18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
For we trust, etc. After having commended himself to their prayers, in order to excite them to pray, he declares that he had a good conscience. Though indeed our prayers ought to embrace the whole world, as love does, from which they flow; it is yet right and meet that we should be peculiarly solicitous for godly and holy men, whose probity and other marks of excellency have become known to us. For this end, then, he mentions the integrity of his own conscience, that is, that he might move them more effectually to feel an interest for himself. By saying, I am persuaded, or I trust, he thus partly shows his modesty and partly his confidence. In all, may be applied to things as well as to men; and so I leave it undecided. [1]
1 - The Greek fathers connect it with the preceding clause, "For we trust we have a good conscience towards all," that is towards Jews and Gentiles; but the Vulg. connects it with the following, "willing in all things to live well;" that is honorably. "Willing in all things to behave well" Macknight; "determined in all things to behave honorable" Doddridge; "being desirous in all things to conduct ourselves uprightly," Stuart. To keep the alliteration in the text, the words may be rendered thus -- "We trust that we have a good conscience, being desirous to maintain a good conduct." A good conscience is a pure conscience, free from guilt and sinister motives: and to behave or live goodly, as the words are literally, is not to behave honorably or honestly, but to behave or live uprightly according to the rule of God's word; so that the best version is, "Willing in all things to live uprightly." "We trust," is rendered by Doddridge and Macknight, "we are confident;" but our version is preferable. -- Ed.
Pray for us - This is a request which the apostle often makes in his own behalf, and in behalf of his fellow laborers in the gospel; see 1-Thessalonians 5:25. notes, Ephesians 6:18-19.
For we trust we have a good conscience - see the notes on Acts 24:16. The apostle here appeals to the uprightness of his Christian life as a reason why he might claim their sympathy. He was conscious of an aim to do good; he sought the welfare of the church; and having this aim he felt that he might appeal to the sympathy of all Christians in his behalf. It is only when we aim to do right, and to maintain a good conscience, that we can with propriety ask the prayers of others, or claim their sympathy. And if we are "willing in all things to live honestly," we may expect the sympathy, the prayers, and the affections of all good people.
Pray for us - Even the success of apostles depended, in a certain way, on the prayers of the Church. Few Christian congregations feel, as they ought, that it is their bounden duty to pray for the success of the Gospel, both among themselves and in the world. The Church is weak, dark, poor, and imperfect, because it prays little.
We trust we have a good conscience - We are persuaded that we have a conscience that not only acquits us of all fraud and sinister design, but assures us that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have labored to promote the welfare of you and of all mankind.
To live honestly - Εν πασι καλως θελοντες αναστρεφεσθαι· Willing in all things to conduct ourselves well - to behave with decency and propriety.
(11) Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
(11) The last part of this epistle, in which he commends his ministry to the Hebrews, and wishes them steadfastness and increase of graces from the Lord: and excuses himself in that he has used but few words to comfort them having spent the epistle in disputing: and salutes certain brethren in a familiar and friendly manner.
Pray for us,.... Who are in the ministry; your guides and governors; since the work is of so much moment, and so arduous and awful, and you have such a concern in it; See Gill on 2-Thessalonians 3:1.
for we trust we have a good conscience; there is a conscience in every man, but it is naturally evil: a good conscience is a conscience sanctified by the Spirit of God, and sprinkled by the blood of Jesus; here it chiefly respects the upright discharge of it in the ministerial work: this the apostle often asserts, and appeals to, and which he here expresses with modesty, and yet with confidence; and which he uses as an argument for prayer for them:
in all things willing to live honestly; not only as men, but as ministers; faithfully dispensing the word of truth, without any regard to the favour or frowns of men, as good stewards of the mysteries of God; which contains in it another reason for prayer: the phrase, "in all things", is so placed, that it may be read in connection with either clause; and the sense is either that they exercised a good conscience in all things, in which they were concerned with God, or man, and among all persons, Jews and Gentiles; or that they were willing to live honestly in every respect, as men, Christians, and ministers.
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 Hebrews 13:20-21), Romans 15:30. "Us," includes both himself and his companions; he passes to himself alone, Hebrews 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, Acts 23:1-3; Acts 24:16, Acts 24:20-21 (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 (Romans 9:1).
honestly--"in a good way." The same Greek word as "good conscience." Literally, "rightly," "becomingly."
*More commentary available at chapter level.