by gloryand dishonor,by evil reportand good report;[regarded] as deceiversand yet true;
and said,"Sir,we rememberthat when He was stillalivethat deceiversaid,AfterthreedaysI [am to] rise again.'
Ifyou are reviledfor the nameof Christ,you are blessed,becausethe Spiritof gloryand of Godrestson you.
Behold,I will cause[those] of the synagogueof Satan,who saythat they are Jewsand are not, but lie--I will makethem comeand bow downat your feet,and [make them] knowthat I have lovedyou.
For it is for thiswe laborand strive,becausewe have fixed our hopeon the livingGod,whois the Saviorof allmen,especiallyof believers.
"But we desireto hearfrom you whatyour viewsare; for concerningthissect,it is knownto us that it is spoken againsteverywhere."
"For we have foundthismana real pestand a fellow who stirsup dissensionamong allthe Jewsthroughoutthe world,and a ringleaderof the sectof the Nazarenes.
Demetriushas receiveda [good] testimonyfrom everyone,and from the truthitself;and we add our testimony,and you knowthat our testimonyis true.
So,let us goout to Him outsidethe camp,bearingHis reproach.
And why not [say] (as we are slanderously reportedand as someclaimthat we say),"Let us doevilthat goodmay come"? Their condemnationis just.
"A certainAnanias,a manwho was devoutby the standardof the Law,[and] well spokenof by allthe Jewswho livedthere,
and they cameand appealedto them, and when they had broughtthem out, they kept beggingthem to leavethe city.
They said,"Cornelius,a centurion,a righteousand God-fearingmanwell spokenof by the entirenationof the Jews,was [divinely] directedby a holyangelto sendfor you [to come] to his houseand heara messagefrom you."
"Therefore,brethren,selectfrom amongyou sevenmenof good reputation,fullof the Spiritand of wisdom,whomwe may put in chargeof thistask.
But noneof the restdaredto associatewith them; however,the peopleheld them in high esteem.
When they had threatened them further,they let them go(findingno basison which to punishthem) on accountof the people,becausethey were allglorifyingGodfor what had happened;
There was muchgrumblingamongthe crowdsconcerningHim; somewere saying,"He is a good man";otherswere saying,"No,on the contrary,He leadsthe peopleastray."
They cameand saidto Him, "Teacher,we knowthat You are truthfuland deferto no one;for You are not partialto any,but teachthe wayof Godin truth.Is it lawfulto paya poll-taxto Caesar,ornot?
And they senttheir disciplesto Him, along with the Herodians,saying,"Teacher,we knowthat You are truthfuland teachthe wayof Godin truth,and deferto no one;for You are not partialto any.
"It is enoughfor the disciplethat he becomelikehis teacher,and the slavelikehis master.Ifthey have calledthe head of the houseBeelzebul,how muchmore[will they malign] the members of his household!
And he musthavea goodreputationwith thoseoutside[the church], sothat he will not fallinto reproachand the snareof the devil.
But as Godis faithful,our wordto you is not yesand no.
but we have renouncedthe things hiddenbecause of shame,not walkingin craftinessoradulteratingthe wordof God,but by the manifestationof truthcommendingourselvesto everyman'sconsciencein the sightof God.
To [my] shameI [must] saythat we have been weak[by comparison]. But in whateverrespect anyone[else] is bold--I speakin foolishness--I amjustas boldmyself.
But be that as it may, I did not burdenyou myself;nevertheless,craftyfellow that I am, I tookyou in by deceit.
For our exhortationdoes not [come] from errororimpurityorby wayof deceit;
