I enclose Henry's commentary below the text.
(1) Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
(2) For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
(3) We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
(4) but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
(5) beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
(6) by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;
(7) by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
(8) through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
(9) as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
(10) as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
" The gospel is a word of grace sounding in our ears. The gospel day is a day of salvation, the means of grace the means of salvation, the offers of the gospel the offers of salvation, and the present time the proper time to accept these offers.
The morrow is none of ours: we know not what will be on the morrow, nor where we shall be. We now enjoy a day of grace; then let all be careful not to neglect it. Ministers of the gospel should look upon themselves as God's servants, and act in every thing suitably to that character.
The apostle did so, by much patience in afflictions, by acting from good principles, and by due temper and behaviour. Believers, in this world, need the grace of God, to arm them against temptations, so as to bear the good report of men without pride; and so as to bear their reproaches with patience. They have nothing in themselves, but possess all things in Christ. Of such differences is a Christian's life made up, and through such a variety of conditions and reports, is our way to heaven; and we should be careful in all things to approve ourselves to God.
The gospel, when faithfully preached, and fully received, betters the condition even of the poorest. They save what before they riotously spent, and diligently employ their time to useful purposes. They save and gain by religion, and thus are made rich, both for the world to come and for this, when compared with their sinful, profligate state, before they received the gospel. "
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
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