2 Corinthians 8:17

17 He was most considerate of how we felt, but his eagerness to go to you and help out with this relief offering is his own idea.

2 Corinthians 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 8:17

For indeed, he accepted the exhortation
The Macedonians besought the apostle with much entreaty to give unto him, ( 2 Corinthians 8:4 2 Corinthians 8:6 ) or which being moved by their example, they gave unto him, namely, that he would go and finish what he had already begun; and accordingly he did not refuse, but readily accepted the exhortation: yea, not only so,

but being more forward;
than was known or could have been expected; which shows that this was put into his heart by God, before it was moved unto him; so that if he had never been asked, or exhorted hereunto, he would have gone of himself:

of his own accord he went unto you;
so great is his care of you; so great his love unto you so willing was he to come again and pay another visit: and especially on this account, where he had before been treated with so much respect and kindness. Titus having been at Corinth already, and being well known there, the apostle forbears saying anything more in his commendation.

2 Corinthians 8:17 In-Context

15 As it is written, Nothing left over to the one with the most, Nothing lacking to the one with the least.
16 I thank God for giving Titus the same devoted concern for you that I have.
17 He was most considerate of how we felt, but his eagerness to go to you and help out with this relief offering is his own idea.
18 We're sending a companion along with him, someone very popular in the churches for his preaching of the Message.
19 But there's far more to him than popularity. He's rock-solid trustworthy. The churches handpicked him to go with us as we travel about doing this work of sharing God's gifts to honor God as well as we can,
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.