For we know that if our earthly house of the tabernacle be taken down, We have a building from God, a house that no hands made, eternal in the heavens.

And truly this is why we groan,

As we yearn to be clothed upon with our habitation from heaven; Seeing that once it is put on, we shall not indeed be found naked. And truly we who are in this tabernacle do groan under the burden, Since our desire is not to be unclothed, but clothed upon,

To have mortality swallowed up by life.

For this very end has he formed us,

Even the God who gave us the pledge and instalment of the Spirit. 6 So then we are ever confident, knowing that for us to be at home in 7 the body is to be abroad from the Lord (for the sphere of our walk is 8 faith, not appearances)—we are confident, I say, and would far sooner be 9 abroad from the body and at home with the Lord. Wherefore we also make it our ambition, whether at home or abroad, to be well-pleasing to 10 him. For we must all be exposed before the tribunal of Christ, that each may be paid back for what he has done with the body, according to his deeds, be they good or ill.'

11 Knowing the fear of the Lord, then, we "try to win over men." But what we are is plain to God; plain also, as I hope, within your consciences. 12 We are not "commending ourselves to you" again, but giving you an opportunity to exult on our behalf, that you may have some answer for 13 those who exult in appearance and not in heart. We have "gone out of our mind"? that is God's concern. We are "in our senses"? that is in 14 your interest. For it is the love of Christ that urges us: because our con15 viction is that one died on behalf of all-so then all died-and died on behalf of all, in order that the living might live no longer for themselves 16 but for him who died and rose again on their behalf.

So, as for us, from henceforth we know no man after the flesh. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him thus no more. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old things 18 have passed away, behold, they have become new! And it is all of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of 19 reconciliation, whose purport is God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not reckoning to them their trespasses; and he has placed 20 with us the word of reconciliation. On Christ's behalf then we

are envoys, as though by us God made appeal. We entreat you on behalf 21 of Christ, accept reconciliation to God. Him who knew no sin he made 6 1 to be sin for us, that we might become God's uprightness in him. As his fellow-workers we appeal to you also not to receive the grace of God in 2 vain-for he saith,

At an acceptable time I hearkened to thee,

And in a day of salvation I helped thee.
Lo now is the highly acceptable time!

Lo now is the day of salvation—

3 and we give no occasion for stumbling at any point, that our ministry 4 may not be impugned. No, as ministers of God we commend ourselves in every point, in much endurance, amid distresses, amid troubles, amid 5 calamities, amid stripes, amid imprisonments, amid tumults, amid labours, 6 amid vigils, amid fastings, in purity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in 7 kindness, in the holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God: by the weapons of uprightness in the right hand and 8 in the left, by credit and dishonour, by evil report and good report, as

11

9 "impostors" yet truthful, as "unknown" yet well known, as dying yet 10 lo! we live, as chastised yet not put to death, as sorrowful but ever rejoicing, as poor but enriching many, as having nothing yet possessed of everything. We keep nothing back from you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12, 13 Your constraint lies not in us, it lies in your own hearts. Now one good turn deserves another (I am speaking as to my children), be you wide 14 open too. Share no incongruous yoke with unbelievers.

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For what partnership can exist between uprightness and wickedness?
Or what has light in common with darkness?

What harmony has Christ with Beliar?

Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

What compact has God's sanctuary with idols?

For we are the sanctuary of the living God: even as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk in them,

And I will be their God and they shall be my people.

Therefore, come out from the midst of them and be separate," saith the
Lord.

"And touch nothing unclean, and I will welcome you with favour :
So will I be to you a father, and to me you shall be sons and
daughters,"

Saith the Lord Almighty.

7 1 As we possess these promises, then, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2

Take us into your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have ruined 3 no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I am not speaking to condemn you; I have said before that you are in our hearts to die 4 together and to live together. Great is my frank confidence in regard to you, greatly do I exult on your behalf amid all our distress. I am full 5 of cheer, brimming over with delight. For even when we came

to Macedonia our flesh got no relief, we were in utter distress-it was 6 wrangles without, fears within. But the God who cheers the depressed 7 cheered us by the arrival of Titus; and it was not merely by his arrival, but also by the cheer with which he had been encouraged over you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I 8 rejoiced more and more. For though I caused you sorrow with my letter, I do not regret it. I had regrets, it is true, when I discovered1 that that 9 letter had caused you sorrow (though it was only for a time); but, as matters stand, I rejoice-not because you had sorrow, but because you had sorrow to repentance. For you had sorrow in God's way, that you 10 might suffer no loss through us; for sorrow in God's way results in repentance to salvation--a repentance not to be regretted-but the sorrow of 11 the world results in death. Look at this very fact, that you were caused sorrow in God's way! what earnest care was its result in you, yes and clearing of yourselves, yes and indignation, yes and fear, yes and longing, yes and zeal, yes and punishment! You gave every proof that you were 12 innocent in the business. So then, although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of him who did the wrong, nor for the sake of him who was wronged, but in order to make clear to yourselves in the sight of God 13 how earnestly you care for us. Hence our cheer. But over and above our own cheer we rejoiced more abundantly than ever at the 14 joy of Titus, because you had all refreshed his spirit. For I was not put to shame over any exultation that I had made to him upon your behalf; but as all that we said to you was true, so our exulting on your 1 Reading ẞ.év: omitting [[p]].

15 behalf before Titus proved also to be truth. And his affection for you is all the greater as he recalls the obedience of you all, and how you received 16 him with fear and trembling. I rejoice that in everything you give me confidence.

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Now we would inform you, brothers, about the grace of God which 2 has been given to the Communities of Macedonia. Amid a severe ordeal of distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty have had an abund3 ant issue in rich generosity upon their part; up to their means (I bear 4 witness) and beyond their means, they of their own free will besought us with urgent entreaty for the favour of participating in the ministry to 5 the saints. And they surpassed our expectations. They actually gave themselves—first to the Lord, to begin with, and to us by the will of God. 6 So much so that we appealed to Titus to get this bounty completed among 7 you also, since it was he who had previously made a beginning. Come, as you excel in everything, in faith and speech and knowledge and all earnestness and in your love to us, excel also in this bounty.

8 I do not speak by way of command, but through the earnestness of others 9 I would put the genuineness of your love also to the proof. [For you know the bounteous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; how for your sakes, rich though he was, he became poor, that through his poverty you might 10 grow rich.] Still, on this subject I give my opinion (it is for your own advantage, you who a year ago were the first not only in deed but also in 11 desire to make a beginning); complete the deed now as well as the desire, so that after your readiness in desiring you may likewise complete the 12 doing, in proportion to what you possess. For if the readiness is there, it is right welcome—according to what a man has, not according to what he 13 has not. This does not mean ease for other people and hardship for you: 14 it is a matter of equality. On the present occasion your abundance serves to supply their lack, in order that their abundance also may come to supply your lack; so that there may be equality, even as it is written: He whose gathering was large had nothing over,

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And he whose gathering was small had not too little.

Now thanks be to God for putting into the heart of Titus the same 17 earnest care of you. For, while he accepted our appeal, he has gone off to 18 you of his own free will, so earnest is he. And we have sent along with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is known throughout all the 19 Communities: further, he was also appointed by the Communities as our fellow-traveller in the matter of this bounty which we are administering 20 for the honour of the Lord and with encouragement to ourselves. (We are taking precautions to prevent anyone from impugning us in reference to 21 this munificence which we are administering; for our concern is for what is honourable not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.) 22 Along with them we have also sent our brother, of whose earnestness we have had proof many a time and in many a matter, but yet stronger proof 23 now in the great confidence which he has with regard to you. As for Titus, he is my comrade and fellow-worker in your interest. As for our brothers, 24 they are messengers from the Communities, a credit to Christ. Afford í them the proof of your love, then, our warrant for exulting on your 91 acccount before the Communities. For it is superfluous for me

2 to be writing you on the ministry to the saints. I know your readiness and exult over it on your account to the Macedonians; "Achaia," I tell them, "has been prepared for a year back." And your zeal has been a 3 stimulus to the most of them. But I have sent the brothers lest our exulta

1 Reading ἐνδείξασθε.

tion on your account be rendered void in this particular, that you may 4 be (as I have been telling them you would be) "prepared"; lest haply, should any Macedonians accompany me and find you unprepared, we (not 5 to say, you) might be put to shame over this confidence. I have therefore considered it needful to appeal to the brothers to go on to you and make up beforehand your long-promised liberality, so that it might be ready as 6 a matter of liberality and not of grudging avarice. Mark this!

He who sows sparingly, sparingly shall he also reap: And he who sows liberally, liberally shall he also reap. 7 Let each one give as he has determined in his heart, without any 8 regret or compulsion. For it is a cheerful giver that God loves. And God has the power of making all grace abound to you, that on all sides, at all times, in all ways, you may have sufficient, and have ample for every good 9 work even as it is written,

He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor ;

His charity lasts for ever.

10 Now he who supplies the sower with seed and with bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed, and make the fruits of your charity grow11 as on all sides you become enriched to all generosity, generosity that 12 results in thanksgiving being offered through us to God. For the ministering of this service not merely supplies the wants of the saints, but also 13 abounds through many a thanksgiving to God. Through the proof afforded by this ministry you cause God to be magnified for your submission in confessing the gospel of Christ and for the generosity of your 14 contribution to them and to all, while they too pray for you and long for 15 you on account of the surpassing grace of God that is with you. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

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Farewell, then, brothers: be at harmony, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace. So shall the God of love and peace be with you. Salute one another with a saints' kiss.

All the saints salute you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Spirit be with you all.

The epistle to the Romans marks the exact point at which controversy resolves itself naturally into dogma. The apostle's doctrine, disentangled from external incidents, is raised to a higher level and attains a freer and fuller development. Escaping from the violent antithesis by which it was hitherto dominated, it tends towards a general and culminating synthesis. Paul at last brings Judaism and Paganism within the scope of his contemplation. He is not content to contrast them with his gospel, and to condemn them purely and simply; he endeavours to understand them in their historical function and actual value, to assign them their due place as transitional but essential stages in the Divine plan of redemption. In this manner the new circle of Pauline thought is enlarged and completed. Having taken possession of the sphere of the conscience, it conquers the domain of history. The epistle to the Romans is the first attempt at what we should call, in modern phrase, a philosophy of the religious history of mankind.—Sabatier.

12-1411 Ethical: A cycle of Christian duties and relationships—

1514-33 Personal: Object of epistle: coming visit to Rome.