7 of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive to yourselves one another; as Christ also hath received you to himself for the glory of God. 8 Now I say, that Jesus Christ became a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the pro9 mises made to the fathers: and that the gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, “For this cause I will praise thee among the gentiles, and sing un10 to thy name." And again it is said, "Rejoice, ye gen11 tiles, together with his people." And again, "Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles; and laud him, all ye people." 12 And again Isaiah saith, "There shall be a root of Jessè: and he who shall rise to reign over the gentiles, in him 13 the gentiles shall hope." Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, in believing; that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the holy spirit. 14 And I myself also am persuaded concerning you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with 15 all knowledge, able to admonish one another also. Ne vertheless, brethren, I have written to you somewhat boldly in part, as putting you in mind, on account of 16 the favour which God hath bestowed on me; that I should be a minister of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the gentiles might be well-accepted, being sanctified by the 17 holy spirit. I have therefore whereof I may glory through 18 Jesus Christ, in things relating to God; (for I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me ;) concerning the obedience of the 19 gentiles in word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, through the power of the spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, I have 20 fully preached the gospel of Christ: earnestly striving, however, to preach the gospel in this manner; not where *Or, the holy spirit. MSS. Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's 21 foundation; but, as it is written, "Those to whom he had not been spoken of, shall see and those that had 22 not heard, shall understand." On which account also, I 23 have been often hindered from coming to you: but now, having no longer place for preaching in these parts, and having a great desire for these many years to come unto 24 you; whensoever I go into Spain I trust to see you as I pass on, and to be conducted by you on my way thitherward, when I have been first partly filled with your 25 company. But now I am going to Jerusalem, that I may 26 minister to the saints: for it hath pleased those of Ma cedonia and Achaia to make some contribution for the 27 poor saints that are in Jerusalem. It hath pleased them indeed, and they are debtors to the Jews: for if these have made the gentiles partakers of their spiritual things, the gentiles ought also to minister to them in wordly 28 things. When therefore I have performed this, and have set the seal to this fruit of their liberality†, I will come 29 by you into Spain. And I know that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ. 30 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love which is the fruit of the spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who believe not; and that my ministry at Jerusalem may be well32 accepted by the saints; that I may come to you with joy, by the will of God; and may be refreshed together with 33, you. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. CH. XVI. NOW I commend to you Phebè our sister, who is a 2 deaconess of the church which is at Cenchrea that ye receive her in the Lord, as is worthy of saints, and that * I will come to you; for I trust, etc. R. T. † So Wakefield. consigned to them this fruit of love. N. ye help her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been an assistant of many, and of myself 3 also. Salute Priscas and Aquila, my fellow-labourers in 4 Christ Jesus: (who for my life have laid down their own necks: to whom not I only give thanks, but all the 5 churches also of the gentiles :) salute likewise the church* in the house. Salute my well-beloved Epænetus, who 6 is the first-fruits of Asia† to Christ. Salute Mary, who 7 hath laboured much for you. Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners, who are well known among the apostles; who also were in Christ 8 before me. Salute Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Salute Urbanus, our fellow-labourer in Christ; and Stachys, 10 my beloved. Salute Apelles, who is approved in Christ. 11 Salute those that are of Aristobulus's household. Salute Herodian, my kinsman. Salute those of Narcissus's 12 household, that are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena, and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved 13 Persis, who hath laboured much in the Lord. Salute 17 Rufus, who is chosen in the Lord; and his mother and 14 mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, 15 Hermes, and the brethren that are with them. Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, 16 and all the saints that are with them. Salute one another with an holy kiss. All the churches of Christ salute you. Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark those who raise divisions and causes of stumbling, contrary to the doc18 trine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For those that are such, serve not our Lord [Jesus] Christ, but their own belly; and, by good words, and fair speeches, de19 ceive the hearts of the innocent. For your obedience hath come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore on your account: but yet I would have you wise concerning that which is good, and simple concerning that which 20 is evil. Now the God of peace will quickly bruise Satan under your feet. The favour of our Lord Jesus 21 Christ be with you. Timothy, my fellow-labourer, and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. 22 I Tertius, the scribe of this epistle, salute you in the 23 Lord. Gaius, mine host, and the host of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, and 24 Quartus, a brother, salute you. The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you allt. Ament. "Bad men, the instruments of Satan. The persecuting Jews. See Le Clerc on Hammond: and Whitby." Newcome. q.d. May you all enjoy the blessings of the gospel. See 2 Cor. iv. 15; vi. 1s THE FIRST EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS. CHAP. I. PAUL, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the 2, will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those that are sanctified through Christ Jesus, called to be saints, and to all that in every place are called by the name of our Lord Jesus 3 Christ, both their Lord, I say, and ours: favour be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 * I thank my God always on your account, for his fa5 vour, which is given you through Jesus Christ: for ye have been enriched by him in every thing, in all utter6 ance, and in all knowledge; according as the testimony 7 concerning Christ was confirmed among you: so that ye are inferior in no gift; looking for the manifestation 8 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also establish you irreproachable to the end, even in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye have been called into a fellowship with his son Jesus Christ our Lord. * See Mr. Lindsey's Second Address, p. 273. “call on," N. See also Joseph, Antiq. Jud. c. 18. sec. 3. vol.ji, p. 802. edit. Hudson. |