Sincerity (eiAvcpwelas). See on pure minds, 2 Pet. iii. 1.
Truth. Bengel observes: “Sincerity takes care not to ad- mit evil with the good; truth, not to admit evil instead of good.”
9. | write—in my epistle. American Rev., as zt is [ wrote. The reference is probably to a former letter now lost. Some explain éypaypa J wrote as the epistolary aorist (see on 1 John ii. 13); but the words in my epistle seem to favor the other view.
To company (cvvavaplyvvc3ar). Only here and 2 Thess. iii. 14. The translation company is inadequate, but cannot perhaps be bettered. The word is compounded of ovv together, ava up and down among, and piyvums to mingle. It denotes, therefore, not only close, but habitual, intercourse.
10. Idolaters (eiSwdoAdtpais). Only twice outside of Paul’s writings: Apoc. xxi. 8; xxii. 15. This is the earliest known
212 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. VL
instance of the use of the word. For the collocation of the covetous and idolaters, compare Col. iii. 15; Eph. v. 5. New- Testament usage does not confine the term to the worship of images, but extends it to the soul’s devotion to any object which usurps the place of God.
13. Wicked (crovnpov). Mischievous to the Church. See on Luke iii. 19. The usage of the Septuagint emphasizes the idea of active harmfulness. The word has, however, in some passages, the sense of neggardly or grudging, and the Hebrew word which is usually translated by zrovypds meschievous, is sometimes rendered by Bdoxavos malignant, with a distinct reference to the “evil” or “ grudging eye.” This sense may go to explain Matt. xx. 15, and possibly Matt. vi. 19, and vai, Jil