2 Corinthians 8:17
in 2 Corinthians 8For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he accepted indeed our exhortation; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord.
KJV
For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 8
Commentary
10 notes on this verseSeeing that the Corinthians are making progress in good works, Titus has become particularly concerned about their attitude and has even volunteered to go to visit them.
This site's exposition
who put into the heart of Titus
on 2 Corinthians 8:16-19
With Titus travels the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel, unnamed in the text. Verse 19 gives the safeguard: this brother was chosen by the churches, elected by the givers.
This site's exposition
of his own volition
Chrysostom notes that Paul credits God with the zeal of Titus and still praises Titus for his own. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown explain that ancient letters often used the past tense for events that would be past when the letter arrived. Titus needed no pushing.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Observe how he also represents him as fulfilling his own part, and needing no prompting from others. And having mentioned the grace of God, he doth not leave the whole to be God's; again, that by this also he may win them unto greater love, having said that he was stirred up from himself also. For, "being very earnest, he went forth of his own accord," 'he seized at the thing, he rushed upon the treasure, he considered your service to be his own advantage; and because he loved you exceedingly, he needed not the exhortation I gave; but though he was exhorted by me also, yet it was not by that he was stirred up; but from himself and by the grace of God.'
The Medieval Church2 voices
From what is it evident that God stirred up Titus? From the fact that when I asked him, he readily accepted the request, and did not grumble, but set out voluntarily, for even before I asked him, he already had his own zeal.
But the sign of this carefulness is that when I asked him, he consented to my exhortation; hence he says, "For he not only accepted our appeal," and because he carried out what I asked; hence he says, but being himself very earnest, of his …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For indeed, he accepted the exhortation,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For indeed he accepted the exhortation - He cheerfully complied with the exhortation which I gave him, to wit, to visit you, and excite you to this good work. But being more forward - More disposed to do this than I had supposed. The idea here is, that he was very ready to engage in this; he was more ready to engage in it than Paul was to exhort him to it; he anticipated his request; he had already resolved to engage in it. Of his own accord he went ... - He went voluntarily and without urging.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
being more forward--more earnest than to need such exhortation. he went--Greek, "went forth." We should say, he is going forth; but the ancients put the past tense in letter writing, as the things will have been past by the time that the correspondent, receives the letter.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
He accepted the exhortation - I advised him to visit you and excite you to this good work, and I found that he was already disposed in his heart to do it; God put this earnest care in the heart of Titus for you, 2Co 8:16.
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὅτι | hoti | For | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| παράκλησιν | paraklesin | [our] appeal | G3874 → | 29 times |
| ἐδέξατο, | edexato | he accepted, | G1209 → | 56 times |
| σπουδαιότερος | spoudaioteros | very earnest | G4705 → | 3 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὑπάρχων | huparchon | being | G5225 → | |
| αὐθαίρετος | authairetos | of his own accord | G830 → | |
| ἐξῆλθεν | exelthen | he has gone out | G1831 → | 216 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς. | humas | you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ὅτιFor
hotiG3754 →1292 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
παράκλησιν[our] appeal
paraklesinG3874 →29 times
ἐδέξατο,he accepted,
edexatoG1209 →56 times
σπουδαιότεροςvery earnest
spoudaioterosG4705 →3 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ὑπάρχωνbeing
huparchonG5225 →
αὐθαίρετοςof his own accord
authairetosG830 →
ἐξῆλθενhe has gone out
exelthenG1831 →216 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶς.you.
humasG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 8:8I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 7:6
I say this as a concession, not as a command.
- 1 John 3:17–19
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- 1 Corinthians 7:6
Through
2 Corinthians 8:10And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 6:18–19
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,
- Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- 2 Corinthians 9:2
For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them…
- James 2:15–16
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
- Proverbs 19:17
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- 1 Timothy 6:18–19
Through
2 Corinthians 8:6So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 12:18
I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?
- 2 Corinthians 12:18
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Frederic Godet, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 18 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.