Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 15:26

"For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem." — Romans 15:26 (ASV)

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia. That is, they have done it cheerfully and voluntarily. See their liberality and cheerfulness commended by the apostle in 2 Corinthians 8:1–6; 9:2. Paul had taken great pains to obtain this collection, but still they did it freely. See 2 Corinthians 9:4–7. It was with reference to this collection that he directed them to set aside for this purpose as God had prospered them, on the first day of the week, 1 Corinthians 16:2.

Of Macedonia. That is, the Christians in Macedonia—those who had been Gentiles and who had been converted to the Christian religion (Romans 15:27). Macedonia was a country of Greece, bounded north by Thrace, south by Thessaly, west by Epirus, and east by the Aegean Sea. It was an extensive region and was the kingdom of Philip and his son Alexander the Great.

Its capital was Philippi, where Paul planted a church. A church was also established at Thessalonica, another city of that country (Acts 16:9 and following; 19:21; 2 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 7, 8; 2 Corinthians 4:10).

And Achaia. Achaia, in the largest sense, comprehended all ancient Greece. Achaia Proper, however, was a province of Greece, embracing the western part of the Peloponnesus, of which Corinth was the capital (see the notes on Acts 18:12). This region is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 9:2 as having participated in this collection.

The poor saints, etc. The Christians who were in Judea were exposed to particular trials. They were condemned by the Sanhedrin, opposed by the rulers, and persecuted by the people (see Acts 8:1, Acts 12:1, and other similar passages).

Paul sought not only to relieve them by this contribution but also to promote fellowship between them and the Gentile Christians. And this circumstance would greatly reinforce what he had been urging in chapters 14 and 15 on the duty of kind feeling between the Jewish and Gentile converts to Christianity. Nothing does more to wear away prejudice and prevent unkind feelings toward others than to set about some purpose to do them good, or to unite with them in doing good.