Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
I pray to God that ye do no evil - That ye do not persist in that course which will oblige me to use the power of Christ, with which I am endued, to punish you. Some apply this prayer to the apostle himself: Now I pray to God that I may do You no evil - that I may not be obliged to use my apostolic rod, and inflict evil upon you.
Not that we should appear approved - We do not wish to give this proof that we are approved of God, by inflicting this punishment on the transgressors.
But that ye should do that which is honest - That ye may do that which is right and seemly, , though we should be, in consequence of that, as reprobates - as persons not approved of God; because your reformation will prevent the exercise of this power, which would otherwise have given an awful proof that we are approved of God.
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