I am not in knowledge; but in every thing we have been 7 made manifest toward you among all men. Have I com

mitted an offence in humbling myself, that ye might be exalted; inasmuch as I have preached to you the gospel 8 of God without cost? I spoiled other churches, and took 9 wages from them, that I might minister to you: and when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man for that which was wanted by me, the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied and in every thing I have kept myself from being burthensome to you, and 10 will keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, this

glorying of mine cannot be stopped in the regions of 11 Achaia. Why? because I love you not? God knoweth 12 otherwise. But what I do, that I will also do; so as to cut off occasion from those who desire occasion; that, 13 wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For

such are false apostles, deceitful workmen, transforming 14 themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder: for

Satan also transformeth himself into an angel of light. 15 It is therefore no great thing, if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness: whose end 16 will be according to their works. I say again; Let no man think me inconsiderate: but if otherwise, yet receive me as one inconsiderate, that I also may glory a little. 17 That which I shall speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as through inconsideration, in this confidence of glorying.

18

Since many glory according to the flesh, I also will 19 glory. For ye gladly bear with the inconsiderate, since 20 ye yourselves are wise. For ye bear with it, if a man.

"The connexion shews that by Satan here is to be understood the chief opponent of Paul, whom he compares in the third verse to the serpent who deceived Eve, and describes by, he that cometh to preach another Jesus' in the fourth verse. This Satan, or leading adversary, transforms himself into an angel of light, or assumes the character of a messenger of Jehovah. The argument is this: "Since their chief arrogates the character of a messenger of God, it is no wonder that his ministers pretend to be, apostles of the Messiah." Simpson's Ess, on Script. p. 162.

bring you into slavery, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite 21 you on the face. As concerning dishonour, I say that we have been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold, 22 (I speak inconsiderately,) I also am bold. Are they

Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are 23 they Abraham's offspring? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one out of his mind*,) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes far exceeding, in 24 prisons more frequent, in deaths often. Five times I re25 ceived from the Jews forty stripes except one. Thrice I

was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered 26 shipwreck, a night and a day I floated in the deep. I have been in journeys often, in dangers from floodst, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from the gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers on the sea, in dangers 27 among false brethren; in labour and toil, in watchings

often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and 28 nakedness. Besides the things which are without, the

troubles which assail me daily, in the care of all the 29 churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who falleth 30 away, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will 31 glory of the things which concern my weakness. The

32

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I speak not falsely.

In Damascus, the governor under king Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes, desiring to apprehend 33 me and I was let down by the wall through a window in a basket; and escaped his hands.

CH. XII. Doubtless it is not expedient for me to glory. Yet 2 I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know concerning a disciple of Christ‡, (whether in the

* Or, as one void of reason. Or, as beside myself, N. m.

† rivers, N. t. See N. m.

Gr. a man in Christ, N. m.

body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth ;) that such an one fourteen years 3 ago was caught up to the third heaven. And I know concerning such an one, (whether in the body, or out of 4 the body, I know not, God knoweth,) that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words which it 5 is not possible for man to utter. Of such an one I will glory but of myself I will not glory, except in my weak6 nesses. For if I were willing to glory, I should not be inconsiderate; for I should speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any one should think concerning me above what he seeth me to be, or what he heareth from me. 7 And lest I should be too much exalted by the exceeding greatness of God's revelations, there hath been given to me a thorn in the flesh, an angel-adversary to buffet me, [lest, I say, I should be too much exalted t.] Concerning this I besought the Lord thrice ‡, that it might depart

*

* In the original, an angel-satan. "The best commentators," says Mr. Farmer, 'suppose that the bodily affliction, or thorn in the flesh, here referred to, was some paralytic symptom. See Gal. iv. 13. This disorder seems to have been occasioned by the splendour of his visions affecting his nervous system, and was purposely designed by God, not merely to prevent a too great elation in the apostle, but, by taking off from the gracefulness and energy of his delivery, to render the divine power more conspicuous in the success of his ministry. It is impossible that St. Paul should refer this disorder to the devil; he speaks of it as proceeding from God, or, which is the same, his angel acting the part of an adversary to the apostle; to whom this dispensation of divine providence was exceedingly humiliating and painful, however wisely designed by God." Farmer on Demoniacs, p. 18, note. Abp. Newcome adopts the punctuation of Benge lius, and translates the passage, there hath been given to me a thorn in the flesh, that a messenger of Satan might buffet me;" that is, as he explains it, that the false apos« tles, who were Satan's instruments, might despise and vilify him. Sequel to his Apology, p. 317.

See Mr. Lindsey's

But repetitions are not
Newcome.

+ "There are good authorities for omitting these words. uncommon in St. Paul's writings. See on 1 Cor. xv. 13, 14." "I earnestly prayed to God to be delivered from it," Hammond in loc. This interpretation is adopted by Mr. Lindsey; who observes, "that the apostles were not so exact in the use of the words, 'Lord,' Saviour,' and the like, which they indifferently gave both to God and Christ; never supposing that any would mistake their Lord and Master, so lately born and living amongst men, to be the supreme God, and object of worship." Lindsey's Apology, p. 147. Abp. Newcome says, "St. Paul repeatedly besought the Lord Jesus, when he appeared to him in a vision ; and in a vision he receiv ed the answer recorded, ver. 9. Dr. Priestley, in his Notes on the Scriptures, gives the

9 from me. And he said unto me, 66

My favour is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 I take pleasure therefore in weaknesses, in shameful treatment, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for the sake of Christ for when I am weak, then I am strong. 11 I am become inconsiderate † : ye have compelled me : for I ought to have been recommended by you: for I am in nothing inferior to the chiefest apostles, though I am 12 nothing. The signs indeed of an apostle have been wrought among you in all patience, in signs and won13 ders and mighty works. For what is it wherein ye have been inferior to other churches, unless it be that I myself was not burthensome to you? forgive me this wrong. 14 Behold, a third time I am ready to come unto you; and I will not be burthensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the 15 parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend, and be altogether spent, for you: though loving you most abundantly, I am less loved by you

16

But be it so: "I did not burthen you; nevertheless, 17 being crafty, I caught you by guile ‡." Did I overreach 18 you by any of those whom I sent unto you? I desired

Titus to go, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus any way overreach you? walked we not in the same

same interpretation, and observes, that "this is far from authorising us to pray to Christ when we do not see him, and cannot know that he is present to hear us, or authorised to do any thing for us if he did. It is God only,--that Great Being, who is styled the God and Father of Jesus Christ, and to whom he always prayed,-that is the proper object of our prayers " This observation of Dr. Priestley would hold good, even if it should be allowed that the apostle addressed his supplication to Christ, not as seen in vision, but as personally and sensibly present. It seems, indeed, not improbable, that the apos tle had occasionally a real and personal intercourse with Christ. See Gal i. 12.

i. e. gracious assistance.
↑ inconsiderate in boasting, R. T.
"He suggests the objection of some opponent." Newcome.

19 spirit? walked we not in the same steps? Think ye that we again defend ourselves to you? we speak before God in Christ and we do all things, beloved, for your edi20 fication*. For I fear lest, when I come, I may not find you such as I would, and lest I may be found by you such as ye would not: lest there be contentions, envyings, wrath, strife, evil-speakings, whisperings, swellings, dis21 turbances and lest, when I come again, my God may humble me among you, and I may bewail many that have heretofore sinned, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they have committed.

CH. XIII. This third time, I say, I am ready to come unto you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every mat2 ter shall be established. I have told beforehand, and I again tell beforehand (as present the second time though now absent)† those who have heretofore sinned, and all 3 others, that, if I come again, I will not spare them : since ye seek a proof that Christ speaketh by me, who with respect to you is not weak, but is powerful among you; 4 (for though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God; for we also are weak in him, yet we shall live with him through the power 5 of God shewn toward you;) try yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove yourselves. Know ye not concerning yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless ye be 6 any way reprobates? But I hope that ye will know that 7 we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God, that ye do no

evil; I pray not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do what is good, and that we may be as reprobates. For we cannot do any thing against the truth, 9 but we can for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak, and ye are strong; and for this we pray also, even

* Or, before God in Christ we speak all these things, beloved, etc. See Griesbach. † though now absent, I write, R. T.

The Alexandrian and some other copies read σvv, "we are weak with bìm.”