12. ’Ecyxb) we are , we acknowledge and consider ourselves to be. A kind of teaching, which borders on exhortation ; (so, we are , is also used in Gal. iv. 31) and which presupposes men al- ready of their own accord well inclined. A feeling of delight [see ch. vii. 22] mitigates the sense of debt. [ But what is the condition of carnal men ? These are really debtors, and confess themselves to he debtors , as often as they declare that it is not in their power to live spiritually. — Y. g.]. — ov ry <ra pxl, not to the flesh) add, but to the spirit; but this is elegantly left to be understood. — nark aupxa, after the flesh) which endeavours to recall us to bondage.
13.1 Tou cojfiarog) Others read, rijg mpxog. Baumgarten de- fends the former, I leave it undetermined.2 — ye shall live) He does not say, (isWzn you are about (thereby) to obtain life , but fyaetide, you will remain in life. In the repent- ance of those, over whom the flesh had dominion, and in the temptations of those, over whom the spirit reigns, the flesh and the spirit are, so to speak, evenly balanced ; grace preventing [i.e. in the old English sense of prevent : going before , so as to give a good ivill to ] the former, sin, preventing [going before, so as to get the advantage over] the latter ; to whichsoever side a man turns himself, from it he receives his denomination. Begin- ning with this passage, Paul entirely dismisses the carnal state, and now that he has finished that part, which he had begun at ch. vi. 1, he describes the pure and living state, which is the in- heritance of believers.
14. VA yovrai) In the middle voice : are led willingly [This is the sum of the antecedents (the preceding statements) ; vioi @eov s/V/i/, the sum of the consequents (the statements that follow) is, u/o/' ©sou £/c7i/. — Y. g.] — 21 ah v'ioi ©sou) Others read v/oi ©sou tiaiv
later Syr. Versions read 'hioi rov hoixovurog — ‘xvzvixcirog. But D(A)Gf/^ Vulg. Syr. Theb. Versions, Orig. 2, 534 a, and 3, 618c, 8\2d, Iren. 304, Hil. 803, read hot to hoixovv — ttj/s vpioo. With the accus. the meaning will he on account of the Spirit, etc. with the genit. by or through. Beng. translates it 4 propter.’ — Ed.
1 for) the flesh repays with the worst retribution [or is a very bad paymaster] : and is there a man, who would wish to owe anything to it ? — V. g.
2 ABC Orig. 1, 61 6a; 721 b : 732b; 3, 591 b read rov ob[xex,rog. But (A) DG fg Vulg. Orig. 2, 266; 3, 1706 Iren, and Cypr. read rvjg axpxos. — Ed.