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the greatness of the contest which he had. And from this he constructs a second point: to show that he rightly undertook to minister to the saints. For those who were situated among such wicked men were on the verge of perishing by famine. “That my ministry which is for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.” That is, that they might receive with eagerness what was given. But see again how he elevates the dignity of those who receive, if indeed he needs prayers from so great a populace for the things sent to be accepted. “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” He seals his discourse with a prayer.

CHAPTER 16. “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deacon of the

Church which is at Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you. For she has been a patroness of many, and of myself. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus; who for my life laid down their own necks, for whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; and the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Asia for Christ. Greet Mary, who labored much for us. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodion my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. Greet Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The 95.568 Churches of Christ greet you. Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, greet you. I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. and Quartus, a brother. The grace of our Lord “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel.” Again he addresses those who are weak, and turns his discourse to them. For when he was rebuking, he made the rebuke general. But now, while praying for these, he offers his supplication; and by saying, to establish, he shows this, that they were not yet confirmed, but though they stood, they were being shaken. “And the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages past.” That is, what He Himself preached; and if He Himself preached it, the doctrines are not ours, but His are the laws. “but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith.” Here he releases the weak from fear. For what do you fear,

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μέγεθος ὃ εἶχεν ἀγῶνος. Ἀπὸ δὲ τούτου καὶ δεύτερον κατασκευάζει· τὸ δεῖξαι ὅτι δικαίως ἀνεδέξατο διακονῆσαι τοῖς ἁγίοις. Οἱ γὰρ μεταξὺ τῶν οὕτω πονηρῶν κείμενοι, καὶ λιμῷ ἀπόλλυσθαι ἔμελλον. «Καὶ ἡ διακονία μου ἡ εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ εὐπρόσδεκτος τοῖς ἁγίοις γένηται, ἵνα ἐν χαρᾷ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ συναναπαύσωμαι ὑμῖν.» Τουτέστιν, ἵνα μετὰ προθυμίας ὑποδέξωνται τὰ διδόμενα. Ὅρα δὲ πάλιν πῶς ἐπαίρει τὸ ἀξίωμα τῶν λαμβανόντων, εἴ γε εὐχῶν δεῖται παρὰ δήμου τοσούτου εἰς τὸ δεχθῆναι τὰ πεμπόμενα. «Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν.» Εὐχῇ σφραγίζει τὸν λόγον.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ι ςʹ. «Συνίστημι δὲ ὑμῖν Φοίβην τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡμῶν, οὖσαν διάκονον τῆς

Ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κεγχρέαις, ἵνα αὐτὴν προσδέξησθε ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀξίως τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ παραστῆτε αὐτῇ ἐν ᾧ ἂν ὑμῶν χρῄζῃ πράγματι. Καὶ γὰρ αὕτη προστάτις πολλῶν ἐγεννήθη, καὶ ἐμοῦ. Ἀσπάσασθε Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν τοὺς συνεργούς μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· οἵτινες ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς μου τὸν ἑαυτῶν τράχηλον ὑπέθηκαν, οἷς οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνος εὐχαριστῶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῶν ἐθνῶν· καὶ τὴν κατ' οἶκον αὐτῶν Ἐκκλησίαν. Ἀσπάσασθε Ἐπαίνετον τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου, ὅς ἐστιν ἀπαρχὴ τῆς Ἀσίας εἰς Χριστόν. Ἀσπάσασθε Μαριὰμ, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς ἡμᾶς. Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀνδρόνικον καὶ Ἰουνίαν τοὺς συγγενεῖς μου καὶ συναιχμαλώτους μου, οἵ τινές εἰσιν ἐπίσημοι ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, καὶ πρὸ ἐμοῦ γεγόνασιν ἐν Χριστῷ. Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀμπλίαν τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἀσπάσασθε Οὐρβανὸν τὸν συνεργὸν ἡμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ, καὶ Στάχυν τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου. Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀπελλῆν τὸν δόκιμον ἐν Χριστῷ. Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἀριστοβούλου. Ἀσπάσασθε Ἡρωδίονα τὸν συγγενῆ μου. Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ναρκίσσου, τοὺς ὄντας ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἀσπάσασθε Τρύφαιναν καὶ Τρυφῶσαν τὰς κοπιώσας ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἀσπάσασθε Περσίδα τὴν ἀγαπητὴν, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἀσπάσασθε Ῥοῦφον τὸν ἐκλεκτὸν ἐν Κυρίῳ, καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐμοῦ. Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀσύγκριτον, Φλέγοντα, Ἑρμᾶν, Πατρόβαν, Ἑρμῆν, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀδελφούς. Ἀσπάσασθε Φιλόλογον, καὶ Ἰουλίαν, καὶ Νηρέα, καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ὀλυμπᾶν, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους. Ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς αἱ 95.568 Ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ ἐκκλίνετε ἀπ' αὐτῶν. Οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ οὐ δουλεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ, καὶ διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας ἐξαπατῶσι τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων. Ἡ γὰρ ὑμῶν ὑπακοὴ εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο. Ἐφ' ὑμῖν οὖν χαίρω· θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς σοφοὺς μὲν εἶναι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἀκεραίους δὲ εἰς τὸ κακόν. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης συντρίψει τὸν Σατανᾶν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν ἐν τάχει. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μεθ' ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς Τιμόθεος ὁ συνεργός μου, καὶ Λούκιος, καὶ Ἰάσων, καὶ Σωσίπατρος οἱ συγγενεῖς μου. Ἀσπάζομαι ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ Τέρτιος ὁ γράψας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Γάϊος ὁ ξένος μου καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὅλης. καὶ Κούαρτος ὁ ἀδελφός. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν «Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑμᾶς στηρίξαι κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου.» Πάλιν ἐκείνων ἔχεται τῶν ἀσθενῶν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τρέπει τὸν λόγον. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἐπετίμα, κοινὴν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν. Νυνὶ δὲ εὐχόμενος μὲν τούτων, τίθησι τὴν ἱκετείαν· εἰπὼν δὲ, στηρίξαι, τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ὅτι οὔπω ἦσαν βεβαιωθέντες, ἀλλ' εἰστήκεισαν μὲν, ἐσαλεύοντο δέ «Καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγημένου.» Τουτέστιν, ὃ αὐτὸς ἐκήρυξεν· εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς ἐκήρυξεν, οὐχ ἡμέτερα τὰ δόγματα, ἀλλ' ἐκείνου οἱ νόμοι. «Φανερωθέντος δὲ νῦν διά τε Γραφῶν προφητικῶν, κατ' ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ αἰωνίου Θεοῦ εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως.» Ἐνταῦθα τὸν φόβον ἐκλύει τοῦ ἀσθενοῦς. Τί γὰρ δέδοικας,