Chapter XLVII.—Your Recent Discord is Worse Than the Former Which Took Place in the Times of Paul.

Take up the epistle of the blessed Apostle Paul.  What did he write to you at the time when the gospel first began to be preached?258    Literally, “in the beginning of the gospel.”  Truly, under the inspiration259    Or, “spiritually.” of the Spirit, he wrote to you concerning himself, and Cephas, and Apollos,260    1 Cor. iii. 13, etc. because even then parties261    Or, “inclinations for one above another.”  I. προσκλήσεις (summonses) throughout for προσκλίσεις. had been formed among you.  But that inclination for one above another entailed less guilt upon you, inasmuch as your partialities were then shown towards apostles, already of high reputation, and towards a man whom they had approved.  But now reflect who those are that have perverted you, and lessened the renown of your far-famed brotherly love.  It is disgraceful, beloved, yea, highly disgraceful, and unworthy of your Christian profession,262    Literally, “of conduct in Christ.”  I. ἀγάπη (love). that such a thing should be heard of as that the most stedfast and ancient church of the Corinthians should, on account of one or two persons, engage in sedition against its presbyters.  And this rumour has reached not only us, but those also who are unconnected263    Or, “aliens from us,” i.e. the Gentiles. with us; so that, through your infatuation, the name of the Lord is blasphemed, while danger is also brought upon yourselves.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΜΖ’. Ἀναλάβετε τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου τοῦ ἀποστόλου. Τί πρῶτον ὑμῖν ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ εὐαγγε λίου ἔγραψεν; Ἐπ' ἀληθείας πνευματικῶς ἐπέστειλεν ὑμῖν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ τε καὶ Κηφᾶ τε καὶ Ἀπολλώ, διὰ τὸ καὶ τότε προσκλίσεις ὑμᾶς πεποιῆσθαι. Ἀλλ' ἡ πρόσκλισις ἐκείνη ἥττονα ἁμαρτίαν ὑμῖν προσήνεγκεν· προσεκλίθητε γὰρ ἀποστόλοις μεμαρτυρημένοις καὶ ἀνδρὶ δεδοκιμασμένῳ παρ' αὐτοῖς. Νυνὶ δὲ κατανοήσατε, τίνες ὑμᾶς διέστρεψαν καὶ τὸ σεμνὸν τῆς περιβοήτου φιλαδελφίας ὑμῶν ἐμείωσαν. Aἰσχρά, ἀγαπητοί, καὶ λίαν αἰσχρὰ καὶ ἀνάξια τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγωγῆς ἀκούεσθαι, τὴν βεβαιοτάτην καὶ ἀρχαίαν Κορινθίων ἐκκλησίαν δι' ἓν ἢ δύο πρόσωπα στασιάζειν πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους. Καὶ αὕτη ἡ ἀκοὴ οὐ μόνον εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐχώρησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἑτεροκλινεῖς ὑπάρχοντας ἀφ' ἡμῶν, ὥστε καὶ βλασφημίας ἐπιφέρεσθαι τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀφροσύνην, ἑαυτοῖς δὲ κίνδυνον ἐπεξεργάζεσθαι.