Verse 13— Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind. While the expression is rugged, it is striking and bold, and characteristic of its author. The metaphor is drawn from eastern customs. The angel that delivered Peter from prison said to him: "Gird thyself, and cast thy garments about thee" (Acts 12:8). We gather, then, that in that country and age garments were worn loose, and needed to be girded for convenience, so that a journey might be made without interference from the drapery. The persons addressed understood the figure. Now, as the loins are girded to strengthen them, and to prevent encumbrance from the flowing garment, so gird the loins of your mind. The faculties of the mind want to be prepared, so that all the powers thereof can be brought into activity. There must be no clinging drapery of vice, but every faculty must be placed on proper objects, and all the passions held in sub­jection and governed by the divine will And this is girding the loins of the mind. Paul, in his letter to the church at Ephesus, said: "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth" (Ephesians 6:14). And the Master gave similar advice in these words: "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning" (Luke 12:35). Hope to the end. The exhortation is based upon the certainty of the reward at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Knowing the Lord will come again, and the crown of life will be bestowed upon the faithful, the apostle urges the continuance and con­stancy in hoping to the end. The end; that is, until the struggling saint shall lay his armor down at the hour of death— death of the body.