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ΠΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΗΜΟΝΑ.

τῷ

1 * ΠΑΥΛΟΣ, δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς, Φιλήμονι τῷ ἀγαπητῷ καὶ συνεργῷ ἡμῶν, 25 καὶ ̓Απφίᾳ τῇ ἀγαπητῇ, καὶ ̓Αρχίππῳ συστρατιώτῃ ἡμῶν, καὶ τῇ κατ ̓ οἶκόν σου ἐκκλησίᾳ, 3 χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.

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Cor. 16. 19.
Col. 4. 15,
Phil. 2. 25.
c Rom. 1. 8.
Eph. 1. 16.
Phil. 1. 3.

έδος 18 17

προσευ- 13 Κύριον ἐνεργὴς

4 Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου, πάντοτε μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν χῶν μου, 5 4 ἀκούων σου τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν πίστιν, ἣν ἔχεις πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους· 6° ὅπως ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεώς σου γένηται ἐν ἐπιγνώσει παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν. 7' Χαρὰν

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1 Thess. 1. 2. 2 Thess. 1. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 3. d Eph. 1. 15. Col. 1. 4.

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Rom. 12. 13.

2 Cor. 9. 13. James 2. 14, 17. f 2 Cor. 7. 4.

Πρὸς Φιλήμονα] So A, D, E, F, G.

1. Пauλos] He does not add the title of Apostle (as in other cases, with some observable exceptions, see 1 Thess. i. 1) because he was not writing as an Apostle, but as a friend, as " Paul aged, and in bonds." See on v. 9.

- δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ] See Eph. ii. 1.

He refers to his bonds in the other Epistles written at this time (Eph. iii. 1; iv. 1. Col. iv. 18. Phil. i. 7. 13, 14. 17), but (as S. Jerome here observes) he does not commence any other Epistle with this appellation of bondsman.

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There was something appropriate in introducing himself as a bondsman of Jesus Christ in a letter where he pleads the cause of a bond-slave.

Tuóleos] Timotheus is associated with St. Paul, in like manner, in the beginning of his Epistles to the Colossians and Philippians, written at this time. See on Col. i. 1, and S. Jerome here, who rightly says, "Scribit Paulus ad Philemonem, Romæ vinctus in carcere, quo tempore mihi videntur ad Philippenses, Colossenses, et Ephesios, Epistolæ esse dictatæ."

2. ayanτ] beloved. The ancient authorities are nearly equally balanced between this reading and adeλøņ, sister.

It seems less likely that àdeλøy would have been altered by the copyists into ἀγαπητῇ, than that ἀγαπητῇ should have been changed by them into adeλon, for the reason suggested by Theodoret here, who says, that "some persons were staggered by St. Paul's application of this word beloved to Apphia, who was the wife of Philemon. This offence has been caused by the degenerate practice of the world. But formerly the word beloved was honourable."

Besides, it is not improbable, that adeλon was a gloss on the word 'Anoia, for (as Hesychius says) 'Arpia was a name of endearment for a sister.

Αρχίππῳ τῷ συστρατιώτῃ ἡμῶν] to Archippus, our fellow-soldier. Archippus was a Christian pastor at Colossæ (Col. iv. 7), and a fellow-soldier of St. Paul, in fighting the good fight of faith against the enemies of the Gospel. (Theodoret, Jerome.) Cp. Phil. ii. 25, where Epaphroditus is called by the same title.

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his Christian faith and love to his poorer brethren. Here probably it was that St. Paul preached when at Colossæ.

No wonder that this same house should have been pointed out as an object of religious interest even till the fifth century. See Theodoret.

This concession of some apartment in their own houses for the purposes of the public worship of the Christian Church, "a sect every where spoken against" (Acts xxviii. 22) in those days, was an act of zeal and courage on the part of the wealthier members of the Christian community, and seems to have elicited special expressions of notice, approval, and affection from St. Paul and the other Apostles. (Rom. xvi. 5. 23. Col. iv. 15. Cp. 2 Tim. i. 16; iv. 19. 3 John 6, 7.) See Joseph Mede (Discourse on religious places of worship in ancient times, in reference to 1 Cor. xi. 22, Works, p. 324), who says, "Those who were saluted under this title, as having a Church in their house, were such as in their several cities had bestowed and dedicated some part or place within their dwellings, to be an oratory for the Church to assemble in, for the performance of divine duties according to the rule of the Gospel."

5. ȧkovwv] hearing, probably from Epaphras of Colossæ, then at Rome. (Col. i. 7; iv. 12.) The

6. ὅπως] in order that; depending on προσευχῶν. meaning of this clause, which has been deemed by some to be a difficult one, may perhaps be explained by the considerations stated on v. 2.

The House of Philemon appears to have been opened for the public worship of Christians at Colossæ, and is specially saluted by St. Paul; and he now prays that a blessing may rest upon it, that the communion of thy faith (i. e. the charitable benevolence with which thou in thy faith hast opened thy house and thy purse, and hast communicated them, and dost now communicate them, for the use of others, thy fellow-members in Christ) may become effectual in the full knowledge of every blessing that is in us into (i. e. into union with) Christ Jesus; that is, that it may be instrumental in communicating the blessings of the Gospel, in the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments to the Christians at Colossæ, gathered together under thy roof, for their spiritual incorporation into, and for their spiritual life in, and their eternal reception into glory in, Christ Jesus. For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the bowels of the Saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.

On this use of Kowwvía, see 2 Cor. viii. 4; ix. 13. Cp. Gal. vi. 6. Phil. iv. 15.

Hence Kowvía is here interpreted éλenμooúvn by Theodoret.
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2 Cor. 10. 8.

γὰρ πολλὴν ἔσχον καὶ παράκλησιν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ σου, ὅτι τὰ σπλάγχνα τῶν ἁγίων ἀναπέπαυται διὰ σοῦ, ἀδελφέ.

g1 Thess. 2. 2, 6. 8 8 Διὸ, πολλὴν ἐν Χριστῷ παῤῥησίαν ἔχων ἐπιτάσσειν σοι τὸ ἀνῆκον, 9 διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην μᾶλλον παρακαλῶ, τοιοῦτος ὢν ὡς Παῦλος πρεσβύτης, νυνὶ δὲ καὶ δέσμιος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.

h 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. 19.

Col. 4. 9.

il Cor. 9. 7, 17. 2 Cor. 8. 12.

& 9. 5, 7.

1 Pet. 5. 2.

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Παρακαλῶ σε περὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου, ὃν ἐγέννησα ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου, Ονήσιμον, 11 τὸν ποτέ σοι ἄχρηστον, νυνὶ δὲ σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον, ὃν ἀνέπεμψά σοι· 12 σὺ δὲ αὐτὸν, τουτέστι τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα, προσλαβοῦ. 13 Ον ἐγὼ ἐβουλόμην πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν κατέχειν, ἵνα ὑπὲρ σοῦ μοι διακονῇ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου· 14 'χωρὶς δὲ τῆς σῆς γνώμης οὐδὲν ἠθέλησα ποιῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγαθόν σου ᾖ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἑκούσιον.

15 Τάχα γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίσθη πρὸς ὥραν, ἵνα αἰώνιον αὐτὸν ἀπέχῃς, 16 οὐκέτι ὡς δοῦλον, ἀλλ ̓ ὑπὲρ δοῦλον, ἀδελφὸν ἀγαπητὸν, μάλιστα ἐμοὶ, πόσῳ δὲ μᾶλλον σοὶ, καὶ ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ἐν Κυρίῳ. 17 Εἰ οὖν μὲ ἔχεις κοινωνὸν, προσλαβοῦ αὐτὸν ὡς ἐμέ.

18 Εἰ δέ τι ἠδίκησέ σε ἢ ὀφείλει, τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλόγει· 19 Ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ, ἐγὼ ἀποτίσω· ἵνα μὴ λέγω σοι ὅτι καὶ σεαυτόν μοι προσοφείλεις.

7. τὰ σπλάγχνα τῶν ἁγίων κ.τ.λ.] the bowels; that is, the cravings and yearnings "of the saints," that is, of the Christians, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, “have been refreshed by thee."

The word σπλάγχνα, bowels, the inner seat of affection, signifies longing desires, as in v. 20, ἀνάπαυσόν μου τὰ σπλάγχνα, and Phil. i. 8, “ I long after you in the bowels of Christ."

The sense is, they had been refreshed in body and soul by thy love, which has been, as it were, poured forth upon them abundantly, like a refreshing stream; and has been received by them, as cool water by a thirsty ground, into the inmost recesses of their heart. Cp. Theophyl.

9. τοιοῦτος ὢν ὡς] being such an one as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

A beautiful specimen of Christian humility and genuine pathos. I might be bold to command thee in Christ's name, by which I am strong, but thou dost not need any argument derived from my strength; and for love's sake I rather beseech thee by my own weakness, by my years, and by my chains. Such language, the language of entreaty, best befits me now in my prison, and in my old age.

Not therefore now, as St. Paul the Apostle, do I command thee (and therefore he had not prefixed the title of Apostle, as in other Epistles, see v. 1), but as Paul, an old man, and a prisoner for Christ, do I entreat thee.

The Apostle might have confidently commanded, in Christ's name (ἐν Χριστῷ, but he rather entreats, which he does with great authority, as being Paul, and now an old man, and a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Jerome.

Have regard, I pray thee, for Paul; for his old age, for his bonds, which he wears for the Gospel. Theodoret.

So the ancient Expositors; but many modern Interpreters place a colon at παρακαλώ, and begin a new sentence with τοιοῦτος.

But such an arrangement seems to embarrass the meaning, and to impair the rhythm of the sentence, and also to mar the beauty of the sentiment.

As to St. Paul's age at this time, it may be remembered that St. Paul is called a veavías at the time of St. Stephen's martyrdom; but as he was employed by the Chief Priests, and sent by them with authority to the city of Damascus to execute a public commission in their name (Acts xxii. 5), and as he appears to have been at that period a member of the Jewish Sanhedrim (see Acts xxvi. 10), he could hardly have been less than thirty years of age at that time.

If St. Stephen's Martyrdom was in A.D. 33 (as seems probable, see " Chronological Synopsis" and "Chronological Table' prefixed to the Acts of the Apostles; cp. 1 Tim. i. 13), then St. Paul, writing this Epistle about A. D. 63, would be not less than sixty years of age at this time.

St. Paul never exaggerates any thing, for the sake of producing an effect. And he could hardly be less than sixty years old, when he appealed to his old age as a ground of regard to his intercession for Onesimus.

The words of the Apostle here seem to have been in the mind of S. Ignatius (ad Ephes. 3).

10, 11. Ονήσιμον,τὸν ποτέ σοι ἄχρηστον, νυνὶ δὲ σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον] As to the play on the word Ονήσιμος, continued in v. 20, see A Lapide, "Olim erat anonesimus, id est, inutilis, imo noxius, jam est Onesimus, id est, utilis ; olim Paganus, jam Christianus; olim fur, jam fidelis servus ; olim profugus, jam redux, ut tibi sit assecla fidus, et perennis." So also Wetstein, p. 381; and see Winer, p. 561, note; and above on Matt. xxvi. 2. Luke xxii. 15. Cp. Acts iv. 30; viii. 31.

11. ὃν ἀνέπεμψα] whom I send back to thee,the epistolary aorist. See Gal. iv. 8. Eph. vi. 22. Phil. ii. 28.

The Apostle St. Paul would not tempt away Slaves from their Masters, but sent them back to them as brethren. Here is one of the practical uses to be made of the present Epistle. Chrysostom (in Procem.). See above, Introduction, p. 328. the son of my bowels. Gen. xv. 4.

12. τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα] 2 Sam. xvi. 11.

"He is my son born from my own bowels" (Theodoret and Suicer in voce, p. 998). Cp. Gal. iv. 19, τεκνία μου οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω.

Observe the zeal and magnanimity of the Apostle. He is confined in a prison, bound with chains, manacled to a soldier, and separated from his friends, yet he does not feel pain; he knows no other thought but the Gospel, and to beget children to Christ. See Jerome.

13. ἐβουλόμην] I was wishing. It was my wish.

14. οὐδὲν ἠθέλησα π.] I willed to do nothing. See on 1 Thess. ii. 18. Tittmann (Syn. N. T. p. 124).

15. ἵνα ἀπέχῃς] in order that you may receive him as your own friend and brother everlastingly.

The conjunction va is here used, not to indicate the design of the agent himself, Onesimus, but of Almighty God permitting him to act as he did. Cp. 2 Cor. iv. 7; and as to the sense, see the words of Joseph to his brethren, Gen. xlv. 5. 7, 8. 17. μé] So C, D, E, F, G, I. Elz. éμé.

18. τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλόγει] set that down to my account. A, C, D*, F, G have έλλογα, which has been received by Lachm., Tisch., Alf., Ellicott, but no example has been quoted of its use. See Fritz. (ad Rom. v. 13), where ἐλλογεῖται is used.

19. Ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἔγραψα] I Paul wrote it with my own hand, i. e. wrote the words which just precede, viz., If he owes thee any thing, set this down to my account, and also I write this present clause with my own hand.

It does not follow from this sentence that the whole of this Epistle was written with the Apostle's own hand; rather it would seem, that he made this engagement of repayment to be more emphatic and significant by distinguishing it from the rest of the Epistle, and by taking the pen from the hand of his secretary, and by inditing that particular clause with his own autograph, well known to Philemon.

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20 Ναὶ, ἀδελφὲ, ἐγώ σου ὀναίμην ἐν Κυρίῳ· ἀνάπαυσόν μου τὰ σπλάγχνα ἐν Χριστῷ.

22 19

21 * Πεποιθὼς τῇ ὑπακοῇ σου ἔγραψά σοι, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ ὁ λέγω ποιήσεις. 1011 Αμα δὲ καὶ ἑτοίμαζέ μοι ξενίαν· ἐλπίζω γὰρ ὅτι διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν χαρισθήσομαι ὑμῖν.

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23 'Ασπάζεται σε Επαφρᾶς, ὁ συναιχμάλωτός μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, Μάρκος, 24 η 3 Αρίσταρχος, Δημᾶς, Λουκᾶς, οἱ συνεργοί μου.

25 Η χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν.

On this use of poσopeiλw, see Xenophon, Pædag. 3. (Wetstein.)

Hence it would appear that St. Paul had been in person at Colossæ, and had preached there. He addresses Philemon as his disciple. (Theodoret.) See above, Introduction to the Epistle to the Colossians, p. 305-8.

20. éyú σov óvaíμny] May I have joy of thee. May I gather fruit from thee, as from a good tree, rich in works of love. Theodoret.

So Ignatius (ad Eph. 2), ovalμny vμŵv dià ñavтds, ad Polyc. 6. Mag. 2. 12. Rom. 5.

There is a play on the word ὀνήσιμος in ὀναίμην—ἐγὼ δι ̓ Ονησίμου ὄνησίν σου ἔχοιμι. See v. 11.

· ἐν Χριστῷ] So A, C, D, F, G, I.-Elz, ἐν Κυρίῳ.
τὰ σπλάγχνα] See v. 7.

22. éτolμacé μoi ¿evíav] prepare me a lodging. A thought concerning himself, introduced here not for the sake of himself, but because, as he adds, they prayed to God that his presence might be vouchsafed to them, not only for their personal gratification, but that he might impart to them some spiritual gift, as an Apostle. (Rom. i. 11.) Cp. Phil. i. 25; ii. 24, where a similar hope of liberation is expressed.

23, 24. 'AσnáÇeraí σe] The same salutations as in the Epistle to the Colossians (Col. iv. 10. 12. 14), with the exception, that in that Epistle Philemon himself is not saluted, a circumstance

k 2 Cor. 7. 16. Phil. 1. 25. & 2. 24. Heb. 13. 2. m Col. 1. 7. & 4. 12.

n Acts 12. 12, 25. & 15. 37. & 19.29. & 20. 4. & 27. 2. Col. 4. 10, 14.

2 Tim. 4, 10, 11, 1 Pet. 5. 13.

which confirms the opinion, that this Epistle was sent to him at the same time as the Epistle to the Colossians was sent to them. On the names here mentioned, Epaphras, see note, Col. i. 7; iv. 12; Mark, see on Col. iv. 10, where Mark is mentioned as about to leave St. Paul, and probably as about to come to Co. lossæ. Here he is mentioned as still with St. Paul. Another evidence of the contemporaneousness of the two Epistles.

There is a striking contrast between St. Mark and Demas thus placed side by side. The Apostle might seem now to say, Mark had once forsaken me (Acts xiii. 14; xv. 38, 39), as Onesimus had left thee, but he has now returned to me as Onesimus returns to thee.

Concerning Demas the Apostle afterwards wrote, "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world" (2 Tim. iv. 10); never, it is probable, to return to him in this life.

Luke has bequeathed his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles to the Churches of Christ; and as some of the Apostles from being Fishermen were made Fishers of men, so Luke the Physician became a Physician of the soul; and of him the Apostle says in another place, that he is the brother whose praise is in the Gospel through all the Churches (2 Cor. viii. 18). As long as his writings are read in the Churches of Christ, so long will Luke, the beloved physician (Col. iv. 14), continue to exercise his medical art. S. Jerome.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS.

THIS Epistle appears to have been written at the close of St. Paul's two years' detention at Rome, mentioned in Acts xxviii. 30,-that is to say, in the Spring of A.d. 63.

I. That it was written when he was then in prison, may be inferred,

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From the references in it to his bonds, and to the manifestation of those bonds in Christ to the "whole of the Prætorium and to all the rest "."

From the special salutation sent in it to the Philippians from the Christians of Cæsar's household; and

From the confident declaration of the Apostle, that he will be released from his confinement, and be enabled to see them again soon*.

These particulars do not harmonize with the circumstances of any other imprisonment, either At Cæsarea, which was followed by his voyage to Rome, whither he was sent on his own Appeal to Cæsar3, or

With his last imprisonment at Rome, which did not end in his liberation, but in his death *. Therefore this Epistle was written in his first imprisonment at Rome, which lasted two years. II. It was written at the close of that imprisonment.

This may be inferred from the following circumstances:

1. Time had been given for the occurrence of a series of events. The Philippians had already had time to hear that St. Paul had been sent to Rome, and that he was detained there; and they had had time to make a collection for him, and to send Epaphroditus from Philippi with pecuniary supplies to St. Paul at Rome. Epaphroditus had fallen sick at Rome in consequence of his exertions in behalf of the Apostle, and had had time to recover from that sickness which brought him “nigh unto death;" and he had now so far recovered his health as to be in a fit state to travel back again as far as Macedonia, to which he seems to have carried the present Epistle'.

2. St. Paul expresses his hopes in this Epistle to send Timothy shortly to Philippi'; and he adds, that he will despatch Timothy as soon as he knows how it will fare with himself. He is therefore now contemplating the issue of his Trial, and he preannounces what it will be ", and expresses a hope of coming soon to Philippi".

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He sends Epaphroditus immediately to the Philippians, in order to comfort them "2; and he will also send Timothy speedily, as soon as he is enabled "to see the things concerning himself ',". that is, the result of his Trial, at the imperial Tribunal, and his own future consequent movements. If St. Paul had expected to remain much longer at Rome after the date of this Epistle, he would probably have despatched Timothy immediately, in order that he might receive at

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Rome that report concerning the spiritual state of the Philippians, which he was very anxious to have'.

But he awaited the decision of his cause, in order that he might apprise the Philippians of the result, and in order also, that having arranged his own plans, he might inform Timothy of the place where he may find him, and to which Timothy is to come, with the report which the Apostle desires to receive of the Philippians through him.

3. In the other Epistles written during his two years' detention at Rome, the Apostle has still with him some of the companions and fellow-labourers who had accompanied him from Cæsarea to Rome, or had followed him to Rome. Such were Luke, Aristarchus, Tychicus, Epaphras, Marcus 3. But none of these are mentioned in this Epistle, as now with him. Tychicus had gone to Asia with the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians. Mark had probably gone to Asia. No person but Timothy is mentioned in this Epistle as present with the Apostle; and it is expressly said that no other of his companions and fellow-workers was now with him.

III. Indeed, it seems probable from internal evidence, that the Epistle to the Philippians was written after the hearing of the Apostle's cause in the presence of the Emperor and his Assessors, and in the interval between that hearing and the public declaration of the sentence, by which he was eventually set at liberty'.

IV. These considerations are illustrated, and this conclusion is confirmed, by the substantial similarity, combined with certain circumstantial variations (harmonizing with the differences respectively of St. Paul's two imprisonments at Rome), between this Epistle to the Philippians, and that Epistle which was the last of all the Epistles written by him, viz. the Second Epistle to Timothy.

Both these Epistles were written from Rome. Both were written by St. Paul when in prison. The Epistle to the Philippians was written at the close of his first imprisonment, when he had an immediate prospect of release by acquittal.

The Second to Timothy was written at the close of his second imprisonment, when he had an immediate prospect of release by death.

The substantial resemblances between these two Epistles, and also their circumstantial differences, may be seen in the following passages among others. Compare

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Thus these two Epistles stand in a peculiar relation to each other, to St. Paul and to Christendom.

1 Phil. ii. 19.

2 Col. iv. 10. 14. Acts xxvii. 2.

3 Sce Col. iv. 7. 10. 12. Philem. 23. Eph. iv. 21.
Eph. i. 21; iv. 7.

5 Col. iv. 10.

6 ii. 20.

7 See note on i. 13.

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