And said, O full of all deceit and all mischief, you child of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Son of the devil. Sharp language, when grounded on truth, may be used against those who hinder the conversion of others. St. Chrysostom says, he was struck with this blindness only for a time, to make him enter into himself, and be converted. (Witham)
and observe, this is not abuse, but accusation: for so ought forward, impudent people to be rebuked thou enemy of all righteousness; here he lays bare what was in the thoughts of the man, while under pretext of saving he was ruining the proconsul: will you not cease, he says, to pervert the ways of the Lord? (He says it) both confidently (αξιοπίστως), It is not with us you are warring, nor are you fighting (with us), but the ways of the Lord you are perverting, and with praise (of these, he adds) the right ways. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind.
(full of all,) he says: nothing wanting to the full measure: and he well says, of all deceit, for the man was playing the part of a hypocrite.— Child of the devil, because he was doing his work: enemy of all righteousness, since this (which they preached) was the whole of righteousness (though at the same time): I suppose in these words he reproves his manner of life. His words were not prompted by anger, and to show this, the writer premises, filled with the Holy Ghost, that is, with His operation. And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon you.
