Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

written, To whom he Method was agreeable to the Pro- A. D. 57. was not spoken of, phet's Expreffion, Ifai. lii. 15.

they that have not heard, fhall understand.

they fhall fee: and

[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

22. For which caufe alfo I have been much hindred from coming

to you.

23. But now having no more place in thefe parts, and having a great defire these many years to come 24. Whenfoever I

unto you:

take my journey into
Spain, I will come to
you: for I truft to fee
you in my journey,

22. And these Travels of mine from one Country to another, have hitherto kept me from feeing you at Rome.

23 & 24. But having now fi-
nifh'd my Work in thefe Parts,
and intending fhortly for Spain,
I hope to gratify my long Defire
of feeing you in my Way thi
ther; and do affure myself, that
the Satisfaction of enjoying your
Converfation, will make my Jour-
ney seem the shorter and more
pleasant.

and to be brought on my way thither-ward by you, if first I
be fomewhat filled with your company.

25. But now I go 25 & 26. At present I am go-
unto Jerufalem, to mi- ing for Jerufalem, to carry a cha-
nifter unto the faints. ritable Collection to the poor
26. For it hath Chriftians there, raised by the
pleased them of Ma- Chriftian Brethren of Macedonia
cedonia and Achaia, and Achaia for their Support.
to make a certain con-
tribution for the poor faints which are at Jerufalem.

27. It hath pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their fpiritual things, their duty is alfo to minifter unto them in carnal things.

28. When therefore I have performed this,

27. Thus bountiful are they to them, and indeed well they may, for from Jerufalem it was that these Gentiles firft receiv'd the Gofpel; and for fuch a fpiritual and eternal Bleffing, they may well, in Return, fupply them with the neceffary Things of this prefent Life.

28. As foon as ever, therefore, I have discharged this charitable and Office,

See Atts xx and xxi, 2 Cor. viii. 1, 2, 6, 19.

A. D. 57. and have fealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

29. And I am fure that when I come unto you, I fhall come in the fulness of the bleffing of the gospel of Chrift +.

30. Now I befeech you, brethren, for the Lord Jefus Chrifts fake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye ftrive together with me, in your prayers to God for me.

31. That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea, and that my fervice which I have for Jerufalem, may be accepted of the faints:

32. That I may come unto you with joy by the will of

Office, and fafely deliver'd the Contributions to them, I will take you in my Way to Spain.

29. And I am fure when I am come, I fhall impart that to you, that will fully convince you all, how gracious and happy a Difpenfation the Gospel Religion is.

30 & 31. In the mean while, I beg of you for Chrift's Sake, and by that Love which is the genuine Fruit † of his Spirit, tơ join your Prayers with me for my fafe Deliverance from the Malice of the obftinate and unbelieving Jews of Judea. And that our Jewish Brethren at Jerusalem may duly and thankfully accept the Contributions I carry to them, though they come from Gentile Churches; against whom they are too apt to be unreasonably prejudiced.

32. This will greatly add to the Enjoyment of your Company.

God, and may with you be refreshed.

33. Now the God 33. Now the GOD of Peace of peace be with you be with you all. Amen.

all.

Amen.

ΣφραγισάμενΘ τὸν καρπὸν.

С НА Р.

Ver. 29. In the Fulness of the Gospel of Chrift. His Meaning is, either, with a full Impartment of fpiritual Gifts to them (for which fee Chap. i. 11.) or elfe, that he should be able fully to fatisfy them all, that the Gospel was defign'd to justify and fave both Jew and Gentile, (which was the main Defign of this Epiftle) as Mr. Locke ingeniously enough fuppofes.

Ver. 30. The Love of the Spirit. Compare Rom. v. 5. 2 Cor. vi. 6. Galat. v. 22. 1 Tim. iv, 12. 2 Tim. i. 7.

See Acts xxi.

CHAP. XVI.

The CONTENTS.

He recommends Phebe the Bearer of the Epiftle. Salutations to and from the Chriftians of his Acquaintance. In the midst of them renews his pathetical Defires of their mutual Care to avoid Divifions, and the Perfons that foment and Spread them. Repeats his Affurance to the Gentile Chriftians, that they are the true Church of Chrift, without the Obfervance of the Jewish Law: And concludes with Praifes to God for his univerfal Mercies to Mankind.

1.

I Commend unto

you Phebe our fifter, which is a fervant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2. That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh faints, and that ye affift her in whatfoever bufinefs the hath need of you:

1&2.

I Phebe our Sifter in Chrift,

Commend to your Care A. D. 57.

one that has been very serviceable
in entertaining the Chriftians at
Cenchrea, a Haven at Corinth.
She has been kind to many, and
Wherefore
to me in particular.
receive her with true Chriftian
Kindness, and supply her with
whatever she wants.

for fhe hath been a fuccourer of many, and of myself alfo.

3. Greet Prifcilla and Aquila my helpers in Chrift Jefus. 4. (Who have for my life laid down their own necks; unto

whom not only I give thanks, but alfo

3 & 4. Remember me kindly
to Prifcilla and Aquila, who ven-
tured their own Lives to fave
mine; a Thing that I and all the
Gentile Churches are beholden to

them for, for preferving their A-
poftle.

all the churches of the Gentiles.)

5. Likewife greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epenetus, who is the firft-fruits of Achaia unto Christ.

5 & 6. Salute their whole Chrif tian Family: As alfo Epenetus, who was one of the firft Chriftian Converts in Achaia; and Mary, who entertain'd me and my Company with much Care.

6. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

2

7. Salute

A. D. 57:

7.

Salute Androni

cus and Junia my kinf-
men, and my fellow-
prifoners, who are of
note among the apof-

tles, who also were in
Chrift before me.

8. Greet Amplias my
beloved in the Lord.
9. Salute Urbane our
helper in Christ, and
Stachys my beloved.
10. Salute Apelles
approved in Chrift.
Salute them which are
of Ariftobulus houf-

hold.

11. Salute Herodian

my kinfman. Greet
them that be of the
houfhold of Narciffus,
which are in the Lord.

7. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my Fellow Jewish Chriftians and Prifoners, that were converted before me, and had a great Reputation among the other Apostles.

8 & 9. Greet my dear Chriftians, Amplias and Stachys; and Urbane for his kind Affiftance to me.

16, 11 & 12. Salute that good Chriftian Apelles, with the Family of Ariftobulus, Herodian my Jewish Kinfman and Convert, with the Chriftian Family of Narciffus; as alfo Tryphena, Tryphofa, and Perfis, that have done good Service in the Church.

12. Salute Tryphena and Tryphofa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Perfis, which laboured much in the Lord.

13. Salute Rufus chofen in the Lord, and his mother and

mine.

14. Salute Afyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Her

13. 14 & 15. Salatue the pious Chriftian Rufus, and his and my Mother; with Asyncritus, Phle gon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, Philologus, Julia, Nereus, Olym pas, and all their Families.

mes, and the brethren which are with them.

15. Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus, and his fifter, and Olympas, and all the faints which are with them.

16. Salute one ano- 16. Salute each other, Jewish ther with an holy and Gentile Chriftians, without kifs. The churches of Diftinction, with the Kifs of ChaChrift falute you. rity used in your Affemblies. All the Chriftian Churches hereabout falute you.

17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which caufe di

vifions

17. I once more earnestly befeech you, Brethren, to watch and mark thofe Perfons that broach

any

vifions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid

them.

18. For they that are fuch, ferve not our Lord Jefus Chrift, but their own belly, and by good words and fair fpeeches deceive the hearts of the fimple. 19. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. en. I am glad therefore on your behalf but yet I would have you wife unto that which is good, and fimple concerning evil.

any Notions among you that are A. D. 57.
not agreeable to, or are over and
above what you have been taught
by inspired Men, on Purpose to
trouble and divide you.

18. Those People have nothing
but private and finifter Ends, and
all their fair and plaufible Preten-
ces, are only inte ded as fo many
Delufions upon honeft, ignorant,
and well-meaning People.

19. You embraced the GospelReligion at first, and have kept it hitherto with great Credit, which I heartily rejoice at, and should be glad to hear you have none of these contentious Zealots of the Jewish Party crept in among you. And I write this to prepare your Minds with a Refolution to hold to what is true and good, and to keep you perfectly free of these malicious Cheats and Defigns.

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »