Verse 5. Therefore I thought it necessary, etc. In order to secure the collection, and to avoid all unpleasant feeling on all hands.

That they would go before unto you. Before I should come.

And make up beforehand your bounty. Prepare it before I come. The word "bounty" is in the Marg. rendered "blessing." The Greek (eulogian) means, properly, commendation, eulogy. Then it means blessing, praise applied to God. Then that which blesses -- a gift, donation, favour, bounty -- whether of God to men, or of one man to another. Here it refers to their contribution as that which would be adapted to confer a blessing on others, or fitted to produce happiness.

That the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty. That it may truly appear as a liberal and voluntary offering, as an act of generosity, and not as wrung or extorted from you. That it may be truly a blessing -- a thank offering to God, and adapted to do good to men.

And not as of covetousness. "And not like a sort of extortion, wrung from you by mere dint of importunity." -- Doddridge. The word here used (pleonexian) means usually covetousness, greediness of gain which leads a person to defraud others. The idea here is, that Paul would have them give this as an act of bounty or liberality on their part, and not as an act of covetousness on his part, not as extorted by him from them.

{1} "bounty" "blessing" {2} "whereof ye had notice" "which hath been so much spoken of before"