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recording it. That for the righteous law is not made. According to the ready interpretation, that the righteous man is outside of punishment. But according to the more spiritual, that the one justified through grace is outside the grievous com 95.1001 mandments of the law, no longer having need of milk, since for the future he uses solid food. But for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. These things he hints at for the Jews. For there was no kind of transgression which they did not practice. Therefore also a severe law was set for them, punishing transgressors. According to the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank him who has enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord. He calls it the Gospel of glory, for no other reason than for those who are ashamed at the persecutions and at the passion of Christ; or perhaps he also hints at the good things to come. That He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, who was formerly a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Having said, "I was entrusted with the Gospel of the glory of God," since he seemed to have spoken a great thing, so that no one might think he did this out of presumption, consider how he corrects himself, calling himself unworthy on account of his former ignorance. At the same time he also extols the mercy of God, and His love for mankind, by recounting his own former life. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. But for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering. So great are the benefits of God, and they surpass all human expectation and hope, that in many places they are also disbelieved. For what human mind has never seen, nor conceived, nor expected, these things He has graciously given to us. Therefore, when he is about to say them, he anticipates and says: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance." As if he were to say: Let no one disbelieve what we are about to say. As a pattern for those who were to believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King of the ages, immortal, to the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. This charge I commit to you, son Timothy. Wishing to persuade, he says, men that He forgives them all things, God received me. According to the prophecies which went before on you, that by them you might war a good warfare, having faith and a good conscience. Here he calls the ordination a prophecy, through which he received the Spirit. And he names them in the plural, 95.1004 as if signifying that with which he took him, and with which he circumcised him, and with which he ordained him. Which some having put away have made shipwreck concerning the faith, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, For when life is depraved, such a dogma is also born, and it is possible to see many who, on account of falling into an abyss of evils, have also turned aside to Hellenism. For so that they may not be tormented by the fear of things to come, they will endeavor to persuade their soul that all our teachings are false. That they may learn not to blaspheme.

CHAPTER 2. I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks be made for all men. Not that he might discipline them, he says, but that they might be disciplined. For he does not work this, but this happens from the punishment. For kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved,

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καταγράφων αὐτό. Ὅτι δικαίῳ νόμος οὐ κεῖται. Κατὰ μὲν τὸν πρόχειρον λόγον, ὅτι κολάσεώς ἐστιν ἐκτὸς τῷ δικαίῳ. Κατὰ δὲ τὸν πνευματικώτερον, ὅτι ὁ δικαιωθεὶς διὰ τῆς χάριτος, ἔξω λυπούντων προσ 95.1001 ταγμάτων ἐστὶ τοῦ νόμου, οὐκέτι χρείαν ἔχων γάλακτος, ἅτε λοιπὸν τῇ στερεᾷ χρώμενος τροφῇ. Ἀνόμοις δὲ καὶ ἀνυποτάκτοις, ἀσεβέσι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς, ἀνοσίοις καὶ βεβήλοις, πατραλοίαις καὶ μητραλοίαις ἀνδροφόνοις, πόρνοις, ἀρσενοκοίταις, ἀνδραποδισταῖς, ψεύσταις, ἐπιόρκοις, καὶ εἴ τι ἕτερον τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ ἀντίκειται. Ταῦτα εἰς Ἰουδαίους αἰνίττεται. Οὐ γὰρ ἦν παρανομίας εἶδος, ὃ μὴ ἔπραττον. ∆ιὸ καὶ σφοδρὸς αὐτοῖς ἐτέθη νόμος κολάζων παραβαίνοντας. Κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ μακαρίου Θεοῦ, ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγώ· καὶ χάριν ἔχω τῷ ἐνδυναμώσαντί με, Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. Εὐαγγέλιον δόξης αὐτὸ καλεῖ, δι' οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἀλλ' ἢ πρὸς τοὺς αἰσχυνομένους ἐπὶ τοῖς διωγμοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ πάθει τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἢ τάχα καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων αἰνίττεται ἀγαθῶν. Ὅτι πιστόν με ἡγήσατο, θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν, τὸν πρότερον ὄντα βλάσφημον, καὶ διώκτην, καὶ ὑβριστήν· ἀλλὰ ἠλεήθην, ὅτι ἀγνοῶν ἐποίησα ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ. Ὑπερεπλεόνασε δὲ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν μετὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Εἰπὼν, ὅτι Ἐπιστεύθην τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐπειδὴ ἔδοξε μέγα φθέγξασθαι, ἵνα μή τις δόξῃ ἐξ ἀπονοίας τοῦτο ποιεῖν, σκόπει πῶς ἐπιδιορθοῦται, ἀνάξιον ἑαυτὸν λέγων διὰ τὴν προτέραν ἄγνοιαν. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐπαίρει τὸν ἔλεον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, τὸν πρότερον ἑαυτοῦ βίον ἐξηγούμενος. Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος, καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ ἐνδείξηται Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τὴν πᾶσαν μακροθυμίαν. Οὕτως μεγάλαι εἰσὶν αἱ εὐεργεσίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνην ὑπερβαίνουσαι προσδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα, ὡς πολλαχοῦ καὶ ἀπιστεῖσθαι. Ἃ γὰρ μὴ εἴδετό ποτε, μήτε ἐνενόησεν, μήτε προσεδόκησεν νοῦς ἀνθρώπινος, ταῦτα ἡμῖν ἐχαρίσατο. ∆ιὸ μέλλων αὐτὰ λέγειν, προλαμβάνει, καὶ λέγει· Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος, καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος. Ὡς εἰ λέγοι· Μή τις ἀπιστήσῃ οἷς μέλλομεν ἐρεῖν. Πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπ' αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων ἀφθάρτῳ, μόνῳ σοφῷ Θεῷ, τιμὴ, δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. Ταύτην τὴν παραγγελίαν παρατίθεμαί σοι, τέκνον Τιμόθεε. Βουλόμενος πεῖσαι, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὅτι πάντα αὐτοῖς ἀφίησιν, ἐμὲ ἐδέξατο. Κατὰ τὰς προαγούσας ἐπὶ σὲ προφητείας, ἵνα στρατεύῃ ἐν αὐτοῖς τὴν καλὴν στρατείαν, ἔχων πίστιν καὶ ἀγαθὴν συνείδησιν. Προφητείαν ἐνταῦθα τὴν χειροτονίαν φησὶ, δι' ἧς τὸ Πνεῦμα ἔλαβε. Πληθυντικῶς δὲ αὐτὰς ὀνομάζει, 95.1004 οἱονεὶ σημαίνων ἐκείνην μεθ' ἧς ἔλαβεν αὐτὸν, καὶ μεθ' ἧς περιέτεμε, καὶ μεθ' ἧς ἐχειροτόνει. Ἥν τινες ἀπωσάμενοι, περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐναυάγησαν, ὧν ἐστιν Ὑμεναῖος καὶ Ἀλέξανδρος οὓς παρέδωκα τῷ Σατανᾷ, Ὅταν γὰρ ᾖ βίος ἀπεγνωσμένος, καὶ δόγμα τίκτεται τοιοῦτον, καὶ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν πολλοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ τοῦ καταπεσεῖν εἰς βυθὸν κακῶν καὶ εἰς Ἑλληνισμὸν ἐκτραπέντας. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ τῷ φόβῳ τῶν μελλόντων βασανίζωνται, σπουδάσουσι πεῖσαι τὴν ψυχὴν, ὅτι ψευδῆ πάντα τὰ παρ' ἡμῖν. Ἵνα παιδευθῶσι μὴ βλασφημεῖν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Βʹ. Παρακαλῶ οὖν πρῶτον πάντων ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, προσευχὰς, ἐντεύξεις,

εὐχαριστίας ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων. Οὐχ ἵνα παιδεύσῃ αὐτοὺς, φησὶν, ἀλλ' ἵνα παιδευθῶσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τοῦτο ἐργάζεται, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς κολάσεως τοῦτο συμβαίνει. Ὑπὲρ βασιλέων, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ ὄντων, ἵνα ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι. Τοῦτο γὰρ καλὸν καὶ ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ, ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι,