| Geneva Study Bible {3} For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you {h} wise unto that which is good, and {i} simple concerning evil. (3) Simplicity must be joined with wisdom. (h) Furnished with the knowledge of the truth and wisdom, so that you may embrace good things, and avoid evil, beware of the deceits and snares of false prophets, and resist them openly: and this place plainly destroys the papists faith of credit, whereas they maintain it to be sufficient for one man to believe as another man believes, without further knowledge or examination what the matter is, or what ground it has: using these daily speeches, We believe as our fathers believed, and we believe as the Church believes. (i) As men that know no way to deceive, much less deceive indeed. People's New Testament 16:19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. Your reputation as Good Christians is so well known that you ought not to be deceived by these false teachers. Wesley's Notes 16:19 But I would have you - Not only obedient, but discreet also. Wise with regard to that which is good - As knowing in this as possible. And simple with regard to that which is evil - As ignorant of this as possible. King James Translators' Notes simple: or, harmless Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 19. For your obedience-that is, tractableness is come abroad unto all. I am glad therefore on your behalf-"I rejoice therefore over you," seems the true reading. but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple-"harmless," as in Mt 10:16, from which the warning is taken. concerning-"unto" evil-"Your reputation among the churches for subjection to the teaching ye have received is to me sufficient ground of confidence in you; but ye need the serpent's wisdom to discriminate between transparent truth and plausible error, with that guileless simplicity which instinctively cleaves to the one and rejects the other." Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 16:17-20 How earnest, how endearing are these exhortations! Whatever differs from the sound doctrine of the Scriptures, opens a door to divisions and offences. If truth be forsaken, unity and peace will not last long. Many call Christ, Master and Lord, who are far from serving him. But they serve their carnal, sensual, worldly interests. They corrupt the head by deceiving the heart; perverting the judgments by winding themselves into the affections. We have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. It has been the common policy of seducers to set upon those who are softened by convictions. A pliable temper is good when under good guidance, otherwise it may be easily led astray. Be so wise as not to be deceived, yet so simple as not to be deceivers. The blessing the apostle expects from God, is victory over Satan. This includes all designs and devices of Satan against souls, to defile, disturb, and destroy them; all his attempts to keep us from the peace of heaven here, and the possession of heaven hereafter. When Satan seems to prevail, and we are ready to give up all as lost, then will the God of peace interpose in our behalf. Hold out therefore, faith and patience, yet a little while. If the grace of Christ be with us, who can prevail against us? | 
