She conducted the just, when he fled from his brother’s wrath, through the right ways, and shewed him the kingdom of God, and gave him the knowledge of the holy things, made him honourable in his labours, and accomplished his labours.11 In the deceit of them that overreached him, she stood by him, and made him honourable.12 She kept him safe from his enemies, and she defended him from seducers, and gave him a strong conflict, that he might overcome, and know that wisdom is mightier than all.13 She forsook not the just when he was sold, but delivered him from sinners: she went down with him into the pit.14 And in bands she left him not, till she brought him the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him: and shewed them to be liars that had accused him, and gave him everlasting glory.
Just. Joseph. (Challoner) — Sinners. His brethren, &c. Septuagint, “from sin” of adultery. (Menochius) — Pit. Or prison, to which he was confined at the instigation of Potiphar’s wife, always preserving his virtue. (Calmet) — He had also been let down into an old pit by his brethren. (Haydock)
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.†27 And whosoever doth not carry his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.28 For which of you having a mind to build a tower, doth not first sit down, and reckon the charges that are necessary, whether he have wherewithal to finish it:29 Lest, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that see it begin to mock him,30 Saying: This man began to build, and was not able to finish.31 Or what king, about to go to make war against another king, doth not first sit down, and think whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that, with twenty thousand, cometh against him?32 Or else, whilst the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he desireth conditions of peace.33 So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth, cannot be my disciple.†
(in Esai. 2.) Or the tower is a lofty watch-tower fitted for the guardianship of the city and the discovery of the enemy’s approach. In like manner was our understanding given us to preserve the good, to guard against the evil. For the building up whereof the Lord bids us sit down and count our means if we have sufficient to finish.
But our Lord’s intention in the above-mentioned example is not indeed to afford occasion or give liberty to any one to become His disciple or not, as indeed it is lawful not to begin a foundation, or not to treat of peace, but to shew the impossibility of pleasing God, amidst those things which distract the soul, and in which it is in danger of becoming an easy prey to the snares and wiles of the devil.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)