12 people' (Ps. cxvii. 1.) and Isaiah, There shall be an offshoot from the stock of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall 13 the Gentiles trust.' (Is. xi. 10.) And now may

14

that God from whom proceeded these promises on which your hope is founded, fill you with all joy and peace in believing; that ye may abundantly possess this hope, by the operation of the Holy Spirit upon your hearts.

The unchristian endeavours of false teachers to disturb the unity of the church, have compelled me to the line of argument which I have been using though with respect to you, my brethren, I am convinced that you are full of brotherly kindness, that you understand fully the universality of the gospel system, and the total abrogation of the ceremonial law; and that by this union of charity and knowledge, you are qualified mutually to assist one another with spi15 ritual advice. Yet I have written somewhat boldly, reminding you of the rights of the Gentile converts: for when God called me to be an Apostle, he committed the Gentiles to my espe16 cial charge; that like a Jewish priest, I might offer as an acceptable sacrifice to God, the only sacrifice that is acceptable under the gospel, namely, those who by the sanctifying influence

ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ά17 γίῳ. Ἔχω οὖν καύχησιν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τὰ 18 πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· οὐ γὰρ τολμήσω λαλεῖν τι ὧν οὐ

κατειργάσατο Χριστὸς δι' ἐμοῦ, εἰς ὑπακοὴν 19 ἐθνῶν, λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ, ἐν δυνάμει σημείων καὶ τεράτων, ἐν δυνάμει πνεύματος ἁγίου· ὥστε

με

ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ κύκλῳ, μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυ20 ρικοῦ πεπληρωκέναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ·

οὕτω δὲ φιλοτιμούμενον εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, οὐχ ὅπου ὠνομάσθη Χριστὸς, ἵνα μὴ ἐπ' ἀλλότριον 21 θεμέλιον οἰκοδομῶ· ἀλλὰ, καθὼς γέγραπται· • Οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται· καὶ οἱ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσι.

ιέ, 17. τὸν θεόν θεόν. 19. πνεύματος ἁγίου πνεύματος

of the Holy Spirit, are willing to devote them17 selves to the service of God. I have then cause

for boasting in Christ Jesus, namely, these spi

ritual offerings which through my ministry have 18 been made unto God: of boasting in Christ, I say, for I would not dare to mention as a ground for boasting any thing but that which Christ hath wrought through me, for the conversion of the Gentiles; endowing me with actions and 19 words far beyond my own, giving me the power of working miracles, and teaching me to speak by the power of the Holy Ghost. So that beginning at Jerusalem, and traversing all the countries round about as far as Illyria, I have in

my own person fully communicated the gospel 20 unto them all; thinking it due to my apostolical dignity to preach the gospel from its first elements, and not to labour where others had preached before, lest I should seem to build upon the 21 foundation laid by them. But I have endeavoured to direct my travels so that, as the scripture saith, They who had not been told of Him might see; and they who had not before heard of Him might understand.' (Is. lii. 15.)

22 Διὸ καὶ ἐνεκοπτόμην τὰ πολλὰ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν 23 πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Νυνὶ δὲ μηκέτι τόπον ἔχων ἐν τοῖς κλίμασι τούτοις, ἐπιποθίαν δὲ ἔχων τοῦ ἐλω 24 θεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πολλῶν ἐτῶν· ὡς ἐὰν πορεύωμαι εἰς τὴν Σπανίαν, ἐλπίζω διαπορεύμενος θε άσασθαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ ὑφ ̓ ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι ἐκεῖ, ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπὸ μέρους ἐμπλησθῶ. 25 Νυνὶ δὲ πορεύομαι εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, διακονῶν 26 τοῖς ἁγίοις. Εὐδόκησαν γὰρ Μακεδονία καὶ

̓Αχαΐα κοινωνίαν τινὰ ποιήσασθαι εἰς τοὺς 27 πτωχοὺς τῶν ἁγίων τῶν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Εὐ

δόκησαν γὰρ, καὶ ὀφειλέται αὐτῶν εἰσιν. Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς αὐτῶν ἐκοινώνησαν τὰ

ιέ, 24. εἰς τὴν Σπανίαν, ἐλπίζω διαπορευόμενος-εἰς τὴν Σπανίαν,

Conclusion.

my

22 THIS resolution of mine to leave no place ignorant of the knowledge of salvation, has frequently thwarted intention of visiting you. 23 But now having left no place in these regions unacquainted with the gospel, and having for 24 many years desired to come unto you; I trust that when I travel into Spain I may see you on my way, and may be assisted by you in the further prosecution of my journey, after I shall have in some degree satisfied my desire to enjoy 25 your converse, and to witness your piety. At present, however, it is impossible for me to accomplish this desire, because I am on the eve of setting out for Jerusalem, to administer to the temporal necessities of our afflicted brethren 26 there. For the Christians of Achaia and Ma

cedonia have thought fit to make a contribution for the poor members of the church at Jerusa27 lem. They have thought fit, and I approve of their conduct, for certainly they are deeply indebted to their Jewish brethren; for if the Gentiles have partaken of the spiritual blessings first