⁴ Otherwise, if some Macedonians ^(A)come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident.

¹⁷ What I am saying ^(A)with this boastful confidence, ^(B)I say not as the Lord would^[a] but as a fool.

² for I know your readiness, ^(A)of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready ^(B)since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them.

²⁴ So give proof before the churches of your love and of ^(A)our boasting about you to these men.

Encouragement to Give Generously

8 We want you to know, brothers,^[a] about the grace of God that has been ^(A)given among the churches of Macedonia, ² for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and ^(B)their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³ For they gave ^(C)according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, ⁴ begging us earnestly ^(D)for the favor^[b] of taking part in ^(E)the relief of the saints— ⁵ and this, not as we expected, but they ^(F)gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

²⁶ For ^(A)Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.