18. Pray for us--Paul usually requests the Church's
intercessions for him in closing his Epistles, just as he begins with
assuring them of his having them at heart in his prayers (but in this
Epistle not till
Heb 13:20, 21),
Ro 15:30.
"Us," includes both himself and his companions; he passes to himself
alone,
Heb 13:19.
we trust we have a good conscience--in spite of your former
jealousies, and the charges of my Jewish enemies at Jerusalem, which
have been the occasion of my imprisonment at Rome. In refutation of the
Jews' aspersions, he asserts in the same language as here his own
conscientiousness before God and man,
Ac 23:1-3; 24:16, 20, 21
(wherein he virtually implies that his reply to Ananias was not sinful
impatience; for, indeed, it was a prophecy which he was inspired at the
moment to utter, and which was fulfilled soon after).
we trust--Greek, "we are persuaded," in the oldest
manuscripts. Good conscience produces confidence, where the Holy
Spirit rules the conscience
(Ro 9:1).
honestly--"in a good way." The same Greek word as
"good conscience." Literally, "rightly," "becomingly."
JFB.
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