God Loves a Cheerful Giver

9 For it is unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the ministry to the saints, ² because I know your readiness to help, concerning which I keep on boasting to the Macedonians about you, that Achaia has been ready to help since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority of them. ³ But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you would not prove to be empty in this case, so that you may be prepared just as I was saying, ⁴ lest somehow if Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you^[a]—would be humiliated in connection with this project. ⁵ Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.