her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles,

5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much abour on us.

7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my insmen, and my fellowprisoners, who re of note among the apostles, who lso were in Christ before me.

8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the ord.

9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' houshold.

11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. freet them that be of the houshold f Narcissus, which are in the Lord. 12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, ho labour in the Lord. Salute the eloved Persis, which laboured much 1 the Lord.

13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, nd his mother and mine.

14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, [ermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the rethren which are with them.

15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, fereus, and his sister, and Olym

[to his brethren.

pas, and all the saints which are with them.

16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mys tery, which was kept secret since the world began;

Ver. 4. Laid down their own necks.-An allusion persons presenting themselves to decapitation to ve others. The expression is proverbial. Ver. 5. The first-fruits of Achaia-i. e. one of

e first converts.

Ver. 14. Hermas-Supposed to be the anthor of ancient allegory called The Pastor (or shepherd), hich is still preserved.

Ver. 18. Fair speeches.-Gr. Eulogia. Ver. 19. Is come abroad-i. e. the report of it. Ver. 20. Bruise Satan.-This seems to allude to we first promise, Gen. iii. 15.

Ver. 21. Timotheus-i. e. Timothy-LuciusProbably Luke the Evangelist," says Dr. Lardr.And Jason.-See Acts xvii, 7.Sosipater.

cts XX. 4.

Ver. 22. I Tertius.-Perhaps Silas, the names being of the same import; Paul being, as it is thought, not very ready in forming the Greek characters, is supposed to have employed this man as an amanuensis. See 2 Cor. xvi. 21.

Ver. 23. Guius.-See 1 Cor. i. 14.-Erastus. Acts xix. 22.

Ver. 25. My gospel-i. e. the gospel which Paul preached. Of the mystery-Either salvation generally, or, in particular, the calling of the Gentiles.

Ver. 25, 26. Now to him, &c.-In many ancient MSS., Versions, Greek Fathers, &c. these verses are placed at the end of chap. xiv.; so Griesbach. The Alexandrian Manuscript has them in both places. All Paul's other Epistles end with a doxology.

CHAP. XVI.

[of the Epistle.

27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corin

thus, and sent by Phebe, servant of the church at Cenchrea. (Z)

(2) Ver. 1—27. Paul's salutations, and those of his brethren, to eminent characters in the Church of Rome.-Some of these have been before mentioned, and of others we shall add such particulars as history affords. Phebe is called a servant or deaconess of the church at Cenchrea, by whom Paul sent this Epistle to the church at Rome. "In the apostolic age (observes Mr. Cox) grave and pious females were frequently appointed to the office of deaconess. Their duty appears principally to have consisted in giving private instruction to catechumens, or persons who were can. didates for baptism, especially to those of their own sex, and in ministering to the temporal and spiritual wants' of such as were sick, or imprisoned on account of their profession of Christianity. It is probable, from the second verse, that Phebe was a person of some property, and one who entertained the apostles and preachers

who came to minister at Cenchrea."

Of Priscilla and Aquila we had some mention before. (Acts xviii. 2 and 26.) They had gone to Corinth at the time that Claudius banished the Jews from Rome, but returned, as it should seem, on the repeal of that decree. They were persons eminent both for Christian knowledge and piety, and being of the same occupation with Paul (that is, tent-makers), they had worked together at Corinth; and, on some occasion not expressly mentioned, it appears that they had risked their lives in his defence. Paul calls them his "helpers in Christ Jesus:" and mentions a church or congregation held in their house. Of the assistance which they afforded to the cause of Christ, we have a farther specimen in the instruction which they gave to Apollos, in the chapter already referred to. Of the other persons here mentioned little is known, except that Aristobulus, who had been sent prisoner to Rome on some political account, was of the royal house of the Maccabees, aud that Narcissus was the prime minister of Claudius: yet in both their housholds there were saints and followers of the Lord Jesus.

From no mention being made, however, of Peter among the persons saluted, it is

sufficiently evident he was not then at Rome, much less could he have been Bishop of the church there, as the Roman Catho lics pretend. The charge to salute one another with a holy kiss, alludes, as we well know, to an Oriental custom, which it is thought the Christians borrowed from the Jewish synagogue; and was not promiscuous between the two sexes, but each saluted their own sex only. Yet, "chastely and prudently as it was managed (says Dr. Doddridge), it seems to have been the occasion of those false and scandalous reports, which were so industriously propagated among the heathen, of the adultrous and incestuous practices in Christian assemblies; on which account it seems to have been laid aside very early."

Having remembered distinctly those who were chiefly eminent for their Christian piety, he now cautions the believers at Rome against certain persons of a contrary description; chiefly, it is thought, those Jewish zealots, who, as mentioned in the early part of this Epistle, corrupted the Gospel by an intermixture of Hebrew ceremonies, and strongly opposed the impor tant doctrine of salvation by grace alone. He beseeches the Christians of Rome to mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which they had learned from him, and from the other apostles of our Lord. These men caused divisions by endeavouring to separate the Jewish and Gentile couverts; and they caused offences by introducing stumbling blocks in the way of weak and simple Christians. They served not Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, by consulting their own interests and gratification, iu preference to the cause and glory of our Saviour. He assures the brethren, however, that as, according to the first promise, Satan (the old serpent) had been trampled under our Saviour's feet; so also, shortly, he should be bruised under their feet, by a restoration of peace and harmony in the church.

St. Paul then adds the salutation of Timothy, Luke, and other brethren that were with him, and the usual apostolical benedictions; and concludes, finally, with au animated doxology "to God the only wise," through Jesus Christ our Lord.

CHAP. I.

PAUL, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of Jod, and Sosthenes our brother,

2 Unto the church of God which is t Corinth, to them that are sanctified 1 Christ Jesus, called to be saints, ith all that in every place call upon e name of Jesus Christ our Lord, oth theirs and ours:

3 Grace be unto you, and peace, om God our Father, and from the ord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God always on your ehalf, for the grace of God which is ven you by Jesus Christ;

5 That in every thing ye are enched by him, in all utterance, and all knowledge;

6 Even as the testimony of Christ as confirmed in you:

7 So that ye come behind in no ft; waiting for the coming of our ord Jesus Christ:

8 Who shall also confirm you unto e end, that ye may be blameless in e day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were

called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.

11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

16 And I baptized also the houshold of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not

CHAP. I. Ver. 1. Sosthenes our brother.-This as a Corinthian teacher, who attended on Paul in s travels, and by many, thought to be the same entioned in Acts xviii. 17, supposing him to have em afterwards converted; but of this we have no idence.

Ver. 2. Call upon the name, &c.-See Acts ix. 14; om. x. 12-14.

Ver. 5. In all utterance-Referring probably to e gift of tongues.

Ver. 6. Even as-[Mackn.'when']-the testimony Christ-i. e. Paul's testimony concerning himas confirmed, &c.

Ver. 7. For the coming-Marg. "revelation"— our Lord. See 1 Thess. v. 23.

Ver. 10. No divisions-Marg, "schisms." Of

the nature of these divisions see ver. 12; also chap. xi. 18.

Ver. 11. By them.... of the house of Chloe.Grotius supposes the three persons mentioned chap. xvi. 7, to have been the sons of Chloe.

Ver. 12. I am of Paul, &c.-They were beginning to divide into factions, according as they adhered to their favourite preachers; like the disciples of Jewish leaders and Pagan philosophers.

Ver. 15. Lest any should say.-This seems to insinuate that some sectarian preachers had baptized in their own name.

Ver. 17. Christ sent me not to baptize-i. e. baptising was generally performed by preachers of a rank inferior to apostles. See Mackn.-Not with wisdom of words.-Marg. "speech."

And of Christ]

CHAP. II.

AND I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's

[crucified.

wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory :

8 Which none of the princes of this

delicately reminding them, that it was through his instrumentality that they had been conferred; and assures them, that God being faithful to his promises, would "not forsake the work of his own hands," but confirm and preserve them blameless to the coming of the Lord Jesus. In the mean time, he is grieved to hear that there are schisms or divisions among them, forming themselves into factions, as it were, under different leaders, in the manner of the heathen, who boasted themselves to be of popular sects, and the disciples of certain celebrated philosophers. On this subject he remonstrates with them with great energy. 'What then?' as if he had said, Is the mystical body of Christ divided? or, who am I (Paul), that you should make me the leader of a sect? Was I crucified for you? or were you baptized in my name? The idea is reprobated with abhorrence, that either he or his brethren should form a schism in the church.

As to himself, so far from aspiring to be the leader of a sect, he was simply a preacher of the cross-of that doctrine which was to the Jews a stumblingblock, and to the Greeks foolishness;" but to all who cordially believed it, a demonstration of" the wisdom and the power of God." The apostle then proceeds to contrast his doctrine and conduct with that

of the proud Scribes, and disputers of the Jewish schools, and the idle wisdom of the philosophic Greeks; who, while they amused themselves, and teased each other, effected no change in the hearts and lives of their disciples. Their wisdom, however dazzling, was in vain; but the doctrine of the cross, however foolish it might be thought, stemmed the tide of the human passions, humbled the pride of man's heart, and brought him as a penitent to the foot of the cross, where only mercy was to be obtained.

Paul admits, indeed, that the doctrine which he preached was derided both by Jews and Greeks, for its simplicity and the want of worldly wisdom; he confesses that neither the preachers nor the professors of it were distinguished either by rank, or by riches, or by science; but this he contends, however reprobated by men, was God's plan, who had determined, by that doctrine which they called "foolishness," to confound the wisdom of the worldly wise; and by those means, and those agents which they considered as weak and ignoble, to confound the great and mighty, that no flesh should glory in his presence; but that he who gloried under the gospel dispensation, should glory only in the Lord Jesus, as being "made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption."

CHAP. II. Ver.1. Excellency of speech." The apostle means, that nice choice and arrangement of words, that artificial sounding and disposition of periods, those rhetorical connexions, transitions, and figures, and those studied tones and gestures, in which, according to the Greeks, the perfection of eloquence consisted," Mackn,

Ibid. The testimony of God-i. e. The witness which had been given to the gospel by the divine

power, in the gifts of prophecy and miracles.

Ver. 4. Enticing.-Marg. " persuasible words." Ver. 6. Them that are perfect-i. e. who are well instructed in this divine system-alluding to those who were adepts in the pagan mysteries.

Ver. 7. Which God ordained before the world.See Rom. iii. 25; viii. 29.

Ver. 8. The princes of this world-May include both the Jewish rulers and the Roman governor.