Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

ship. 40 And having taken up, amongst themselves," No doubt the anchors, they committed this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance hath not permitted to live." 5 But he shook off the serpent into the fire, and suffered no harm. 6 However, they expected he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but expecting a great while, and seeing no harm befal him, they changed their minds, and said he was a god."

the ship to the sea, and loosed the bands of the rudders, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made towards shore. 41 And having reached a place which had the sea on both sides, they ran the ship on ground; and the fore part stuck fast, and remained immoveable, but the hinder part was broken by the violence of the waves. 42 Now the advice of the soldiers was, to kill the prisoners; lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to preserve Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded those who could swim to cast themselves into the sea, and get first upon the land: 44 and that the rest should save themselves, some on boards, and some on things belonging to the ship and thus it came to pass that they all escaped safe to land.

7 Now in the neighbourhood of that place, were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and entertained us kindly three days. 8 Now it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever,! and of a flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and put his hands on him, and cured him. 9 So when this was done, others also, who had diseases in the island, came and were cured: 10 who also bestowed CH. XXVIII. 1 AND when on us many gifts; and, when they had escaped safe, they we departed, laded the ship then knew that the island was with such things as were necalled Melita.* 2 And the bar-cessary. barians showed us no common humanity for they kindled a fire, and brought us all to it, on account of the present rain, and of the cold.

11 AND, after three months, we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the island; whose sign was Castor and Pollux.† 12 And having landed at Syracuse, we remained there three days. 13 From thence we coasted round, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the second day to Puteoli: 14 where we † Gr. Amσnougois Children of Jupiter.

3 And Paul, having gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, a viper came out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the serpent hanging on his hand, they said

* Now called Malta.

23 And having appointed him a day, many came to him into his lodging: to whom he explained and gave testimony to the kingdom of God, using persuasion to them [about the things] concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

found brethren, and were de- | thee. 22 But we desire to hear sired to remain with them seven from thee what thou thinkest: days: and then we went toward for, as to this sect, we know Rome. 15 And the brethren hav- that every where it is spoken ing heard concerning us, came against." out as far as Appii forum,* and the Three taverns,* to meet us: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. 16 AND when we came to Rome [the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but] Paul was suffered to remain apart, with the soldier who kept him. 17 And it came to pass, after three days, that Paul called the chief of the Jews together. And on their being assembled, he said 25 So, not agreeing amongst to them, "Men, brethren, though themselves, they broke up, I have committed nothing a- Paul having said one word, gainst my people, nor the cus-"Well spake the holy spirit to toms of our fathers, yet I was de- our fathers by the prophet livered a prisoner, from Jerusalem, into the hands of the Romans: 18 who, when they had examined me, would have released me, since there was no cause of death in me. 19 But when the Jews spake against this, I was compelled to appeal to Cæsar; not as having aught to accuse my nation of. 20 On this account therefore I have called for you, that I might see their heart, and you, and speak with you: be- should be converted, and I cause, for the hope of Israel should heal them.' 28 Be it I am bound with this chain." known therefore to you, that 21 Then they said to him, the salvation of God is sent "We have neither received to the gentiles; who will hearkletters from Judea concerning en also to it." 29 [And on his thee, nor hath any one of our saying these words the Jews brethren, who came hither relat- departed, and had great disputed or spoken any thing bad ofling amongst themselves.]

Isaiah, 26 saying, Go to this people, and say, Hearing ye will hear, and will not understand; and seeing ye will see, and will not perceive. 27 For the heart of this people is become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with

"Two villages on the road, the first about fifty miles from Rome, and the other about thirty." Thomson.

30 AND he dwelt two whole | God, and teaching those things years in his own hired house, which concern the Lord Jesus and received all who came to Christ, with all freedom him; 31 preaching the reign of speech, undisturbed.

*

of

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

CHAP. I.

1 PAUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God, 2 (which he had promised before, by his prophets, in the holy scriptures,) 3 concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David, according to the flesh, 4 but proved to be the Son of God by power, according to the holy spirit, through his resurrection from the dead;* the gospel, I say, concerning Jesus Christ, our Lord; 5 (by whom we have received the favour of an apostleship, for preaching obedience to the faith, among all the nations, for the sake of

spreading his name; 6 among which nations are ye also, the called of Jesus Christ;) 7 to all the beloved of God, and called to be saints,† who are in Rome: favour be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 First, I thank my God, through Jesus Christ, for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve, with my spirit, in the gospel of his Son, that, without ceasing, I make mention of you; 10 always requesting in my prayers, that by some means, now at length, by

"The apostle could not mean by this phraseology, and the antithesis which he here uses to assert or countenance the strange and unintelligible notion of two natures in Christ; one the, human nature, by which he was the descendant of David; the other a divine nature, by which he was the Son of God. The sense of the passage is plainly this; that Christ by natural descent was of the posterity of David; but that in a figurative sense, by designation of the holy spirit at his baptism, he was the son of God, or the promised Messiah; which was further proved by the extraordinary exertion of divine energy in raising him from the dead. See Mr. Lindsey's Second Address to the Students of the Two Universities, p. 276. Christ is called the Son of God for two reasons: First, because this title is equivalent to that of Messiah, and was so understood by the Jews, John i. 50. Thou art the son of God, thou art the king of Israel. Compare Mark i. 1; Luke iv. 41; xxii. 67, 70. Secondly, he is called a son of God, as having been raised from the dead to an immortal life. In this sense Christ is called the first born, having been the first human being who was put into possession of this glorious inheritance. Col. i. 15, 18; Heb. i. 6; Rev. i. 5. All believers, as heirs of the same inheritance, are also sons of God; John i. 12; Rom. viii, 14-17; 1 John iii. 2. Hence they are said to be brethren of Christ, and co-heirs with him and he is the first-born among many brethren. Rom. viii. 29. These are the only senses in which the title Son of God, is applied to Christ in the genuine apostolical writings."

Im. Ver. note.

"That this term comprehends the whole body of Christians, appears from Acts xxvi. 10; Rom. xii. 13; 1 Cor. vi. 1; Eph. iii. 8; Heb. iii. 1; Pet. ii. 5, 9; and from many other places. All christians were thus called, because they were dedicated to God: 1 Cor. vii. 14: and because they professed a religion which tended to make them holy. 1 Cor. vi. 11." Newcome. Gr dying holy or the holy.

the will of God, I may have a prosperous journey, so as to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, that ye may be established: 12 which | is, that I may be jointly comforted among you through our mutual faith, the faith of both you and me.

13 But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I have often purposed to come to you, (but have been hitherto hindered) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the other nations. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise. 15 So then, as much as lieth in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For thereby God's method of justification* from faith to faith is revealed; as it is written, "Now the just, through faith, shall live."

18 FOR the anger of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who conceal the truth in unrighteousness 19 for what may be known of God, is manifest among them; for God hath manifested it to them; 20 for, from the creation

of the world, the invisible things of Him are clearly perceived, being understood by the things which are made; even his eternal power and providence:† so that they are inexcusable, 21 because, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, nor gave him thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their inconsiderate heart was darkened: 22 professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God [also] gave them up to uncleanness, through the desires of their hearts, that their bodies should be dishonoured amongst themselves; 25 who changed the truth concerning God into a lie, and worshipped, and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed to the ages. Amen. 26 For this cause, God gave them up to vile passions: for even their women changed the natural use, into that which is against nature; 27 and in like manner, the men also, left the natural use of the women, and burned in their desire one towards another; men working unseemliness with men, and receiving amongst themselves the due recompense of their error. 28 And as they

"The original word is often used by St. Paul for God's treating men as just or righteous; whether by admitting them into the outward privileges of the christian church here, or into his heavenly kingdom hereafter." Newcome.

See Mr. Lindsey's Second Address, p. 278. The expression, "godhead," used in the common version, and adopted by Newcome, is liable to be misunderstood." Im. Ver. note.

did not approve of retaining and righteous judgment of God? God in their knowledge, God 6 who will render to every one gave them up to a reprobate according to his works: 7 to mind, to do those things which those who, by patient continuwere not fit: 29 being filled ance in good works, seek for with all iniquity, maliciousness, glory, and honour, and incorcovetousness, wickedness; full ruption, aionian life: 8 but of envy, murder, strife, deceit, upon those who are contentious, malignity; whisperers, 30 evil- and obey not the truth, but speakers, haters of God; inju- obey unrighteousness, there rious, proud; boasters, inven- shall be wrath and anger, 9 tritors of evil things, disobedient bulation and distress; even upon to parents; 31 without con- every soul of man who doth sideration, covenant-breakers, evil, of the Jew first, and also without natural affection, [im- of the Greek; 10 but glory, and placable,] without pity: S2 who honour, and peace, to every though they knew the righ-one who doth good, to the Jew teous ordinance of God, (that first, and also to the Greek. those who commit such things are worthy of death,) not only do them, but even have pleasure in those who do them.

CH. II. 1 WHEREFORE thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, who judgest': for, wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou who judgest dost the same things. 2 But we know that the condemnation of God is according to truth, against those who do such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, Oman, who judgest those who do such things, and yet dost them, that thou shalt escape the condemnation of God? 4 or despisest thou the riches of his kindness, and of his forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the kindness of God leadeth thee to a reformation? 5 and, after thy perverseness and unrepenting heart, treasurest thou up to thyself anger against the day of anger, and the manifestation

11 For with God there is no respect of persons. 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law; and as many as have sinned under law will be judged by law; 13 (for not the hearers of the law will be just before God; but the doers of [the] law, they will be justified: 14 for when the gentiles, who have not a law, do, by nature, the things contained in the law, these, not having a law, are a law to themselves: 15 who show forth the works of the law, written in their hearts; their conscience witnessing with them, and their reasonings between themselves accusing or else excusing each other): 16 in the day when God will judge the secret things of men, by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

17 But if thou be called a Jew, and rest in [the] law, and glory in God, 18 and know his will, and discern the things that

« ÎnapoiContinuă »