Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Ver. 22. Abstain from all, &c.] Whatsoever is heterodox, unsound, and unsavoury, shun it, as you would do a serpent in your way or poison in your meats. Theodosius tare the Arian's arguments presented to him in writing, because he found them repugnant to the Scriptures. And Austin retracteth even ironies only, because they had the appearance of lying. God commanded the Jews to abstain from swine's flesh; they would not so much as name it, but in their common talk would call a sow dabbar Achar, another thing. (Elias Thisbit.)