7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves 1 from everything that could defile the body 2 and the spirit, and thus accomplish 3 holiness out of reverence for God. 4
1 tn Or “purify ourselves.”
2 tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”
3 tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.
4 tn Grk “in the fear of God.”
5 tc The reading “all this time” (πάλαι, palai) is found in several early and important Alexandrian and Western witnesses including א* A B F G 0243 6 33 81 365 1175 1739 1881 lat; the reading πάλιν (palin, “again”) is read by א2 D Ψ 0278 Ï sy bo; the reading οὐ πάλαι (ou palai) is read by Ì46, making the question even more emphatic. The reading of Ì46 could only have arisen from πάλαι. The reading πάλιν is significantly easier (“are you once again thinking that we are defending ourselves?”), for it softens Paul’s tone considerably. It thus seems to be a motivated reading and cannot easily explain the rise of πάλαι. Further, πάλαι has considerable support in the Alexandrian and Western witnesses, rendering it virtually certain as the original wording here.
6 tn Or “for your strengthening”; Grk “for your edification.”