Verse 18— Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed. This is as much as to say that the parties here addressed did know, for the sense is, since ye know how they were redeemed. The apostle states the manner of their redemp­tion first negatively, and afterwards affirmatively. Redemp­tion from what? The answer given is, from your vain con­versation; that is, your foolish behavior, vile course of life. From whence came this vain conversation? From tradition handed down by their fathers. Now, from this they were not redeemed by corruptible things, that is, things that perish, and the most precious things known to man are named— silver and gold. Even these, however important in the affairs of life, could not accomplish the redemption of man. However powerful in the estimation of the world, they are wholly inadequate to redeem.