Acts Afflicted Aid Alert Authority Cheerfully Cheerfulness Comforting Contributes Contributing Diligence Diligently Encourage Encouraging Energetic Exhortation Exhorteth Exhorting Exhorts Freely Generously Gives Giveth Govern Joy Kindness Leadership Leading Leads Liberal Liberality Mercy Mind Needs Power Rules Ruleth Ruling Serious Sharing Sheweth Shews Showeth Showing Shows Simplicity Succours Teacher Teaching Zeal
12:8 Or he that {n} exhorteth, on exhortation: he that {o} giveth, [let him do it] with simplicity; he that {p} ruleth, with diligence; he that {q} sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
(n) Who in other passages is called the pastor.
(o) That is, the alms, that he distributes them faithfully, and without any favouritism.
(p) The elders of the church.
(q) Those that are occupied with the care of the poor must do it with cheerfulness, lest they add sorrow upon sorrow.
12:8 He that exhorteth. He whose peculiar strength was to encourage feeble saints, and to stir up Christians to duty.
He that giveth. A duty of all, which must be discharged without ostentation. See Mt 6:2.
He that ruleth. One who is an elder should attend to his duty with diligence, an exhortation that a great many elders have overlooked. Every leader should be diligent.
He that showeth mercy. Whenever called upon to show compassion.
12:8 He that presideth - That hath the care of a flock. He that showeth mercy - In any instance. With cheerfulness - Rejoicing that he hath such an opportunity.
12:3-8 Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it. All the saints make up one body in Christ, who is the Head of the body, and the common Centre of their unity. In the spiritual body, some are fitted for and called to one sort of work; others for another sort of work. We are to do all the good we can, one to another, and for the common benefit. If we duly thought about the powers we have, and how far we fail properly to improve them, it would humble us. But as we must not be proud of our talents, so we must take heed lest, under a pretence of humility and self-denial, we are slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing; but, I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost, in the strength of the grace of Christ. Whatever our gifts or situations may be, let us try to employ ourselves humbly, diligently, cheerfully, and in simplicity; not seeking our own credit or profit, but the good of many, for this world and that which is to come.
Acts Afflicted Aid Alert Authority Comforting Contributing Diligence Diligently Encourage Encouraging Exhortation Exhorting Freely Generously Gives Govern Joy Leads Liberality Mercy Mind Needs Others Power Rules Ruleth Ruling Serious Sharing Sheweth Shews Showeth Showing Shows Simplicity Teacher Teaching Zeal
Acts Afflicted Aid Alert Authority Comforting Contributing Diligence Diligently Encourage Encouraging Exhortation Exhorting Freely Generously Gives Govern Joy Leads Liberality Mercy Mind Needs Others Power Rules Ruleth Ruling Serious Sharing Sheweth Shews Showeth Showing Shows Simplicity Teacher Teaching Zeal
