Chap. xii.—Ye are superior to me

Chap. xii.—Ye are superior to me.

Shorter.

May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to any of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus Christ in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty[969] of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous man is his own accuser.”[970]

Longer.

May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty[971] of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous man is his own accuser;”[972] and again, “Declare thou first thine iniquities, that thou mayest be justified;”[973] and again, “When ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants;”[974] “for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”[975] For says [the Scripture], “God be merciful to me a sinner.”[976] Therefore those great ones, Abraham and Job,[977] styled themselves “dust and ashes”[978] before God. And David says, “Who am I before Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast glorified me hitherto?”[979] And Moses, who was “the meekest of all men,”[980] saith to God, “I am of a feeble voice, and of a slow tongue.”[981] Be ye therefore also of a humble spirit, that ye may be exalted; for “he that abaseth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be abased.”[982]