<p>9:2- see on Jn. 19:39; Rom. 11:14; 2 Cor. 8:11.</p><p><i>For I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to those in Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for the past year</i>- Paul could have taken the view that they were all talk, as people often are when it comes to money matters. Instead he boasts of their talk about wanting to support his project. In all human relationships, we can take a cup half full or cup half empty approach. Paul was so 'in love' with the weak Corinthians that he acted as if he really believed them, when clearly all the evidence was that he should have been wary of their promises. After all, these are the same Corinthians to whom he wrote 1 Corinthians. It was surely an exaggeration to say that Achaia Corinth and the churches around it had been &quot;prepared&quot; for a year. Prepared to give? Or does he imply they had collected each week as he advised in 1 Corinthians 16, and were now ready for the donations to be picked up by Titus and his team, in order to be taken to Jerusalem? According to the usage of &quot;prepared&quot; in :3, that seems more the idea. As suggested on chapter 7, this is the boasting of a man deeply in love with a woman who just isn't going to come through on his expectations and hopes for her. Hope had morphed into reality in Paul's mind.</p><p><i>And your zeal has stirred up very many of them</i>- Paul could bid men follow him, that they might follow Christ. And the inspired word does bid us go down the road of comparing our behaviour with that of others. Paul boasted of the Corinthians&rsquo; enthusiasm in planning to make donations in order to provoke the ecclesias in Macedonia to a like generosity. Their zeal &ldquo;provoked very many&rdquo; (AV). We should provoke one another to love and good works, by example (Heb. 10:24). This is why Christian fellowship is built into our spiritual journey- for we take strength from others as well as from the Lord directly. He mediates His encouragement through others.&nbsp;</p>