The Greek verb elattoneō means to have less, to lack, or to be deficient. It appears in 2 Corinthians 8:15 where Paul, citing Exodus 16:18 (the manna in the wilderness), argues for economic equality among believers: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little (ouk ēlattonēsen)."
Paul uses elattoneō to ground Christian economic ethics in the wilderness narrative. In the manna economy, God prevented both hoarding and deficiency — everyone had what they needed. This becomes Paul's model for Christian generosity: the abundance of some should supply the lack of others so that no one elattoneō (lacks). The principle is equality through voluntary generosity (2 Corinthians 8:13–15), not enforced uniformity. Behind the economics is the conviction that God's provision is sufficient and that the body of Christ should reflect that sufficiency.