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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - 2 Corinthians 13:5 - 13:5
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2Co 13:5. ‘Εαυτοὺς, your own selves) not Paul. If you examine yourselves, you will perceive what we are. Where there are true teachers and true learners, we may judge from the feeling of the one party concerning the other, what is the character of that other.-ἐν τῇ πίστει, in the faith) and therefore in Christ.-δοκιμάζετε, prove) The milder admonition [δοκιμάζετε, prove] is subjoined to the severer word [πειράζετε, lit. tempt, make trial of] test [Engl. Vers., examine yourselves]: if you are in the faith, prove yourselves to be so;[92] εἰ, if, is used as presently after in εἰ μὴτι.-ἢ) an, the second part of a disjunctive interrogation; i.e., you can truly prove yourselves: for Jesus Christ is in you, and you know Him to be in you. [In fact, any one may test himself, whether he be in the faith or not; no man can prove himself, and search out his own true character unless he be a believer.-V. g.]-ἐπιγινώσκετε, do you perceive?) an emphatic compound.-ὅτι, how that) the grounds upon which.-Ἰησοῦς, Jesus) not only a sense [perception] of Christ, but Jesus Christ Himself, [as is evident from the addition of the proper name, Jesus; comp. 2Ti 4:22.-V. g.]-εἰ μήτι, unless somewhat) So εἰ μὴ, ch. 2Co 3:1; τί, somewhat, softens the language.-ἀδόκιμοι, reprobate) in a passive and active sense; for the conjugate δοκιμάζετε is considered to be in a reciprocal sense.
[92] Engl. V. and Tischend. and Lachm. connect εἰ ἐστὲ ἐν τῇ πίστει with πειοάζετε, “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith.”-ED.