Limitless Word

1 Corinthians 16:2

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:2 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB On the first day of the week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.
  • BSB On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.
  • NKJV On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
  • NASB On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save as he may prosper, so that no collections need to be made when I come.
  • NLT On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Each is to set aside money on the first day of the week as God has prospered them. It matters because it models regular, proportionate, planned giving.

Overview

Paul instructs systematic giving: weekly, by everyone, in proportion to their means, so no rushed collection is needed when he arrives. The mention of the first day of the week reflects the early gathering of Christians. The verse offers enduring principles for orderly, generous, and grace-shaped stewardship.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • Mal 3:9–10Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
  • Acts 20:7And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
  • Luke 16:10He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
  • Deut 8:18But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
  • Deut 15:11–14For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
  • 2 Cor 9:3–5Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
  • 2 Cor 8:11–15Now 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.
  • Rev 1:10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
  • 2 Cor 8:1–3Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
  • Luke 24:1Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
  • John 20:19Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
  • Mark 12:41–44And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
  • 2 Chr 31:10And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.
  • Hag 2:16–19Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
  • Gen 26:12Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
  • John 20:26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
  • Gen 30:30For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
  • Gen 33:11Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.
  • Gen 32:10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
  • Mark 14:8She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
  • Gen 30:27And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

Christ at the center

Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.

How 1 Corinthians 16:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.