1. Now I will write about the collection of money for God’s people. Do the same thing I told the Galatian churches to do:
2. On the first day of every week, each one of you should put aside money as you have been blessed. Save it up so you will not have to collect money after I come.
3. When I arrive, I will send whomever you approve to take your gift to Jerusalem. I will send them with letters of introduction,
4. and if it seems good for me to go also, they will go along with me.
5. I plan to go through Macedonia, so I will come to you after I go through there.
6. Perhaps I will stay with you for a time or even all winter. Then you can help me on my trip, wherever I go.
7. I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to stay a longer time with you if the Lord allows it.
8. But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost,
9. because a good opportunity for a great and growing work has been given to me now. And there are many people working against me.
10. If Timothy comes to you, see to it that he has nothing to fear with you, because he is working for the Lord just as I am.
11. So none of you should treat Timothy as unimportant, but help him on his trip in peace so that he can come back to me. I am expecting him to come with the brothers.