Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

2 Corinthians 8:11
ESV So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.
NIV Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
NASB But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.
CSB Now also finish the task, so that just as there was an eager desire, there may also be a completion, according to what you have.
NLT Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have.
KJV Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

What does 2 Corinthians 8:11 mean?

Paul is urging the Corinthians to follow through on a previous commitment to give to meet the needs of suffering Christians in Jerusalem. He is not commanding them to do so. He wants them to give as an act of grace and love. This is typified by the actions of the Macedonian believers, who gave generously despite their own poverty (2 Corinthians 8:1–5).

Now, though, Paul sounds more forceful. A desire to give, even a sincere readiness to do so, is not meaningful if it never results in actual giving. There is a wide gap between "wanting something to happen" and "being willing to make something happen." Verbally agreeing to help others is one thing, but that agreement is hollow until we take steps to make good on our promise.

With that in mind, Paul urges the Corinthians to demonstrate that their original desire to give was sincere. He asks them to demonstrate that it was a meaningful desire to demonstrate God's grace and love by following through now that the time has come to actually provide funds to the collection.
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app:
BibleRef.com is part of Got Questions Ministries

For answers to your Bible questions, please visit