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This section consists of two parts, each beginning with the formula Now about (16:1, 12: cf. 7:1, 25; 8:1; 12:1). In response to Corinthian questions, Paul announces his travel plans and those of his associates. His goal is to guide and inform them in preparation for his visit.
Paul’s initial instructions (16:1-4) concern the collection for God’s people—that is, the offering he undertook among his Gentile churches in behalf of impoverished Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (see Ac 24:17; Ro 15:24-33; 2Co 8-9; Gal 2:10). He commends to the Corinthians the same procedure he suggested to his Galatian churches—systematic, proportional, free-will offerings (v.1) collected on Sunday, which already seems to be the customary Christian day of worship (v.2). Paul plans to deliver the collection to Jerusalem accompanied by their representatives (vv.3-4). We know from 2Co 8-9 that he had considerably more difficulty completing the collection arrangements in Corinth than he envisioned at this writing.
Paul details his personal travel plans (vv.5-9) and Timothy’s (vv.10-11). Since Timothy is to deliver the letter we know as 1 Corinthians (v.10; 4:17), Paul urges the Corinthians to extend him hospitality and to finance his return journey (v.11). Paul writes from Ephesus, where he plans to stay until late spring (v.8). From there he plans to go through Macedonia on his way to Corinth, where he hopes to stay, perhaps through winter (vv.5-6). Apparently his itinerary calls for him to pass near Corinth on his way to Macedonia, since he explains his reluctance to pay them only a passing visit and his preference for spending more time than his present schedule permits (v.7). We know from 2 Corinthians that Paul subsequently changed his mind and did, in fact, stop in Corinth, to both his and their sorrow (see 2Co 1:15-2:4).