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we preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. He alludes to those, as exalting themselves, and persuading the disciples to name themselves after them, which he also said in the first letter. I am of Paul, and I of Apollos. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. For this reason I serve, he says, because he has deemed it worthy to shine into your hearts. For darkness was upon the face of the deep, he says, and God said: Let there be light. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken. He still continues showing that the whole work is of the power of God, putting down their pride. And what is “on every side”? Among enemies, among friends, in necessities, in the needs of others. cast down, but not destroyed. Always. The temptations happen, he says, but the results of the temptations, not so; and this is through the power and grace of God. bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. He speaks of the daily deaths, through which the resurrection was also shown. For if anyone disbelieves, he says, that Jesus died and rose again, let him see us who die and rise daily, and henceforth believe in the resurrection. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus Christ's sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. For this reason we are delivered up, he says, that the power of his life might be made manifest, not allowing human flesh suffering so many things to be overcome by the snow-storm of evils. 95.728 So then death worketh in us, but life in you. He no longer speaks of the death of Jesus, but of temptations and relief. For we are in dangers and temptations, he says; but you are in security, reaping the life from these dangers; and we endure the dangerous things, but you enjoy the good things. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak. He reminded them of a psalm sufficient especially to anoint them in dangers. For that righteous man, being in the same dangers, uttered this song. But the "same Spirit" means of alliance, that is, from the same creation, from which he was saved, we also are saved. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Having said, "we also believe, and therefore speak," he adds what we believe. That He who raised Jesus will also raise us through Jesus; Again he fills them with right-mindedness, so that they might not give thanks to men, to the false apostles. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. See how much he has lightened the dangers, both by taking away from the time, and from the magnitude. For “momentary,” he says, and “light,” and at the same time he contrasts them. For “momentary” is against “eternal,” and “light” is against “weight,” affliction against glory. And he is not content with these, but adds also, "far more exceeding." While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. He tells the manner, how so great an affliction is light. And how, but from the hope to come?

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ἑαυτοὺς κηρύσσομεν, ἀλλὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν Κύριον, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ δούλους διὰ Ἰησοῦν. Εἰς ἐκείνους αἰνίττεται, ὡς ἐπαίροντας ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ πείθοντας τοὺς μαθητὰς ἀπ' αὐτῶν αὐτοὺς ὀνομάζειν, ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ ἔλεγε. Ἐγὼ μὲν εἰμὶ Παύλου, ἐγὼ δὲ, Ἀπολλῶ. Ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ὁ εἰπὼν ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψαι, ὃς ἐκάλυψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο δουλεύω, φησὶν, ἐπειδὴ κατηξίωσε λάμψαι εἰς τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. Σκότος γὰρ ἦν ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου, φησὶ, καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Γενηθήτω φῶς. Ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι· ἀπορούμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι· διωκόμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι. Ἔτι μένει δεικνὺς ὅτι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως ἔργον τὸ πᾶν ἐστι, καταστέλλων ἐκείνων τὰ φρονήματα. Τί δέ ἐστι τὸ ἐν παντί; Ἐν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, ἐν τοῖς φίλοις, ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις, ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἄλλων χρείαις. Καταβαλλόμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀπολλύμενοι. Πάντοτε. Οἱ μὲν πειρασμοὶ συμβαίνουσι, φησὶν, τὰ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν πειρασμῶν, οὐκέτι· καὶ τοῦτο δὲ διὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν καὶ χάριν. Τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν φανερωθῇ. Τοὺς θανάτους λέγει τοὺς καθημερινοὺς, δι' ὧν καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις ἐδείκνυτο. Εἰ γάρ τις ἀπιστεῖ, φησὶν, ὅτι ἀποθανὼν Ἰησοῦς ἀνέστη, ἡμᾶς ὁρῶν τοὺς καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκοντας καὶ ἀνισταμένους, πιστευέτω λοιπὸν τῇ ἀναστάσει. Ἀεὶ γὰρ ὑμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες, εἰς θάνατον παραδιδόμεθα διὰ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ θνητῇ ἡμῶν σαρκί. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο παραδιδόμεθα, φησὶν, ἵνα ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ τῆς ζωῆς φανερωθῇ, μὴ συγχωροῦντος σάρκα ἀνθρωπίνην τοσαῦτα πάσχουσαν ὑπὸ τῆς νιφάδος τῶν κακῶν νικηθῆναι. 95.728 Ὥστε θάνατος ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργεῖται, ἡ δὲ ζωὴ ἐν ὑμῖν. Οὐκέτι περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ θανάτου λέγει, ἀλλὰ περὶ πειρασμῶν καὶ ἀνέσεως. Ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ ἐν κινδύνοις· καὶ πειρασμοῖς, φησίν· ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐν ἀδείᾳ τὴν ἐκ τούτων τῶν κινδύνων καρπούμενοι ζωὴν, καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐπικίνδυνα ἡμεῖς ὑπομένομεν, τῶν δὲ χρηστῶν ὑμεῖς ἀπολαύετε. Ἔχοντες δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πίστεως, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν, διὸ καὶ λαλοῦμεν. Ἀνέμνησεν αὐτοὺς ψαλμοῦ ἱκανοῦ μάλιστα ἐν κινδύνοις ἀλείφειν. Τὴν γὰρ ᾠδὴν ταύτην ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς κινδύνοις ὢν ὁ δίκαιος ἐκεῖνος ἐφθέγξατο. Τὸ δὲ, αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα συμμαχίας, τουτέστιν ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς δημιουργίας, ἀφ' ἧς ἐκεῖνος ἐσώθη, καὶ ἡμεῖς σωζόμεθα. Εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ Ἰησοῦ ἐγερεῖ, καὶ παραστήσει σὺν ἡμῖν. Τὰ γὰρ πάντα δι' ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσασα διὰ τῶν πλειόνων τὴν εὐχαριστίαν περισσεύσῃ εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. ∆ιὸ οὐκ ἐκκακοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος διαφθείρεται, ἀλλ' ὁ ἔσω ἀνακαινοῦται ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ. Εἰπὼν, ὅτι καὶ ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν, διὸ καὶ λαλοῦμεν, τί πιστεύομεν ἐπιφέρει; Ὅτι καὶ ἐγείρας Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐγερεῖ διὰ Ἰησοῦ· Πάλιν δὲ πληροῖ αὐτοὺς φρονήματος, ἵνα μὴ ἀνθρώποις χάριν εἴδωσι, τοῖς ψευδαποστόλοις. Τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν, αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν. Ὅρα πόσον τῶν κινδύνων ἐκούφισε, καὶ τοῦ χρόνου ὑφελὼν, καὶ τοῦ μεγέθους. Παραυτίκα γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐλαφρὸν, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀντιπαρατίθησι Τὸ μὲν γὰρ, παραυτίκα, πρὸς τὸ αἰώνιον, τὸ δὲ, ἐλαφρὸν, πρὸς τὸ βαρὺ, τὴν θλίψιν πρὸς τὴν δόξαν. Καὶ οὐδὲ τούτοις ἀρκεῖται, ἀλλὰ προϋποφέρει, καὶ τὸ καθ' ὑπερβολήν. Μὴ σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα. Τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα, αἰώνια. Τὸν τρόπον λέγει, πῶς ἐλαφρὸν τὸ τοσοῦτο τῶν θλίψεων. Καὶ πῶς, ἢ ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ἐλπίδος;

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Εʹ.