For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that the gift was a "contribution," which literally means "a sharing" or "fellowship." This wasn't just charity; it was a tangible expression of unity, where Gentile believers shared their resources with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. This act bridged cultural and economic divides, demonstrating a deep spiritual connection that transcended earthly differences.
For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is explaining his upcoming trip to Jerusalem, which involves delivering a collection of funds gathered from Gentile churches to the suffering Jewish believers there. This act of sharing resources between different groups of believers is presented as a practical demonstration of the unity and fellowship that Christ has established. The Gentile churches, having benefited spiritually from the Jewish heritage of the gospel, are now giving back materially.
Why did Gentile believers in Greece feel compelled to send financial aid to Jewish believers in Jerusalem?
This wasn't just charity; it was an act of 'communion' (koinonia). The churches in Macedonia and Achaia recognized that the spiritual blessings they received through the gospel originated from the Jewish people. Therefore, they saw it as a privilege and a duty to share their material resources with the 'poor among the saints' in Jerusalem.
It was a profound expression of unity, bridging cultural and ethnic divides through Christ. The Gentile believers understood they were debtors to their Jewish brothers and sisters in faith, and this contribution was a tangible way to repay that debt and demonstrate their deep spiritual connection.
Who exactly were the recipients of this generous gift, and why is the phrasing 'the poor among the saints' so significant?
The phrase 'the poor among the saints' is crucial. It clarifies that not all believers in Jerusalem were poor. Instead, a significant number within the Jerusalem church faced financial hardship. This could have been due to various factors: the economic impact of persecution by their Jewish countrymen, or perhaps a radical sharing of possessions that left many with little personal wealth.
This distinction is important because it shows the specificity of God's care and the church's response. The generosity was targeted towards those in genuine need within the family of faith, while acknowledging that the community as a whole was not destitute. It reflects a mature understanding of Christian responsibility – to care for the vulnerable within the body of Christ.
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Understand the original words
Makedonia · Greek Noun
Referring to the inhabitants of the Roman province of Macedonia (Northern Greece), used here to denote the churches in that region who contributed to the collection.
Achaia · Greek Noun
Referring to the Roman province covering Southern Greece, including the city of Corinth, whose churches participated in the financial relief effort.
koinōnia · Greek Noun
In the New Testament, this refers to a voluntary gift or fellowship offering given to support others in the faith, reflecting the unity of the body of Christ.
hagios · Greek Noun
Believers in Christ; those who are set apart by God for His purposes and are considered holy through the work of Jesus.
This collection highlights the profound unity between Jewish and Gentile believers in the early church, transcending cultural and economic differences to support the 'mother church' in Jerusalem.
c. AD 40s
Famine in Judea
A severe famine struck Judea, causing hardship for believers in Jerusalem. The church in Antioch, including Gentile believers, sent aid.
c. AD 50-54
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
The Apostle Paul spent significant time in Corinth, the capital of Achaia. During this period, he actively organized and encouraged the collection for Jerusalem among the Gentile churches.
c. AD 54-56— this verse
Collection for Jerusalem Saints
Churches in Macedonia (like Philippi and Thessalonica) and Achaia (like Corinth) contributed generously to support the poorer believers in Jerusalem, demonstrating unity and mutual care.
c. AD 57
Paul Writes Romans
Paul writes his letter to the Romans, likely from Corinth, referencing this ongoing collection as a testament to the unity and shared mission between Gentile and Jewish believers.
This passage directly describes the Macedonian churches' enthusiastic and generous giving to the poor believers in Jerusalem, mirroring the contribution mentioned here in Romans.
Acts 11:27-30This shows an earlier instance of a collection taken by Gentile believers (from Antioch) for the 'poor among the saints' in Jerusalem, establishing a precedent for this later, larger contribution.
Galatians 2:10In this verse, James, Peter, and John ask Paul to 'remember the poor,' a request Paul eagerly embraced and which this collection directly fulfills, linking it to the apostles' concern for the Jerusalem church.
1 Corinthians 16:1-4Paul gives instructions for the collection for Jerusalem here, showing his methodical organization and the practical steps involved in gathering these funds from Gentile churches, which is the very act he is referencing in Romans.
Romans 14:1This chapter, which immediately precedes this verse, discusses welcoming and not judging weaker believers, providing the theological backdrop for why Gentile believers should support their Jewish counterparts, emphasizing unity in Christ.
jfbRomans 15:26: "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem."
- For, &c.—better, "For Macedonia and Achaia have thought good to make a certain contribution for the poor of the saints which are at Jerusalem." (See Ac 24:17). "They have thought it good; and their debtors verily they are"; that is, "And well they may, considering what the Gentile believers owe to their Jewish brethren."
vincentRomans 15:26: "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem."
Contribution (κοινωνίαν)See on fellowship, Acts 2:42.Poor saints (πτωχοὺς τῶν ἁγίων)More literally, and better, the poor of the saints. Rev., among the saints. All the saints were not poor.
The verse highlights that the gift was a "contribution," which literally means "a sharing" or "fellowship." This wasn't just charity; it was a tangible expression of unity, where Gentile believers shared their resources with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. This act bridged cultural and economic divides, demonstrating a deep spiritual connection that transcended earthly differences.
Paul is explaining his upcoming trip to Jerusalem, which involves delivering a collection of funds gathered from Gentile churches to the suffering Jewish believers there. This act of sharing resources between different groups of believers is presented as a practical demonstration of the unity and fellowship that Christ has established. The Gentile churches, having benefited spiritually from the Jewish heritage of the gospel, are now giving back materially.
Paul is explaining his upcoming trip to Jerusalem, which involves delivering a collection of funds gathered from Gentile churches to the suffering Jewish believers there. This act of sharing resources between different groups of believers is presented as a practical demonstration of the unity and fellowship that Christ has established. The Gentile churches, having benefited spiritually from the Jewish heritage of the gospel, are now giving back materially.
"For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem." — The verse highlights that the gift was a "contribution," which literally means "a sharing" or "fellowship." This wasn't just charity; it was a tangible expression of unity, where Gentile believers sh…
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Last reviewed October 2026