "First" is critical; their spiritual dedication to Christ was the foundation and precursor to any other form of giving or service. This was not about financial assets initially, but spiritual ownership.
• καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ (kai hēmin dia thelēmatos Theou) - "and to us through the will of God": Their commitment to Paul and the apostolic ministry was a direct outflow and consequence of their prior commitment to the Lord. It signifies a tangible manifestation of their obedience to Christ and their trust in His appointed servants. Crucially, all of this self-giving and its subsequent actions are attributed to "the will of God," demonstrating that this deep spiritual dedication was divinely prompted and empowered, not simply human effort or sentiment. It removes any credit from human striving and places it squarely on God's divine influence and purpose.

2 Corinthians 8 5 Bonus section

This verse implies a clear order of spiritual priority that governs all authentic Christian service: first, the individual's commitment to Christ, then the extension of that commitment to His church and ministers. This is crucial for avoiding a transactional view of giving, where material contributions are offered without personal dedication to God. It underscores that God values the giver as much as the gift, and indeed, sees the giver as the ultimate gift (Rom 12:1). This divine initiation also protects against pride or works-based righteousness, as their actions are explicitly "through the will of God," highlighting God's grace and sovereignty in inspiring and empowering such selfless devotion. The unexpected nature of their gift also suggests that true spiritual renewal can manifest in ways that defy human expectation or calculation, flowing from a deeper, unseen work of God in the heart.

2 Corinthians 8 5 Commentary

2 Corinthians 8:5 succinctly reveals the foundational principle of all true Christian generosity and service: an absolute and prior surrender of one's entire self to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Macedonian believers did not merely give financially; they gave their very beings, their priorities, and their future to Christ. This spiritual commitment then flowed naturally into practical and material support for Paul's ministry and the wider body of Christ, specifically the needy saints in Jerusalem. Their selfless offering was not begrudging but enthusiastic, born out of divine enablement, fulfilling God's will. This example challenges believers to recognize that true giving begins with an internal, spiritual transaction: dedicating oneself wholly to God. Only from such a place of surrendered worship can outward acts of service and generosity be genuinely pleasing to Him and truly impactful, reflecting the depth of His grace working within us.