THE EPISTLE OF PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO TITUS. [WRITTEN FROM MACEDONIA, A. D. 56.] 1.-PAUL, a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, (according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledgment of the truth, which is according to godliness;-in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the times of the ages;-who has now manifested his word, at the proper season, by the proclamation with which I am entrusted, according to the appointment of God our Saviour;) to Titus, my genuine son, according to the common faith: Favor, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. 5.-For this purpose, I left you in Crete, that you might set in order the things left unfinished, and to ordain seniors in every city, as I commanded you. If any one be without blame, the husband of one wife, having believing children, not accused of riotous living, nor unruly. For a bishop should be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not prone to anger, not given to wine, not a striker, not one who makes gain by base methods; but hospitable; a lover of good men, prudent, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the true doctrine, as he has been taught; that he may be able by wholesome teaching, both to exhort and to confute the gain-sayers, For there are many unruly and foolish talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped; who subvert whole families, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of sordid gain. One of themselves, a prophet of their own, has said, "The Cretans are always liars, evil wild beasts, lazy bodies." This testimony is true; for which cause rebuke them sharply, that they may be healthy in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables, and precepts of men who pervert the truth. To the pure, all meats are pure; but to the polluted and unbelieving, nothing is pure; for both their understanding and conscience are polluted. They profess to know God; but by works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. II.-But do you inculcate the things, which become wholesome doctrine: that aged men be vigilant, grave, prudent, healthy by faith, love, patience. That aged women, in like manner, be in deportment as becomes sacred persons;-not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, good teachers; that they may persuade the young women to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children; to be calm, chaste, careful of their families, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be defamed. The young men, in like manner, exhort to govern their passions. In all things make yourself a pattern of good works: in teaching show incorruptness, gravity, wholesome speech which cannot be condemned; that he, who is on the opposite side, may be ashamed, having nothing bad to say concerning you. Exhort servants to be subject to their own masters, and in all things to be careful to please, not answering again, not secretly stealing, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. For the favor of God, which brings salvation, has appeared to all men; teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;-expecting the blessed hope, namely, the appearing of the glory of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things inculcate, and exhort, and reprove with all authority; let no one despise you. III.-Put them in mind to be subject to governments and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work; to speak evil of no one; to be no fighters, but equitable, showing all meekness to all men. For even we ourselves were formerly foolish, disobedient, erring, slavishly serving divers inordinate desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the goodness and philanthropy of God our Saviour shone forth, he saved us, not on account of works of righteousness which we had done,-but according to his own mercy, through the bath of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit; which he had poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour: that being justified by his favor, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This doctrine is true: and concerning these, I charge you to affirm strongly, that those who have believed in God, be studious to stand foremost in good works;-These are the things that are honorable and profitable to men. But foolish questions, and genealogies, and strifes, and fightings about the law, resist; for they are unprofitable and vain. A factionist, after a first and second admonition, reject; knowing that such a person is pervert.ed, and sins, being self-condemned. When I shall send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, make haste to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have determined to winter there. Diligently help forward on their journey, Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos, that nothing may be wanting to them. And let ours also learn to stand foremost in good works, for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful. All who are with me salute you. Salute them who love us in the faith. Favor be with you all. THE EPISTLE : OF PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO PHILEMON. [WRITTEN FROM ROME, A. D. 62.] PAUL, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy the brother, to Philemon the beloved, and our fellow-laborer; and to Apphia the beloved; and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the congregation in your house: Favor to you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. 4.-I give thanks to my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, (having heard of the faith, which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and of your love to all the saints,)-that the communication of your faith may become effectual by the acknowledgment of every good thing that is among us toward Christ Jesus. For we have much joy and consolation in your love; because the souls of the saints are refreshed by you, brother. Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin you what is fit; yet, for love's sake, I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 1 beseech you for my son, whom I have begot in my bonds, even Onesimus; who formerly was to you unprofitable, but now will be very profitable to you, even as he has been to me;-whom I have sent back: do you, therefore, receive him as an object of my tenderest affection; whom I was desirous to have detained with myself, that, in your stead, he might have ministered to me, in these bonds for the gospel: but without your mind I would do nothing, that the good derived might not be as if by constraint, but as voluntary. Perhaps also, for this reason. he was separated for a little while, that you might have him for ever: no longer as a slave only, but above a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me;-and how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord! If, then, you hold me as a partner, receive him as myself. And if he have injured you in any thing, or owes you, place it to my account. I, Paul, have written with my own hand-I will repay. I forbear to urge on you, that you owe to me even your ownself. I beseech you, brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord;-gratify my tender affections for Christ's sake. Having confidence in your obedience, I have written to you, knowing that you will even do more than I ask. But at the same time, prepare me also a lodging; for I hope, that through your prayers, I shall be granted to you. These salute you, Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner for Christ Jesus; Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-laborers. The favor of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO THE HEBREWS. [WRITTEN FROM ROME, OR ITALY, A. D. 63.] I.-God, who in ancient times spoke often, and in various ways,, to the fathers, by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by a Son, whom he has constituted Lord of all things, by whom also he made the universe: who, being an effulgence of his glory, and an exact representation of his character, and controlling all things by his own powerful word, after he had by himself made expiation for our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; being exalted as far above the angeis, as the name he has inherited, is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did he at any time say, "Thou art my Son: to-day I have begotten thee?" and again, "I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son?" But when he brings again the first-born into the world, he says, "Let all the C angels of God worship him." Whereas concerning angels, he says, "Who makes winds his angels, and flaming fire his ministers." But to the Son, "Thy throne, O God, endures forever. The sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of rectitude. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy associates." And, "Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou dost remain; and they as a garment shall grow old; and as a vesture thou wilt fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same; and thy years shall never fail." Moreover, to which of the angels did he say, at any time, "Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy footstool." "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minII. ister for them who shall inherit salvation?" (On this account, we ought to attend the more earnestly to the things which were heard; lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was firm, and every transgression and disobedience received a just retribution; how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? which beginning to be spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to us by them who heard him; God also bearing witness, both by signs and wonders, and diverse miracles, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to his own pleasure.) Moreover, he has not subjected to the angels the world to come, of which we are speaking. But one in a certain place has testified, saying, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him;or the son of man, that thou dost regard him? Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels; thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, thou hast put all things under his feet." Now, by putting all things in subjection to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him: but now, we do not yet see all things subjected to him; but we see Jesus, crowned with glory and honor, who was made a little lower than the angels, by the suffering of death, that he, by the favor of God, might taste death for all. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, to make him, who leads many sons to glory, -even the Captain of their salvation, -perfect through sufferings. For both he who sanctifies, and they who are sanctified, are all of one father; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren; saying, "I will announce thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the congregation I will sing praises to thee." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Behold I and the children whom God has given me." Since, then, the children partook of flesh and blood; he also, in like manner, partook of these; that, through death, he might vanquish him, who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them, who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For, indeed, |