2 Corinthians 8:13-15
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Paul isn't just talking about generosity; he's emphasizing a principle of equitable relief. The "fairness" he mentions highlights that true giving isn't meant to create a one-sided hardship, but a balanced distribution where abundance helps meet need. It's about a shared responsibility, not a voluntary tax on the wealthy for the sake of feeling good.
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is urging the Corinthian church to generously give to fellow believers in Jerusalem who are suffering from famine. He's emphasizing that this isn't about unfairly burdening them, but about a spirit of mutual sharing and equity. This follows his recounting of the Macedonian churches' example of cheerful, sacrificial giving, and precedes his instructions for collecting and delivering the funds.
We often talk about sacrifice, but what if the goal of giving isn't to make one group comfortable while another struggles? Paul challenges a common assumption here about generosity.
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church about a collection he's organizing for believers suffering from famine. He wants to be clear: this isn't about taking from the poor to enrich the comfortable. The core principle here is fairness.
The Danger of Imbalance
Imagine a situation where one group consistently carries all the weight, while another group experiences relief because of that burden. Paul says this isn't the goal of Christian stewardship or community care. True generosity aims for a healthy balance, not an exploitation of one part of the body of Christ for the ease of another.
Paul doesn't just say 'give generously.' He grounds it in a profound, almost legalistic, concept. What is this 'fairness' and why is it so critical?
The word Paul uses here points to a sense of equity, justice, or even balance. It's like weighing two sides of a scale to ensure they are even.
Equity, Not Uniformity
This doesn't mean everyone gives the same amount. That wouldn't be fair, as people have different capacities and needs.
Instead, it means that the spirit of giving should be equitable. Those who have more might give more in quantity, but those who have less are still participating in a way that is just and right according to their ability. The burden shouldn't crush the poor while lifting the rich.
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Ultimately, this fairness reflects God's own character – He is just and His grace is distributed equitably according to His wisdom.
Understand the original words
isotēs · Greek Noun
Equality, fairness, or balance; in a Christian context, it often refers to the equitable sharing of resources within the body of Christ to ensure no member suffers while others live in excess.
perisseuma · Greek Noun
An overflow, surplus, or wealth; it implies having more than what is strictly required for one's own immediate needs, often provided by God to be shared with others.
hysterēma · Greek Noun
A lack, poverty, or shortage; in the context of the community of believers, it highlights the responsibility of the church to provide for those in physical or material distress.
Paul's concern for fairness in the collection highlights the tension between easing burdens (like the early Jewish law debate) and ensuring equitable participation in supporting the wider body of Christ.
c. AD 49
Council of Jerusalem
The early church leaders debated and decided that Gentile believers did not need to follow all the Mosaic laws, easing the burden on new non-Jewish converts.
c. AD 50-52
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
The Apostle Paul spent a significant amount of time establishing the church in Corinth, a major Roman port city known for its wealth and moral challenges.
c. AD 55
First Letter to the Corinthians
Paul wrote his first letter to address divisions and issues within the Corinthian church, indicating ongoing struggles and a need for correction.
c. AD 55-56— this verse
Collection for Jerusalem Believers
Paul organized a significant financial offering from Gentile churches, including Corinth, to support impoverished Jewish believers in Jerusalem facing hardship.
c. AD 56
Paul's Visit and Painful Letter
Paul made a difficult visit to Corinth and likely sent a severe letter (now lost) to address serious problems and stubbornness among some believers.
c. AD 57
Second Letter to the Corinthians
Paul writes this letter, likely from Macedonia, to commend the repentance of the majority in Corinth, encourage the completion of the offering, and defend his apostolic authority.
This passage echoes the principle of not looking only to your own interests but also to the interests of others, which is central to the fairness Paul discusses in Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 10:24Paul directly advises, 'Let no one seek his own good, but that of another,' reinforcing the idea of mutual consideration and fairness in how we live and give.
Acts 4:34-35This shows an early church community sharing resources so that there was no poverty among them, demonstrating a practical application of balancing needs and sharing burdens equitably.
Galatians 6:2The command to 'bear one another's burdens' directly relates to the concept of sharing loads fairly, preventing one group from being unduly burdened while others are eased.
Paul isn't just talking about generosity; he's emphasizing a principle of equitable relief. The "fairness" he mentions highlights that true giving isn't meant to create a one-sided hardship, but a balanced distribution where abundance helps meet need. It's about a shared responsibility, not a voluntary tax on the wealthy for the sake of feeling good.
Paul is urging the Corinthian church to generously give to fellow believers in Jerusalem who are suffering from famine. He's emphasizing that this isn't about unfairly burdening them, but about a spirit of mutual sharing and equity. This follows his recounting of the Macedonian churches' example of cheerful, sacrificial giving, and precedes his instructions for collecting and delivering the funds.
Paul is urging the Corinthian church to generously give to fellow believers in Jerusalem who are suffering from famine. He's emphasizing that this isn't about unfairly burdening them, but about a spirit of mutual sharing and equity. This follows his recounting of the Macedonian churches' example of cheerful, sacrificial giving, and precedes his instructions for collecting and delivering the funds.
"For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it i…" — Paul isn't just talking about generosity; he's emphasizing a principle of equitable relief. The "fairness" he mentions highlights that true giving isn't meant to create a one-sided hardship, but a ba…
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Last reviewed October 2026
