Verse 12. And labour, etc. This Paul often did. See Barnes |Ac 18:3|.
Comp. Ac 20:34; 1 Th 2:9; 2 Th 3:8.
Being reviled. That they were often reviled or reproached, their history everywhere shows. See the Acts of the Apostles. They were reviled or ridiculed by the Gentiles as Jews; and by all as Nazarenes, and as deluded followers of Jesus; as the victims of a foolish superstition and enthusiasm.
We bless. We return good for evil. In this they followed the explicit direction of the Saviour. See Barnes |Mt 5:44|.
The main idea in these passages is, that they, were reviled, were persecuted, etc. The other clauses, |we bless,| |we suffer it,| etc., seem to be thrown in by the way to show how they bore this ill-treatment. As if he had said, |We are reviled; and what is more, we bear it patiently, and return good for evil.| At the same time that he was recounting his trials, he was, therefore, incidentally instructing them in the nature of the gospel, and showing how their sufferings were to be borne; and how to illustrate the excellency of the Christian doctrine.
Being persecuted. See Barnes |Mt 5:11|.
We suffer it. We sustain it; we do not revenge it; we abstain from resenting or resisting it.
{b} |labour| Ac 20:34 {c} |reviled| Mt 5:44; Ac 7:60 {+} |suffer| |bear|