John Calvin

“Dare any of you This is the first statement -- that, if any one has a controversy with a brother, it ought to be decided before godly judges, and that it ought not to be before those that are ungodly. If the reason is asked, I have already said, that it is bec…”

“What is said here as to judging the world ought to be viewed as referring to that declaration of Christ: When the Son of Man shall come, ye shall sit, etc.”

“Let us, therefore, maintain so much the more carefully this doctrine of Paul -- that we are to follow men, provided they take Christ as their grand model, (prototupon,) that the examples of the saints may not tend to lead us away from Christ, but rather to dir…”

“For as a man's dress or gesture has in some cases the effect of disfiguring, and in others of adorning him, so all actions are set off to advantage by decorum, and are vitiated by the want of it. Much, therefore, depends upon decorum (to prepon,) and that not …”

“But besides this diversity, the construction is in other respects confused; but still, the meaning is evident. Literally, it is this -- Ye know, that when ye were Gentiles, after dumb idols, according as ye were led, following I have, however, faithfully given…”

“Wherefore I give you to know. Having admonished them from their own experience, he sets before them a general doctrine, which he deduces from it; for what the Corinthians had experienced in themselves is common to all mankind -- to wander on in error, previous…”

“If should speak with the tongues of men. He begins with eloquence, which is, it is true, an admirable gift, considered in itself, but, when apart from love, does not recommend a man in the estimation of God. When he speaks of the tongue of angels, he uses a hy…”

“It is what Chrysostom calls the "faith of miracles," and what we term a "special faith," because it does not apprehend a whole Christ, but simply his power in working miracles; and hence it may sometimes exist in a man without the Spirit of sanctification, as …”

“Now he assigns the first place to prophecy. Covet, therefore, spiritual gifts -- that is, "Neglect no gift, for I exhort you to seek after them all, provided only prophecy holds the first place."”

“He says in the outset -- He that speaketh in another tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God: that is, according to the proverb, "He sings to himself and to the Muses." In the use of the word tongue, there is not a pleonasm, as in those expressions -- "She…”

“Now, however, he prescribes the method of relief; and that the Corinthians may accede to it the more readily, he mentions that he had already prescribed it to the Churches of Galatia; for they would necessarily be the more influenced by example, as we are wont…”

“The end is this -- that they may have their alms ready in time. He therefore exhorts them not to wait till he came, as anything that is done suddenly, and in a bustle, is not done well, but to contribute on the Sabbath what might seem good, and according as ev…”