1

k 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him;2 and one Lord Jesus Christ, "by whom are all things, and we by him.

m

:

7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is P defiled.

8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better;3 neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.1

S

9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not

* for him. A. V. have we the more. A. V. have we the less. A. V. power. A. V.

See on MARK, xii. 29.

'ACTS, xvii. 28: In him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Rom. xi. 36: Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. See on JOHN, xiii. 13.

m

" COL. i. 16: HEB. i. 2. See on JOHN, i. 3.

1 Cor. x. 28, 29, 32: If any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake:-Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God.

PROM. xiv. 14, 23: I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. He that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

9 See on ROM. xiv. 17.

GAL. v. 13. See on JOHN, viii. 36.

See on ROM. xiv. 13, 20.

1 MAC. i. 47: Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts.

u

the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols ;

V

11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

W

12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth,' lest I make my brother to offend.

CHAP. IX.

1 He showeth his liberty, 7 and that the minister ought to live by the Gospel: 15 yet that himself hath of his own accord abstained, 18 to be either chargeable unto them, 22 or offensive unto any in matters indifferent: 24 our life is like unto a race.

b

с

"AM I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

6 Gr. edified. A. V.

" See on ver. 7.

V

7 as long as I live. Dod.

ROM. xiv. 15, 20: If thy brother be meat, now walkest thou not charitably.

grieved with thy Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. For meat destroy not

the work of God.

w MAT. XXV. 40, 45: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, did it not to me.

ye

* Rom. xiv. 21: It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 2 COR. xi. 29: Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?.

CHAP. IX.

a2 COR. xii. 12: Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. See on ACTs, ix. 15.

b ACTS, xviii. 9: Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace. See on ACTS, xxii. 14.

c1 COR. iv. 15. See on 1 COR. ii. 10.

d

2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas ?3

h

6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

7 Who igoeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth

2

My defence. Wi. Gen. Rh. Pu. woman. A. V. 3 Peter. We.

42 COR. iii. 2: Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men. do. xii. 12: Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

e Ver. vi. 14. LUKE, X. 7: In the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. 1 THES. ii. 6: Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. 2 THES. iii. 8, 9: We wrought with labour-that we might not be chargeable to any of you not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

fLUKE, vi. 15: Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon called Zelotes. See on MAT. xii. 46.

MAT. viii. 14: When Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

b See on ver. 4.

12 COR. x. 4: The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God. 1 TIM. i. 18: This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare. do. vi. 12: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 2 TIM. ii. 3: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. do. iv. 7: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

* DEUT. XX. 6: What man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? PRO. xxvii. 18: Whoso

not of the fruit thereof? or who 'feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not m muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written that " he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ.

according to man? Ham.

5

care merely. Pu. keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof. 1 COR. iii. 6-8: I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

'JOHN, xxi. 15: Feed my lambs. Acтs, xx. 28: Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock-to feed the Church of God. 1 PET. v. 2: Feed the flock of God which is among you.

" DEUT. XXV. 4: Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Cited 1 TIM. v. 18.

n 2 TIM. ii. 6: The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

• GAL. vi. 6. See on ROM. xv. 27.

P Ver. 15, 18. 2 Cor. xi. 7: Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the Gospel of God freely? 1 THES. ii. 6: Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. See on Acrs, xx. 33.

92 COR. xi. 12: But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion.

13 Do ye not know that they which 'minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.

15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be "so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should 'make my glorying void.

16 For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for "necessity is laid upon

6 feed. A. V.

'Lev. vi. 16, 26 : The remainder [of the meat offering] shall Aaron and his sons eat. The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it. do. vii. 6: Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy. NUMB. V. 9, 10: And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his. And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his. do. xviii. 8, 20: The LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. The LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. DEUT. x. 9; Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him. do. xviii. 1: The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance. See on MAT. x. 10.

Ver. 12. See on ACTs, xviii. 3.

"PHI. iv. 17: Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

2 Cor. xi. 10: No man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

" See on Acrs, ix. 15, and Roм. i. 14.