5 in stripes, in prisons, in riots, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) *I* above measure [so]; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft. From the Jews five times have I received forty [stripes], save one. Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep:
in labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
And there took place at that time no small disturbance about the way. For a certain [man] by name Demetrius, a silver-beater, making silver temples of Artemis, brought no small gain to the artisans; whom having brought together, and those who wrought in such things, he said, Men, ye know that our well-living arises from this work, and ye see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great crowd, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands. Now not only there is danger for us that our business come into discredit, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be counted for nothing, and that her greatness should be destroyed whom the whole of Asia and the world reveres. And having heard [this], and being filled with rage, they cried out, saying, Great [is] Artemis of the Ephesians. And the [whole] city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, having seized and carried off with [them] Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow-travellers of Paul. But Paul intending to go in to the people, the disciples suffered him not; and some of the Asiarchs also, who were his friends, sent to him and urged him not to throw himself into the theatre. Different persons therefore cried out some different thing; for the assembly was tumultuous, and the most did not know for what cause they had come together. But from among the crowd they put forward Alexander, the Jews pushing him forward. And Alexander, beckoning with his hand, would have made a defence to the people. But, recognising that he was a Jew, there was one cry from all, shouting for about two hours, Great [is] Artemis of the Ephesians.
But the Jews having been stirred up to jealousy, and taken to [themselves] certain wicked men of the lowest rabble, and having got a crowd together, set the city in confusion; and having beset the house of Jason sought to bring them out to the people;
Which also I did in Jerusalem, and myself shut up in prisons many of the saints, having received the authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote.
And Paul [said], I would to God, both in little and in much, that not only thou, but all who have heard me this day, should become such as *I* also am, except these bonds.
And when we came to Rome, [the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the praetorian prefect, but] Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who kept him. And it came to pass after three days, that he called together those who were the chief of the Jews; and when they had come together he said to them, Brethren, *I* having done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, have been delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are in nakedness, and buffeted, and wander without a home,
Defraud not one another, unless, it may be, by consent for a time, that ye may devote yourselves to prayer, and again be together, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.
For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened [to us] in Asia, that we were excessively pressed beyond [our] power, so as to despair even of living. But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we confide that he will also yet deliver;
For this reason *I* Paul, prisoner of the Christ Jesus for you nations,
For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, not to be chargeable to any one of you, we have preached to you the glad tidings of God.
for, for this we labour and suffer reproach, because we hope in a living God, who is preserver of all men, specially of those that believe.
in which I suffer even unto bonds as an evil-doer: but the word of God is not bound.
But *thou*, be sober in all things, bear evils, do [the] work of an evangelist, fill up the full measure of thy ministry.
Obey your leaders, and be submissive; for *they* watch over your souls as those that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not groaning, for this [would be] unprofitable for you.
Know that our brother Timotheus is set at liberty; with whom, if he should come soon, I will see you.
and laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison.
and thou shalt say, Thus says the king: Put this [man] in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.
And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
And the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in the place of confinement in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison. When Jeremiah was come into the dungeon and into the vaults, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,
Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the son of Hammelech, which was in the court of the guard, and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.
Son of man, I have appointed thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and give them warning from me.
For Herod had seized John, and had bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother.
[it is] as a man gone out of the country, having left his house and given to his bondmen the authority, and to each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper that he should watch. Watch therefore, for ye do not know when the master of the house comes: evening, or midnight, or cock-crow, or morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. But what I say to you, I say to all, Watch.
With forty [stripes] shall they beat him; they shall not exceed, lest, if they continue to beat him with many stripes above these, thy brother become despicable in thine eyes.
whom having seized he put in prison, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep, purposing after the passover to bring him out to the people. Peter therefore was kept in the prison; but unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning him.
But there came Jews from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds and stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing him to have died.
And having chosen them elders in each assembly, having prayed with fastings, they committed them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one consent rose against Paul and led him to the judgment-seat, saying, This [man] persuades men to worship God contrary to the law. But as Paul was going to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, If indeed it was some wrong or wicked criminality, O Jews, of reason I should have borne with you; but if it be questions about words, and names, and the law that ye have, see to it yourselves; [for] *I* do not intend to be judge of these things. And he drove them from the judgment-seat. And having all laid hold on Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, they beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio troubled himself about none of these things.
Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one [of you] with tears.
And when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, set all the crowd in a tumult, and laid hands upon him, crying, Israelites, help! this is the man who teaches all everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and has brought Greeks too into the temple, and profaned this holy place. For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple. And the whole city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people; and having laid hold on Paul they drew him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult; who, taking with him immediately soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them. But they, seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul. Then the chiliarch came up and laid hold upon him, and commanded [him] to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he might be, and what he had done. And different persons cried some different thing in the crowd. But he, not being able to know the certainty on account of the uproar, commanded him to be brought into the fortress. But when he got upon the stairs it was so that he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd.
And as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air, the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, that he might ascertain for what cause they cried thus against him.
And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 6
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
In this chapter the apostle gives an account of his general errand to all to whom he preached; with the several arguments and methods he used (v. 1-10). Then he addresses himself particularly to the Corinthians, giving them good cautions with great affection and strong arguments (v. 11-18).
2Cr 6:1-10
In these verses we have an account of the apostle's general errand and exhortation to all to whom he preached in every place where he came, with the several arguments and methods he used. Observe,
2Cr 6:11-18
The apostle proceeds to address himself more particularly to the Corinthians, and cautions them against mingling with unbelievers. Here observe,