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A carnal man, that is, one who is nailed to present matters, and happens to be outside the working of the Spirit, is able to go everywhere, and to wander wherever he wishes. But he who is led by the Spirit is not able everywhere to be master of his own will, having made it dependent on the authority from there, but wherever that One wills, he is led, subject to a master's control. This, then, he says: I am not outside the governance of the Spirit, nor do I have authority to walk where I wish. For I am subject to the command of the Paraclete, and I am commanded. For this reason I was not able to come, for it did not seem good to the Spirit. This is also written in the Acts of the Apostles. For elsewhere, when he intended to come, the Spirit commanded him to go elsewhere. So that my not coming was not from my levity, that is, nor from fickleness, but from being subject to the Spirit, and obeying that one. But God is faithful, that our word to you was not Yes, and, No. He resolves a rising objection. If, he says, with you there is no Yes, and, No, but what you now say, you overturn afterwards, just as you did concerning your visit, woe to us lest this has also happened in the preaching. So that, he says, they might not be troubled thinking these things, he says that it did not happen this way with the preaching. For they think that human things can 95.713 be proven false, but the things of God are not so. Wherefore he says: God is faithful, that is, true. Do not, therefore, suspect His things in this way; for there is nothing human in them. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yes, and, no. Since he said word, he now brings in what sort of word he means. But the, yes, and, no, signifies this. I did not overturn, he says, what I previously said in the preaching. Nor did I discourse to you now this, now that; for this is no longer a matter of faith, but of a deluded mind. But, yes, was in him. That is, what I said, the word remains unshaken and firm. For as many as are the promises of God, in him is the yes; wherefore also through him is the, amen, to God for glory through us. He says this, because the preaching promises many things, and they themselves announce and preach these many things. For they spoke about the resurrection, and assumption, and about incorruptibility, and about the great contests, and about those ineffable good things. He says, therefore, that these promises remain unmoved. For in them there was not yes and no, that is, not sometimes the things said are true, and sometimes false, like my visit, but always true. But if what He promised is firm, much more is He Himself, and the word concerning Him. But He who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God, who has also sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts. But I call God as a witness upon my soul. That is, He who does not allow us to be shaken from the faith in Christ, and He who has anointed us, and given the Spirit in our hearts, how will He not give the things to come? But having anointed us and sealed us, signifies the gift of the Spirit. That to spare you I came no more to Corinth; not that we lord it over your faith, but that we are fellow workers for your joy. For by faith you stand.

CHAP. 2. But I determined this for myself, not to come to you again in sorrow. For if I

grieve you. For I considered it better, he says, to yield for repentance, than being present to attack and be more greatly provoked. And who is he that makes me glad, but he who is made sorry by me? Even if, he says, I was to be in sorrow, being forced to rebuke you and to see you grieved, nevertheless I rejoice for this very reason. For this 95.716 is proof of the greatest love, that I am held in such high regard by you, as to be able to sting you by turning away. And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I would not have sorrow from those from whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

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σαρκικὸς ἄνθρωπος, τουτέστιν, ὁ τοῖς παροῦσι πράγμασι προσηλωμένος, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνεργείας ἐκτὸς τυγχάνων, πανταχοῦ ἀπιέναι δύναται, καὶ πλανᾶσθαι ὅπου βούλεται. Ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἀγόμενος, οὐ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γνώμης πανταχοῦ δύναται κύριος εἶναι, τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἐξουσίας ἐξαρτήσας αὐτὴν, ἀλλ' ὅπου ἂν ἐκεῖνο βούληται, ἄγεται, δεσποτικοῖς παλαίσμασι χρώμενος. Τοῦτο οὖν φησιν, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐκτὸς κυβερνήσεως, οὐδὲ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω βαδίζειν ὅπου βούλομαι. Καὶ γὰρ ὑπόκειμαι τῷ ἐπιτάγματι τοῦ Παρακλήτου, καὶ ἐπιτάττομαι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἠδυνήθην ἐλθεῖν, οὐ γὰρ ἔδοξε τῷ Πνεύματι. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων γέγραπται. Ἀλλαχοῦ γὰρ Προαιρούμενον ἐλθεῖν, τὸ Πνεῦμα ἀλλαχοῦ βαδίζειν ἐκέλευσεν. Ὥστε οὐ τῆς ἐμῆς ἐλαφρίας, τουτέστιν, οὔτε τῆς κουφότητος τὸ μὴ ἐλθεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὸ, τῷ Πνεύματι ὑποκείμενον, ἐκείνῳ πείθεσθαι. Πιστὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν ὁ πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἐγένετο Ναὶ, καὶ, Οὔ. Ἀντίθεσιν ἀνακύπτουσαν λύει. Εἰ οὐκ ἔστι, φησὶ, παρὰ σοὶ τὸ Ναὶ, καὶ, Οὒ, ἀλλὰ ἃ νῦν λέγεις, ἀνατρέπεις μετὰ ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τῆς σῆς ἐποίησας, οὐαὶ ἡμῖν μή ποτε καὶ ἐν τῷ κηρύγματι τοῦτο γέγονεν. Ἵνα οὖν μὴ ταῦτα ἐννοοῦντες πράττωνται, φησὶν ὅτι οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ κηρύγματος οὕτως ἐγένετο. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώπινα οἴονται δια 95.713 ψευσθῆναι, τὰ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ οὕτως. ∆ιό φησι· Πιστὸς ὁ Θεὸς, τουτέστιν ἀληθής. Μὴ τοίνυν ὑπόπτευε τὰ ἐκείνου οὕτως· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀνθρώπινον. Ὁ γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ὁ ἐν ὑμῖν δι' ἡμῶν κηρυχθεὶς, δι' ἐμοῦ καὶ Σιλουανοῦ καὶ Τιμοθέου, οὐκ ἐγένετο ναὶ, καὶ, οὔ. Ἐπειδὴ εἶπε λόγον, ἐπάγει λοιπὸν ποῖον λόγον φησί. Τὸ δὲ, ναὶ, καὶ, οὐ, τοῦτο σημαίνει. Οὐκ ἀνέτρεψα, φησὶν, ἃ πρότερον εἶπον ἐν τῷ κηρύγματι. Οὐδὲ νῦν μὲν τοῦτο, νῦν δὲ ἐκεῖνο διελέχθην ὑμῖν· τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκέτι πίστεως, ἀλλὰ πεπλανημένης διανοίας ἐστίν. Ἀλλὰ, ναὶ, ἐν αὐτῷ γέγονε. Τουτέστιν ὅπερ εἶπον, ἀπαρασάλευτος καὶ βέβαιος ὁ λόγος μένει. Ὅσαι γὰρ ἐπαγγελίαι Θεοῦ, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ναί· διὸ καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὸ, ἀμὴν, τῷ Θεῷ πρὸς δόξαν δι' ἡμῶν. Τοῦτό φησι, διὰ τὸ πολλὰ τὸ κήρυγμα ὑπισχνεῖσθαι, καὶ αὐτοὺς τὰ πολλὰ ταῦτα ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι, καὶ κηρύττειν. Καὶ γὰρ περὶ ἀναστάσεως διελέχθησαν, καὶ ἀναλήψεως, καὶ περὶ ἀφθαρσίας, καὶ περὶ τῶν μεγάλων ἄθλων, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων ἐκείνων ἀγαθῶν. Ταύτας οὖν τὰς ἐπαγγελίας μένειν φησὶν ἀκινήτους. Οὐ γὰρ ἐγένετο ἐν αὐτοῖς ναὶ καὶ οὐ, τουτέστιν, οὐ ποτὲ μὲν ἀληθῆ τὰ εἰρημένα, ποτὲ δὲ ψευδῆ, καθάπερ ἡ ἐπιδημία ἡ ἐμὴ, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ἀληθῆ. Εἰ δὲ ἃ ὑπέσχετο, βέβαια, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς, καὶ ὁ περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγος. Ὁ δὲ βεβαιῶν ἡμᾶς σὺν ὑμῖν εἰς Χριστὸν, καὶ χρίσας ἡμᾶς Θεὸς, καὶ σφραγισάμενος ἡμᾶς, καὶ δοὺς τὸν ἀῤῥαβῶνα τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν. Τουτέστιν, ὁ μὴ ἐῶν ἡμᾶς παρασαλεύεσθαι ἐκ τῆς πίστεως τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ χρίσας ἡμᾶς, καὶ δοὺς τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν, πῶς τὰ μέλλοντα οὐ δίδωσι; Τὸ δὲ χρίσας ἡμᾶς καὶ σφραγισάμενος, τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος δωρεὰν σημαίνει. Ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον· οὐχ ὅτι κυριεύομεν ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλ' ὅτι συνεργοί ἐσμεν τῆς χαρᾶς ὑμῶν. Τῇ γὰρ πίστει ἑστήκατε.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Βʹ. Ἔκρινα δὲ ἐμαυτῷ τοῦτο τὸ μὴ πάλιν ἐν λύπῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼ

λυπῶ ὑμᾶς. Βέλτιον γὰρ ἐνόμισα ἐνδοῦναι εἰς τὸ μετανοῆσαι, φησὶν, ἢ παρὼν ἐπεξελθεῖν καὶ παροξυνθῆναι μειζόνως. Καὶ τίς ὁ εὐφραίνων με, εἰ μὴ ὁ λυπούμενος ἐξ ἐμοῦ; Εἰ καὶ ἐν λύπῃ, φησὶν, ἔμελλον εἶναι, ἀναγκαζόμενος ὑμῖν ἐπιτιμᾷν καὶ ὁρᾷν λυπουμένους, ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο εὐφραίνομαι. Μεγίστης γὰρ 95.716 τοῦτο ἀγάπης τεκμήριον, τὸ τοσούτου παρ' ὑμῖν ἄξιον εἶναί με, ὡς δύνασθαι δάκνειν ὑμᾶς ἀποστρεφόμενον. Καὶ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν τοῦτο αὐτὸ, ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν λύπην ἔχω, ἀφ' ὧν ἔδει με χαίρειν· πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἡ ἐμὴ χαρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐστιν.