The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. The apostle had an "amanuensis", that wrote the epistle for him; but to prevent counterfeits, and that the church to whom he wrote might be assured of the genuineness of the epistle, that it was truly his own, he wrote with his own hand his common salutation; see 2 Thessalonians 3:17 , and which is not in the following words, but what is expressed in 1 Corinthians 16:23 . read more
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ ,.... The Vulgate Latin, and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, read "our Lord". The apostle here does not so much mean profane and unregenerate sinners, who are destitute of love to Christ, from ignorance of him; nor such who, from the same principle, might persecute him in his members, for such are to be even prayed for, and wished well unto; and oftentimes such are called by grace, and become true and sincere lovers of Christ; and the apostle... read more
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. This is the apostle's salutation in all his epistles, and is a token of the truth and genuineness of them; See Gill on Romans 16:20 ; and is a wish for a supply of all grace from Christ, and an increase of it in the saints; that they may have the communications of it to them, to quicken, invigorate, and draw forth into exercise the grace they have received, and to enable and assist them in the discharge of every duty. read more
My love be with you all ,.... Meaning either that he desired that he might be loved by them, as they were by him, and might always have a place in their hearts and affections, as they had in his; or that his love, which extended to all of them without exception, to rich and poor, greater or lesser believers, might be always acceptable to them; and which he now commended to them, and saluted them with, from his very heart: and that it might not be thought to be a carnal affection, or on... read more
Watch ye - You have many enemies; be continually on your guard; be always circumspect: - Watch against evil; Watch for opportunities to receive good; Watch for opportunities to do good; Watch over each other in love; Watch, that none may draw you aside from the belief and unity of the Gospel. Stand fast in the faith - Hold in conscientious credence what you have already received as the truth of God; for it is the Gospel by which ye shall be saved, and by which ye are now put... read more
Let all your things be done with charity - Let love to God, to man, and to one another, be the motive of all your conduct. read more
Ye know the house of Stephanas - Ye know that Stephanas and his family have addicted them to the help of the followers of Christ; they have been the chief instruments of supporting the work of God in Achaia, of which work they themselves have been the first fruits. See the note on Romans 16:5 . read more
That ye submit yourselves unto such - That ye have due regard to them, and consider them as especial instruments in the hand of God for countenancing and carrying on his great work. The submission here recommended does not imply obedience, but kind and courteous demeanour. Kypke vindicates this sense of the word from Ephesians 5:21 ; 1 Peter 5:5 . read more
I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, etc. - It was by these that the Corinthians had sent that letter to the apostle, to answer which was a main part of the design of St. Paul in this epistle. Fortunatus - This man is supposed to have survived St. Paul; and to be the same mentioned by Clement in his epistle to the Corinthians, sec. 59, as the bearer of that epistle from Clement at Rome to the Christians at Corinth. For that which was lacking on your part - This may either refer to... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 16:20
All the brethren greet you ,.... Either the brethren, the members of the church at Ephesus; or the apostle's brethren in the ministry, that were along with him, as Sosthenes and others; or the brethren that were come to him from Corinth, namely Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus: greet ye one another with an holy kiss ; See Gill on Romans 16:16 . read more