γὰρ justifies his appeal to them and what they had learnt.

ἡ—ὑπακοὴ. Their response to the teaching—obedience; cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5; above Romans 6:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8.

ἀφίκετο (only here in N.T.); cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:8, supra Romans 1:8. This would not be a natural form of expression, if S. Paul was writing to a Church with which he was personally acquainted.

ἐφ' ὑμῖν. The warning is not due to his distrust of their present state, but to apprehension of what the future may bring.

σοφοὺς—ἀκεραίους. Cf. Matthew 10:16; Philippians 2:15 only; cf. Lft. In Polyb. the word = uninfluenced from without (cf. Schweighäuser’s Index). So here = admitting no influence for evil.

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Old Testament