1Cor 16:21, 23, Col 4:18, 2Th 3:17 | JFB | STEP | 21. salutation . . . with mine own hand —He therefore dictated all the rest of the Epistle.

1 Corinthians 16:21

21. salutation . . . with mine own hand—He therefore dictated all the rest of the Epistle.

1 Corinthians 16:23

23. The grace, &c.—This is the salutation meant in 1Co 16:21; and from which unbelievers (1Co 16:22; compare 2Jo 10:11) are excluded [BENGEL].

Colossians 4:18

18. Paul's autograph salutation (so 1Co 16:21; 2Th 3:17), attesting that the preceding letter, though written by an amanuensis, is from himself.

Remember my bonds—Already in this chapter he had mentioned his "bonds" (Col 4:3), and again Col 4:10, an incentive why they should love and pray (Col 4:3) for him; and still more, that they should, in reverential obedience to his monitions in this Epistle, shrink from the false teaching herein stigmatized, remembering what a conflict (Col 2:1) he had in their behalf amidst his bonds. "When we read of his chains, we should not forget that they moved over the paper as he wrote; his [right] hand was chained to the [left hand of the] soldier who kept him" [ALFORD].

Grace be with you—Greek, "THE grace" which every Christian enjoys in some degree, and which flows from God in Christ by the Holy Ghost (Tit 3:15; Heb 13:25)

2 Thessalonians 3:17

17. The Epistle was written by an amanuensis (perhaps Silas or Timothy), and only the closing salutation written by Paul's "own hand" (compare Ro 16:22; 1Co 16:21; Col 4:18). Wherever Paul does not subjoin this autograph salutation, we may presume he wrote the whole Epistle himself (Ga 6:11).

which—which autograph salutation.

the token—to distinguish genuine Epistles from spurious ones put forth in my name (2Th 2:2).

in every epistle—Some think he signed his name to every Epistle with his own hand; but as there is no trace of this in any manuscripts of all the Epistles, it is more likely that he alludes to his writing with his own hand in closing every Epistle, even in those Epistles (Romans, Second Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, First Thessalonians) wherein he does not specify his having done so.

so I write—so I sign my name: this is a specimen of my handwriting, by which to distinguish my geniune letters from forgeries.