Imatges de pàgina
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rance that is in them, because of the hardness of their 19 heart who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to the working of all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ +; since ye have 21 heard concerning him, and have been instructed in him, 22 even as the truth is in Jesus; to put off, according to

your former behaviour, the old man, who was corrupt 23 according to deceitful desires; and to be renewed in the 24 spirit of your mind; and to put on the new man, who is created, according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.

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Wherefore put away lying, and speak every man truth to his neighbour; for we are members one of another. 26 If ye be angry, yet sin not: let not the sun go down 27 upon your wrath and give not advantage to the slan28 derert. Let him that stole, steal no more: but let him

rather labour, acquiring by his hands what is good, that 29 he may be able to bestow on him that needeth. Let no

corrupt discourse proceed out of your mouth; but that which is good to the edification of the faith §, that it 30 may minister benefit to the hearers. And offend ¶ not the holy spirit of God, whereby ye have been sealed to 31 the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away

blindness, N. See Chandler and Rosenmuller.

+ Or, it should not be so with you since ye have learned Christ: i. e. the doctrine of Christ. Chandler.

Neque suppeditate occasionem, et materiem criminandi calumniatoribus vestris. Schleusner. Newcome with the public version translates the word, devil, which hardly gives an intelligible sense.

"The reading of its is well established by MSS. &c., andi s preferred by Bengelius and Griesbach. Wakefield understands xesia of the matter presented. If we render, according to the margin in our Bibles, to edify profitably,' or, which is equivalent, to useful edification,' we introduce a tautology unworthy of the apostle, Newcome.

that it may be grateful to the hearers. Chandler.

See Chandler. q. d. Offend not God, by whose holy spirit ye are sealed. Grieve, not, N.

32 from you, and all malice. And be ye kind one to an

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other, tenderly affectioned, forgiving one another, as God CH.also through Christ hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore V. imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell.

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Now let not fornication, or any uncleanness, or covetousness*, be even named among you, (as becometh 4 saints;) or filthiness, or foolish talking, or scurrilous jesting, which are not fit: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know †, that no fornicator, or unclean per

son, or covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any in6 heritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no

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man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things the anger of God cometh on the sons of disobe7 dience. Be not therefore partakers with them. For ye were formerly darkness, but now ye are light in the 9 Lord: walk as children of light; (for the fruit of light § 10 is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth;) search11 ing out what is well-pleasing to the Lord. And have no

fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; but 12 rather even reprove them. For it is shameful even to

speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13. But all things that are discovered, are made manifest by

the light (for it is the light which maketh every thing 14 manifest. Wherefore the spirit saith; "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light."

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See then that ye walk exactly; not as unwise, but 16 as wise redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be not inconsiderate, but understand what the 18 will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine,

* "Some think that the word means excessive desire. See ch.iv. 19." Newcome. + Or, For know this, N. m.

§ of the spirit, R. T.

Or, one of excessive appetites. Wakefield.

wherein is dissoluteness; but be filled with the spirit; 19 speaking to one another in psalms, and hymns, and spi

ritual songs; singing and making melody with your 20 heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things to God even the Father*, in the name of our Lord Jesus 21 Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ †.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to 23 the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church: (and he [is] the 24 Saviour also of this his body :) however, as the church is

subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own hus25 bands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, as

Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; 26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the wash27 ing of water, through the word preached, that he might

present it to himself a glorious church, not having blemish, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it might 28 be holy and spotless. Husbands ought so to love their

wives, as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, 29 loveth himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh;

but every one nourisheth and cherisheth it, as Christ also 30 doth the church: for we are members of his body; we are 31 of his flesh, and of his bones. "Because of this a man

shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his 32 wife, and they two shall be one flesh." This mystery is great; but I speak concerning Christ, and concerning 33 the church. However, let every one of you likewise so love his wife as himself; and let the wife take care that she reverence her husband,

CH. VI. Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is 2 right: "Honour thy father and mother," (which is the

*Or, to our God and Father. Gal. i. 4. N. m. In the name, i. e. under the aus thority of Christ, as instructed by him.

of God, R. T. q. d. with Christian reverence and affection.
as the Lord, R, T.

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3 first commandment with promise,)" that it may be well 4 with thee, and thou mayest live long in the land.” And, fathers*, provoke not your children to anger+; but bring them up in the instruction and admonition of the Lord. Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as 6 ye obey Christ: not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from 7 the heart; doing service with good-will as to the Lord, 8 and not to men knowing that whatever good thing any man doeth, he will receive it from the Lord, whether he be servant or free.

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And, masters, do the same to them, forbearing threats: knowing that yourselves also have a Master in heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons.

10 Finally, my brethren, strengthen yourselves in the 11 Lord, and in the power of his might §. Put on the whole

armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the 12 wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against blood and

flesh, but against principalities I, against powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against spirits of wick13 edness in heavenly places **. Wherefore take the whole armour of God ††, that ye may be able to with

* Or, parents, N. m.

Or, slaves, N. m.

blood and flesh only, N.

anger not your children, N. § Or, his mighty power. N. m.

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¶ As believers, being raised to heaven, are represented as subject to a celestial hierarchy, (see ch. ii. 6; i. 20, 21.) so unbelievers, dwelling upon earth, or in a world of darkness, are also figuratively described, as subject to the dominion of evil spirits, of whom Satan, or the evil One, is the chief. This scenic representation, borrowed from the Oriental philosophy, is not to be understood literally. Principalities, powers, &c., express a personification of all wicked opposition to the gospel, whe ther from the civil or the ecclesiastical power. The Primate, with Griesbach, omits the words T8 awes, of this age,' which are in the received text.

** So Doddridge and the margin of the public version. The apostle probably means to express emblematically the opposition of the Jewish priests and rulers to the progress of Christianity. See ch. iii. 10. "Spiritual wickedness in heavenly things.” N, "The wickedness of spiritual men in a heavenly dispensation." Wakefield. The armour of God here described is wholly allegorical; a plain proof that the persons against whom this armour is to be used are also figurative and allegorical,

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stand in the evil day, and to stand having performed * 14 every thing. Stand therefore, having your loins girt

about with truth; and having pat on the breast-plate of 15 righteousness; and having your feet shod with a readiness 16 for preaching the gospel of peace; besides all, having

taken up the shield of faith, with which ye will be able 17 to quench all the fiery darts of the evil One: take also the helmet of salvation; and the sword of the spirit, 18 which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication with your spirit, and watching thereto with all perseverance, and supplication for all the 19 saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, in opening my mouth with freedom, to make known 20 the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador i a chain; that therein I may speak freely, as I ought to speak.

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But that ye also may know the things concerning me, what I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make known to you all things; 22 whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your

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hearts.

Peace be to the brethren, and love and faith, from God 24 the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Favour§ be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption. [Amen.]

* Or, subdued, N. m.

Or, how I am, N. m.

chains, N. See N. m.

The divine favour, Newcome.

"Not adulterating the gospel with false doctrines, as the Judaizers did." Newcome.

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