Parallel Verses
An Understandable Version
I am not saying this [to you] as a command, but by telling you how eager others are [to help], to find out how genuine your love is also.
New American Standard Bible
I
King James Version
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
Holman Bible
I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.
International Standard Version
I am not commanding you but testing the genuineness of your love by the enthusiasm of others.
A Conservative Version
I speak not from commandment, but because of the zeal of others, also examining the genuineness of your love.
American Standard Version
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
Amplified
I am not saying this as a command [to dictate to you], but to prove, by [pointing out] the enthusiasm of others, the sincerity of your love as well.
Anderson New Testament
I do not speak this as a commandment, but on account of the zeal of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
Bible in Basic English
I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of others as a test of the quality of your love.
Common New Testament
I am not speaking this as a command, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
Daniel Mace New Testament
I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected.
Darby Translation
I do not speak as commanding it, but through the zeal of others, and proving the genuineness of your love.
Godbey New Testament
I speak not according to commandment, but through the zeal of others also proving the sincerity of your divine love.
Goodspeed New Testament
I do not mean this as a command. I only want to test the genuineness of your love by the devotion of others.
John Wesley New Testament
I speak not by way of command, but that by the diligence of others, I may prove the sincerity of your love.
Julia Smith Translation
I speak not according to command, but by care of others, trying also the purity of your love.
King James 2000
I speak not by commandment, but to prove by the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love.
Lexham Expanded Bible
I am not saying [this] as a command, but proving the genuineness of your love by means of the diligence of others.
Modern King James verseion
I do not speak according to command, but through the eagerness of others, and testing the trueness of your love.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
This say I not as commanding: but because others are so fervent, therefore prove I your love, whether it be perfect or no.
Moffatt New Testament
I am not issuing any orders, only using the zeal of others to prove how sterling your own love is.
Montgomery New Testament
I do not say this by way of command, but by the zeal of others I am trying to prove the reality of your love.
NET Bible
I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.
New Heart English Bible
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
Noyes New Testament
I speak not by way of command, but by reason of the earnestness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love.
Sawyer New Testament
I do not speak by command, but on account of the diligence of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love;
The Emphasized Bible
Not by way of injunction, do I speak, but through, others', earnestness, and, the genuineness of your own love, putting to the test.
Thomas Haweis New Testament
I speak not by commandment, but because of the forwardness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love.
Twentieth Century New Testament
I am not laying a command upon you, but I am making use of the earnestness shown by others to test the genuineness of your affection.
Webster
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
Weymouth New Testament
I am not saying this by way of command, but to test by the standard of other men's earnestness the genuineness of your love also.
Williams New Testament
I am not saying this in the spirit of a command, but I am simply trying to test the genuineness of your love by the enthusiasm of others.
World English Bible
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
Worrell New Testament
I am not speaking by way of command; but as proving, through the diligence of others, the sincerity of your love.
Worsley New Testament
I speak not by way of command, but to prove the sincerity of your love also, by means of the forwardness of others.
Youngs Literal Translation
not according to command do I speak, but because of the diligence of others, and of your love proving the genuineness,
Themes
Love to man » Saints should » Be sincere in
The poor » Care for » Should be urged
Sincerity » Should characterize » Our love to God
Topics
Interlinear
References
Morish
Word Count of 37 Translations in 2 Corinthians 8:8
Verse Info
Context Readings
Generosity In Giving
7 But just as you excel in everything [else]; in your faith, in your speaking; in your knowledge [Note: Possibly these refer to spiritual gifts. See I Cor. 12:8-10], in your eagerness [to serve], and in your love for us, now you people should also excel in this favorable work [i.e., of giving financial help to needy people]. 8 I am not saying this [to you] as a command, but by telling you how eager others are [to help], to find out how genuine your love is also. 9 For you know the unearned favor of our Lord Jesus Christ, [how] that even though He was rich, He became poor for your sakes, so that through His poverty you people could become [spiritually] rich.
Phrases
Names
Cross References
1 Corinthians 7:6
But I am telling you this by way of [granting you] permission and not as a command.
Romans 11:12-14
Now if the Jews sinning meant blessings for [the rest of] the world, and their [spiritual] defection meant blessings for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness [also produce blessings]! [Note: "Fullness" here may mean either a large or the complete number of Jews who will be saved, or become completely obedient to God].
Romans 12:9
Let [your] love be sincere. Hate whatever is evil. Cling to whatever is good.
1 Corinthians 7:12
But I, not the Lord, say this to the rest of you [Note: Paul now addresses the matter of mixed marriages, a circumstance Jesus never taught about]: If any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she agrees to continue living with him [Note: In these verses Paul addresses a situation where one marriage partner is converted after they are married], he should not divorce her.
1 Corinthians 7:25
Now I have no command from the Lord concerning [what you wrote about] unmarried women. [Note: The word here is "virgins" but some think it includes both males and females]. But I give my advice as someone who has received the Lord's mercy to be counted trustworthy.
2 Corinthians 6:6
[We have ministered] with purity, knowledge, patience and kindness. [We have done this] by [the power of] the Holy Spirit; out of genuine love;
2 Corinthians 8:1-3
Now, brothers, we want you to know about the favor God has given to the churches in Macedonia.
2 Corinthians 8:10
Now here is my advice on what is best to do in this matter: Since you were the first ones to begin [taking up a collection] a year ago, [now you should] not only be doing something [about it], but [you should continue] wanting to do something [as well].
2 Corinthians 8:24
[So], demonstrate in front of the churches evidence of your love [for them] and our reason for boasting about you.
2 Corinthians 9:2
For I know how eager you [already] are, and I have boasted about you to the Macedonians, that Achaia [Note: This was the southernmost province of Greece, where Corinth was located] has been prepared [to give] since last year. And your enthusiasm has stirred up most of them [to give also].
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each person should give what he has decided to in his heart, not grudgingly, nor out of a feeling that he has to, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Ephesians 4:15
But [instead], we should speak [and practice] truth in a loving way, so that we can, in all respects, grow up [spiritually] into [union with] Christ, who is the head [i.e., of His body, the church].
Ephesians 6:24
May God's unearned favor be upon all of those [there] who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Hebrews 10:24
And we should consider how we can stir up one another to love [more] and to perform good deeds.
James 2:14-16
What good is it, my brothers [and sisters], if a person says he has faith but does not have [good] deeds? Can such faith save him?
1 Peter 1:22
[Since] you have purified your souls by [your] obedience to the truth [i.e., the Gospel message], which produces a genuine love for your brothers, [now] you should have this kind of fervent, heartfelt love for one another.
1 John 3:17-19
Now whoever has [a sufficient amount of] life's possessions and [then] observes one of his [Christian] brothers who does not have enough to get by on, but does not feel sorry for him [i.e., enough to help him out], surely a love for God does not continue to live in that person's heart.