lowed out) [fully followed up, traced out and known]. Timothy became the companion of Paul after the persecutions mentioned in this place, Acts xiii. 50, xiv. 5, 19, xvi. 3. This is therefore a well chosen word to employ here, as in Luke i. 3. So An- tiochus concerning his son : " I am persuaded that he, under standing my mind (KapaxoXouQouvra, following up my mode of thinking) ; 2 Mace. ix. 27.— ry ayuyy) ayuyy, mode of life, Fr. conduite. — rr, Kpo&efci, purpose) His purpose for the future follows close after his (present) mode of life ; comp. Acts xi. 23, note; and long-suffering follows close after faith, as in Heb. vi. 12 : patience follows close after love, as in 2 Thess. iii. 5.
11. ' Ev ' Avr/<r££/a, Iv 'lxovtu>, iv A.v<trpoie, at Antioch, fconium, Lystra) Acts xiii. 14, 51, xiv. 6. — oTa) oTog shows the weighti- ness of the matter in hand : 1 Mace. v. 56, " he heard the valiant and warlike deeds, oTa tKoiritiav, how great ivere the acts which they did? — ofovg diuypoi/g, how great persecutions) The noun repeated after the interposition of another adds perspicuity and weight to what is said. Aiuytuog and cra^^a are species and genus : persecution is properly, when they drive a man from one city to another, or when they attempt to apprehend him in his flight ; but suffering is any calamity in general, for example, when Paul was stoned, etc. — u^wyxa, / endured) The mark of an apostle. — sppixraro, delivered) Another mark, to be miraculously preserved ; Ps. xxxiv. (xxxiii.) 17, in iracuv ruv Oxtyeuv avruv sppvffaro avrovg, He delivered them out of all their afflictions. — 6 Kvpiog, the Lord) Christ.
12. Ka/ vrdvreg ds, yea and all) all, and they alone. The third mark, to have persecutors ; so far should persecution be from being a stumbling-block to any one. At the beginning of persecution, it does not yet appear that that is the mark of an apostle : it at length appears from the help that is afforded, and from the endurance of them. In this, however, is the third mark of an apostle : UTTO/AOJ^, patience, is a great thing in the eyes of the apostle ; he prefers it to all the others. All other things may be taken from a man, so that he may suffer their utter loss and he himself fall away ; but when he has U-TTO/AO^, all things are preserved. Hence Timothy might at the same time gather that he would also suffer persecution. There is a similar transition from Paul to all godly men, ch. iv. 8.—