2 Corinthians 8:14 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

But by an equality; but only to bring you and them to some equality, that they might not starve while you have plenty, and what you may well enough spare. That now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want; I do not urge you to make your necessaries a supply for others wants; I would only have a supply for their wants out of your abundance. That their abundance also may be a supply for your want: some by their abundance understand their aboundings in the good things of this life: they are now in distress by reason of the great famine that is in Judea, or by reason of the great storm of persecution that is there raised against Christians; yet God may turn the scales, he may send a famine in those parts where you live, and there may be plenty in Judea; then their abundance may supply your wants. Others interpret their abundance of the aboundings of their grace, which may quicken them up to pray for you, for the supply of such grace to you as you stand in need of. That so there may be an equality, they being instruments of spiritual blessings to you, as you are instruments of temporal blessings and good things to them.