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The Collection for Jerusalem

16 Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 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. When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me.

Paul’s Final Instructions

I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia,[a] for I am planning to travel through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination. This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost. There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.

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Footnotes

  1. 16:5 Macedonia was in the northern region of Greece.

Instructions and Greetings

16 Now concerning the money collected for [the relief of] the saints [in Jerusalem], you are to do the same as I directed the churches of Galatia to do. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put something aside, in proportion to his prosperity, and save it so that no collections [will need to] be made when I come. When I arrive, I will send whomever you approve with letters [of authorization] to take your gift [of charity and love] to Jerusalem; and if it is fitting for me to go too, they will accompany me.

I will visit you after I go through Macedonia, for I am only passing through Macedonia; but it may be that I will stay with you [for a while], or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way to wherever I may go afterward. For I do not wish to see you right now just in passing, but I hope to remain with you for some time [later on], if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until [a]Pentecost, because a wide door for effective service has opened to me [in Ephesus, a very promising opportunity], and there are many adversaries.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 16:8 Feast of the Harvest, also called Feast of Weeks.

The Collection for the Lord’s People

16 Now about the collection(A) for the Lord’s people:(B) Do what I told the Galatian(C) churches to do. On the first day of every week,(D) each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.(E) Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve(F) and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

Personal Requests

After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you(G)—for I will be going through Macedonia.(H) Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey,(I) wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.(J) But I will stay on at Ephesus(K) until Pentecost,(L) because a great door for effective work has opened to me,(M) and there are many who oppose me.

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