II Corinthians - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 1207

The New Testament

II. CORINTHIANS. 12-13 :6

18 21 apostle were worked out among you with great patience, through signs, and wonders, and powers. For in what were you deficient compared with the other assemblies, except that I did not accept payment from you ? Forgive me this wrong. Take note: I have prepared to come

to you this third time; and I will not accept your salary, for I want not your property, but y0urselves—·——f0r the children are not accustomed to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will spend with pleasure, and be exhausted, for the sake of your souls; even if by loving you more! am loved the less. But perhaps I have not burdened you; but, being a rascal, have taken pay of you by a trick! When have I plun- dered you through any of those whom I have sent? I warned Titus, and I sent the brother with him : did Titus plunder you P Have we not conducted ourselves in the same spirit and in the same course? Do you think we are apologizing to

you again ? We speak in the presence of God in Christ; and all, friends, is for the sake of benefiting you. For I fear that on coming I may not find you w_hat Iwish; and thatl myself should be found to you what you wish not. I fear there are contentions, fury, passions, envies, detractions, slanderings, inflations, disturbances. I fear that at my return my God will hurl me against you, when I shall punish many of the old and unre— pentant sinners for the vice, and proiligacy, and excess, which they have practised. [3 I am coming this third time to you; on the evidence of two or three wit-

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nesses every fact can be confirmed. I 2 said before, and I proclaim it again as though present——the second time, though I am absent now to those sinners, and to all the rest, that when I come again lshall not spare; since you want a proof of Christ speaking in me, Who is not weak in you, but powerful among you. For even if He was crucified through weakness, He lives now from a Divine power; al- though we are weak in Him, yet we shall live in Him with Divine power for yoursakes. Test yourselves if you are in the

faith; examine yourselves if you can- not recognise that jesus Christ is among you. But perhaps you never inquire. Yet I hope that you acknow— ledge that we are not uninquiring. But I pray to God not to do you any harm; not so that we may appear superior, but so that you may do right. And we will be uninquisitive then; for we are not empowered to do any- thing against the truth, but for_the truth. However we are glad when g we can be weak and you powerful, and we pray for this——your perfection. Therefore I write this while absent, ro so that when present I may not em- ploy severity in accordance with the authority which the Lord has given to me, for construction and not for de- struction. For the rest, brothers, be happy; perfect yourselves, encourage yourselves, desire the same object; live at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy send regards to you. The blessing of the Lord jesus

Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all., Amen. II I2

St. Paul to ns as a Statesman and Corinth Nora.-·The two Epistles to the ians resent Social Organiser of the highest ability, and of the clearest common sense. H e would seem to l lifbt irelhe have been accused of teaching a Code of Morality too high for practicae, un py bdnot make lmlenacts Laws fore. the conduct of Christians, that, while easy to oey, o

cay obedience a slavery, or a struggqge against the natural necessities of mankind, but instead will Thhavno zxsoeti¢ lmake existence pleasant, hea t ful, virtuous, and consequently happy. ey e bdild mental comfort in cism, or prohibition of any innocent pleasure, but encourage oy anf Dotiand Mercand the equality in moral nd enforce the principles oty, ]usce y,

every way, aaccountability to God of rich and poor alike, and the mutual duties of every class of Society lexistinsocial systems and to each ozher, and that without any revolution·—any assaut upon g moralitand laws l rihtsbut showinhow the worst conditions of the hideously corrupt y

legag, g of his day could be reformed without any resort to political violence, and to the especial benefit tht StPaul has been ever before studied in this f the followers of Christ. I am not aware a. oposition of a Legislator, but as such his inliuenoe has re—organised the Civilized World.- F. F. I 207

Ferrar Fenton Bible page 1207

The History of the People of Israel