1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you what God’s grace has done in the churches in Macedonia.
2 These believers have been tested by great troubles, and they are very poor. But their great joy caused them to be very generous in their giving.
3 I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. No one told them to do this. It was their idea.
4 But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God’s people.
5 And they gave in a way that we did not expect: They gave themselves to the Lord and to us before they gave their money. This is what God wants.