2:10

keep the poor in mind: About 49 C.E., Peter, James, and John gave Paul and his fellow worker Barnabas a commission. (Ga 2:9) They were to keep the material needs of impoverished Christians in mind as they preached to the nations. Here Paul reports that he earnestly endeavored to do so. When the Christians in Judea later came into need, Paul encouraged the congregations in other locations to share material things with their needy brothers in Jerusalem. Paul’s letters reveal the attention that he gave to this matter. In both of his inspired letters to the Corinthian Christians (c. 55 C.E.), he wrote about the collection; he said that he had already given directions on this matter “to the congregations of Galatia.” (1Co 16:1-3; 2Co 8:1-8; 9:1-5; see study notes on 1Co 16:1, 3; 2Co 8:2.) About 56 C.E. when Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, the collection was almost complete. (Ro 15:25, 26) Paul fulfilled his commission shortly thereafter, for later at his trial in Jerusalem, he told Roman Governor Felix: “I arrived to bring gifts of mercy to my nation.” (Ac 24:17) Such loving concern for the needs of fellow Christians was one of the identifying marks of first-century Christianity.​—Joh 13:35.