Titus 3:15

The rec. text adds at the end ἀμήν with the great bulk of manuscripts and versions, and the Greek Fathers; but Tischendorf, Tregelles and WH omit it with the important group א*ACD2* 17 d and the Latin Fathers.

The subscription printed in the rec. text is:

Πρὸς Τίτον, τῆς Κρητῶν ἐκκλησίας πρῶτον ἐπίσκοπον χειροτονηθέντα, ἐγράφη�. This is found in K and in some cursives, and substantially the same colophon is preserved in HL.

אC 17 have simply πρὸς Τίτον; D2E add to this ἐπληρώθη, G has ἐτελέσθη ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Τίτον; AP have πρ. Τίτον ἐγράφη�. See Introd. p. xxxii., and note on Titus 3:12 below.

15. SALUTATIONS

15. ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ μετʼ ἐμοῦ πάντες. All that are with me salute thee.

This exact form of salutation is not used elsewhere by St Paul (though cp. 2 Timothy 4:21), which again may be urged as a point in favour of the genuineness of the letter, a forger not being likely to introduce unfamiliar features.

Cp. Galatians 1:2, οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πάντες�; it is worth remarking that σύν is not once found (save in composition) in the Pastoral Epistles, its place being always supplied by μετά[515].

[515] In like manner, σύν is very rare in St John’s Gospel, and never occurs in his Epistles or in the Apocalypse.

ἄσπασαι τοὺς φιλοῦντας ἡμᾶς ἐν πίστει. Salute them that love us in faith. ἐν πίστει seems to be used as at 1 Timothy 1:2, their πίστις being as it were the bond which unites Paul and the Cretan Christians.

BENEDICTION

ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. The Grace, sc. of our Lord, be with you all. This is the σημεῖον ἐν πάσῃ ἐπιστολῇ (2 Thessalonians 3