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4Are ye not then partial in yourselves ? or, are ye not condemned in yourselves. This may be read affirmatively as well as interrogatively, but the sense would be the same, for he amplifies the fault by this, that they took delight and indulged themselves in so great a wickedness. If it be read interrogatively, the meaning is, “ not your own conscience hold you convicted, so that you need no other judge?” If the affirmative be preferred, it is the same as though he had said, “ evil also happens, that ye think not that ye sin, nor know that your thoughts are so wicked as they are.” (112)
(112) It is commonly admitted to be an interrogatory sentence: “ do ye not make a difference among (or, in) yourselves, and become judges, having evil thoughts?” literally, “ of evil thoughts,” it being, as they say, the genitive case of possession. Or the words may be rendered, “ become judges of evil (or, false) reasonings?” or as Beza renders the sentence, “ become judges, reasoning falsely,” concluding that the rich man was good and the poor man bad.
It is said by Beza and others, that διακρίνομαι never means to be judged or condemned, but to distinguish, to discriminate, to make a difference, and also to contend and to doubt. The difference made here was the respect of persons that was shewn, and they made this difference in themselves, in their own minds, through the perverse or false thoughts or reasonings which they entertained. But it appears that these preferences were shewn, not to the members of the Church, but to such strangers as might happen to come to their assemblies.