The Integrity of the Apostolic Faith
Truly we recognize it to be catholic and apostolic, and the faith set forth by the fathers we likewise guard immovable, and I pray that it remains unblemished continually.
It became possible then for the fathers to explain more intensely and broadly concerning the glory of the Only-begotten, because then they had the opportunity to cut off the first seeds of the heresy of Arius, before the thorn could be fully uprooted. Since the matter concerning the Spirit was being kept silent, for this reason they added nothing more broadly; but for those reading wisely, the teachings concerning the Spirit in that faith are sufficient. Just as to believe in Father and Son, so they established to believe in the Spirit, neither introducing another nature into the divine and blessed Trinity, nor cutting off anything from the Trinity in the exposition of the faith.
Since recently the devil, attempting to shake the churches, cast upon some a doubt concerning the Spirit, it is necessary to run back to the fountain of the faith, from which also the fathers according to Nicaea, having sprung up, made the exposition of the faith. What then is the perfection of the faith for us? It is the tradition of the Lord, which after the resurrection from the dead he commanded to his holy disciples: Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
Greek
ὄντως καθολικὴν καὶ ἀποστολικὴν γνωρίζομεν, καὶ πίστιν τὴν ἐκτεθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων τηνικαῦτα φυλάττομεν ἀκίνητον καὶ πρὸς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἀσπάρακτον μένειν εὔχομαι. Γέγονε δὲ τότε τοῖς πατράσιν ἀναγ καιότερον πλατύτερον ἐξηγήσασθαι περὶ τῆς δόξης τοῦ μονογε νοῦς, ἐπειδὴ τότε νεωστὶ φυομένην τὴν αἵρεσιν τοῦ Ἀρείου διὰ σπουδῆς ἔσχον ἐκκόψαι τὰ πρῶτα αὐτῆς προαναιροῦντες σπέρ ματα, πρὶν τελέως ἐκτραχυνθῆναι τὴν ἄκανθαν. Σεσιγημένου δὲ τηνικαῦτα τοῦ κατὰ τὸ πνεῦμα ζητήματος διὰ τοῦτο πλατύτερον μὲν οὐδὲν προσέθεσαν· τοῖς μέντοι γε συνετῶς ἀναγινώσκουσιν αὐτάρκης καὶ ἡ περὶ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ πίστει διδασκα λία. Ὥσπερ εἰς πατέρα καὶ υἱὸν πιστεύειν, οὕτω καὶ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα πιστεύειν ἐδογμάτισαν, μήτε ἑτέραν τινὰ φύσιν ἐπεισάγοντες τῇ θείᾳ καὶ μακαρίᾳ τριάδι μήτε τι τῶν ἐκ τῆς τριάδος ἀποτέμνοντες εἰς τὴν τῆς πίστεως ἔκθεσιν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πρόσφατον ὁ σατανᾶς διασαλεύειν τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐπιχειρῶν ἐνέβαλέ τισι περὶ τοῦ πνεύματος δισταγμόν, ἀναγκαῖον ἐπὶ τὴν πηγὴν ἀνατρέχειν τῆς πίστεως ἐξ ἧς καὶ οἱ κατὰ Νίκαιαν πατέρες ἀναρυσάμενοι τὴν ἔκθεσιν τῆς πίστεως ἐποίησαν. Τίς οὖν ἡμῶν ἡ τῆς πίστεως τελειότης; Ἡ τοῦ κυρίου παράδοσις ἣν μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ μαθηταῖς ἐνετείλατο προστάξας· Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου
About this text
A bishop's letter defending Christian unity and orthodoxy against heresy, urging steadfast faith and love for Christ.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 39 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.