6:1 {If a man be overtaken} (ean kai prolemfqei anqrwpos). Condition of third class, first aorist passive subjunctive of prolambanw, old verb to take beforehand, to surprise, to detect. {Trespass} (paraptwmati). Literally, a falling aside, a slip or lapse in the papyri rather than a wilful sin. In Polybius and Diodorus. _Koin‚_ word. {Ye which are spiritual} (hoi pneumatikoi). See on ¯1Co 3:1. The spiritually led (#5:18), the spiritual experts in mending souls. {Restore} (katartizete). Present active imperative of katartizw, the very word used in #Mt 4:21 of mending nets, old word to make artios, fit, to equip thoroughly. {Looking to thyself} (skopwn seauton). Keeping an eye on as in #2Co 4:18 like a runner on the goal. {Lest thou also be tempted} (me kai su peirasqeis). Negative purpose with first aorist passive subjunctive. Spiritual experts (preachers in particular) need this caution. Satan loves a shining mark.

6:2 {Bear ye one another's burdens} (allelwn ta bare bastazete). Keep on bearing (present active imperative of bastazw, old word, used of Jesus bearing his Cross in #Joh 19:17. baros means weight as in #Mt 20:12; 2Co 4:17. It is when one's load (fortion, verse #5) is about to press one down. qen give help in carrying it. {Fulfil} (anaplerwsate). First aorist active imperative of anaplerow, to fill up, old word, and see on ¯Mt 23:32; 1Th 2:16; 1Co 14:16. Some MSS. have future indicative (anaplerwsete).

6:3 {Something when he is nothing} (ti meden wn). Thinks he is a big number being nothing at all (neuter singular pronouns). He is really zero. {He deceiveth himself} (frenapatai heauton). Late compound word (fren, mind, apataw, lead astray), leads his own mind astray. Here for first time. Afterwards in Galen, ecclesiastical and Byzantine writers. He deceives no one else.

6:5 {Each shall bear his own burden} (to idion fortion bastasei). fortion is old word for ship's cargo (#Ac 27:10). Christ calls his fortion light, though he terms those of the Pharisees heavy (#Mt 23:4), meant for other people. The terms are thus not always kept distinct, though Paul does make a distinction here from the bare in verse #2.

6:6 {That is taught} (ho katecoumenos). For this late and rare verb katecew, see on ¯Lu 1:4; Ac 18:25; 1Co 14:19. It occurs in the papyri for legal instruction. Here the present passive participle retains the accusative of the thing. The active (twi katecounti) joined with the passive is interesting as showing how early we find paid teachers in the churches. Those who receive instruction are called on to "contribute" (better than "communicate" for koin"neit") for the time of the teacher (Burton). There was a teaching class thus early (#1Th 5:12; 1Co 12:28; Eph 4:11; 1Th 5:17).

6:7 {Be not deceived} (me planasqe). Present passive imperative with me, "stop being led astray" (planaw, common verb to wander, to lead astray as in #Mt 24:4f.). {God is not mocked} (ou mukterizetai). this rare verb (common in LXX) occurs in Lysias. It comes from mukter (nose) and means to turn the nose up at one. That is done towards God, but never without punishment, Paul means to say. In particular, he means "an evasion of his laws which men think to accomplish, but, in fact, cannot" (Burton). {Whatever a man soweth} (ho ean speirei anqrwpos). Indefinite relative clause with ean and the active subjunctive (either aorist or present, form same here). One of the most frequent of ancient proverbs (#Job 4:8; Arist., _Rhet_. iii. 3). Already in #2Co 9:6. Same point in #Mt 7:16; Mr 4:26f. {That} (touto). That very thing, not something different. {Reap} (qerisei). See on ¯Mt 6:26 for this old verb.

6:8 {Corruption} (fqoran). For this old word from fqeirw, see on ¯1Co 15:42. The precise meaning turns on the context, here plainly the physical and moral decay or rottenness that follows sins of the flesh as all men know. Nature writes in one's body the penalty of sin as every doctor knows. {Eternal life} (zwen aiwnion). See on ¯Mt 25:46 for this interesting phrase so common in the Johannine writings. Plato used aiwnios for perpetual. See also #2Th 1:9. It comes as nearly meaning "eternal" as the Greek can express that idea.

6:9 {Let us not be weary in well-doing} (to kalon poiountes me enkakwmen). Volitive present active subjunctive of enkakew on which see #Lu 18:1; 2Th 3:13; 2Co 4:1,16 (en, kakos, evil). Literally, "Let us not keep on giving in to evil while doing the good." It is curious how prone we are to give in and to give out in doing the good which somehow becomes prosy or insipid to us. {In due season} (kairwi idiwi). Locative case, "at its proper season" (harvest time). Cf. #1Ti 2:6; 6:15 (plural). {If we faint not} (me ekluomenoi). Present passive participle (conditional) with me. Cf. ekluw, old verb to loosen out. Literally, "not loosened out," relaxed, exhausted as a result of giving in to evil (enkakwmen).

6:10 {As we have opportunity} (hws kairon ecwmen). Indefinite comparative clause (present subjunctive without an). "As we have occasion at any time." {Let us work that which is good} (ergazwmeqa to agaqon). Volitive present middle subjunctive of ergazomai, "Let us keep on working the good deed." {Of the household of faith} (tous oikeious tes pistews). For the obvious reason that they belong to the same family with necessary responsibility.

6:11 {With how large letters} (pelikois grammasin). Paul now takes the pen from the amanuensis (cf. #Ro 16:22) and writes the rest of the epistle (verses #11-18) himself instead of the mere farewell greeting (#2Th 3:17; 1Co 16:21; Col 4:18). But what does he mean by "with how large letters"? Certainly not "how large a letter." It has been suggested that he employed large letters because of defective eyesight or because he could only write ill-formed letters because of his poor handwriting (like the print letters of children) or because he wished to call particular attention to this closing paragraph by placarding it in big letters (Ramsay). this latter is the most likely reason. Deissmann, (_St. Paul_, p. 51) argues that artisans write clumsy letters, yes, and scholars also. Milligan (_Documents_, p. 24; _Vocabulary_, etc.) suggests the contrast seen in papyri often between the neat hand of the scribe and the big sprawling hand of the signature. {I have written} (egraya). Epistolary aorist. {With mine own hand} (tei emei ceiri). Instrumental case as in #1Co 16:21.

6:12 {To make a fair show} (euproswpesai). First aorist active infinitive of euproswpew, late verb from euproswpos, fair of face (eu, proswpon). Here only in N.T., but one example in papyri (Tebt. I. 19 12 B.C. 114) which shows what may happen to any of our N.T. words not yet found elsewhere. It is in Chrysostom and later writers. {They compel} (anagkazousin). Conative present active indicative, "they try to compel." {For the cross of Christ} (twi staurwi tou cristou). Instrumental case (causal use, Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 532). Cf. #2Co 2:13. "For professing the cross of Christ" (Lightfoot).

6:13 {They who receive circumcision} (hoi peritemnomenoi). Present causative middle of peritemnw, those who are having themselves circumcised. Some MSS. read hoi peritetmˆmenoi), "they who have been circumcised" (perfect passive participle). Probably the present (peritemnomenoi) is correct as the harder reading.

6:14 {Far be it from me} (emoi me genoito). Second aorist middle optative of ginomai in a negative (me) wish about the future with dative case: "May it not happen to me." See #2:17. The infinitive kaucasqai (to glory) is the subject of genoito as is common in the LXX, though not elsewhere in the N.T. {Hath been crucified unto me} (emoi estaurwtai). Perfect passive indicative of staurow, stands crucified, with the ethical dative again (emoi). this is one of the great sayings of Paul concerning his relation to Christ and the world in contrast with the Judaizers. Cf. #2:19f.; 3:13; 4:4f.; 1Co 1:23f.; Ro 1:16; 3:21ff.; 4:25; 5:18. {World} (kosmos) has no article, but is definite as in #2Co 5:19. Paul's old world of Jewish descent and environment is dead to him (#Php 3:3f.).

6:15 {A new creature} (kaine ktisis). For this phrase see on ¯2Co 5:17.

6:16 {By this rule} (twi kanoni toutwi). For kanwn, see on ¯2Co 10:13,15f.

6:17 {From henceforth} (tou loipou). Usually to loipon, the accusative of general reference, "as for the rest" (#Php 3:1; 4:8). The genitive case (as here and #Eph 6:10) means "in respect of the remaining time." {The marks of Jesus} (ta stigmata tou iesou). Old word from stizw, to prick, to stick, to sting. Slaves had the names or stamp of their owners on their bodies. It was sometimes done for soldiers also. There were devotees also who stamped upon their bodies the names of the gods whom they worshipped. Today in a round-up cattle are given the owner's mark. Paul gloried in being the slave of Jesus Christ. this is probably the image in Paul's mind since he bore in his body brandmarks of suffering for Christ received in many places (#2Co 6:4-6; 11:23ff.), probably actual scars from the scourgings (thirty-nine lashes at a time). If for no other reason, listen to me by reason of these scars for Christ and "let no one keep on furnishing trouble to me."