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.
YLT: for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor -- being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich.
Darby: For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes he, being rich, became poor, in order that ye by his poverty might be enriched.
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.
| Γινώσκετε | You know |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
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| χάριν | grace |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: χάρις Sense: grace. |
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| τοῦ | of the |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Κυρίου | Lord |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: κύριος Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. |
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| ἡμῶν | of us |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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| Ἰησοῦ | Jesus |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: Ἰησοῦς Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor. |
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| Χριστοῦ | Christ |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: Χριστός Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God. |
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| ὅτι | that |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| δι’ | for the sake of |
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Parse: Preposition Root: διά Sense: through. |
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| ἐπτώχευσεν | He became poor |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: πτωχεύω Sense: to be a beggar, to beg, to be poor. |
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| πλούσιος | rich |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: πλούσιος Sense: wealthy, abounding in material resources. |
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| ὤν | being |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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| ἵνα | so that |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ἵνα Sense: that, in order that, so that. |
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| τῇ | - |
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Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ἐκείνου | through that |
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Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ἐκεῖνος Sense: he, she it, etc. |
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| πτωχείᾳ | poverty |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular Root: πτωχεία Sense: beggary. |
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| πλουτήσητε | might be enriched |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Plural Root: πλουτέω Sense: to be rich, to have abundance. |
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Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 8:9
Concessive present participle ων ōn from ειμι eimi to be. [source]
Ingressive aorist active indicative of πτωχευω ptōcheuō (see 2 Corinthians 8:2 on πτωχεια ptōcheia). Through his poverty (τηι εκεινου πτωχειαι tēi ekeinou ptōcheiāi). Instrumental case, by means of. Might become rich Ingressive first aorist active subjunctive of πλουτεω plouteō to be rich with ινα hina (that). See Luke 1:53; note on 1 Corinthians 4:8. [source]
Instrumental case, by means of. [source]
Ingressive first aorist active subjunctive of πλουτεω plouteō to be rich with ινα hina (that). See Luke 1:53; note on 1 Corinthians 4:8. [source]
Only here in the New Testament. Primarily of abject poverty, beggary (see on Matthew 5:3), though used of poverty generally. “Became poor” is correct, though some render “was poor,” and explain that Christ was both rich and poor simultaneously; combining divine power and excellence with human weakness and suffering. But this idea is foreign to the general drift of the passage. The other explanation falls in better with the key-note - an act of self-devotion - in 2 Corinthians 8:5. The aorist tense denotes the entrance into the condition of poverty, and the whole accords with the magnificent passage, Philemon 2:6-8. Stanley has some interesting remarks on the influence of this passage in giving rise to the orders of mendicant friars. See Dante, “Paradiso,” xi., 40-139; xii., 130 sqq. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 8:9
Three words expressing poverty are found in the New Testament. Two of them, πὲνης and πενιχρός , are kindred terms, the latter being merely a poetic form of the other, and neither of these occurs more than once (Luke 21:2; 2 Corinthians 9:9). The word used in this verse is therefore the current word for poor, occurring thirty-four times, and covering every gradation of want; so that it is evident that the New Testament writers did not recognize any nice distinctions of meaning which called for the use of other terms. Luke, for instance (Luke 21:2, Luke 21:3), calls the widow who bestowed her two mites both πενιχρὰν and πρωχὴ . Nevertheless, there is a distinction, recognized by both classical and ecclesiastical writers. While ὁ πένης is of narrow means, one who “earns a scanty pittance,” πρωχός is allied to the verb πτώσσειν , to crouch or cringe, and therefore conveys the idea of utter destitution, which abjectly solicits and lives by alms. Hence it is applied to Lazarus (Luke 16:20, Luke 16:22), and rendered beggar. Thus distinguished, it is very graphic and appropriate here, as denoting the utter spiritual destitution, the consciousness of which precedes the entrance into the kingdom of God, and which cannot be relieved by one's own efforts, but only by the free mercy of God. (See on 2 Corinthians 6:10; and see 2 Corinthians 8:9.) [source]
The discovery that Mary was pregnant was inevitable and it is plain that she had not told Joseph. She “was found with child” This way of putting it, the usual Greek idiom, plainly shows that it was the discovery that shocked Joseph. He did not as yet know what Matthew plainly asserts that the Holy Ghost, not Joseph and not any man, was responsible for the pregnancy of Mary. The problem of the Virgin Birth of Jesus has been a disturbing fact to some through all the ages and is today to those who do not believe in the pre-existence of Christ, the Son of God, before his Incarnation on earth. This is the primal fact about the Birth of Christ. The Incarnation of Christ is clearly stated by Paul (2 Corinthians 8:9; Philemon 2:5-11; and involved in Colossians 1:15-19) and by John (John 1:14; John 17:5). If one frankly admits the actual pre-existence of Christ and the real Incarnation, he has taken the longest and most difficult step in the matter of the supernatural Birth of Christ. That being true, no merely human birth without the supernatural element can possibly explain the facts. Incarnation is far more than the Indwelling of God by the Holy Spirit in the human heart. To admit real incarnation and also full human birth, both father and mother, creates a greater difficulty than to admit the Virgin Birth of Jesus begotten by the Holy Spirit, as Matthew here says, and born of the Virgin Mary. It is true that only Matthew and Luke tell the story of the supernatural birth of Jesus, though John 1:14 seems to refer to it. Mark has nothing whatever concerning the birth and childhood of Jesus and so cannot be used as a witness on the subject. Both Matthew and Luke present the birth of Jesus as not according to ordinary human birth. Jesus had no human father. There is such a thing in nature as parthenogenesis in the lower orders of life. But that scientific fact has no bearing here. We see here God sending his Son into the world to be the world‘s Saviour and he gave him a human mother, but not a human father so that Jesus Christ is both Son of God and Son of Man, the God Man. Matthew tells the story of the birth of Jesus from the standpoint of Joseph as Luke gives it from the standpoint of Mary. The two narratives harmonize with each other. One credits these most wonderful of all birth narratives according as he believes in the love and power of Almighty God to do what he wills. There is no miracle with God who has all power and all knowledge. The laws of nature are simply the expression of God‘s will, but he has not revealed all his will in the laws that we discover. God is Spirit. He is Person. He holds in his own power all life. John 3:16 is called the Little Gospel because it puts briefly the love of God for men in sending his own Son to live and die for us. [source]
Matthew proceeds to explain his statement in Matthew 1:16 which implied that Joseph, though the legal father of Jesus in the royal line, was not the actual father of Mary‘s Son. Betrothal with the Jews was a serious matter, not lightly entered into and not lightly broken. The man who betrothed a maiden was legally husband (Genesis 29:21; Deuteronomy 22:23.) and “an informal cancelling of betrothal was impossible” (McNeile). Though they did not live together as husband and wife till actual marriage, breach of faithfulness on the part of the betrothed was treated as adultery and punished with death. The New Testament in Braid Scots actually has “mairry‘t till Joseph” for “betrothed to Joseph.” Matthew uses the genitive absolute construction here, a very common Greek idiom.Of the Holy Ghost (ek pneumatos hagiou). The discovery that Mary was pregnant was inevitable and it is plain that she had not told Joseph. She “was found with child” (heurethē en gastri echousa). This way of putting it, the usual Greek idiom, plainly shows that it was the discovery that shocked Joseph. He did not as yet know what Matthew plainly asserts that the Holy Ghost, not Joseph and not any man, was responsible for the pregnancy of Mary. The problem of the Virgin Birth of Jesus has been a disturbing fact to some through all the ages and is today to those who do not believe in the pre-existence of Christ, the Son of God, before his Incarnation on earth. This is the primal fact about the Birth of Christ. The Incarnation of Christ is clearly stated by Paul (2 Corinthians 8:9; Philemon 2:5-11; and involved in Colossians 1:15-19) and by John (John 1:14; John 17:5). If one frankly admits the actual pre-existence of Christ and the real Incarnation, he has taken the longest and most difficult step in the matter of the supernatural Birth of Christ. That being true, no merely human birth without the supernatural element can possibly explain the facts. Incarnation is far more than the Indwelling of God by the Holy Spirit in the human heart. To admit real incarnation and also full human birth, both father and mother, creates a greater difficulty than to admit the Virgin Birth of Jesus begotten by the Holy Spirit, as Matthew here says, and born of the Virgin Mary. It is true that only Matthew and Luke tell the story of the supernatural birth of Jesus, though John 1:14 seems to refer to it. Mark has nothing whatever concerning the birth and childhood of Jesus and so cannot be used as a witness on the subject. Both Matthew and Luke present the birth of Jesus as not according to ordinary human birth. Jesus had no human father. There is such a thing in nature as parthenogenesis in the lower orders of life. But that scientific fact has no bearing here. We see here God sending his Son into the world to be the world‘s Saviour and he gave him a human mother, but not a human father so that Jesus Christ is both Son of God and Son of Man, the God Man. Matthew tells the story of the birth of Jesus from the standpoint of Joseph as Luke gives it from the standpoint of Mary. The two narratives harmonize with each other. One credits these most wonderful of all birth narratives according as he believes in the love and power of Almighty God to do what he wills. There is no miracle with God who has all power and all knowledge. The laws of nature are simply the expression of God‘s will, but he has not revealed all his will in the laws that we discover. God is Spirit. He is Person. He holds in his own power all life. John 3:16 is called the Little Gospel because it puts briefly the love of God for men in sending his own Son to live and die for us. [source]
From the same root as χαίρω ,to rejoice. I. Primarily that which gives joy or pleasure; and hence outward beauty, loveliness, something which delights the beholder. Thus Homer, of Ulysses going to the assembly: “Athene shed down manly grace or beauty upon him” (“Odyssey,” ii., 12); and Septuagint, Proverbs 1:9; Proverbs 3:22. Substantially the same idea, agreeableness, is conveyed in Luke 4:22, respecting the gracious words, lit., words of grace, uttered by Christ. So Ephesians 4:29. II. As a beautiful or agreeable sentiment felt and expressed toward another; kindness, favor, good-will. 2 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 8:7, 2 Corinthians 8:9; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Luke 1:30; Luke 2:40; Acts 2:47. So of the responsive sentiment of thankfulness. See Luke 6:32, Luke 6:33, Luke 6:34:; Luke 17:9; but mostly in the formula thanks to God; Romans 6:17; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Timothy 1:3. III. The substantial expression of good-will; a boon, a favor, a gift; but not in New Testament. See Romans 5:15, where the distinction is made between χάρις , grace, and δωρεὰ ἐν χάριτι , a gift in grace. So a gratification or delight, in classical Greek only; as the delight in battle, in sleep, etc. IV. The higher Christian signification, based on the emphasis offreeness in the gift or favor, and, as commonly in New Testament, denoting the free, spontaneous, absolute loving-kindness of God toward men, and so contrasted with debt, law, works, sin. The word does not occur either in Matthew or Mark. [source]
Αρχη Archē is definite, though anarthrous like our at home, in town, and the similar Hebrew ην be reshith in Genesis 1:1. But Westcott notes that here John carries our thoughts beyond the beginning of creation in time to eternity. There is no argument here to prove the existence of God any more than in Genesis. It is simply assumed. Either God exists and is the Creator of the universe as scientists like Eddington and Jeans assume or matter is eternal or it has come out of nothing. Was Three times in this sentence John uses this imperfect of εγενετο eimi to be which conveys no idea of origin for God or for the Logos, simply continuous existence. Quite a different verb The Word λεγω Logos is from Λογος legō old word in Homer to lay by, to collect, to put words side by side, to speak, to express an opinion. ανιμα μυνδι Logos is common for reason as well as speech. Heraclitus used it for the principle which controls the universe. The Stoics employed it for the soul of the world There is a possible personification of “the Word of God” in Hebrews 4:12. But the personal pre-existence of Christ is taught by Paul (2 Corinthians 8:9; Philemon 2:6.; Colossians 1:17) and in Hebrews 1:2. and in John 17:5. This term suits John‘s purpose better than σαρχ εγενετο sophia (wisdom) and is his answer to the Gnostics who either denied the actual humanity of Christ (Docetic Gnostics) or who separated the προς τον τεον aeon Christ from the man Jesus (Cerinthian Gnostics). The pre-existent Logos “became flesh” Though existing eternally with God the Logos was in perfect fellowship with God. παρακλητον εχομεν προς τον πατερα Pros with the accusative presents a plane of equality and intimacy, face to face with each other. In 1 John 2:1 we have a like use of προσωπον προς προσωπον pros “We have a Paraclete with the Father” See προς prosōpon pros prosōpon (face to face, 1 Corinthians 13:12), a triple use of το γνωστον της προς αλληλους συνητειας pros There is a papyrus example of προς pros in this sense παρα σοι to gnōston tēs pros allēlous sunētheias “the knowledge of our intimacy with one another” (M.&M., Vocabulary) which answers the claim of Rendel Harris, Origin of Prologue, p. 8) that the use of και τεος ην ο λογος pros here and in Mark 6:3 is a mere Aramaism. It is not a classic idiom, but this is Koiné, not old Attic. In John 17:5 John has ο τεος ην ο λογος para soi the more common idiom. And the Word was God By exact and careful language John denied Sabellianism by not saying ο λογος ho theos ēn ho logos That would mean that all of God was expressed in τεος ho logos and the terms would be interchangeable, each having the article. The subject is made plain by the article Thus in the Trinity we see personal fellowship on an equality. [source]
See John 1:3 for this verb and note its use for the historic event of the Incarnation rather than ην ēn of John 1:1. Note also the absence of the article with the predicate substantive σαρχ sarx so that it cannot mean “the flesh became the Word.” The Pre-existence of the Logos has already been plainly stated and argued. John does not here say that the Logos entered into a man or dwelt in a man or filled a man. One is at liberty to see an allusion to the birth narratives in Matthew 1:16-25; Luke 1:28-38, if he wishes, since John clearly had the Synoptics before him and chiefly supplemented them in his narrative. In fact, one is also at liberty to ask what intelligent meaning can one give to John‘s language here apart from the Virgin Birth? What ordinary mother or father ever speaks of a child “becoming flesh”? For the Incarnation see also 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 4:4; Romans 1:3; Romans 8:3; Philemon 2:7.; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14. “To explain the exact significance of εγενετο egeneto in this sentence is beyond the powers of any interpreter” (Bernard). Unless, indeed, as seems plain, John is referring to the Virgin Birth as recorded in Matthew and Luke. “The Logos of philosophy is, John declares, the Jesus of history” (Bernard). Thus John asserts the deity and the real humanity of Christ. He answers the Docetic Gnostics who denied his humanity. Dwelt among us First aorist ingressive aorist active indicative of σκηνοω skēnoō old verb, to pitch one‘s tent or tabernacle First aorist middle indicative of τεαομαι theaomai (from τεα thea spectacle). The personal experience of John and of others who did recognize Jesus as the Shekinah glory John employs τεαομαι theaomai again in John 1:32 (the Baptist beholding the Spirit coming down as a dove) and John 1:38 of the Baptist gazing in rapture at Jesus. So also John 4:35; John 11:45; 1 John 1:1.; 1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:14. By this word John insists that in the human Jesus he beheld the Shekinah glory of God who was and is the Logos who existed before with God. By this plural John speaks for himself and all those who saw in Jesus what he did. As of the only begotten from the Father Strictly, “as of an only born from a father,” since there is no article with μονογενους monogenous or with πατρος patros In John 3:16; 1 John 4:9 we have τον μονογενη ton monogenē referring to Christ. This is the first use in the Gospel of πατηρ patēr of God in relation to the Logos. Μονογενης Monogenēs (only born rather than only begotten) here refers to the eternal relationship of the Logos (as in John 1:18) rather than to the Incarnation. It distinguishes thus between the Logos and the believers as children John clearly means to say that “the manifested glory of the Word was as it were the glory of the Eternal Father shared with His only Son” (Bernard). Cf. John 8:54; John 14:9; John 17:5. Full Probably indeclinable accusative adjective agreeing with δοχαν doxan (or genitive with μονογενους monogenous) of which we have papyri examples (Robertson, Grammar, p. 275). As nominative πληρης plērēs can agree with the subject of εσκηνωσεν eskēnōsen Of grace and truth Curiously this great word χαρις charis (grace), so common with Paul, does not occur in John‘s Gospel save in John 1:14, John 1:16, John 1:17, though αλητεια alētheia (truth) is one of the keywords in the Fourth Gospel and in 1John, occurring 25 times in the Gospel and 20 in the Johannine Epistles, 7 times in the Synoptics and not at all in Revelation (Bernard). In John 1:17 these two words picture the Gospel in Christ in contrast with the law of Moses. See Epistles of Paul for origin and use of both words. [source]
A favorite word with Paul to describe the quality of the divine attributes and gifts. See 2 Corinthians 8:9; Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 2:4, Ephesians 2:7; Ephesians 3:8, Ephesians 3:16; Philemon 4:19; Colossians 1:27. [source]
Articular participle (first aorist passive) of οριζω horizō for which verb see note on Luke 22:22 and note on Acts 2:23. He was the Son of God in his preincarnate state (2 Corinthians 8:9; Philemon 2:6) and still so after his Incarnation (Romans 1:3, “of the seed of David”), but it was the Resurrection of the dead The Resurrection of Christ is the miracle of miracles. “The resurrection only declared him to be what he truly was” (Denney). [source]
Note change to ingressive aorist indicative of πλουτεω plouteō old verb to be rich (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9). “The aorists, used instead of perfects, imply indecent haste” (Lightfoot). “They have got a private millennium of their own” (Robertson & Plummer) with all the blessings of the Messianic Kingdom (Luke 22:29.; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Timothy 2:12). Ye have reigned without us (χωρις ημων εβασιλευσατε chōris hēmōn ebasileusate). Withering sarcasm. Ye became kings without our company. Some think that Paul as in 1 Corinthians 3:21 is purposely employing Stoic phraseology though with his own meanings. If so, it is hardly consciously done. Paul was certainly familiar with much of the literature of his time, but it did not shape his ideas. I would that ye did reign More exactly, “And would at least that ye had come to reign (or become kings).” It is an unfulfilled wish about the past expressed by οπελον ophelon and the aorist indicative instead of ει γαρ ei gar and the aorist indicative (the ancient idiom). See Robertson, Grammar, p. 1003, for the construction with particle οπελον ophelon (an unaugmented second aorist form). That we also might reign with you (ινα και ημεις υμιν συνβασιλευσωμεν hina kai hēmeis humin sunbasileusōmen). Ironical contrast to χωρις ημων εβασιλευσατε chōris hēmōn ebasileusate just before. Associative instrumental case of υμιν humin after συν suṅ f0). [source]
Πτωχεια Ptōcheia is old word from πτωχευω ptōcheuō to be a beggar, as of Jesus in 2 Corinthians 8:9 (from πτωχος ptōchos cowering in fear and poverty, as in Luke 14:13, but ennobled by Christ as in Matthew 5:3; 2 Corinthians 8:9). Poverty down deep. Strabo (LX 419) has κατα βατους kata bathous down to the bottom. [source]
Late word from περισσευω perisseuō to overflow. Their deep poverty (η κατα βατους πτωχεια αυτων hē kata bathous ptōcheia autōn). Πτωχεια Ptōcheia is old word from πτωχευω ptōcheuō to be a beggar, as of Jesus in 2 Corinthians 8:9 (from πτωχος ptōchos cowering in fear and poverty, as in Luke 14:13, but ennobled by Christ as in Matthew 5:3; 2 Corinthians 8:9). Poverty down deep. Strabo (LX 419) has κατα βατους kata bathous down to the bottom. Liberality From απλους haplous single, simple (Matthew 6:22). “The passage from single-mindedness or simplicity to liberality is not quite obvious” (Plummer). Perhaps “heartiness” supplies the connecting link. See also 2 Corinthians 9:11-13. [source]
Προ Pro with the ablative case. This phrase makes Paul‘s meaning plain. The precedence of Christ in time and the preeminence as Creator are both stated sharply. See the claim of Jesus to eternal timeless existence in John 8:58; John 17:5. See also Revelation 22:13 where Christ calls himself the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning Paul states it also in 2 Corinthians 8:9; Philemon 2:6. [source]
Forming one conception. Chrysostom says:; “Rich in this world, for others are rich in the world to come.” Comp. Luke 16:25. Πλουσίος richby Paul only metaphorically. See 2 Corinthians 8:9; Ephesians 2:4. The phrase ὁ νῦν αἰών thenow age, only here and Titus 2:12, the usual expression being ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος thisage or world, which is not found in Pastorals. [source]
By the grace of Jesus Christ. See Acts 15:11; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Romans 5:6; Galatians 1:6. [source]
The heart is the proper seat of the work of grace. Free grace is the motive-power of Christ's sacrifice (2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 1:15); it is behind the blood of the new covenant, and is the energetic principle of its saving operation. See Romans 5:2, Romans 5:15; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 2:7, Ephesians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:29. With meats stands for the whole system of ceremonial observances, in contrast with grace, working on the heart. See Hebrews 9:10. This ceremonial system yielded no permanent benefit to those who lived under it. See Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:1, Hebrews 10:2, Hebrews 10:4. [source]