To Florus 2.148
For while you and the Manichaean say, ‘All are sinners by nature,’ the apostle says, ‘Many, not all, are sinners’ (Romans 5:19). He removes from seed the accusation armed against conduct, and destroys original sin. Let us press this same point. The apostle directs us to understand that many are sinners through Adam’s disobedience and many righteous through Christ’s obedience, showing that those who are righteous are distinct from those who are criminal. With what shamelessness do you struggle to argue that these words prove natural sin? When you say all are born guilty through Adam and therefore belong to the devil, but that some are afterward freed from this through Christ, you do not mean what the apostle means: he says not all but many were made sinners through Adam.
Latin
Nam cum tu et Manichaeus dicitis: Omnes sunt naturaliter peccatores, Apostolus autem dicit: Multi sunt, non omnes peccatores, removet accusationem a seminibus, quae armatur in mores, et destruit originale peccatum. Utque hoc ipsum, quod egimus, urgeamus: praescribit Apostolus multos debere intellegi per Adae inoboedientiam peccatores, multos autem per Christi oboedientiam iustos eos utique, qui iusti sunt, ostendens ab illis, qui criminosi sunt, esse discretos; tu quia impudentia argumentari niteris, ut ex his sermonibus probes naturale peccatum? Nam cum dicis omnes nasci criminosos per Adam et propter hoc ad diabolum pertinere, sed aliquos inde per Christum postea liberari, non hoc sentis, quod Apostolus, qui dicit non omnes per Adam peccatores constitutos esse, sed multos.
About this text
Julian’s six preserved books to Florus, quoted section by section in Augustine’s unfinished reply. Augustine’s refutations are omitted. Latin of Julian’s words is on each section.
Julian’s own books do not survive as a separate manuscript. English follows his words as Augustine quotes them in the Unfinished Work Against Julian. Augustine’s replies are omitted. We do not restore a Julian text independent of Augustine.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, Unfinished Work Against Julian (Latin · Julian’s words as quoted, Books 1–6)
- Checked print Augustinus.it Latin of the Unfinished Work (Latin · Same work)
- Checked print Migne PL 45 (Latin · Hard cases)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.