’Tis not improbable, that our translators inserted that word, as it were to _excuse_ the apostle; who, as they supposed, might otherwise appear to be wanting, in the very love which he so beautifully describes. They seem to have supposed this from a phrase in the _Acts of the apostles_: which is likewise very inaccurately translated. When _Paul_ and _Barnabas_ disagreed concerning _John_, the translation runs thus, [58]_And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder_. This naturally induces the reader to suppose, that they were equally sharp therein: that St. _Paul_, who was undoubtedly right, with regard to the point in question (it being quite improper to take _John_ with them again, who had deserted them before) was as much provoked as _Barnabas_, who gave such a proof of his anger, as to leave _the work_ for which he had been _set apart by the Holy Ghost_. But the original imports no such thing; nor does it affirm, that St. _Paul_ was provoked at all. It simply says καὶ ἐγένετο παροξυσμός· _And there was a sharpness, a paroxism_ of anger: in consequence of which _Barnabas_ left St. _Paul_, took _John_ and went his own way. _Paul_ then _chose_ Silas _and departed, being recommended by the brethren to the grace of_ God; (which is not said concerning _Barnabas_) _and he went through_ Syria _and_ Cilicia, as he had proposed, _confirming the churches_. But to return. 11. Love prevents a thousand provocations which would otherwise arise, because _it thinketh no evil_. Indeed the merciful man cannot avoid knowing many things that are evil, he cannot but see them with his own eyes, and hear them with his own ears. For love does not put out his eyes, so that it is impossible for him, not to see that such things are done. Neither does it take away his understanding, any more than his senses, so that he cannot but know that they are evil. For instance: when he sees a man strike his neighbour, or hears him blaspheme God, he cannot either question the thing done or the words spoken, or doubt of their being evil. Yet οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν· The word λογίζεται (_thinketh_) does not refer, either to our seeing and hearing, or to the first and involuntary acts of our understanding: but to our willingly _thinking_ what we need not: our _inferring_ evil, where it does not appear: to our _reasoning_ concerning things which we do not see; our _supposing_ what we have neither seen nor heard. This is what true love absolutely destroys. It tears up, root and branch, all _imagining_ what we have not known. It casts out all jealousies, all evil surmisings, all readiness to believe evil. It is frank, open, unsuspicious; and as it cannot design, so neither does it fear evil.