For fornicators, for them who defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and whatever other thing is contrary to sound doctrine,

“"For murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liers, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine." For all the things which he had mentioned were the passions of a corrupted soul, and contrary, therefore, to sound doctrine.”

“Above he showed the dignity and usefulness of the virtues; here he declares the necessity of these, because whoever departs from these falls into the danger of false doctrine. And concerning this he does two things: first, the falsity of the doctrine into which they fall is set forth; second, the condition of those who teach falsely, at the words wishing to be. He says therefore: the end of the commandment, etc., and these are the chief things of the law, from which certain persons depart. Ps. 11:2: they have spoken vain things, etc. And note that departure from charity is the cause of false doctrine, because those who do not love charity fall into falsehood. 2 Thess. 2:11: who did not believe the truth, but consented to iniquity. Likewise those who let go of purity of heart. For those having a heart infected with the passions judge according to the affection of these, and not according to God. 1 Cor. 2:14: the animal man does not perceive the things that are of God, etc. Likewise those having an evil conscience, because they cannot rest in the truth. And hence it is that they seek false things, that they may rest in them. Below, in the same place: having faith and a good conscience. Likewise he who has a feigned trust. Is. 21:2: he who is unbelieving acts unfaithfully. Then, when he says wishing, etc., the condition of those teaching falsely is set forth, and first their disordered ambition; second their defect. As to the first he says wishing to be, etc. Matt. 23:6: they love the first places at feasts, and to be called by men, Rabbi, etc. James 3:1: be not many masters, etc. As to the second he says understanding neither. Ps. 81:5: they have not known, neither have they understood; they walk on in darkness. Wis. 5:6: the sun of understanding has not risen upon us. Nor the things which they speak by authorities, which they do not understand, nor the things about which they affirm, namely, by way of concluding. Then, when he says but we know, etc., he sets forth the condition of the law as to two things. First, as to the goodness of the law; second, as to the end and intention of the lawgiver, at the words knowing. He says therefore we know, namely with certainty, that the law is good, not evil, as the heretics say. Ps. 18:7: the law of the Lord is unspotted, etc. Rom. 7:12: the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. But it happens that someone uses a good thing badly. Since therefore the law is good, it is required that man use it well. And therefore he says if a man use it rightly. Otherwise death comes to him from it, as is said in Rom. 8. For in the law there are certain moral precepts, and certain ceremonial ones. The ceremonial ones indeed were given as a figure of Christ and the Church, but they need to be understood not only carnally, but also spiritually; and as a figure of things to come, and so that you may know that they are not to be kept forever, but cease when the truth comes. Jer. 31:31: and I will strike with the house of Israel and the house of Judah a new covenant, not according to the covenant which I made with your fathers, etc. And thus the Gloss expounds it. But the Apostle seems to be speaking of the moral precepts, because he adds that the law was made because of sins, and these are the moral precepts. The lawful use of these is that man not attribute to them more than what is contained in them. The law was given so that sin might be known. Rom. 7:7: for unless the law had said, you shall not covet, I would not have known concupiscence, etc.; which is said in the Decalogue. There is not, therefore, in them hope of justification, but in faith alone. Rom. 3:28: we reckon a man to be justified by faith without the works of the law. Then, when he says knowing, he shows the condition of the law as to the intention of the lawgiver; and first he sets forth the supposed intention; second he sets forth the true intention, at the words but for the unjust. The supposed intention is excluded, when he says for the just, etc. Here there could be a twofold false understanding. One, that the just man does not keep the law, which is false, because unless he kept it as to the moral precepts, he would not be just. Hence Christ too was made under the law. The other, that the just man is not bound to the precepts of the law, and would not sin if he acted against them. But the following sense is true, supposing that what is imposed on someone is imposed as a burden; for the law is not imposed on the just as a burden, because their interior habit inclines them to that to which the law inclines, and therefore it is not a burden to them. Rom. 2:14: they are a law to themselves. Or otherwise: the law was not made for the just, but for the unjust; as if to say: if all were just, there would be no need of giving a law, because all would be a law to themselves. The intention of good men ought to be that they lead others to the virtues. Now some are of themselves well disposed to the virtues; others have a mind well disposed, but through another, and for these a fatherly admonition suffices, not a coercive one; others, however, are well disposed neither of themselves nor through another; therefore for them a law is altogether necessary, as is clear in the Ethics. Then, when he says but for the unjust, etc., he sets forth the true intention; and first he describes in general those for whom the law is necessary; second in particular, at the words for murderers of fathers. Now it should be known that, as is said in 1 John 3:4, all sin is iniquity, and therefore it is opposed to some right. But since right is twofold, namely natural and positive, to the natural is opposed what is evil in itself, and to the positive is opposed what is evil because forbidden. As to the first he says but for the unjust, namely those who act against natural right. Is. 24:5: they have transgressed the laws, changed the right, broken the everlasting covenant, etc. As to the second he says not subject, namely to human precept. Rom. 1:30: disobedient to parents. And these two regard the notion of sin. He then sets forth others, which are taken by comparison to that, and this is either against God, or against one's neighbor, or in oneself. Against God it is called impiety, because piety implies the worship of God; therefore he says for the ungodly. Against one's neighbor, thus he says for sinners. Ps. 1:5: the wicked shall not rise again in judgment, etc. Gal. 2:15: we by nature are Jews, and not sinners of the Gentiles. But according to Augustine, in On Christian Doctrine, sins are distinguished into two, namely spiritual ones, which are called crimes, and carnal ones, and these are called shameful deeds; and therefore he says for the wicked, as to the spiritual. Prov. 17:9: he who hides crimes, etc. As to the carnal he says for the defiled. Mal. 2:11: Judah has profaned the sanctification of the Lord, etc. Then he enumerates the sins in particular. And first he names certain ones in particular; second he gathers the rest in general, at the words and if there be any other. First he sets forth sins of deed; second sins of the mouth, at the words for liars, etc. Concerning the first he sets forth, first, as to crimes; second, as to shameful deeds. Crimes are said to be those which are to the harm of one's neighbor. And the more closely joined the neighbor is, the graver their sin is, because we are more bound to them. And therefore he speaks first of the father, second of the mother. Ex. 20:12: honor your father and your mother, etc., and afterward 21:15: he who strikes his father or mother shall die the death; then he continues concerning other killings of neighbors, saying; Ex. 21:14: if anyone kill his neighbor by design, etc. Then he sets forth the shameful deeds, and first those which are according to nature, when he says for fornicators. Heb., last chapter: fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Second, those against nature, saying for those who lie with males. 1 Cor. 6:10: nor those who lie with males shall possess the kingdom of God. Then he sets forth the harms of the mouth, and first as to simple lying, saying for liars. Eph. 4:25: putting away lying, speak the truth, etc. Second as to swearing, saying for perjurers. And then he gathers the rest in general, saying and if there be any other thing to sound doctrine, etc. Job 6:30: you will not find iniquity in my tongue, nor will folly sound in my mouth, etc. Tit. 2:1: speak the things that become sound doctrine. Then, when he says which is according to the Gospel, he shows that the Gospel imparts sound doctrine, which he describes in three ways. And first from the end, when he says of glory, namely which it announces, Ps. 95:3: declare his glory among the nations. Second from the author of the glory, when he says of the blessed God. Below, at the end: whom in his own time he shall show, who is the blessed and only mighty King of kings, etc. Third from the minister, when he says which was committed to me. Gal. 2:7: when they had seen that the Gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to me, etc. Then, when he says I give thanks, he proves by experience in himself what he himself had been in the time of the law and what he had obtained in the time of grace. And first he shows what was done concerning himself in each time; second he leads Timothy to imitate him, at the words this precept. Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows what was given to him in the law, and what was given to him in the Gospel; second he assigns the reason, at the words a faithful saying. Likewise the first part is divided into three particles, because first he sets forth the dignity which he obtained in the Gospel; second the sins under which he lay in the state of the law, at the words who before was; third how he was freed, at the words but mercy, etc. But for someone to be a minister of the Gospel, three things are required. First, that it be committed to him. Rom. 10:15: how shall they preach, unless they be sent, etc. Second, fitness, that is, that he be faithful. 1 Cor. 4:2: here now it is required among stewards, that a man be found faithful. Likewise, that he be strong to carry it through. And these three he sets forth in reverse order, and first the third, saying who has strengthened me, etc., namely to carry through the office enjoined on him. Ez. 3:14: the hand of the Lord was with me, strengthening me. The second he sets forth at the words because he counted me faithful, etc. Matt. 24:45: a faithful and prudent servant, whom his lord has set over his household. And this because he sought only the things that were God's. The first indeed he shows, when he says in the ministry, that is, committing this ministry to me. Acts 13:2: separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have taken them. 2 Cor. 11:23: are they ministers of Christ? So am I. But what sort of man was he in the state of the law? A sinner. And first against God, when he says who before was a blasphemer, namely of the name of Christ. Lev. 24:14: bring forth the blasphemer outside the camp, and let all who heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the people stone him. Hence that applied to himself. Likewise against his neighbor, when he says and a persecutor. 1 Cor. 15:9: I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. Likewise and injurious, in words and deeds. Jer. 20:10: I heard the reproaches of many, etc. Then, when he says but the mercy of God, he shows how he was freed through Christ. And concerning this he does two things: first he sets forth the mercy that freed him; second he shows that he was superabundantly filled with good things, at the words but it superabounded. As to the first he says but I obtained the mercy of God. Lam. 3:22: it is of the mercies of the Lord that we are not consumed. Rom. 9:18: he has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardens. But on my part there is some excuse of the sin, because I did it ignorantly. He says less, but signifies more, because it is one thing to act unknowingly, another through ignorance; for he acts unknowingly who does not know what he is doing, yet if he knew, he would still do it, as one who, believing he is killing a wild beast, kills his enemy, whom nevertheless he would have killed even more gladly, had he recognized him. But he acts through ignorance who does something that he would not do, if he knew, as one killing his father, whom, if he knew him, he would not kill, whom nevertheless he kills, because he believes him to be an enemy. But Paul acted through ignorance, because if he had known that Christ was the Son of God, he would not have done this. But the Jews did not kill Christ through ignorance, but unknowingly, because if they had known him to be the Christ, they would have killed him even more gladly. Lk. 12:47: the servant who knew the will of his lord, and did not prepare himself, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes, etc. But as to the second he says it superabounded, etc. Rom. 5:20: where sin abounded, grace also superabounded. With faith and love. For there he produced the effect of faith through love working, which is in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:14: in Christ Jesus, that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

“For whoremongers,.... Fornicators and adulterers, who were transgressors of the seventh command, Exo 20:14 these God will judge, and such shall have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone: for them that defile themselves with mankind; who are guilty of sodomy; such, according to the law, were to die, Lev 18:22 the wrath of God was revealed from heaven in a very visible and remarkable manner against this abomination, by raining fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and upon the cities of the plain, who defiled themselves in this way: for men stealers; who decoyed servants or free men, and stole them away, and sold them for slaves; see the laws against this practice, and the punishment such were liable to, in Exo 21:16. This practice was condemned by the Flavian law among the Romans (i), and was not allowed of among the Grecians (k); the death with which such were punished was strangling, according to the Jews (l): for liars; who speak what is false, against their own knowledge and conscience, and with a design to deceive; who lie against their neighbours, and act falsely and deceitfully in trade and merchandise, as well as speak that which is not true; see Lev 6:2. for perjured persons; who take a false oath on any account, and bear false witness against their neighbour. Now upon, and against all, and each of these, the law lies, as an accusing, threatening, and cursing law: and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; the law lies against it, takes notice of it, charges with it, condemns and punishes for it: by "sound doctrine" is meant the doctrine of the Gospel, which is in itself pure and incorrupt, and is the cause of soundness and health to others; it is health to the navel, and marrow to the bones; its doctrines are the wholesome words of Christ, and by them souls are nourished up unto eternal life; when the errors and heresies of men are in themselves rotten and corrupt, and also eat as do a canker. Here it may be observed, that there is an entire harmony and agreement between the Gospel and the law, rightly understood and used; what is contrary to the one, is also to the other; the Gospel no more countenances sin than the law does; and whatever is repugnant to the Gospel is liable to be punished by the law, (i) Pompon. Laetus de Leg. Rom. p. 154. (k) Philostrat. Vit. Apollon. l. 8. c. 3. (l) Misna Sanhedria, c. 10. sect. 1. & Maimon. Hilch. Geniba, c. 9. sect. 1.”

“For whoremongers - Πορνοις· Adulterers, fornicators, and prostitutes of all sorts. Them that defile themselves with mankind - Αρσενοκοιταις· From αρσην, a male, and κοιτη, a bed; a word too bad to be explained. A sodomite. Men-stealers - Ανδραποδισταις· Slave-dealers; whether those who carry on the traffic in human flesh and blood; or those who steal a person in order to sell him into bondage; or those who buy such stolen men or women, no matter of what color or what country; or those who sow dissensions among barbarous tribes in order that they who are taken in war may be sold into slavery; or the nations who legalize or connive at such traffic: all these are men-stealers, and God classes them with the most flagitious of mortals. For liars - Ψευσταις· They who speak for truth what they know to be false; and even they who tell the truth in such a way as to lead others to draw a contrary meaning from it. For perjured persons - Επιορκοις· From επι, against, and ὁρκος, an oath; such as do or leave undone any thing contrary to an oath or moral engagement, whether that engagement be made by what is called swearing, or by an affirmation or promise of any kind. And if there be any other thing - Every species of vice and immorality, all must be necessarily included, that is contrary to sound doctrine - to the immutable moral law of God, as well as to the pure precepts of Christianity where that law is incorporated, explained, and rendered, if possible, more and more binding.”

“whoremongers, &c.--sinners against the seventh commandment. men-stealers--that is, slave dealers. The most heinous offense against the eighth commandment. No stealing of a man's goods can equal in atrocity the stealing of a man's liberty. Slavery is not directly assailed in the New Testament; to have done so would have been to revolutionize violently the existing order of things. But Christianity teaches principles sure to undermine, and at last overthrow it, wherever Christianity has had its natural development (Mat 7:12). liars . . . perjured--offenders against the ninth commandment. if there be any other thing--answering to the tenth commandment in its widest aspect. He does not particularly specify it because his object is to bring out the grosser forms of transgression; whereas the tenth is deeply spiritual, so much so indeed, that it was by it that the sense of sin, in its subtlest form of "lust," Paul tells us (Rom 7:7), was brought home to his own conscience. Thus, Paul argues, these would-be teachers of the law, while boasting of a higher perfection through it, really bring themselves down from the Gospel elevation to the level of the grossly "lawless," for whom, not for Gospel believers, the law was designed. And in actual practice the greatest sticklers for the law as the means of moral perfection, as in this case, are those ultimately liable to fall utterly from the morality of the law. Gospel grace is the only true means of sanctification as well as of justification. sound--healthy, spiritually wholesome (Ti1 6:3; Ti2 1:13; Tit 1:13; Tit 2:2), as opposed to sickly, morbid (as the Greek of "doting" means, Ti1 6:4), and "canker" (Ti2 2:17). "The doctrine," or "teaching, which is according to godliness" (Ti1 6:3).”