141

of us. For we never came with a word of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed; God is witness; nor seeking glory from men, neither from you, nor from others. Instead of, speaking to you things for pleasure; but thus 95.909 we preached, he says, as God has approved us. For we did not please men; for neither did we flatter you, but we preached the things that are toilsome. Though we might have been a burden as apostles of Christ, but we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately desiring you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not only the Gospel of God, but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the Gospel of God. For you are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God, who has called you to His own kingdom and glory. For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe. For you, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus, for you also have suffered like things from your own countrymen, even as they have from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus. That is, to demand honors from you, as having been entrusted with so great a dignity, but becoming teachers humbler than the disciples. And their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God. He places the prophets between the Lord and the apostles, in order to show that they were evil also toward these, whom they confess to be their own. And the middle part, makes them evil to the extreme. And are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always. For they forbid them to be saved. For the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, both once and again. Instead of, their sins were filled up. But Satan hindered us. Since the afflictions because of the preaching, hindered, for this reason he attributes the afflictions themselves to Satan. For he was the one who was stirring up, and provoking the unbelievers against the apostles. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of re 95.912 joicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. For he who is ranked among teachers has this as his crown and joy, the progress of his disciples.

CHAPTER 3. Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good. A word indicative of great longing.

To be left at Athens alone, and sent Timothy, your brother, and minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, that no one should be moved by these afflictions. This is characteristic of the Apostle's humility. For neither was he rather left behind, but those who left him. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and you know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor be in vain

141

ἡμῶν. Οὔτε γάρ ποτε ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας ἐγενήθημεν, καθὼς οἴδατε, οὔτε ἐν προφάσει πλεονεξίας· Θεὸς μάρτυς· οὔτε ζητοῦντες ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δόξαν, οὐδὲ ὑφ' ὑμῶν, οὔτε ἀπὸ ἄλλων. Ἀντὶ τοῦ, λέγοντες ὑμῖν τὰ πρὸς ἡδονήν· ἀλλ' οὕ 95.909 τως ἐκηρύξαμεν, φησὶν, ὡς ἐδοκίμασεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεός. Οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώποις ἠρέσαμεν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκολακεύσαμεν ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐπίπονα ἐκηρύξαμεν. ∆υνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι, ἀλλ' ἐγεννήθημεν ἤπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, ὡς ἂν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα. Οὕτως ἱμειρόμενοι ὑμῶν, εὐδοκοῦμεν μεταδοῦναι ὑμῖν, οὐ μόνον τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχὰς, διότι ἀγαπητοὶ ἡμῖν γεγένησθε. Μνημονεύετε γὰρ, ἀδελφοὶ, τὸν κόπον ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν μόχθον· νυκτὸς γὰρ καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν, ἐκηρύξαμεν εἰς ὑμᾶς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὑμεῖς γὰρ μάρτυρες, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς ὁσίως, καὶ δικαίως, καὶ ἀμέμπτως ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐγενήθημεν· καθάπερ οἴδατε, ὡς ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν, ὡς πατὴρ τέκνα ἑαυτοῦ, παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς, καὶ παραμυθούμενοι, καὶ μαρτυρόμενοι εἰς τὸ περιπατῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ δόξαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἀδιαλείπτως, ὅτι παραλαβόντες λόγον ἀκοῆς παρ' ἡμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐδέξασθε, οὐ λόγον ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ, καθώς ἐστιν ἀληθῶς, λόγον Θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ἐνεργεῖται ἐν ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν. Ὑμεῖς γὰρ μιμηταὶ ἐγενήθητε, ἀδελφοὶ, τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῶν οὐσῶν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι τὰ αὐτὰ ἐπάθετε καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων συμφυλετῶν, καθὼς καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, τῶν καὶ τὸν Κύριον ἀποκτεινάντων Ἰησοῦν. Τουτέστιν, ἀπαιτεῖν παρ' ὑμῶν τιμὰς, ὡς τοσοῦτον ἐγχειρισθέντες ἀξίωμα, ἀλλὰ ταπεινότεροι τῶν μαθητῶν γενόμενοι διδάσκαλοι. Καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους προφήτας, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκδιωξάντων, καὶ Θεῷ μὴ ἀρεσκόντων. Μέσους τίθησι τοὺς προφήτας τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων, ἵνα καὶ περὶ τούτους δείξῃ γεγονότας κακοὺς, οὓς ὁμολογοῦσιν ἰδίους εἶναι. Καὶ τὸ μέσον, ποιεῖ αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰ ἄκρα κακούς. Καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐναντίων, κωλυόντων ἡμᾶς τοῖς ἔθνεσι λαλῆσαι, ἵνα σωθῶσιν, εἰς τὸ ἀναπληρῶσαι αὐτῶν τὰς ἁμαρτίας πάντοτε. Κωλύουσι γὰρ αὐτοὺς σώζεσθαι. Ἔφθασεν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἡ ὀργὴ εἰς τέλος. Ἡμεῖς δὲ, ἀδελφοὶ, ἀπορφανισθέντες ἀφ' ὑμῶν πρὸς καιρὸν ὥρας, προσώπῳ, οὐ καρδίᾳ, περισσοτέρως ἐσπουδάσαμεν τὸ πρόσωπον ὑμῶν ἰδεῖν ἐν πολλῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ. ∆ιὸ ἠθελήσαμεν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἐγὼ μὲν Παῦλος καὶ ἅπαξ, καὶ δίς. Ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἐπληρώθησαν αὐτῶν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. Καὶ ἐνέκοψεν ὑμᾶς ὁ Σατανᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ αἱ θλίψεις αἱ διὰ τὸ κήρυγμα, ἐνεπόδισαν, τούτου χάριν αὐτὰς τὰς θλίψεις ἀνατίθησι τῷ Σατανᾷ. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἦν ὁ ἐπεγείρων, καὶ παροξύνων κατὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων τοὺς ἀπίστους. Τίς γὰρ ἡμῶν ἐλπὶς, ἣ χαρὰ, ἢ στέφανος καυ 95.912 χήσεως; ἢ οὐχὶ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῇ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ; ὑμεῖς γάρ ἐστε ἡ δόξα ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ χαρά. Ὁ γὰρ τεταγμένος ἐν διδασκάλοις, τοῦτον ἔχει στέφανον καὶ χαρὰν, τὴν τῶν μαθητῶν προκοπήν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Γʹ. ∆ιὸ μηκέτι στέγοντες, εὐδοκήσαμεν. Πόθου πολλοῦ τὸ ῥῆμα παραστατικόν.

Καταλειφθῆναι ἐν Ἀθήναις μόνοι, καὶ ἐπέμψαμεν Τιμόθεον τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν, καὶ διάκονον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ συνεργὸν ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, εἰς τὸ στηρίξαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ παρακαλέσαι περὶ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν, τὸ μηδένα σαίνεσθαι ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι ταύταις. Τοῦτο τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης ἴδιον τοῦ Ἀποστόλου. Οὔτε γὰρ αὐτὸς μᾶλλον κατελιμπάνετο, ἀλλ' οἱ ἀπολιπόντες αὐτόν. Αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδατε, ὅτι εἰς τοῦτο κείμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ ὅτε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἦμεν, προελέγομεν ὑμῖν, ὅτι μέλλομεν θλίβεσθαι, καθὼς καὶ ἐγένετο, καὶ οἴδατε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο κἀγὼ μηκέτι στέγων, ἔπεμψα εἰς τὸ γνῶναι τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν, μήπως ἐπείρασεν ὑμᾶς ὁ πειράζων, καὶ εἰς κενὸν γένηται ὁ κόπος