II. CORINTHIANS 10, 12. 243

comparing ourselves with ourselves, not with these wise men.' According to this view, a-vviovaLv^ at the end of the verse, is a participle, and is used ironically in reference to the false teach- ers. To this interpretation it is objected, 1. That avvtova-tv would require the article in order to express the meaning given to it ; and 2. That it is plainly inconsistent with the 77/xets 8e of the next verse, which are antithetical to the avroc of this verse. ' They do so — but we do so.' Others, who make the latter part of this verse refer to the apostle, refer a-vvLovcrtv also to him. ' We measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves with ourselves, we who, as they say, are unwise.' Then the tj^jlcls 8c of verse 13th refers to this last clause. ' They say we are unwise, but we, &c.' This, how- ever, is liable to the same objections, and gives a sense un- suited to the context. According to the second interpreta- tion, avTol in this verse refers to the false teachers, with whom, in the next verse, Paul contrasts himself, {rjfJieLs Se,) and awL- ovo-iv is the third person plural, as from the verb o-wtco), as in Matt. 13, 13. 'They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise ; but we, &c.' This is the view of the passage adopted by our translators, after Chrysostom, Calvin, and Luther. It is also sanctioned by De Wette, Meyer, and Riickert, and many oth- ers. These false teachers commended themselves, confined their views to themselves, despised or disregarded all others, intruding into other men's labours. Paul, on the contrary, boasted not of himself; he rehed only on God and his grace, and he kept himself within his own limits, not appropriating to himself the fruits of the labours of other men. The third mode of interpreting this passage assumes that the text afford- ed by the Western, as distinguished from the Eastern manu- scripts, is correct. Those authorities omit ov awiovat, ly/xct? Se, so that avTOi (17/Aets) is the nominative to Kavxw^f^^^"- ^^ ^' 1^? if that verb be retained. ' They commend themselves ; but we, measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing our- selves with ourselves, will not boast as to things beyond our measure.' Fritsche and Billroth, on the authority of the Co- dex Clarom., omit also Kavx>;o-o/x€^a, and connect the participles fX€T^ovvT€'i and (TvyKpLvovT€<; with Kau^oj/xevot of V. 15, thus bring- ing out substantially the same sense, but rendering the sen- tence longer and more complicated. The meaning afforded by this new reading is simple and pertinent. Since, however, the critical authorities by which it is supported are compara-