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to God." 21 [For] God hath made him, who knew no sin, a sin-offering for us, that, in him, we may be made the righteousness of God.

Consciences also. 12 [For] we Commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to poast on our account; that ye may have something to answer chose, who boast in appearance, CH. VI. 1 Now, fellow-laand not in heart. 13 For, whe-bourers, we also beseech you ther we have been transported that ye receive not the favour beyond ourselves, it is to God: of God in vain: 2 (for Isaiah or whether we be sober, it is saith, "I have heard thee in a For you.* time accepted, and in the day of salvation I have assisted thee:" behold, now the wellaccepted time: behold, now, the day of salvation :) 3 giving no one offence in any thing, that our ministry be not blamed: 4 but in all things, recommend

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us, judging this, that, [if] one died for all, then the whole were dead; 15 and ne died for all, that the living should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died, and was raised, for them. 16 Where-ing ourselves as the ministers fore, henceforth we know no one according to the flesh yea, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know him. 17 Wherefore if any one be in Christ, this is a new creation: the old things are passed away; Dehold, [all things] are become

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* So Thomson.

of God; in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in disturbances, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 in purity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in a holy spirit, in love unfeigned, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; yea, through the right hand and left hand armour of righteousness: 8 through honour and disgrace, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 as grieved, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

11. Our mouth is opened to you, O Corinthians, our heart

"This is said in allusion to the armour of the ancients." Macknight.

and to live together. 4 Great is my freedom of speech towards you, great is my boasting* concerning you: I am filled with comfort, I abound exceedingly in joy under all our affliction.

5 For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: without were oppositions, within were fears. 6 Nevertheless, God, who comforteth those who are brought low, comforted us by the com

is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us; but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13 Now as a recompense for this, (I speak as to my children,) be ye also enlarged. 14 Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with iniquity? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 and what agree-ing of Titus: 7 and not by his ment hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, "I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separated," saith the Lord, "and touch not any unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 and will be a father to you, and ye shall be to me sons, and daughters," saith the Lord Almighty. CH. VII. 1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and of spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

coming only, but by the comfort with which he was comforted on your account, when he told us your earnest desire, your lamentation, your zeal for me: so that I rather rejoiced. 8 For though I grieved you by my letter, I do not repent; though indeed I did repent: for I perceive that my letter hath griev ed you for a short time only.

9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were grieved, but that ye were grieved to repentance: for ye were grieved in a godly manner, so that in nothing did ye received damage from us. 10 For a godly sorrow worketh repentance, to salvation, not to be regretted: but the grief of the world worketh death. 11 For, 2 RECEIVE us: we have behold, this very thing, ([your] wronged no one; we have cor- being grieved in a godly manrupted no one, we have de-ner,) what carefulness it wrought frauded no one. 3 I speak not in you, yea, apologizing, yea, this to condemn you: for I indignation, yea, fear, yea, earnhave said before, that ye are est desire, yea, zeal, yea, punin our hearts, to die together | ishment !† in all things, ye have

See 1 Cor. xv. 31.

ti. e. punishment of the incestuous person. See Macknight, and Parkhurst. Exdixnois may be rendered vindication, which, perhaps, is the sense in the text.

Or the word

oved yourselves to be clear n] this matter.

12 Wherefore, though I rote to you, I did it, not so uch on account of him who ad done the wrong, nor on acount of him who had suffered e wrong, as that our care for ɔu might be made manifest you, in the sight of God. 13 We, therefore, were comrted by your comfort and e rejoiced more exceedingly or the joy of Titus, because is spirit was refreshed by you 1. 14 For if I have boasted to im in any respect concerning ou, I have not been put to hame: but as we spake all hings to you, in truth, so also our oasting which was before Tius, is found true. 15 And his | ender affection is more abunant towards you; while he renembereth the obedience of you all, how ye received him with fear and trembling. 16 I ejoice that in every thing I ave confidence in you.

the joint administration of it to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we expected; but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us, by the will of God; 6 so that we desired Titus, that, as he had already begun to do this, so he would likewise finish in you also this work of liberality.

7 Now as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us; see that ye abound also in this work of liberality. 8 I speak not by way of command; but to try the sincerity of your love also, by the diligence of others. 9 (For ye know the gracious goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for you he was poor, being rich,* that ye, through his poverty, might be rich.) 10 And I give my judgment in this matter; for this is expedient for you, who have already begun, not only to do, but also to have a willing mind, a year ago.

CH. VIII. 1 NOW we make nown to you, brethren, the 11 Now then, complete, very liberal gift bestowed by also, the doing of it; that, as the churches of Macedonia; there was a readiness to will, 2 that, under a great trial of so also there may be a fulfilment affliction, the abundance of out of what ye possess. 12 For heir joy, the depth of their if there be first a ready mind, poverty, hath abounded to the it is accepted according to what riches of their liberality. 3 For[any one] hath, and not accordo their power, (I bear witness,) yea, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; 4 beseeching us with much intreaty, concerning their gift, and

ing to what he hath not. 13 For I mean not that others may be eased, and you burdened: 14 but that, by an equality, your abundance may be a supply at

* Or, the godly gift. Or, the godlike gift. Literally, the favour of God.

+ while he was rich-see Wakefield-ovσIOS WV, ETTWXEUGE. The construction requires it to be understood, not of a passage from a preceding state of wealth to a succeeding state of po werty, but of two contemporary states. He was rich and poor at the same time.

this time, for their want; that of your love, and of our boasttheir abundance, also, may being on your account.

a supply for your want: that there may be an equality, 15 as it is written, "He who had gathered much, had nothing over; and he who had gathered little, had no want."

16 But thanks be to God, who hath put the same diligent care for you, into the heart of Titus. 17 For he respected indeed my exhortation; but, being very earnest, he went to you of his own accord. 18 And we sent with him a brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches; 19 and not that only, but who was also appointed, by the churches, our fellow-traveller, with this liberal gift, which is to be administered by us to the glory of the Lord [himself], and to the declaration of our ready mind: 20 we avoiding this, that no one should blame us in this abundance which is to be administered by us; 21 and providing things which are good, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

22 And we have sent with them, our brother, (whom we have often found diligent in many things, but now much more diligent,) because of the great confidence which we have in you. 23 If any inquire of Titus, he is my partner, and fellow-labourer towards you: or if our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. 24 Wherefore show ye to them, before the churches, the proof

CH. IX. 1 FOR, concerning your ministration to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. 2 For I know your rea diness, for which I boast of you to those of Macedonia, that Achaia was prepared a year ago and your zeal hath stirred up very many. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you in this respect, should be in vain ; that, as I said of you, ye may be prepared: 4 lest, if those of Macedonia, come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not ye) should be put to shame for this confidence. 5 I have therefore thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before to you, and make up beforehand your bounty, before spoken of by me, that it might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

6 However, this I say, He who soweth sparingly, will also reap sparingly; and he who soweth bountifully, will also reap bountifully. 7 Let every one give, according as he chooseth in his heart; not with pain, or by constraint: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every gift abound towards you; that, having always all sufficiency in all things, ye may abound to every good work: 9 (as it is written, "He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth to the age.")

10 Now may he who sup- [ false reasonings, and every high plieth seed to the sower, and thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ; 6 and being ready to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is complete.

read for food, supply and muliply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteDusness; 11 ye being enriched n all things to all liberality, which causeth thanksgiving by is to God. 12 For the ministraion of this service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also in many thanksgivings to God; 13 for through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your iberal contribution to them, and to all;) 14 and in their prayer for you, ardently loving you for the exceedingly bountiful gift bestowed by you. 15 [Now] thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.*

CH. X. 1 NOW I, the same Paul, who, when present, indeed, am humble among you, but when absent am bold towards you, beseech you by the mildness and clemency of Christ, 2 and I request, that, when present, I may not be bold, with that confidence wherewith I conclude to be bold against some, who conclude us to be really persons who walk according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh; 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to the casting down of strong holds ;) 5 casting down

we

7 Do ye look on things according to the outward appearance? If any one trust in himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this also, that, as he is Christ's, so are likewise. 8 For though I should boast in a somewhat extraordinary manner of our authority, which the Lord hath given to us for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 but I forbear, that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

10 For his letters, it is said, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such an one think this, that as we are in word, by letters, when absent, such we will be in deed also, when present.

12 For we dare not place ourselves in the same rank, or compare ourselves, with some who commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselvest, are not wise. 13 But we] [will boast] not of things without measure; but according to the measure of the line which God hath allotted to us, that we should reach even to you.

This applies to Christ, who "may well be called God's unspeakable gift." Macknight. Or, they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves. [But we will] not [boast] of things, but, etc. See Newcome's note.

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