The Collection for the Lord’s People
16 Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, 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. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
Personal Requests
5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 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. 8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
10 When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, 16 to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
Final Greetings
19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla [Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. 20 All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord [The Greek for Come, Lord reproduces an Aramaic expression (Marana tha) used by early Christians. ]!
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.[Some manuscripts do not have Amen]
NOTES:
16:1–4 This paragraph contains our earliest evidence for a
project that became a major undertaking of Paul’s ministry. The collection for
the church at Jerusalem was a symbol in his mind for the unity of Jewish and
Gentile Christianity. Cf. Gal 2:10; Rom 15:25–29; 2 Cor 8–9 and the notes to
this last passage.
16:1 In regard to the collection: it has already begun in
Galatia and Macedonia (cf. 2 Cor 8), and presumably he has already instructed
the Corinthians about its purpose.
16:4 That I should go also: presumably Paul delivered the
collection on his final visit to Jerusalem; cf. Rom 15:25–32; Acts 24:14.
16:5–12 The travel plans outlined here may not have
materialized precisely as Paul intended; cf. 2 Cor 1:8–2:13; 7:4–16.
16:8 In Ephesus until Pentecost: this tells us the place
from which he wrote the letter and suggests he may have composed it about
Easter time (cf. 1 Cor 5:7–8).
16:19–24 These paragraphs conform to the normal epistolary
conclusion, but their language is overlaid with liturgical coloration as well.
The greetings of the Asian churches are probably to be read, along with the
letter, in the liturgy at Corinth, and the union of the church is to be
expressed by a holy kiss (1 Cor 16:19–20). Paul adds to this his own greeting
(1 Cor 16:21) and blessings (1 Cor 16:23–24).
16:22 Accursed: literally, “anathema.” This expression (cf.
1 Cor 12:3) is a formula for exclusion from the community; it may imply here a
call to self-examination before celebration of the Eucharist, in preparation
for the Lord’s coming and judgment (cf. 1 Cor 11:17–34). Marana tha: an Aramaic
expression, probably used in the early Christian liturgy. As understood here
(“O Lord, come!”), it is a prayer for the early return of Christ. If the
Aramaic words are divided differently (Maran atha, “Our Lord has come”), it
becomes a credal declaration. The former interpretation is supported by what
appears to be a Greek equivalent of this acclamation in Rev 22:20 “Amen. Come,
Lord Jesus!”
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