them.' The words rendered to men of loiv estate admit of being- taken as neuter, and translated lowly things. This would well suit the former part of the sentence, ' Mind not high things, but condescend to humble affairs, i. e. be humble.' But this interpretation is not consistent with the usage of the Greek terms. The interpretation adopted by our trans- lators is therefore, on the whole, to be preferred. ' Do not aspire after high things^ but condescend to, and associate with, the humble.'
Be not wise in your own conceit. This precept is intimately con- nected with the preceding, since ambition and contempt of others gene- rally arise from overweening ideas of our own persons and attainments. No species of pride is more insidious or more injurious than the pride of intellect, or a fancied superiority to those around us, which leads to a contempt of their opinions, and a confident reliance upon ourselves. The temper which the gospel requires is that of a little child, docile, diffident, and humble; see ch. 11 : 25. Prov. 3 : 7.
(17) Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Paul having, in the preceding verses, enjoined the duties of love, condescension and kindness towards all men, comes, in this and the following passages, to forbid the indulgence of a contrary disposition, especially of a spirit of retaliation and revenge. The gene- ral direction in the first clause is, not to retaliate ; which is but a lower exercise of the virtue afterward enjoined in the command to "overcome evil with good."
Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Our translation of this clause is not very happy, as it suggests an idea foreign to the mean- ing of the original. Paul does not mean to direct us to make provision for ourselves or families in an honest manner, which is probably the sense commonly attached to the passage by the English reader, but to act in such a manner as to command the confidence and good opinion of men. In this view, the connexion of this \\i\h the preceding member of the verse is obvious. ' We must not recompense evil for evil, but act in such a way as to commend ourselves to the conscience of all men.' There should not, therefore, be a period after the word eviU since this clause assigns a motive for the discharge of the duty enjoined in the first. The word rendered to provide, signifies also to attend to, to care for. The sense then is, ' Do not resent injuries, having regard to the good opinion of men,' i. e. let a regard to the honour of religion and your own character prevent the returning of evil for evil; compare 2 Cor. 8 : 20, 21.
(18) If it he possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. The retaliation of injuries necessarily leads to contention and strife, while peace is the natural result of a forgiving disposition. The command in this verse, therefore, is naturally connected with that con- tained in V. 17. So far from resenting every offence, we should do all we can to live at peace with all men. This, however, is not always in our own power, and, therefore, the apostle says, as much as lieth in you, i. e. as far as it depends on you, let peace be cultivated. This Paul con-