of God, so that with huu a yea should be yea, and a nay, nay, let what would be the consequence. But in the 18th v. this interpretation is impossible, because it is there simply " yea and nay." That verse therefore determines the meaning of this. Besides, what he goes on to defend himself against is not a charge of obstinacy, but of saying first one thing and then another. Luther's translation assumes still another in- terpretation. "Are my purposes carnal? N^ot so^ but my yea is yea, and my nay is nay." But this arbitrarily intro- duces into the text what is not expressed, and thus changes the whole sense.
18. But as God is true, our word towards you was not yea and nay.
That is, * My preaching, or the doctrine which I preached, was not inconsistent and contradictory. I did not preach first one thing and then another.' This sudden transition from the question as to his veracity as a man to his consistency as a l^reacher, shows two things; first, that his enemies had brought both charges against him, founding the latter on the former ; and secondly, that Paul was much more concerned for the gospel than for his o^ti reputation. They might ac- cuse him, if they pleased, of breaking his word; but when they charged him with denying Christ, that was a very differ- ent affair. He therefore drops the first charge and turns ab- ruptly to the second. ' AYhatever you may think of my ve- racity as a man, as God is true, my preaching was not yea and nay,' i. e. unworthy of confidence. As God is true. The words are, God is faithful^ that^ &c. Comp. 1 Cor. 1, 9. 10, 13. 1 Thess. 5, 24. They may be understood as an appeal to the fidelity of God as the ground and evidence of the truth and rehableness of his preaching. 'God is faithful, that our preaching is not yea and nay.' That is, his fidelity secures the trustworthiness of the gospel. It is his word and there- fore is unchangeably true. It abideth forever. ' If,' says the apostle, ' there is no dependence to be placed on my word, God is trustworthy. My preaching, which is his word, is to be relied upon. That is not yea and nay, but firm and true.' It must be admitted, however, that this interpretation is con- strained; it is not the simple meaning of the words. The passage must be paraphrased to get this sense out of it. It is