Homilies on Philippians 15

'But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye have revived your care for me;

wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.'

'Not that I speak in respect of want;

for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.'

'I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound;

in everything and in all things I have been instructed both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer want;

I can do all things in Christ which strengtheneth me.'

'Nevertheless ye did well, that ye had fellowship with my affliction.'

Many times have I said that almsgiving was introduced not for the sake of those who receive, but for the sake of those who give;

for indeed it is they who reap the greatest gain.

This also Paul here shows.

How? The Philippians sent to him something after a long time, entrusting these very things to Epaphroditus.

Being about, then, to send him carrying the epistle, see how he both praises them, and shows that this came to pass not for the need of those who receive,

but for the sake of those who give.

And this he does, that neither may those who do good be lifted up into arrogance, and that they may become more eager about doing good, seeing that they rather benefit themselves; and that those who receive may not run heedlessly to receiving, lest they incur judgment;

'For it is more blessed,' he says, 'to give than to receive.'

What, then, does he signify by saying, 'But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly'? 'I rejoiced not after a worldly manner,' he says, 'nor in respect of this life, but in the Lord;'

Not that I myself found rest, but that you had made progress;

for this, indeed, is my rest.

For this reason he also says, 'Greatly';

since the joy was not carnal, neither did he rejoice over his own rest, but over their progress.

And observe how, after gently rebuking them concerning the time past, he quickly cast a veil over it, continually and unceasingly training them to abide in well-doing.

The phrase 'now at length' indicates a long period of time.

It is as with trees that have put forth shoots, then withered, and again put forth shoots.

And this shows that, having been flourishing before, they had faded away;

then, having faded, they again put forth shoots;

so that the word 'you have revived' is both a rebuke and a praise;

for it is no small thing, when one has faded, to revive again.

And he shows that they had suffered the whole of this from negligence.

'That you should be mindful on my behalf, wherein you were also mindful.'

Here he makes it plain that even before this they had a custom of showing zeal in such matters.

For this reason he added, 'That you should be mindful on my behalf, wherein you were also mindful.'

And lest you should suppose that they had become more zealous in the rest as well, and then faded, but only in this one thing, observe how he safeguards the point, saying:

'Now at length you have revived to be mindful on my behalf;'

In this alone, I say, is the 'now at length';

for in the other matters it was not so.

But one might here inquire: how is it that, though he says, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,'

and, 'These hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me,'

and again, writing to the Corinthians, he said, 'For it were good for me rather to die than that anyone should make my boasting void'—

how does he now suffer his boasting to be made void?

For if this was his boast, to receive nothing, how does he now endure it? What then is one to say? There he with good reason received nothing, because of the false apostles: 'That wherein they boast,' he says, 'they may be found even as we.'

And he did not say, 'They are,' but, 'They boast,' showing thereby that they did indeed receive, but secretly.

For this reason he said, 'Wherein they boast.'

But he himself also received, even if not there;

and for this reason he himself also said:

'My boasting shall not be stopped.'

And he did not say simply, 'It shall not be stopped,' but what? 'In the regions of Achaia;'

and the words, 'I robbed other Churches, taking wages for the ministering to you,'

these show that he did receive.

But Paul, with good reason, received—if indeed he did receive anywhere—since he had so great a work;

yet those who work at nothing, how could they possibly receive? 'But I pray,' he says.

But this is no work;

for this too can be done together with work.

But behold this blessed man, in many places both preaching and working.

What does 'you lacked opportunity' mean? 'Not through your negligence,' he says, 'but through necessity;'

'you had nothing in hand, nor were you in abundance;'

for this is what 'but you lacked opportunity' means.

He took the expression from common usage.

For thus do most people speak, whenever the necessities of life do not flow to them in abundance, but they are in straitened circumstances.

'Not that I speak in respect of want.'

'I said,' he says, 'now at length, and I rebuked, yet not seeking my own, nor finding fault on this account, as though I were in want;'

for it was not on this account that I sought it.

But whence is it plain that you are not boasting, O Paul? To the Corinthians, then, he says:

'For we write no other things to you than what you read, or even acknowledge.'

And even in these matters he would not have spoken in such a way as to be caught out.

He would not, if indeed he were boasting, have said these things;

for he was speaking before those who knew, and the shame of being caught out would have been the greater.

'For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am.'

So then the thing is a matter of instruction, of exercise, and of practice.

For it is not easy to accomplish, but exceedingly difficult and involving much toil.

'In whatsoever state I am,' he says, 'to be content therein.'

'I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound;'

'in everything and in all things I have been initiated.'

That is: 'I know how to make use of little, and how to bear hunger and want.'

'And to abound, and to suffer need.'

But this—to abound—is not a matter of knowledge, just as neither is it of virtue.

Indeed it is very much a matter of virtue, no less than the other.

How so? Because, just as straitened circumstances furnish many occasions for doing evil, so also does satiety.

For many, oftentimes finding themselves in abundance, have become more slothful, and have not known how to bear their prosperity;

many oftentimes have taken it as an occasion for no longer working.

For indeed, receiving, he spent it upon others, and emptied it out upon others.

And this is to know how to make good use of possessing.

He was not dissipated, nor did he rejoice over his own superfluity, but he was the same both in want and in satiety, neither pressed down by the one, nor puffed up by the other.

'And I know both how to be filled,' he says, 'and to be hungry, and to abound and to suffer need.'

Many do not know how to be filled, as, for instance, the Israelites;

for those men ate, and kicked back.

But I abide in the same good order.

He shows that he neither now took pleasure, nor formerly was he grieved;

and even if he was grieved, it was not for his own sake, but for theirs;

for he himself was disposed in like manner throughout.

'In everything,' he says, 'and in all things I have been instructed.'

That is to say, In this long course of time I have gained experience of all things, and all these have been rightly accomplished in me.

But since the matter savoured of boasting, observe how quickly he checks himself, and says:

'I can do all things,' he says, 'through Christ who strengthens me.'

The achievement is not mine, but belongs to Him who gave the strength.

But again, since benefactors, when they see that the recipient is not well disposed but despises what is given, become more slothful;

for they were disposed as though conferring a favour and giving rest;

in order, then, that this might not happen, nor anyone say, 'Since Paul despises the relief we offer, these men must needs become more slothful,'

observe how once again he heals this too.

For by what has been said he brought down their pride;

but by what follows he makes their zeal revive again, saying:

'Nevertheless you did well that you shared in my affliction.'

Do you see how he both withdrew himself and how he again united himself? This belongs to genuine and spiritual friendship.

'For do not,' he says, 'because I am not in want, suppose that I have no need of the matter;'

How, then, did they share with him in his afflictions? By this;

which very thing he also said when in bonds: 'You all are partakers with me of grace.'

For it is a grace to suffer for Christ, as he himself somewhere says:

'Because to you it has been granted by God, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.'

For since those things, spoken by themselves, were sufficient to grieve them, on this account he tends and welcomes and again praises them, and this in due measure.

For he did not say, 'having given,' but 'having shared,' showing that they too gained, seeing that they became partakers of the contests.

He did not say, 'You lightened my afflictions,' but 'You shared in my affliction,' which was more honourable.

Do you see the humility of Paul? Do you see his nobility? When he had shown that he needed nothing from them for his own sake, then thereafter he speaks fearlessly and in lowly words, even such as beggars use: 'As you are accustomed to give.'

For he refuses neither to do nor to say anything, with a view only to accomplishing that one thing which he desires.

And what is this? 'Do not suppose,' he says, 'that these words are marks of shamelessness—my finding fault and saying, You have now at length revived, and this from being in want;'

'for it is not as being in need that I say these things, but why then? Out of exceeding confidence in you;'

'and of this you yourselves are the cause.'

Do you see how he tends them, and how he says:

'You are the cause, having before all others leaped forward to the matter, and having given us liberty to remind you concerning such things?' And behold his dignity;

when they do not send, he does not blame them, lest he should seem to be tending his own interest;

but when they had sent, then he reproved them concerning the past time, and they bore it;

for henceforth he would not seem to be tending his own interest.

'You yourselves also know, Philippians,' he says, 'that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but you only.'

Wonderful! How great the encomium!

For if the Corinthians and Romans are urged forward by hearing those things from him, while these, when no church had yet begun (for he says, 'In the beginning of the gospel'), displayed so great an earnestness towards the saint that, though they had no example, they themselves were the first to begin this fruitfulness—

And it cannot be said that they did these things while he remained with them, for their own sake with regard to their dealings with him;

'For when I departed,' he says, 'from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but you only.'

What means 'of receiving'? And what means 'had fellowship'? Why did he not say, 'No church gave to me,' but, 'had fellowship in the matter of giving and receiving'? For the thing is a partnership.

'For if we have sown to you spiritual things,' he says, 'is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?' And again, 'That your abundance may be a supply for their want.'

Do you see how they had fellowship, in the matter of the giving of carnal things and the receiving of spiritual? For just as sellers and buyers have fellowship with one another, giving to one another in exchange the things they have from each other (for this is partnership), so also is it here.

For there is not, there is not anything more gainful than this buying and trafficking;

for it takes place indeed on earth, but is completed in heaven;

the buyers stand indeed upon earth;

but they buy and bargain for the things that are in the heavens, paying down an earthly price.

The heavenly things are not to be purchased with money, nor does money itself buy them, but the purpose of him who lays down the money, his love of wisdom, his being above the things of this life, his love of mankind, his almsgiving.

Since, if silver had made the purchase, she who cast in the two mites would have received nothing great;

but since it was not the silver, but the purpose, that prevailed, she who displayed all purpose received all.

Let us not therefore say that the kingdom is to be purchased with money;

not with money, but with the purpose which is displayed through money.

'Is there then need of money?' one says. There is no need of money, but of purpose;

if you have this, you will be able even with two mites to buy heaven;

but if this be lacking, not even ten thousand talents of gold will be able to do what the two mites did.

Why? Because when, having much, you cast in a smaller portion, you did indeed perform almsgiving, but not so great as the widow's;

for you did not cast it in with so great a readiness as she did;

for she deprived herself of all—or rather she did not deprive herself, but rather bestowed all upon herself.

Not for talents of gold, but for a cup of cold water, did God promise the kingdom—but for readiness of mind;

not for death, but for purpose;

For what is it to give one soul? He gave one man;

and one man is not of equal worth.

'For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again unto my necessity.'

Again a great encomium, seeing that while he was seated in the metropolis, he was nourished by the little city.

In order that, by continually withdrawing himself from need—which, as I said before, would make them more slothful, having shown through so many instances that he was in no want—he might not do so, he made this plain by one instance only, saying, 'unto my necessity;'

and he did not say, 'my own,' but simply so, being careful of dignity;

and not this only, but also what follows.

For since he perceived that it was exceedingly lowly, again he secures it by his

correction, saying:

'Not that I seek the gift,' he says.

Which very thing he said above, 'Not that I speak in respect of want,' signifying the same thing, though that is greater than this.

For it is one thing not to seek when one is in want, and quite another, while being in want, not even to consider oneself to be in need.

It is not that I seek the gift, he says, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account, not to mine.

Do you see that the fruit is born for them? For your sakes I say these things, he says, not for my own, but unto your salvation;

for I gain nothing by receiving;

the grace belongs to those who give.

For to those who give, the recompense is stored up yonder;

but for those who receive, what is given is consumed here below.

Again with praise and fellow-feeling, and the acknowledgment of his own need.

For since he had said, 'I do not seek it,' lest he should again make them more slothful, he says:

But I have all things, and abound.

That is: by this gift you have made up also what was left lacking—which was the very thing best fitted to make them more eager.

For the more high-minded benefactors are, the more do they, when they do good, seek even the gratitude of those whom they have benefited.

I have all things, and abound.

That is: you have not only filled up what was wanting in the time past, but have even exceeded it.

Then, lest he should seem on this account to be finding fault, see how he sets his seal upon it.

For since he had said, 'Not that I seek the gift,' and, 'Now at length,' and had shown that the matter is a debt (for this is what 'I have' means)—

again he shows that they acted above what was owed, and he says:

I have all things, and abound; I am filled full.

It is not simply, nor merely out of goodwill that I say these things, but what? Having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

Astonishing! To what a height he has raised their gift!

It was not I, he says, who received; I did not receive it—but God, through me.

So that, even if I have no need, let it be no concern to you;

since neither did God have need, and yet He accepted it—so much so that the divine Scripture does not even shrink from saying that 'God smelled a savour of a sweet smell,' which is the mark of one who is well-pleased.

For you know—you know—how our soul is disposed toward sweet odours, how it is gladdened, how it delights.

The Scripture, then, did not refuse to use concerning God so human and lowly an expression, that it might show to men that their gifts had become acceptable.

For it was not the savour of the fat, nor the smoke, that made them acceptable, but the purpose of the one who offered;

since, if it were this, then the offerings of Cain also would have been accepted.

He said, then, that God both rejoices, and how He rejoices;

for otherwise men would not have learned it.

He, then, who stands in no need, says that He so rejoices, lest, because He lacks nothing, men should become slothful.

And when in the end, neglecting the rest of virtue, they came to rely upon these things, see how again he sets them right, saying:

'Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?' This is what Paul too says: 'I do not seek the gift.'

But my God shall fulfil every need of yours according to His riches in glory, in Christ Jesus.

See how he even prays for them, just as the poor do.

And if Paul prays for those who give, much more let us not be ashamed to do this when we receive.

Let us not, then, receive as though we ourselves were in need, nor rejoice for our own sakes, but for the sake of those who give.

Thus there will be a reward for us even when we receive, if we rejoice on their account;

thus we shall not be vexed when they do not give, but rather shall grieve on their behalf;

thus too we shall make them more eager, if we teach them that we do not do these things for our own sakes.

But my God, he says, shall fulfil every need of yours—or every grace, or every joy.

But if it be 'every grace,' he does not mean this alone—the almsgiving upon earth—but every good deed;

but if 'every need,' which I think is rather the meaning, this is what he wishes to make plain:

since before he had said, 'You lacked opportunity,' he here adds what he does in the Epistle to the Corinthians, saying, 'He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food,'

'may He supply and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.'

For he prays for them, that they may be in abundance, and may have wherewith to sow;

and he prays not merely that they be in abundance, but 'according to His riches.'

So that this too is measured out proportionately.

For if they had been as he was, so given to the higher life, and so crucified to the world, he would not have done this;

but since they were men, craftsmen, poor, having wives, rearing children, presiding over households, and gave even these things out of their little, and had some longing also for present things, he prays for them condescendingly.

For to men so circumstanced there is nothing amiss in praying that they may have sufficiency and abundance.

See, at any rate, what he actually prays for:

He did not say, 'May He make them rich and exceedingly well-off,' but what? 'May He fulfil your every need.'

So that they be not in want, but have the things needful;

since Christ too, in giving us the rule of prayer, put this into the prayer, teaching us to say, 'Give us this day our daily bread.'

What is this—'according to His gift'?

That is: whatever is easy and possible for Him, and swift to do.

And since I said 'need,' lest they should suppose that He will straiten them, on this account he added, 'according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.'

So shall all things abound to you, he says, that you may have them in His glory.

Either, then, he means this—that you lack in nothing;

'For great grace,' it says, 'was upon them all;

for neither was there any among them that was in need';

or he exhorts them to do all things unto His glory:

That you may use your abundance unto His glory.

Now unto our God and Father be the glory unto the ages of ages.

And this glory is not the Son's only, but the Father's also.

For when the Son is glorified, then the Father is also.

For since he had said that this comes to pass unto the glory of Christ, lest anyone should suppose it to be His alone, he added:

Now unto our God and Father be the glory—this glory, that is, which came to be the Son's.

Salute every saint in Christ Jesus.

For it is a mark of much kindliness to greet them even by way of a letter.

'The brethren who are with me greet you.'

And yet you were saying, 'I have no one likeminded, who will genuinely care for your affairs.'

How then do you now say, 'The brethren who are with me'? Either he means the brethren who are with him, showing that among those who are with him he has no one likeminded — not speaking of those in the city;

for what constraint had those men to take upon themselves the affairs of the apostles? Or it is because he does not refuse to call these also brethren.

'All the saints greet you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household.'

'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.'

He roused them up and strengthened them, showing that the preaching had laid hold even of the royal household.

For if those in the palace despised all things for the sake of the King of heaven, much more ought these to do the same.

And this too was a proof of Paul's love — that he related many things about them and spoke great things of them; whence also he brought those in the palace to a longing to greet those whom they had not seen.

For chiefly, since the faithful were then in affliction, their love was great.

How so? Those who were separated from one another were cemented together, and those far off, as though they were near, greeted one another; and each was disposed toward the others as toward his own members.

For the poor man was disposed toward the rich in like manner, and the rich toward the poor;

and there was no superiority, since all were alike hated and persecuted, and for the same causes.

For just as certain captives from different cities, being carried off and coming into one city, cling closely to one another, the common misfortune binding them together;

so also then, the fellowship of sufferings and afflictions knitting them together, they had great love for one another.

For affliction is a certain unbreakable bond, an increase of love, an occasion for compunction and reverence.

Hear then David saying:

'It is good for me, Lord, that Thou hast humbled me, that I might learn Thy statutes;'

and again, another prophet saying, 'It is good for a man that he bear the yoke from his youth;'

and again, 'Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O Lord;'

and yet another saying, 'Despise not the chastening of the Lord;'

and elsewhere, 'If thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.'

And Christ too said to His own disciples, 'In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer;'

and again, 'Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice;'

and again, 'Strait and narrow is the way.'

Do you see affliction everywhere praised? Everywhere taken up, as being necessary for us? For if in the outward contests no one could receive a crown without it — unless he fortified himself with toils and abstinence from food and a strict regimen of diet and vigils and countless other things — much more is it so here.

For whom would you name? The emperor? But not even he lives a life free from care, but one full of many afflictions and anxieties.

For look not at the diadem, but at the surge of cares by which his turmoil is bred;

nor gaze at the purple robe, but at the soul that is blackened more than that purple;

the crown does not so bind the head as care binds the soul;

nor look at the multitude of his bodyguards, but at the multitude of his despondencies;

for it is not possible to find a private house so full of cares as are the palaces.

Deaths are looked for daily by these very persons, and before the table the blood is seen, and before the drink.

And in the nights it is not possible to tell how often they start up and leap in terror at phantoms.

And if war should overtake them, the burden of their cares is yet further increased.

What then could be more pitiable than this life? And how great are the troubles from his own household — I mean from his subjects!

Indeed, the royal ground is ever soaked with kindred blood.

And, if you wish, I will relate some instances, and perhaps you will recognize that it is so;

chiefly I will speak of ancient matters, yet nevertheless such as are still preserved in memory, inasmuch as they happened even in our own times.

A certain man, it is said, suspecting his wife of adultery, bound her naked to the mountains and gave her over to wild beasts, though she had already become to him the mother of many kings.

What kind of life do you suppose that man led? For unless he had been utterly consumed by passion, he would not have gone to such a length of vengeance.

This same man slaughtered his own son;

or rather, his brother slew himself together with his own children.

And this one is said also to have made away with his own brother.

And the one destroyed himself, being seized by a usurper; while the other destroyed his own cousin, who shared the empire with him, which he himself had put into his hands.

Another saw his wife destroyed by poisonous drugs;

for since she bore no child, a certain wretched and miserable woman (wretched and miserable indeed, who hoped to bestow the gift of God through her own cleverness) gave her drugs and destroyed the empress, and was herself destroyed along with her.

Another again after this was destroyed by deadly poisons, and the cup was to him no longer drink, but death;

and his son had his eye gouged out for fear of what was to come, though he had done no wrong.

Another — it is not even seemly to tell how — miserably ended his life.

And of those after these, one was burned up, like some wretched and miserable creature, together with his horses and beams and all the rest, and his poor wife was left in widowhood.

For the griefs which she was forced to endure while yet alive, when this man rose up in revolt, it is not even possible to tell.

And this present ruler — has he not, from the time he put on the diadem, been in toils, in dangers, in griefs, in despondencies, in calamities, in plots?

But not such is the kingdom of heaven;

rather, after receiving it, there is peace, life, joy, gladness.

But, as I was saying, there is no life free from tribulation.

And if in worldly matters even he who is most to be counted blessed, he who is in royal power, is full of so many calamities, what do you think it is in private stations?

And how many other evils there are, it is not even possible to tell.

How many myths, too, have oftentimes been fashioned from these things! Almost all the tragedies on the stage are woven from kings, as are the myths.

For the greater part of the things in the myths have been fashioned from actual events;

for thus indeed does it also possess its charm;

such as the Thyestean banquets, and how all that house was overthrown through calamities.

But these things we know from the compositions of those without;

and if you wish, we will speak also from the Scriptures.

Saul first reigned, but you know how he too perished, having experienced countless evils.

After him David, Solomon, Abijah, Hezekiah, Josiah, in like manner.

For it is not possible to pass through the present life without affliction, without toils, apart from despondency.

But let us be despondent not over such things as kings are, but over such things as bring us also great gain;

for godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of.

Over these things we ought to grieve, over these to be pained, over these to be stung.

So greatly did Paul grieve for those who sinned, so did he weep for them.

For 'out of much affliction,' he says, 'and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears.'

For since he had nothing of his own over which to mourn, he did this on behalf of what belonged to others.

Or rather, in respect of mourning he counted even those things his own.

Others were made to stumble, and he himself was set aflame.

Others were weak, and he himself was weak.

A good thing is such grief; it is better than all worldly joy.

Him who mourns in this way I set before all other men.

Or rather, the Lord Himself also pronounces blessed those who thus mourn, the compassionate.

It is not so much for his perils that I admire him.

Or rather, I admire him no less for his perils, by which he died daily.

but this rather wins me over.

For it sprang from a soul that loved God and was tenderly affectionate, from that love which Christ Himself sought, from a brotherly and fatherly compassion — nay, from one greater than both of these together.

Thus ought we to be disposed, thus ought we to weep.

Such tears are full of much gladness.

Such mourning is the ground of joy.

And do not say to me, 'What good comes of lamenting for those on whose behalf I do this?' Even if we profit those we lament not at all, yet we shall by all means benefit our own selves.

For he who so grieves over what belongs to others will do this far more over his own.

he who so weeps over the faults of others will not pass over his own offences without tears.

or rather, he will not even sin readily.

But the terrible thing is that, though commanded thus to lament over those who sin, we show no repentance even over our own sins, but are disposed to stumble without feeling, and are anxious about everything else, and reckon up everything else rather than our own sins.

For this reason we rejoice with a profitless joy, the joy of the world, which is quickly quenched and which begets countless griefs.

Let us therefore grieve with a grief that is the mother of joy, and let us not delight in a joy that begets grief.

Let us shed tears that sow much pleasure, and let us not laugh a laughter that begets for us the gnashing of teeth.

Let us be afflicted with an affliction from which relief springs up, and let us not seek a luxury from which much affliction and pain are born.

Let us toil a little upon the earth, that we may take our delight perpetually in the heavens.

In this perishable life let us afflict ourselves, that in the boundless one we may obtain relief.

Let us not give ourselves over to dissipation in this brief span, lest we groan in the boundless one.

Do you not see how many even here are afflicted for the sake of the affairs of this life?

Consider that you too are one of these, and bear the affliction and the pain, nourished by the hope of the things to come.

You are not better than Paul, nor than Peter, who never obtained relief, who passed their whole life in hunger and thirst and nakedness.

If you wish to obtain the same things as they, why do you travel the contrary road? If you wish to arrive at that city of which they were counted worthy, walk that road which leads thither.

The road of ease does not lead thither, but the road of affliction.

That one is broad, this one is narrow.

Let us walk this one, that we may attain unto eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.