Page images
PDF
EPUB

man; for what I wanted the brethren from Macedonia supplied; and in all things I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10. As the truth of Christ is in me, none shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia. 11. Wherefore? Is it because I love you not? God knoweth.

12. But what I do, I also will do, to remove occasion of boasting from them who desire it; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14. And no wonder; for Satan also transforms himself into an angel of light. 15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

16. I say again, Let no man think me inconsiderate; but if otherwise, yet as inconsiderate receive me, that I may glory a little. 17. What I speak now, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were inconsiderately, in this confidence of glorying. 18. Seeing many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also. 19. For ye bear well with the inconsiderate, since ye yourselves are wise. 20. For ye suffer one to bring you into bondage, to devour you, to take of you to exalt himself, to smite you on the face. 21. I say this as a reproach, as tho' we were weak. Yet, wherein any is bold, I speak inconsiderately, I am bold also. 22. Are

they Hebrews (in speech?) so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they Abraham's seed? so am I. 23. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak inconsiderately, I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes far exceeding, in prisons more frequent, in death's (jaws) oft. 24. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with (Roman) rods, once was 1 stoned, (Acts xiv. 19.) thrice 1 suffered ship

25.

wreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep, (floating on the wreck). 26. In journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils on the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27. In hard labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold, and almost naked. 28. Besides the many things without which come upon me daily, even the care of all the churches. 29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not (with indignation at it)? 30. If I must needs glory, I will glory of things which relate to mine infirmities. 31. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32. In Damascus the governor under king Aretas (to whom it was then subject) kept the gates of the city with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me; 33. And thro' a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

CHAP. XII.

PAUL'S REVELATIONS.

Ir is not expedient for me, doubtless, to glory; yet I will come to tell my visions and revelations of the Lord. 2. I knew a man in Christ fourteen years ago, whither in the body, or out of it, I cannot tell; God knoweth; he was caught up to the third heaven, (the seat of the glory of God, and of Christ, and the angels.) 3. And I knew that such a man, whether in the body or out of it, 4. Was

caught up into paradise, (the seat of happy spirits,

between their death and the resurrection of their bodies), and heard unspeakable words, which it is not possible for human language to express. Of such an one will I glory, but not in myself, unless in mine infirmities.

6. For tho' I should desire to glory I would not be inconsiderate, for I would say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any think of me above what he seeth me to be, or what he heareth of me. 7. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me, (tempting to despondency).

me.

8. I besought the Lord thrice to remove it from 9. And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may be with me.

10. Therefore I delight in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong (in Christ).

11. I am become inconsiderate in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you; for in nothing am I inferior to the very chief apostles, though I be nothing. 12. Truly the signs of an apostle were produced among you in all patience, in miracles, and wonders, and mighty works. 13. For wherein were ye inferior to other churches, except that I was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

14. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not your's, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; tho' the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 16. But though I did not burden you; yet, being artful, I caught you with artifice. 17. Did I make a gain of you by any whom I sent to you? 18. With Titus I sent a brother; did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? and in the same steps?

19. Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves to you? we speak before God in Christ; but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edification. 20. For I fear, lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that ye shall find me such as ye would not; lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings of pride, tumults: 21. And lest my God should humble me when I come again among you, so that I should bewail many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the whoredom, and lasciviousness, which they committed.

CHAP. XIII.

OBSTINATE SINNERS THREATENED.

THIS is the third time I purposed coming to you: by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 2. I said before hand and again I foretell to you, as if I were present the second time, though now absent, but I write to them who heretofore sinned, and to all others, that if I coine again, I will not spare. 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking by me, who toward you is not weak, but is mighty among you. 4. For tho' he seemed crucified thro' weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God; for we also seem weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God manifested toward you. 5. Examine youselves whether ye be in the faith; prove yourselves (if you have the Fruits of it); know you not your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates? 6. But I trust ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

7. Now I pray to God that ye may do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye should do what is good, though we were as reprobates. 8. For we 8. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9. For we are glad when

ye are strong, tho' we are weak, for we also pray for your perfection. 10. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

11. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with an holy salutation. the saints salute you.

12.

13. All

14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

¶ Written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Luke.

ST. PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE

GALATIANS.

CHAP. I.

PAUL REPROVETH THE GALATIANS.

PAUL, an apostle, not from men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, 2. With all the brethren now with me, to the churches in the region of Galatia: 3. Grace be to you, and peace, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4. Who gave himself to die for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father; 5. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

6. I wonder that ye are so soon removed from him (even the apostle) who called you into the

VOL. III.

3 I

33

« PreviousContinue »