to go direct from Ephesus to Corinth, thence into Macedonia, and back again to Corinth, y. 16. This plan he had been in- duced to modify before the former epistle was sent, as in 1 Cor. 16, 5 he tells them he would not visit them until he had passed through Macedonia. On this slight ground his enemies in Corinth represented him as saying one thing and meaning another. They seem also to have made this an oc- casion for charging him with like inconsistency in doctrine. If his word could not be depended on in small matters, what dependence could be placed on his preaching ? Paul shows there was no levity or insincerity involved in this change of his plans, and no inconsistency in his preaching ; but that to spare them he had deferred his visit to Corinth, vs. 12-24.
12. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundant- ly to you-ward.
The connection between this verse and what precedes, as indicated by the particle /br, is, ' I look for your sympathy in my afflictions, and for your prayers in my behalf, for my con- science bears testimony to the simplicity and sincerity of my conversation among you.' Unless we are conscious of integri- ty towards others, we cannot be assured of their confidence in us. Our rejoicing^ says Paul, is this, the testhnoJiy of our conscience. This may mean that the testimony of conscience was the ground oi\i\^ rejoicing. This assumes a metonymical sense of the KavxqfTi^;, a meaning which is often attributed to the word. But as the word may express the inward feeling of exultation as well as the outvrard expression of it, which latter is its proper sense, the meaning may be (without assum- ing any metonomy), 'My joyful confidence consists in the consciousness of sincerity.' The testimony of the conscience is consciousness ; and that of which Paul was conscious was integrity. And that consciousness sustained and elevated him. It was in its nature a joy. What follows is explanato- ry. His conscience testified that in simplicity and godly sin- cerity, &G. The word a-n-XoTrj^ means singleness of mind, the opposite of dupUcity. The ancient manuscripts A, B, C, read