Commentary on Romans (Greek)

Commentarii in epistulam ad Romanos

Origen of Alexandria · c. 230–250 AD · PG 14; Romans catena Greek I.1–XII.21

Paul's Divine Calling and God's Sovereign Order in Salvation§1

1Paul, chosen for the gospel of God, affirms in his letter to the Galatians that when God found it pleasing, He set him apart from his mother’s womb to reveal His Son within him. Those who misunderstand God’s foreknowledge and predestination twist these words, supposing they point only to those preserved by nature and constitution, while others even deny what rests within our power, citing the psalm that declares sinners alienated from the womb. Yet this is readily answered by examining the words that follow: it is written that sinners are estranged from the womb, they have strayed from birth, they have uttered lies; their fury bears the likeness of the serpent. We must challenge those who take these words literally: if those sinners, alienated from the womb, had immediately wandered from the path of salvation and spoken falsehood upon birth by their own accord, how could they have done so? For they could not have formed a coherent infant voice to speak lies at the moment of delivery. But if we reflect on what was said earlier in this very letter about predestination, we can, by setting aside those who mislead the simple into accusing God of injustice, uphold the truth that God both sets apart from the womb and sets apart for the gospel of God the servant Jesus Christ, known as the apostle Paul. Thus it stands: we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those called according to purpose; whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers; and whom He predestined, He also called; and whom He called, He also justified; and whom He justified, He also glorified. Therefore, let us follow the sequence of what has been said: God justifies because He called beforehand; He would not justify those He did not call; and He calls because He predestined beforehand; He would not call those He did not predestine; and it is to Him that the beginning of the call and justification belongs, not predestination. For if predestination were the starting point of what follows, those who advance the strange argument of nature would easily prevail. But above predestination lies foreknowledge: for whom He foreknew, He declares, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. God, having beforehand attended to the order of coming things, and having considered the inclination of these things in us toward security and impulse after that inclination, and as they will surrender themselves wholly to living according to virtue, He foreknew them, knowing the present and foreknowing the future; and whom He so foreknew, He predestined to be conformed as sons in the image of His Son. Therefore there is the Son of God, who is the image of the invisible God, and this is the image spoken of—the image of the Son of God—which we believe to be the soul the Son of God assumed, human, formed through the virtue of God’s image into an image. And this, which we regard as an image of an image of the Son of God, God has predestined to become conformed through His foreknowledge concerning them; yet we must not suppose that God’s foreknowledge is the cause of future things. Rather, since He was about to act according to His own impulse, He foreknew, knowing all things before their generation; and as knowing all things before their generation, He foreknew and predestined some to be conformed as sons in the image of His Son, and saw others as alienated.

We must not confuse the order of divine action: it is not that God first predestines and then calls, but that His foreknowledge precedes and undergirds both. The psalm’s words about sinners alienated from the womb are not to be read as a denial of human responsibility, but as a description of a condition that, from birth, inclines toward falsehood—yet even then, the capacity for choice remains, however dim. To imagine that infants could speak lies in unison at birth is to misunderstand both language and moral agency. But when we read Paul’s own words in Galatians, we see that his separation from the womb was not a mere natural endowment, but a divine act aimed at revealing Christ in him—thus grounding the apostolic calling in God’s purpose, not human merit. This is why we affirm that all things work together for good for those who love God, not because they earned it, but because they were called according to His eternal purpose. The chain is clear: foreknowledge leads to predestination, predestination to calling, calling to justification, justification to glorification—each step dependent on the prior, none originating in predestination alone. If we reverse this order and make predestination the first cause, we open the door to those who would blame God for injustice, as if He arbitrarily chose some and rejected others. But Scripture refuses such a reading: God’s foreknowledge is not the cause of what comes to be, but the reflection of His knowledge of what will be, grounded in His eternal understanding of hearts inclined toward virtue or alienation. Thus, He foreknew some as those who would yield to virtue, others as those who would remain alienated—not because He made them so, but because He saw what they would become, in freedom, before time began.

Greek · §1

Commentarii in epistulam ad Romanos (I.1-XII.21) (in catenis) i1 ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ. Τρίτον ἔστιν ἰδεῖν τὸ ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ· καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας ὁ ἀπόστολος περὶ ἑαυτοῦ τοιαῦτά φησιν· ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκη εν ὁ θεό , ὁ ἀφορί α με ἐκ κοιλία μητρό μου, ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοί. ἐπιλαμβάνονται δὲ τῶν τοιούτων λέξεων οἱ μὴ συνιέντες τὸν ἐκ προγνώσεως θεοῦ προωρισμένον αἴτιον τυγχάνοντα τοῦ γίνεσθαι τὰ προγινωσκόμενα· καὶ οἴονται διὰ τούτων εἰσάγειν τοὺς ἐκ κατασκευῆς καὶ φύσεως σωζομένους. τινὲς δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων ἀναιροῦσι ῥητῶν, συγχρώμενοι καὶ τῷ ἀπηλλοτριώθη αν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ μήτρα ἐν ψαλμοῖς εἰρημένῳ. πρὸς μὲν οὖν τοῦτο εὐχερῶς ἔστιν ἀπαντῆσαι, ἐρωτῶντας περὶ τῆς ἑξῆς λέξεως· γέγραπται γὰρ ἀπηλλοτριώθη αν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ μήτρα , ἐπλανήθη αν ἀπὸ γα τρό , ἐλάλη αν ψευδῆ· θυμὸ αὐτοῖ κατὰ τὴν ὁμοίω ιν τοῦ ὄφεω . καὶ πευσόμεθά γε τῶν ὡς σαφεῖ τῇ λέξει ἐπιβαινόντων, εἰ οἱ ἀπαλλοτριωθέντες ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ μήτρας ἅμα τῷ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ γαστρὸς τῆς μητρὸς αὐτῶν ἐπλανήθησαν καὶ τῆς σωζούσης ὁδοῦ ἐσφάλησαν, αὐτοὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἐνεργήσαντες. πῶς δὲ οἱ ἀπαλλοτριωθέντες ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ μήτρας ἀπὸ γαστρὸς ἐπλανήθησάν τε καὶ ἐλάλησαν ψευδῆ; οὐ γὰρ δὴ δείξουσιν ὅτι ἅμα τῷ γεννηθῆναι ἔναρθρον φωνὴν προήκαντο, ψευδῆ τινὰ προφερόμενοι. ἀλλ' εἰ προσέχομεν τοῖς προτεταγμένοις τοῦ προορισμοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐξεταζομένῃ ἐπιστολῇ λεγομένοις, δυνησόμεθα, τὰ περι σπῶντα τοὺς ἁπλουστέρους πρὸς παραδοχὴν τοῦ ἀδικίαν κατηγοροῦντος κατὰ τοῦ θείου δόγματος καθελόντες, ἀπολογήσασθαι περὶ τοῦ ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς ἀφορίζοντος καὶ εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ ἀφορίζοντος τὸν δοῦλον Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ κλητὸν ἀπόστολον Παῦλον. οὕτω δὲ ἔχει τὰ ῥητά· οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖ ἀγαπῶ ι τὸν θεὸν πάντα υνεργεῖ εἰ ἀγαθόν, τοῖ κατὰ πρόθε ιν κλητοῖ οὖ ιν· ὅτι οὓ προέγνω, καὶ προώρι εν υμμόρφου τῆ εἰκόνο τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖ ἀδελφοῖ · οὓ δὲ προώρι εν, τούτου καὶ ἐκάλε εν· καὶ οὓ ἐκάλε εν, τούτου καὶ ἐδικαίω εν· οὓ δὲ ἐδικαίω εν, τούτου καὶ ἐδόξα εν. πρόσχωμεν οὖν τῇ τάξει τῶν λεγομένων. δικαιοῖ ὁ θεὸς καλέσας πρότερον, οὐκ ἂν δικαιώσας οὓς μὴ ἐκάλεσεν· καλεῖ δὲ πρὸ τῆς κλήσεως προορίσας, οὐκ ἂν καλέσας οὓς μὴ προώρισεν· καὶ ἔστιν αὐτῷ ἀρχὴ τῆς κλήσεως καὶ τῆς δικαιώσεως οὐχ ὁ προορισμός· οὗτος γὰρ εἰ ἦν ἀρχὴ τῶν ἑξῆς, κἂν πιθανώτατα ἐκράτουν οἱ παρεισάγοντες τὸν περὶ φύσεως ἄτοπον λόγον· ἀνωτέρω δέ ἐστι τοῦ προορισμοῦ ἡ πρόγνωσις· οὓ γὰρ προέγνω, φησί, καὶ προώρι εν υμμόρφου τῆ εἰκόνο τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. προενατενίσας οὖν ὁ θεὸς τῷ εἱρμῷ τῶν ἐσομένων, καὶ κατανοήσας ῥοπὴν τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν τῶνδέ τινων ἐπὶ εὐσέ βειαν καὶ ὁρμὴν ἐπὶ ταύτην μετὰ τὴν ῥοπήν, καὶ ὡς ὅλοι ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδώσουσι τῷ κατ' ἀρετὴν ζῇν, προέγνω αὐτούς, γινώσκων μὲν τὰ ἐνιστάμενα προγινώσκων δὲ τὰ μέλλοντα· καὶ οὓς οὕτω προέγνω, προώρισεν συμμόρφους ἐσομένους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. ἔστιν οὖν τις ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰκὼν τυγχάνων τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, καὶ τούτου εἰκὼν ἡ λεγομένη εἰκὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ· ἥντινα νομίζομεν εἶναι ἣν ἀνέλαβεν ψυχὴν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἀνθρωπίνην, γενομένην διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ θεοῦ εἰκόνα. ταύτης δέ, ἣν οἰόμεθα εἰκόνος εἰκόνα εἶναι [τοῦ υἱοῦ] τοῦ θεοῦ, συμμόρφους προώρισεν γενέσθαι ὁ θεός, οὓς διὰ τὴν περὶ αὐτῶν πρόγνωσιν προώρισεν. οὐ γομιστέον τοίνυν εἶναι τῶν ἐσομένων αἰτίαν τὴν πρόγνωσιν τοῦ θεοῦ· ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ ἔμελλεν γίνεσθαι κατ' ἰδίας ὁρμὰς τοῦ ποιοῦντος, διὰ τοῦτο προέγνω, εἰδὼς τὰ πάντα πρὸ γενέσεως αὐτῶν· καὶ ὡς εἰδὼς τὰ πάντα πρὸ γενέσεως αὐτῶν τούσδε μέν τινας προέγνω καὶ προώρισεν συμμόρφους ἐσομένους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἄλλους δὲ εἶδεν ἀπηλλοτριωμένους. ἐὰν δέ τις

Divine Foreknowledge and Human Responsibility in Salvation§2

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2If someone insists these events could not have taken place, we respond that they might not have occurred, but it does not follow that if something is incapable of happening, it must either happen or fail to happen; events unfold not solely by necessity, but also as contingent possibilities, including the possibility of non-occurrence. The examination of what is possible engages both logical analysis and reflective insight, enabling one who turns inward to perceive the subtlety of arguments and grasp how even fortuitous occurrences do not obstruct the potential for something to be actual in multiple ways—one of many possibilities becoming real, not by compulsion. God foreknew that events would unfold not through necessity but as free possibilities, and the declaration that they would occur is not speculative guesswork but genuine foreknowledge. Let no one suppose we have remained silent on predestination as if it were a heavy burden, for Paul affirms we know that all things cooperate for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Yet observe how the apostle immediately identifies the ground of this calling: those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be shaped into the likeness of his Son. Who, then, is more fitting for the righteous vocation grounded in God’s purpose than those who love him? Indeed, he makes clear the source of this calling lies within us—our purpose and foreknowledge: we know that all things work together for good for those who love God. For he nearly said that such cooperation occurs because those who love God are worthy partners in the good. At the same time, let us challenge those who speak contrary views and demand they answer us. Assume hypothetically that something depends on us; we will tell them they reject what depends on us until their argument collapses under the weight of the given hypothesis as unsound. Given that something depends on us, does God, by ordaining the sequence of future events, foreknow what will arise from what depends on us in each case where such dependence exists, or does he not? To claim he does not foreknow is to overlook the universal intellect and grandeur of God. But if they affirm he does foreknow, let us ask: is his foreknowledge the cause of what will come to pass, given that what depends on us exists? Or, since he foreknew, is foreknowledge entirely irrelevant as a cause of what depends on us? It was possible for some of these individuals, having answered otherwise, to have acted differently, and the self-determining creature brought into being could have chosen otherwise. In such discourses, the words 'Well done, good and faithful servant' are preserved, as well as 'You have been faithful over little; I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your lord.' Likewise preserved is the reasonable utterance of the wicked and slothful servant: 'You ought to have put my money to the exchangers.' Only justly spoken words will endure: to those on the right, 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,' because I was hungry and you gave me food, and what follows; but to those on the left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,' because I was hungry and you gave me no food, nor what follows. Moreover, even if one were set apart for the gospel of God from the womb and had necessity imposed upon them, how could they consistently speak of subduing their body and leading into slavery if they had not yet been declared unapproved by others, and the woe would be theirs if they did not evangelize? Clearly, from this it follows that if they had not subdued their body and led into slavery, it would have been possible for them to be declared unapproved by others, and it was possible for woe to befall them had they not evangelized. Perhaps God both set them apart from the womb and for the gospel of God, together with perceiving the cause of the just separation: that they would subdue their body and lead into slavery, wary lest they themselves, while proclaiming, become unapproved; and knowing that woe would come upon them if they did not evangelize, they did not remain silent out of fear of God regarding the woe, but evangelized. And these things were seen by the one who set them apart from their mother’s womb and the one who set them apart for their own gospel: that there would be labors, imprisonments, beatings beyond measure, frequent deaths; by the Jews five times forty lashes minus one, three times beaten with rods, once stoned; and these things will happen to them.

Greek · §2

ἀνθυποφέρῃ πρὸς ταῦτα, εἰ δυνατόν ἐστι μὴ γενέσθαι ἃ τοιάδε ἔσεσθαι προεγίνωσκεν ὁ θεός· φήσομεν ὅτι δυνατὸν μὲν μὴ γενέσθαι· οὐχὶ δέ, εἰ δυνατὸν μὴ γενέσθαι, ἀνάγκη μὴ γενέσθαι ἢ γενέσθαι· καὶ γίνεται οὐ πάντως ἐξ ἀνάγκης, ἀλλὰ δυνατοῦ ὄντος καὶ τοῦ αὐτὰ μὴ γενέσθαι. τῆς δὲ λογικῆς ἔχεται ἐντρεχείας τε καὶ θεωρίας ὁ περὶ τῶν δυνατῶν τόπος, ἵνα ὁ σμήξας ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ὄμμα τῆς ψυχῆς δυνηθῇ τῇ λεπτότητι τῶν ἀποδείξεων παρακολουθήσας κατανοῆσαι, πῶς καὶ μέχρι τῶν τυχόντων οὐκ ἐμποδίζεται τὸ εἶναί τι εἰς πολλὰ δυνατόν, ἑνὸς ἐκ τῶν πολλῶν ὄντος τοῦ ἐσομένου, καὶ οὐ κατὰ ἀνάγκην ἐσομένου· προεγνω σμένου τε οὑτωσί, ὅτι ἔσται μὲν οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης δὲ ἔσται, ἀλλ' ἐνδεχομένου τυγχάνοντος τοῦ μὴ γενέσθαι ἔσται τὸ οὐ στοχαστικῶς εἰρημένον ἀλλ' ἀληθῶς προεγνωσμένον. μὴ νομιζέτω δέ τις ἡμᾶς τὸ κατὰ πρόθε ιν σεσιωπηκέναι ὡς θλίβον ἡμῶν τὸν λόγον· ἐπεί φησιν ὁ Παῦλος οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖ ἀγαπῶ ι τὸν θεὸν πάντα υνεργεῖ εἰ ἀγαθόν, τοῖ κατὰ πρόθε ιν κλητοῖ οὖ ιν. ἀλλὰ προσεχέτω ὅτι τοῦ κατὰ πρόθεσιν εἶναι κλητοὺς τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἀποδέδωκεν εὐθέως, εἰπὼν ὅτι οὓ προέγνω, καὶ προώρι εν υμμόρφου τῆ εἰκόνο τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. καὶ τίνα γε μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν ἐγκαταχωρισθῆναι εἰς τὴν δικαιοῦσαν κλῆσιν τῇ προθέσει τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν; πάνυ δὲ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν αἰτίαν παρίστησι τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τῆς προγνώσεως τὸ οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖ ἀγαπῶ ι τὸν θεὸν πάντα υνεργεῖ εἰ ἀγαθόν. σχεδὸν γὰρ εἶπεν ὅτι πάντα συνεργοῦντα εἰς ἀγαθὸν διὰ τοῦτο συνεργεῖ, ἐπεὶ ἄξιοί εἰσι συνεργίας οἱ ἀγαπῶντες τὸν θεόν. ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐρωτήσωμεν τοὺς τὰ ἐναντία λέγοντας, καὶ ἀποκρινάσθωσαν ἡμῖν πρὸς ταῦτα. ἔστω καθ' ὑπόθεσιν εἶναί τινα ἐφ' ἡμῖν· καὶ τοῦτο ἐροῦμεν αὐτοῖς ἀναιροῦσι τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν, ἕως ἐκ τῆς διδομένης ὑποθέσεως ἐλεγχθῇ αὐτῶν ὁ λόγος οὐχ ὑγιὴς ὤν. ὄντος δὴ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν, ἆρα ὁ θεὸς ἐπιβαλὼν τῷ εἱρμῷ τῶν ἐσομένων προγνώσεται τὰ πραχθησόμενα ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἐχόντων τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν, ἢ οὐ προγνώσεται; τὸ μὲν οὖν λέγειν οὐ προγνώσεται, ἀγνοοῦντός ἐστι τὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι νοῦν καὶ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην τοῦ θεοῦ. εἰ δὲ δώσουσιν ὅτι προγνώσεται, πάλιν ἐρωτήσωμεν αὐτούς, ἆρα τὸ ἐγνωκέναι αὐτὸν αἴτιόν ἐστι τοῦ ἔσεσθαι τὰ ἐσόμενα, διδομένου τοῦ εἶναι τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν; ἢ ἐπεὶ ἔσται προέγνω, καὶ οὐδαμῶς ἐστὶν αἰτία αὐτοῦ ἡ πρόγνωσις τῶν ἐσομένων ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἑκάστῳ; δυνατὸν οὖν ἦν τῶνδέ τινων ἀπαντησάντων μὴ τόδε ἀλλὰ τόδε ἐνεργῆσαι τὸν δημιουργηθέντα αὐτεξούσιον. τούτων οὖν καὶ τοιούτων ἂν λεχθησομένων, σώζεται καὶ τὸ εὖγε, ἀγαθὲ δοῦλε καὶ πι τέ· ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦ πι τό , ἐπὶ πολλῶν ε κατα τή ω· εἴ ελθε εἰ τὴν χάριν τοῦ κυρίου ου· καὶ πᾶς ἔπαινος. σώζεται δὲ καὶ τὸ εὔλογον τοῦ πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ, ἔδει ε βαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου εἰ τράπεζαν. οὕτω δὲ σωθήσεται μόνως τὰ δικαίως λεγόμενα πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἐκ δεξιῶν δεῦτε πρό με οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρό μου, κληρονομή ατε τὴν ἡτοιμα μένην ὑμῖν βα ιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆ κό μου· ὅτι ἐπείνα α, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐξ εὐωνύμων πορεύε θε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ οἱ κατηραμένοι εἰ τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον, τὸ ἡτοιμα μένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖ ἀγγέλοι αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἐπείνων, καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴπερ τὸ ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ καὶ τὸ ὁ ἀφορί α με ἐκ κοιλία μητρό μου ἀνάγκην τινὰ περιεῖχε, πῶς ἂν εὐλόγως ἔφασκε τὸ ὑποπιάζω μου τὸ ῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μήπω ἄλλοι κηρύξα αὐτὸ ἀδό κιμο γένωμαι καὶ τὸ οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐ τιν ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίζωμαι; σαφῶς γὰρ ἐκ τούτων παρίστησιν ὅτι εἰ μὴ ὑπεπίαζεν αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἐδουλαγώγει οἷόν τε ἦν αὐτὸν ἄλλοις κηρύξαντα ἀδόκιμον γενέσθαι, καὶ ὅτι δυνατὸν ἦν οὐαὶ αὐτῷ γενέσθαι εἰ μὴ εὐηγγελίζετο. μήποτε οὖν σὺν τούτοις ἀφώρισεν αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός, καὶ ἀφώρισεν αὐτὸν εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ, σὺν τῷ ἑωρακέναι τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ δικαίου ἀφορισμοῦ, ὅτι ὑποπιάσει τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγήσει εὐλαβούμενος μήπως ἄλλοις κηρύξας αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένηται, καὶ ὅτι, εἰδὼς οὐαὶ αὐτῷ ἔσεσθαι ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσηται, φόβῳ τῷ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν πρὸς τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι ἐν τῷ οὐαὶ οὐκ ἐσιώπα ἀλλ' εὐηγγελίζετο. καὶ ταῦτα δὲ ἑώρα ὁ ἀφορίζων αὐτὸν ἐκ κοι λίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ ἀφορίζων αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ εὐαγγέλιον, ὅτι ἐν κόποι ἔσται περι οτέρω , ἐν φυλακαῖ περι ευόντω , ἐν πληγαῖ ὑπερβαλλόντω , ἐν θανάτοι πολλάκι · ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων πεντάκι τε αράκοντα παρὰ μίαν λήψεται, τρὶ ῥαβδι θή εται, ἅπαξ λιθα θή εται· καὶ τάδε τινὰ πείσεται

Divine Calling and Apostolic Ministry§3

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3Boasting in trials and recognizing that trials forge endurance, and endurance—because of this, it was proper for him to be designated for God’s gospel, foreknown to exist and to be set apart from his mother’s womb. He was appointed to the gospel of God not due to any exceptional nature, nor because of superiority over other natures, but because of previously known deeds and later actions born of preparation and apostolic choice. At present, it was not fitting to deliver what is written in the psalm, for it would be digressive; thus, in the divine ordering, it will be given when we recount the psalm—this will be sufficient, even in excess, for the one who is set apart. For God is my witness, whom I serve in spirit through the gospel of his Son, as I continually remember you in my prayers, asking that I might at last come to you by God’s will, for I long to see you. Indeed, someone may come not according to God’s will, just as Balaam went to Balak, cursing Israel for hire; I also believe that every Gentile, or whenever the worship of God is foreign, not ministering to the beneficial holy things for them, does not prosper in God’s purpose to become toward those they approach, even if they thrive temporarily—what does scripture say about the evil prosperity of man? That I may impart to you a spiritual gift to establish you; this is indeed mutual encouragement among you through the faith you share, yours and mine. Regarding a gift that is not spiritual, I consider it necessarily follows: there are non-spiritual gifts, such as marriage, for the spiritual gift can never be hindered by prayer, yet the union of man and woman impedes it. The apostle indicates marriage as a gift when he says, ‘I wish all people were as I am,’ yet each has his own gift from God—one in this manner, another in that. I do not wish you to be unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you and was hindered until now, so that I might bear fruit among you, just as I have among other nations—Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish—and I am a debtor, so that my eagerness and you in Rome may preach the gospel. [But here is a parenthetical remark, which, if ignored, disrupts the sequence; for who would claim Paul was hindered from coming to the Romans in order to bear fruit? On the contrary, if he had not been hindered, he would have borne fruit; but being hindered, he was deprived of it—how then should we read? Often I planned to come to you that I might bear fruit among you, just as I have among other nations, Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish, and I was hindered until now; therefore, why was the parenthetical inserted? Because the purpose clause ‘that I may bear fruit’ was about to connect with much—for example, ‘that I also bear fruit among the other nations, Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish, I am a debtor, and the following’—so that it would not break continuity. Having inserted ‘I was hindered until now,’ he joined it to the former ‘I planned to come to you’ and the ‘that I may bear fruit,’ thus restoring the discourse’s order.] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of people who suppress the truth in injustice. It also seems to be spoken of as wrath and the servant of those who have sinned laboring, and those under him of the same servants and ministers, as when God’s wrath was set to burn in Israel, when he caused David to rise against them, he commanded Joab to number the people; but the second stands from having sent out their wrath, anger, and tribulation, vengeance through evil angels. But then, those who labor through sin—I hear according to the allotment and unrepentant heart, he stirs up anger within himself on the day of wrath, and the fact that he has reached yet his anger to the end. Regarding these matters, consider whether the things happening to the righteous, when the evil one tempts them, wrath is indeed not from God nor from heaven, but from below somewhere, or from the devil or some of his angels; yet for these, no one plausibly argues that we are to wage war before the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places, for these things will appear as those who are angry tearing apart the holy ones and bringing upon them wrath from heaven. Perhaps then there is someone from heaven’s wrath and…

Greek · §3

καυχώμενο ἐν ταῖ θλίψε ι καὶ εἰδὼ ὅτι ἡ θλίψι ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται καὶ ὑπομένων. διὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἄξιον ἦν αὐτὸν ἀφορισθῆναι εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ προγινωσκόμενον ἔσεσθαι, καὶ ἀφορισθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἀφωρίζετο εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ οὐ διὰ τὴν φύσιν ἔχουσάν τι ἐξαίρετον καὶ ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ κατασκευῇ ὑπὲρ τὰς τῶν μὴ τοιούτων φύσεις, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰς προεγνωσμένας μὲν πρότερον πράξεις ὕστερον δὲ γενομένας ἑκάστην ἐκ τῆς παρασκευῆς καὶ τῆς προαιρέσεως τῆς ἀποστολικῆς. νῦν δὲ ἀποδιδόναι εἰς τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ ῥητὸν οὐκ ἦν εὔκαιρον, παρεκβατικὸν γὰρ ἦν· διὸ εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν τάξιν θεοῦ διδόντος ἀποδοθήσεται, ὅταν τὸν ψαλμὸν διηγώμεθα. ἀρκέσει δὲ καὶ ταῦτα πεπλεονασμένα εἰς τὸ ἀφωρισμένος. 2 i 9–11 μάρτυς γάρ μου ἐστὶν ὁ θεὸς ᾧ λατρεύω ἐν τῷ πνεύματί μου ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιοῦμαι πάντοτε ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου δεόμενος εἴπως ἤδη ποτὲ εὐοδωθήσομαι ἐν τῷ θελήματι τοῦ θεοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐπιποθῶ γὰρ ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς. ἔστι δὲ καὶ χωρὶς θελήματος θεοῦ ἥκειν πρός τινα, ὥσπερ ὁ Βαλαὰμ ἀπῄει πρὸς τὸν Βαλὰκ καταρασόμενος μισθοῦ τὸν Ἰσραήλ· οἶμαι δὲ ὅτι καὶ πᾶς ἐθνικός, ἢ ὁπώσποτε τῆς θεοσεβείας ἀλλότριος, μὴ διακονούμενος ἁγίοις τῶν λυσιτελῶν τι αὐτοῖς, οὐ καὶ ἐν θελήματι θεοῦ εὐοδοῦται γίνεσθαι πρὸς οὓς γίνεται, εἰ καὶ εὐοδοῦταί ποτε· ἐ τὶ γὰρ φησὶν ἡ γραφὴ ἐν κακοῖ εὐοδία ἀνδρό . 3 11, 12 ἵνα τι μεταδῶ χάρισμα ὑμῖν πνευματικὸν εἰς τὸ στηριχθῆναι ὑμᾶς· τοῦτο δέ ἐστι συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις πίστεως ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἐμοῦ. ὡς ὄντος δὲ χαρίσματος μὴ πνευματικοῦ ἡγοῦμαι ὅτι ἀναγκαίως πρόσκειται· ἔστι γάρ τινα χαρίσματα, οὐ πνευματικά, ὡς καὶ ὁ γάμος· τὸ γὰρ πνευματικὸν οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐμποδίσαι προ ευχῇ· ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ σύνοδος ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς κωλύει. ὅτι δὲ χάρισμα ὁ γάμος δηλοῖ ὁ ἀπόστολος φήσας θέλω πάντα ἀνθρώπου εἶναι ὡ καὶ ἐμαυτόν, ἀλλ' ἕκα το ἴδιον ἔχει χάρι μα ἐκ θεοῦ· ὃ μὲν οὕτω , ὃ δὲ οὕτω . 4 i 13–15 οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο, ἵνα τινὰ καρπὸν σχῶ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν, Ἕλλησί τε καὶ βαρβάροις· σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις ὀφειλέτης εἰμί, οὕτως τὸ κατ' ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ εὐαγγελίσασθαι. [ἔστιν δὲ ἐνταῦθα καθ' ὑπερβατόν, ὃ ἐὰν μὴ τηρηθῇ μάχεται τῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ· τίς γὰρ ἂν εἴποι διὰ τοῦτο κεκωλύσθαι ἐλθεῖν πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους τὸν Παῦλον ἵνα καρπὸν ἔχῃς; τοὐναντίον γάρ, εἰ μὴ ἐκωλύθη καρπὸν εἶχεν, κωλυόμενος δὲ ἀπεστερεῖτο τοῦ καρποῦ· πῶς οὖν ἀναγνωστέον; πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἵνα τινὰ καρπὸν σχῶ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν, Ἕλλησί τε καὶ βαρβάροις, σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο· διὰ τί οὖν ἠναγκάσθη τὸ ὑπερβατὸν θεῖναι; ἐπειδὴ τῷ ἵνα καρπόν τινα ἔχω ἔμελλε συνάπτειν πολλά (οἷον τὸ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν, Ἕλλησί τε καὶ βαρβάροις, σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις ὀφειλέτης εἰμὶ καὶ τὰ ἀκόλουθα) ἵνα μὴ διακόψῃ τῇ συνεχείᾳ, παρενθεὶς τὸ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο συνῆψε τῷ προτέρῳ τῷ προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὸ ἵνα τινὰ καρπὸν ἔχω, καὶ οὕτως ἀπέδωκε τῇ τοῦ λόγου ἀκολουθίᾳ τὴν τάξιν.] 5 i 18 ἀποκαλύπτεται γὰρ ὀργὴ θεοῦ ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἀσέβειαν καὶ ἀδικίαν ἀνθρώπων τῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐν ἀδικίᾳ κατεχόντων. ἔοικε δὲ λέγεσθαι ὀργὴ καὶ ὁ διάκονος τῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις πόνων καὶ οἱ ὑπ' αὐτὸν τῶν αὐτῶν ὑπηρέται καὶ λειτουργοί, ὡς ὅτε προ ετέθη ἐκκαῆναι ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ Ἰ ραήλ, ὅτε ἀνα ει θεὶ ὑπ' αὐτῆς ∆αυεὶδ ἐκέλευσε τῷ Ἰωὰβ ἀριθμῆ αι τὸν λαόν· τὸ δὲ δεύτερον παρίσταται ἐκ τοῦ ἀπέ τειλεν εἰ αὐτοὺ θυμὸν ὀργῆ , θλίψιν καὶ ὀργήν, ἀπο τολὴν δι' ἀγγέλων πονηρῶν. ὅτε δ', αὐτοὶ οἱ δι' ἁμαρτίας πόνοι· οὕτω γὰρ ἀκούω τοῦ κατὰ τὴν κληρότητά ου καὶ ἀμεταμέλητον καρδίαν θη αυρίζει εαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆ , καὶ τοῦ ἔφθακεν δὲ εἰ αὐτοὺ ἡ ὀργὴ εἰ τέλο . πρὸς τούτοις ἐπίσκεψαι εἰ τὰ μὲν συμβαίνοντα τοῖς δικαίοις, πειράζοντος αὐτοὺς τοῦ πονηροῦ, ὀργὴ μὲν ἐστὶν οὔτε δὲ θεοῦ οὔτε ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ, ἀλλὰ κάτωθέν ποθεν ἢ τοῦ διαβόλου ἤ τινος τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ· τούτοις δέ τις οὐκ ἀπιθάνως ἀνθυποίσει τὸ εἶναι ἡμῖν τὴν πάλην πρὸ τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆ πονηρία ἐν τοῖ ἐπουρανίοι · καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα δόξει ὀργιζόμενα τοῖς ἁγίοις παλαίειν καὶ ἐπάγειν αὐτοῖς ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ ὀργήν. μήποτε οὖν ἐστί τις ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ ὀργὴ καὶ

Romans catena (u01-rem-close)§4

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4Just as what is lower has been revealed, so too does divine wrath from heaven rest upon us—though one might ask whether this wrath comes from heaven but not from God. If God has made truth known to all through the reasoning found in nature, and has revealed himself to each according to their capacity to complete that reasoning, then judgment must follow upon all ungodly and unjust deeds—more heavily for some, less for others—in proportion, so that the revelation of God’s heavenly wrath may be fulfilled. To those who, through steadfastness in good works, pursue glory, honor, and immortality, eternal life is given; but to those driven by rivalry, who reject truth while embracing injustice, wrath and anger, distress and anguish come upon every soul that does evil—first the Jew, then the Greek. Wrath is the punishment that follows sin; anger, they say, is wrath roused and made manifest, serving to convict when one suffers from sin—either through conscience being struck or through troubles that follow sin. Yet distress also follows such people, not from endurance itself, nor from fasting done for show, but only when it is bound up with anguish. No one would feel straitened if they had widened their heart like a snake’s girth and heard the apostle say, ‘Be widened, you also.’ For evil things tend to gather and narrow the soul, as the devil lies in ambush like a serpent. Glory, honor, and peace belong to everyone who does good—first the Jew, then the Greek—for God shows no partiality. Thus, the one who does good and valuable deeds, revealing their own worth, will receive honor by rising through repentance, from which they fell having become like senseless beasts; and having grasped what is worthy of immortality, they are raised in glory to eternal life. And in peace is everyone who is undistracted, not drawn aside by anything else to think or act against the truth, according to how God’s peace guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus—may peace be multiplied to you, and I give you my peace; and the prophet declares that peace will abound in the Lord’s visitation, so that false light, both by day and night, may cease to exist. For those who sinned without law will also perish without law, and those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law; for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers who will be justified. Judgment comes according to law and through law, but destruction does not submit to law—nor does anyone else destroy them so that they may be judged by a law of destruction, but destruction holds those who sinned without law. Yet those who sinned under the law, not having utterly deserted it, whether by neglect or being overcome, yet still intending to live by it, will be judged by the law. With their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another, on the day when God judges the secrets of humanity according to my gospel through Jesus Christ. [Or thus:] God judges according to the gospel, which is Paul’s gospel, and those who have made themselves worthy like him—among whom there is no sorrowful person, but only cause for joy—thus their gospel stands with God’s judgment as a minister entrusted with it. Therefore, the one who teaches something else about themselves, do they not teach themselves? The one who preaches against stealing, do they steal? The one who says not to commit adultery, do they commit adultery? The one who abhors idols, do they rob temples? The one who boasts in the law, yet transgresses it, do they dishonor God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the nations as it is written. Circumcision profits if you keep the law; but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. One must inquire how often the law is spoken, especially by the apostle, so as not to appear to contradict oneself; at times when one is circumcised, Christ does not benefit you at all; at other times, circumcision helps if one practices the law. Thus the law is, in one sense, merely the letter of Moses; in its meaning, it has been said that if one is justified by the law, it is by grace that they have surpassed it—and the law has become our guardian until Christ. There is also a spiritual law properly so called, according to which it is said that the law is holy and the commandment is holy. There is also…

Greek · §4

ἑτέρα κάτωθεν ὡς ἀποδέδεικται, οὕτως καὶ ἡμῖν ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ ὀργὴ θεοῦ ἐστίν, ἑτέρα δὲ ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ μὲν οὐ θεοῦ δέ; εἰ δὲ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὁ θεὸς διὰ τῶν ἐν τῷ φυσικῷ λόγῳ ἀφορμῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐφανέρωσεν, καὶ τὸ γνωστὸν ἑαυτοῦ ὡς ἕκαστος κεχώρηκεν ὅτε τὸν λόγον συμπεπλήρωκεν, δηλονότι ἀναγ καῖον ἔσται διὰ πάντα τὰ ἀσεβῶς γεγενημένα καὶ ἀδίκως πεπραγμένα, τοῖσδε μὲν πλείονα τοῖσδε δὲ ἐλάττονα, κατὰ ἀναλογίαν ἐλθεῖν τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ. 6 ii 7–9 τοῖς μὲν καθ' ὑπομονὴν ἔργου ἀγαθοῦ δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν ζητοῦσι ζωὴν αἰώνιον· τοῖς δὲ ἐξ ἐριθείας καὶ ἀπειθοῦσι μὲν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πει θομένοις δὲ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ θυμὸς καὶ ὀργὴ θλίψις καὶ στενοχωρία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἀνθρώπου τοῦ κατεργαζομένου τὸ κακὸν Ἰουδαίου τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνος. ὀργὴ δέ ἐστιν ὁ ἑπόμενος τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ πόνος· θυμὸν δὲ ὁρίζονται ὀργὴν ἀναθυμιωμένην καὶ διοιδαίνουσαν· οὗτος δὲ ὁ θυμὸς ἔργον ἔχει τὸ ἐλέγχειν, ἡνίκα ἂν διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας πάσχων τινά, ἤτοι τῆς συνειδήσεως αὐτῶν πληττομένης ἢ ἀκολουθούντων ἐπιπόνων τινῶν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. ἀλλὰ καὶ θλίψις ἕπεται τοῖς τοιούτοις οὐχ ἡ ὑπομονὴν κατεργαζομένη, οὐδὲ εἰ νῆστις ὢν καυχήσεται, ἀλλ' εἰ συνέζευκται στενοχωρίᾳ. οὐκ ἂν δέ τις ἐστενοχωρήθη εἰ πεποιήκει τις αὑτῷ ἀπὸ οφία πλάτο καρδία καὶ ἤκουσε τοῦ ἀποστόλου λέγοντος πλατύνθητε καὶ ὑμεῖ . συνάγειν γὰρ εἴωθεν καὶ στενοῦν τὴν ψυχὴν τὰ κακά, ὡς τὸν διάβολον ὡς ἐν ὀπῇ κατὰ τὸν ὄφιν ἐμφωλεύειν. 7 ii 10, 11 δόξα καὶ τιμὴ καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθόν, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν προσωποληψία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. ὁ τοίνυν ἐργαζόμενος τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τίμιον ἑαυτὸν ἀποφαίνων τιμὴν λήψεται, διὰ τῆς μετανοίας ἀναβαίνων, ἐξ ἧς ἐξέπεσεν ὁμοιωθεὶ τοῖ κτήνε ι τοῖ ἀνοήτοι · καὶ τὰ ἀφθαρσίας ἄξια πράγματα νοήσας ἐγείρεται ἐν δόξῃ εἰς αἰώνιον ζωήν· καὶ ἐν εἰρήνῃ δέ ἐστι πᾶς ὁ ἀπερίσπαστος καὶ μὴ περιελκόμενος ὑπό τινος ἄλλο τι νοεῖν ἢ ποιεῖν παρὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, κατὰ τὸ καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ θεοῦ φρουρή ει τὰ καρδία ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἐν Χρι τῷ Ἰη οῦ, καὶ εἰρήνη ὑμῖν πληθυνθείη, καὶ τὸ εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν· φησὶν δὲ καὶ ὁ προφήτης πλῆθο ἔσεσθαι εἰρήνη ἐν τῇ ἐπιδημίᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἕω ἀνταναιρεθῇ ἡ ελήνη, ἵνα μηκέτι νόθον ὑπάρχῃ φῶς καὶ νυκτερινόν. 8 ii 12, 13 ὅσοι γὰρ ἀνόμως ἥμαρτον ἀνόμως καὶ ἀπολοῦνται· καὶ ὅσοι ἐν νόμῳ ἥμαρτον διὰ νόμου κριθήσονται· οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ τοῦ νόμου δίκαιοι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ, ἀλλ' οἱ ποιηταὶ τοῦ νόμου δικαιωθήσονται. κριθῆναι μέν ἐστι κατὰ νόμον καὶ διὰ νόμου· τὸ δὲ ἀπολέσθαι οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται νόμον· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄλλος τις αὐτοὺς ἀπολεῖ, ἵνα κρίνῃ αὐτοὺς νόμῳ ἀπωλείας, ἀλλ' ἔχεται τοῖς ἀνόμως ἁμαρτήσασιν ἀπώλεια· ὅσοι δὲ ἐν νόμῳ ἥμαρτον μὴ πάνυ ἀποστατοῦντες αὐτοῦ ἀλλ' ἤτοι παρορῶντες ἢ καὶ νικώμενοι, μετὰ τοῦ προτίθεσθαι κατὰ νόμον ζῇν, οὗτοι δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ νόμου κριθήσονται. 9 ii 15, 16 συμμαρτυρούσης αὐτῶν τῆς συνειδήσεως καὶ μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων τῶν λογισμῶν κατηγορούντων ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε κρινεῖ ὁ θεὸς τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. [ἢ καὶ οὕτως·] κρινεῖ ὁ θεὸς κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον· ὅπερ εὐαγγέλιον Παύλου ἐστιν, καὶ τῶν παραπλησίων ἐκείνῳ καὶ ἀξίους ἑαυτοὺς πεποιηκότων οὐδενὸς σκυθρωποῦ ἀλλ' ἐφ' ᾧ χαίρειν χρή. διὸ αὐτῶν ἐστι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον σὺν τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ κρίσει διακόνῳ κεχρημένῃ. 10 ii 21–25 ὁ οὖν διδάσκων ἕτερον σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν κλέπτεις; ὁ λέγων μὴ μοιχεύειν μοιχεύεις; ὁ βδελυσσόμενος τὰ εἴδωλα ἱεροσυλεῖς; ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις; τὸ γὰρ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ δι' ὑμῶν βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι καθὼς γέγραπται· περιτομὴ μὲν γὰρ ὠφελεῖ, ἐὰν νόμον πράσσῃς· ἐὰν δὲ παραβάτης νόμου ᾖς, ἡ περιτομή σου ἀκροβυστία γέγονεν. ζητῆσαι χρὴ ποσαχῶς ὁ νόμος λέγεται, καὶ μάλιστα παρὰ τῷ ἀποστόλῳ, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ἐναντιοῦσθαι ἑαυτῷ· ποτὲ μὲν εἰ περιτέμνε θε, Χρι τὸ ὑμᾶ οὐδὲν ὠφελή ει· ποτὲ δὲ περιτομὴν ὠφελεῖν ἐὰν νόμον τις πράσσῃ. ἔστιν οὖν νόμος καθ' ἕνα τρόπον ψιλὸν τὸ Μωσέως γράμμα, καθ' ὃ σημαινόμενον εἴρηται τὸ εἰ ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦ θε τῆ χάριτο ἐξεπέ ατε· καὶ τὸ ὁ νόμο παιδαγωγὸ ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰ Χρι τόν. ἔστι καὶ ὁ κατὰ πνεῦμα νόμος κυρίως ὀνομαζόμενος, καθ' ὃ εἴρηται ὥ τε ὁ μὲν νόμο ἅγιο καὶ ἡ ἐντολὴ ἁγία. ἔστι καὶ ὁ

The Spiritual Advantage of Jews and Gentiles in Relation to the Law and Circumcision§5

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5When the Gentiles, who lack the written law, nevertheless fulfill its requirements by innate disposition, Paul speaks of a nature that is not merely biological but moral—a law written in the conscience. He extends the term “law” beyond the Torah of Moses to include the prophetic writings, as when he cites Isaiah: ‘In strange tongues and through foreign lips they will speak to this people.’ Even Christ’s ethical teaching, he suggests, functions as a law—not the law of Sinai, but the law of grace embodied in obedience to God through Christ. Thus, when Paul declares that those who seek justification by the law are severed from grace, he is not rejecting moral effort but overturning reliance on the external letter of Moses, which cannot impart life. Circumcision, he clarifies, is not the physical mutilation some imagine, but a spiritual reality: the cutting away of corruption from the heart. One who is inwardly circumcised by the Spirit profits not from ritual observance but from the renewal of the soul, which enables the practice of righteousness. Yet Paul also acknowledges that the law can be interpreted externally, through exposition, as when he addresses those from Judea: he became as a Jew to win Jews, having circumcised Timothy and observed ritual purity, not to compromise the gospel but to remove avoidable offense. To the Gentiles, however, he refuses to impose circumcision, not because he is inconsistent, but because the Abrahamic promise includes Gentile believers not as proselytes bound by Levitical codes, but as heirs through faith. The Levites, priests, and elders were never commanded to impose such rites on converts; God’s concern was always for the heart, not the periphery. When the sacred rites of sanctification were observed, both native Israelites and resident foreigners brought offerings—just as, when the ten lepers were cleansed, only the foreigner returned to give glory to God, prompting Jesus’ lament: ‘Were not ten made clean? Where are the nine?’ Even regarding the Passover, if a Gentile proselyte insists on observing it, Paul would say: though God once commanded its observance with circumcision, that requirement no longer stands, for the substance has been fulfilled in Christ; to insist on the outward rite now is to burden consciences with what was never meant to be eternal. Then comes the question: What advantage has the Jew? What profit is there in circumcision? Great in every respect. First, they were entrusted with the very oracles of God. Yet this privilege does not consist in mere possession of scrolls or mechanical recitation, but in perceiving the divine mind within them—the mysteries hidden beneath the surface. As sound reason teaches, the one who muses on divine things from personal inclination, and yet speaks of them with learned lips, is like Moses and the prophets: Jews who grasped the oracles not as texts but as truth. And if any among them resembled this, so too did the apostles of Christ, who inherited this Jewish advantage and passed it on to those who learned Christianity from them. But there is also a superior advantage for the Gentiles: from them the kingdom of God has arisen, destined to be given to a nation that bears its fruits. And if the Jews were first entrusted with the oracles, then they are also the first to have believed—for the divine deposit precedes human response, and faith follows the gift.

Greek · §5

φυσικός, καθ' ὃ εἴρηται ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύ ει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῇ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. λέγεται νόμος καὶ ἡ Μωσέως ἱστορία, ὡς ὅταν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας φάσκῃ λέγετέ μοι οἱ τὸν νόμον ἀναγινώ κοντε τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀκούετε, γέγραπται γάρ, Ἀβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺ ἔ χεν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. καλεῖ δὲ καὶ τὰ προφητικὰ νόμον, ὡς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται, ἐν ἑτερογλώ οι καὶ ἐν χείλε ιν ἑτέροι λαλή ω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ἐν Ἠσαίᾳ. μήποτε δὲ καὶ τὴν Χριστοῦ περὶ τῶν πρακτέων διδασκαλίαν νόμον καλεῖ, ὡς ὅταν φάσκῃ ἑαυτὸν μὴ ἄνομον εἶναι θεοῦ ἀλλ' ἔννομον Χρι τοῦ. ὅταν οὖν φάσκῃ οἵτινε ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦ θε τῆ χάριτο ἐξεπέ ατε, ἀνατρέπει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ Μωσέως γράμματος. περιτομὴν οὖν, ἣν αὐτός φησι νῦν, ἑτέραν λέγει παρὰ τὴν κατατομήν· καὶ νόμον, τὸν πνευματικόν. δύναται δὲ νῦν νόμος νοεῖσθαι καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὰς φυσικὰς ἐννοίας· κατὰ γὰρ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς βελτίωσιν ὁ πνευματικῶς περιτεμνόμενος ὠφελεῖται κατὰ τὴν τῶν φαύλων περιαίρεσιν, διὰ δὲ τοῦ πράττειν τὸν νόμον τὰ πρακτέα ἐργαζόμενος. δύναται δέ τις καὶ κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν ἐκτὸς ἀναγωγῆς ἐξηγήσασθαι τὸ ῥητόν, καί φησιν ὅτι πρὸς τοὺς ἀπὸ Ἰουδαίων διαλεγόμενος τοῦτό φησιν· ἐγένετο γὰρ τοῖ Ἰουδαίοι ὡ Ἰουδαῖο ἵνα Ἰουδαίου κερδή ῃ, περιτεμὼν τὸν Τιμόθεον καὶ κειράμενο καὶ καθαιρόμενος κατὰ νόμον, ὥστε καὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγειν περιτομὴ μὲν γὰρ ὠφελεῖ ἐὰν νόμον πράσσῃς, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν διαλεγόμενος ταύτην κωλύει, μὴ ἐναντιούμενος ἑαυτῷ· ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἴρηται ἐν τῷ περὶ ταύτης λόγῳ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν περιτέμνεσθαι, εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἀπὸ πέρματο αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοὺς οἰκογενεῖ καὶ ἀργυρωνήτου · ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ Λευιτικῷ περὶ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ εἴρηται μόνον· οὐκ ἀνάγκη δὲ καὶ τοὺς προσηλύτους τούτοις προσυπακούεσθαι, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τὰ περὶ τῶν Λευιτῶν ἰδικῶς νενομοθετημένα, ἢ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἱερέων, ἢ τὰ περὶ τῆς γερουσίας προσυπακούειν αὐτοῖς δίδωσι καὶ ἑτέρους. ὅταν γὰρ καὶ τοὺς προσηλύτους βούλεταί τι διαπράττεσθαι, ἰδικῶς καὶ αὐτῶν μέμνηται, ὡς ὅταν περὶ θυσίας φησίν. ἀμέλει καὶ συνεστηκότος τοῦ καλουμένου ἁγιάσματος προσέφερον καὶ προσήλυτοι· ὡς καὶ περὶ τῶν δέκα λεπρῶν τῶν καθαρθέντων ὁ κύριος ἔφη πορευθέντε δείξατε ἑαυτοὺ τοῖ ἱερεῦ ιν· ἀφ' ὧν αμαρείτη εἷς ἦν. ᾧ μαρτυρῶν ὁ σωτήρ φησιν οὐχὶ οἱ δέκα ἐκαθαρί θη αν; οἱ δὲ ἐννέα ποῦ; οὐχ εὑρέθη αν ὑπο τρέψαντε δόξαν δοῦναι τῷ θεῷ εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀλλογενὴ οὗτο . εἰ δέ τις τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἐξόδου ἀνθυποίσει περὶ τῶν ἐσθίειν τὸ πάσχα βουλομένων προσηλύτων, ὡς δεῖ αὐτοὺς περιτέμνεσθαι, φήσομεν ὡς ἐν ἑνὶ τόπῳ θύε θαι τὸ πά χα προσέταξεν ὁ θεός, τούτου δὲ μὴ ἱσταμένου νῦν περιττὴ ἡ περιτομὴ τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν. 11 iii 1–3 τί οὖν τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου, ἢ τίς ἡ ὠφέλεια τῆς περιτομῆς; πολὺ κατὰ πάντα τρόπον· πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ὅτι ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ. τί γὰρ εἰ ἠπίστησάν τινες; μὴ ἡ ἀπιστία αὐτῶν τὴν πίστιν τοῦ θεοῦ καταργήσει; μὴ γένοιτο. τὸ πιστευθῆναι τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἐν τῷ βιβλία καὶ γράμματα πι στευθῆναι χαρακτηρίζεται, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς νοῦν καὶ τὰ ἐναποκείμενα μυστήρια γινώσκεσθαι. κατὰ γὰρ τὸν ὑγιῆ λόγον ὁ οφὸ νοή ει τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου τόματο · ἐπὶ δὲ χείλε ι φορέ ει ἐπιγνωμο ύνην. τοιοῦτος ἦν Μωυσῆς καὶ οἱ προφῆται, Ἰουδαῖοι ὄντες καὶ πιστευθέντες τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ εἴ τις παρ' αὐτοῖς τούτοις παραπλήσιος. καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι δὲ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶχον τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου καὶ τὴν τῆς περιτομῆς ὠφέλειαν παρὰ τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτῶν μαθόντας τὸν χριστιανισμόν. ἔστι δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν πολὺ τὸ περισσὸν παρὰ τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς· ἀπ' ἐκείνων γὰρ ἤρθη ἡ βα ιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἵνα δοθῇ ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺ καρποὺ αὐτῆ . εἰ δὲ πρῶτοι ἐκεῖνοι ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰσὶν οἱ καὶ δεύτερον πιστευ θέντες· τὸ γὰρ πρῶτον

The Universality of Sin and the Faithfulness of God§6

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6First, we must ask: who or what comes initially? Then, who was entrusted next to perceive? It is through the one whom the Spirit grants the word of the serpent and what follows. But if someone mistakenly believes that God’s oracles are merely God’s writings, let them listen to the speaker of the psalm: the Lord’s oracles are pure words, like silver refined in fire, tested on earth, purified sevenfold. I do not think these pure words are the same as the killing letter. Just as the Jews previously mentioned were first entrusted with God’s oracles, so also some disbelieved; yet this unbelief—whether toward God or his oracles—does not annul God’s faithfulness. What then is God’s faithfulness? Is it God believing in some concerning the oracles? Or is it those entrusted with the oracles believing in God, as Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him as righteousness? I think both views have merit; for we must remember both the one who believes in God and the one entrusted with his oracles, especially in the time when scoffers mock believers, so that God’s faithfulness may not be nullified by the words of unbelievers. Let God be true though every human is a liar, as it is written, so that you may be justified in your words and prevail when judged. Therefore, let it be said not as a wish, but as a declaration: may your name be blessed to the ages. What then? Shall we excel? Not at all; for we have charged both Jews and Greeks with being under sin, as it is written: there is none righteous, not even one; none who understands; none who seeks God; all have turned aside, together become worthless; none who does kindness, not even one; their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they practice deceit; the venom of asps lies under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery lie in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes. He desires to gather explicitly how both Jews and Greeks have come under sin, beginning from what is written: there is none righteous, not even one; none who understands; none who seeks God. We have not found these exact words elsewhere, but we believe they are drawn from the thirteenth and twenty-fifth psalms, altered by the apostle: in the eighteenth psalm, it says the Lord looked down from heaven on the children of men to see if any understand or seek God; and in the twenty-fifth, God looked down from heaven on the children of men to see if any understand or seek God. It seems they equated the act of seeing whether any understand or seek God with the declaration that none understands, none seeks God. I believe the notion of ‘none righteous, not even one’ arises from ‘none does kindness, not even one,’ and thus has been established doubly: once by alteration, once by using identical words while omitting the second mention of ‘there is none.’ The ‘venom of asps under their lips’ appears in the 138th psalm; the ‘mouth full of cursing and bitterness’ seems derived from the ninth psalm: ‘his mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and deceit.’ Next: ‘their feet are swift to shed blood’—this you will find in Isaiah or other editions of Proverbs, in the passage about the hasty to shed blood, which was marked with asterisks in the Septuagint edition. As for ‘destruction and misery in their ways,’ I have not yet located it, but I suspect it is in one of the prophets; likewise, ‘the way of peace they have not known’ I place in the prophets, and in the psalms, ‘there is no fear of God before their eyes.’ Given the multiplicity of sins, not each person is guilty of all, but some by one sin, others by another, and thus all by all. We know that whatever the law says to those under it speaks, so that every mouth may be silenced and all the world held accountable to God; for no flesh will be justified before Him by works of law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. What is common to all flesh in the works of Moses’ law? And how does knowledge of sin come through Moses’ law, even among many who knew their own sins before Moses? Cain says the cause of me is greater to be released; but those who went down to Egypt toward Joseph the patriarchs speak concerning the things of Joseph, toward…

Greek · §6

τινός ἐστιν ἢ τινῶν πρῶτον. τίνες οὖν δεύτερον ἐπιστεύθησαν ἰδεῖν ἐστὶν ἐκ τοῦ ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ πνεύματο δίδοται λόγο οφία καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. εἰ δέ τις συγχεόμενος ταὐτὸν οἴεται τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ τοῖς γράμμασι τοῦ θεοῦ, προσεχέτω τῷ λέγοντι ψαλμῷ τὰ λόγια κυρίου λόγια ἁγνὰ ἀργύριον πεπυρωμένον δοκίμιον τῇ γῇ κεκαθαρι μένον ἑπταπλα ίω . ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ οἶμαι τὰ ἁγνὰ λόγια εἶναι τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ ἀποκτείννυντι γράμματι. ὥσπερ δὲ οἱ προειρημένοι Ἰουδαῖοι πρῶτοι ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ, οὕτως καί τινες ἠπίστησαν· ἀλλ' οὐχὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἴτε πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εἴτε πρὸς τὰ λόγια αὐτοῦ ἀπιστία τὴν πίστιν τοῦ θεοῦ καταργήσει. ποίαν δὲ πίστιν τοῦ θεοῦ; πότερον ἣν θεὸς πιστεύει τισὶ τὰ λόγια; ἢ ἣν οἱ πιστευθέντες τὰ λόγια πιστεύουσι τῷ θεῷ, ὡς Ἀβραὰμ ἐπί τευ ε τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογί θη αὐτῷ εἰ δικαιο ύνην; ἑκάτερον οἶμαι λόγον ἔχειν· μεμνῆσθαι γὰρ δεῖ τόν τε πιστεύοντα τῷ θεῷ καὶ τὸν πεπιστευμένον τὰ λόγια αὐτοῦ, μάλιστα ἐν καιρῷ τῆς τῶν ἀπίστων χλεύης ἣν χλευάζουσι τοὺς πεπιστευκότας, τοῦ μὴ καταργεῖσθαι τὴν πίστιν τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου τῶν ἀπιστούντων. 12 iii 4 γινέσθω δὲ ὁ θεὸς ἀληθὴς πᾶς δὲ ἄνθρωπος ψεύστης· καθὼς γέγραπται· ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε. τὸ οὖν γενηθήτω εἴρηται ἀντὶ εὐκτικοῦ, ὡς τὸ εἴη τὸ ὄνομά ου εὐλογημένον εἰ τοὺ αἰῶνα . 13 ιιι 9–18 τί οὖν; προεχόμεθα; οὐ πάντως· προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφ' ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι καθὼς γέγραπται· οὐκ ἐστὶν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς· οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνιών· οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν· πάντες ἐξέκλιναν, ἅμα ἠχρειώθησαν· οὐκ ἔστιν ποιῶν χρηστότητα, οὐκ ἔστιν ἕως ἑνός· τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν· ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν· ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν· ὧν τὸ στόμα ἀρᾶς καὶ πικρίας γέμει· ὀξεῖς οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐκχέαι αἷμα· σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ ἔγνωσαν· οὐκ ἔστιν φόβος θεοῦ ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν. βούλεται ῥητὰ συναγαγεῖν πῶς ἅπαντες Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Ἕλληνες ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν γεγόνασιν, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ καθὼς γέγραπται οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνιών, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν· ὅπερ αὐταῖς λέξεσιν οὐχ εὕρομέν που γεγραμμένον, ἀλλὰ νομίζομεν ἀπὸ τοῦ τρισκαιδεκάτου ψαλμοῦ καὶ τοῦ νβʹ μεταπεποιῆσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὰ ῥητά· ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ ιγʹ ψαλμῷ εἴρηται κύριο ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διέκυψεν ἐπὶ τοὺ υἱοὺ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῦ ἰδεῖν εἰ ἔ τιν υνιὼν ἢ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν· ἐν δὲ τῷ νβʹ ὁ θεὸ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διέκυψεν ἐπὶ τοὺ υἱοὺ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῦ ἰδεῖν εἰ ἔ τι υνιὼν ἢ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν. ἔοικεν οὖν νενοηκέναι ἰσοδυναμεῖν τὸ τοῦ ἰδεῖν εἰ ἔ τι υνιὼν ἢ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεὸν τῷ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνιών, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν. καὶ τὸ οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς νομίζω γεγονέναι ἐκ τοῦ οὐκ ἔ τι ποιῶν χρη τότητα, οὐκ ἔ τιν ἕω ἑνό · ὥστε τῇ δυνάμει δὶς αὐτὸν τεθεικέναι, ἅπαξ μὲν μεταποιήσαντα, ἅπαξ δὲ λέξεσι ταῖς αὐταῖς χρησάμενον, καὶ παραλιπόντα τὸ δεύτερον εἰρημένον οὐκ ἔστιν. τὸ δὲ ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν, αὐταῖς λέξεσι κεῖται ἡ χρῆσις ἐν τῷ ρλθʹ ψαλμῷ· τὸ δ' ἐπὶ τούτοις ὧν τὸ στόμα ἀρᾶς καὶ πικρίας γέμει ἔοικεν γεγονέναι ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐνάτῳ ψαλμῷ οὕτως εἰρημένου οὗ ἀρᾶ τὸ τόμα αὐτοῦ γέμει καὶ πικρία καὶ δόλου. εἶθ' ἑξῆς τοῦτο ἐστιν· ὀξεῖς οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐκχέαι αἷμα· τοῦτο δὲ ζητήσεις ἐν τῷ Ἠσαίᾳ, ἢ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις τῶν Παροιμιῶν ἐκδόσεσιν, ἐν τῷ ταχεινοὶ ἐκχέαι αἷμα, ὃ μετὰ ἀστερίσκων προσετέθη ἐν τῇ ἐκδόσει τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα. τὸ δὲ σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἀνεγνωκώς· οἶμαι δὲ ἐν τινὶ τῶν προφητῶν γεγράφθαι τὸ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, ἐν δὲ ψαλμοῖς οὐκ ἔστιν φόβος θεοῦ ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν. πλήθους δὲ ὄντων ἁμαρτημάτων, οὐ πάντως ἕκαστος ἔνοχός ἐστι τοῖς ἅπασιν, ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν τῷδε τῷ ἁμαρτήματι οἱ δὲ τῷδε, καὶ οὕτω τοὺς πάντας τοῖς πᾶσιν. 14 ιιι 19, 20 οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ, ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ θεῷ· διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ· διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας. τί κοινὸν πρὸς πᾶσαν σάρκα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Μωσέως νόμου; πῶς δὲ καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐπίγνωσις διὰ τοῦ νόμου Μωυσέως γίνεται, πολλῶν καὶ πρὸ Μωσέως ἐπεγνωκότων τὰ ἴδια ἁμαρτήματα; Κάιν μὲν γάρ φησι μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με· οἱ δὲ εἰς Αἴγυπτον καταβάντες πρὸς τὸν Ἰωσὴφ πατριάρχαι λέγουσιν ἐπὶ τοῖς τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ πρὸς

The Revelation of God's Righteousness Apart from the Law§7

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7He remarks on these matters regarding our brother and what follows. Even if Job lived before Moses, he insists that even if he sinned deliberately, he concealed his transgression and what follows. Thus it seems to me that it is not the Mosaic law now being addressed to the apostle, but the natural law, which also stands written in the hearts of humanity. Who then are those under the law? Or is every person who fulfills the word a human being? For those still living apart from the law are not under it—such as Paul once was. Yet the saints whom he foreknew and predestined, he also called, justified, and glorified, both within and beyond the law; therefore their mouths will not be silenced, nor will they become guilty before God, for they are not flesh. And if they are justified, it is not by works of law, since the law does not justify through works, but through inherent righteousness. Thus, through the law comes the awareness of sin, just as through medical insight comes the recognition of illness, especially the hidden ailment and the sufferer himself. Moreover, just as the adulterer and murderer ought to be punished by law, the Lord has withdrawn the prohibition, so that it is no longer the law’s will but the grace of the lawgiver. Therefore, having spoken precisely that works of the law do not justify, he did not add 'Every person' but 'Every flesh'. For justification by intention is possible when the intention inclines toward the law, but not by works; for the works of the flesh are whatever the soul chooses. Now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, witnessed by the law and the prophets; the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all and upon all who believe. What he says is this: just as knowledge of sin does not come through the law, so neither does the revelation of God’s righteousness come through the law; for apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed, surpassing natural principles, which are insufficient to grasp righteousness—not merely, but his righteousness, whose judgments are unsearchable. Therefore, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, whose teacher is Christ, receiving nothing from nature into the representation of divine righteousness. This was testified, just as by prophetic words spoken in the Holy Spirit enigmatically, and by the law of Moses the prophet. And do not wonder if two meanings of the one word 'law' are taken in the same place; for we will find this custom also in other writings; for example, do you not still say 'four-month' and 'the summer comes'? Lift up your eyes and see the land, that it is white already for summer. For twice there the harvest is named: according to the former, it refers to the bodily; according to the latter, to the spiritual. If indeed the same law is received by some, yet if apart from the law it is revealed, it is not witnessed by the law; if it is witnessed by the law, then it is not revealed apart from the law. There is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith in his blood. It is right to set forth those who have come after blood, according to the law of propitiations, that they may be found among the things set forth and of which the written things are symbols. It is written therefore after the sacrifice of the high priest in Leviticus, that if the whole congregation sins in ignorance, and a word escapes from the eyes of the congregation, and they do any one of the commandments of the Lord which ought not to be done, and they become guilty, and they know their sin which they have committed therein, then the congregation shall bring a young bull for the sin, and after a little while, if the priest, the anointed one, takes the blood of the bull and brings it to the tent of meeting, and again after a little while and does thus concerning the bull for the sin, so it shall be done for him and the priest shall make atonement for them and they shall be forgiven. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By works? No, but by the law of faith. Since all boasting from works has been excluded from all people, therefore everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, even if he speaks truthfully, saying 'God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men', and what follows. But by the law of faith, all boasting is excluded which people would make who do not understand justification from faith.

Furthermore, the divine righteousness manifested apart from the law is not a mere echo of natural order but a surpassing reality, disclosed not through legal observance but through the faithful witness of Christ, who embodies it without deriving it from created principles. This revelation, attested both by the Spirit-inspired prophets and the Mosaic testament, carries a dual significance in the term 'law'—sometimes pointing to ceremonial observance, sometimes to the eternal moral order—just as we speak of 'four-month' harvests and the coming of summer, where one refers to the grain’s cycle and the other to the season’s turn. The land lies white for reaping, already ready for the sickle, symbolizing how the same divine action can be understood in bodily and spiritual senses. Those who receive the law yet find its truth revealed apart from it do not contradict the law’s witness; rather, the law points beyond itself to the grace it cannot give. All have fallen short of divine glory, yet all are justified not by merit but by the free gift of grace in Christ Jesus, the atoning sacrifice whose blood satisfies divine justice. Those who come after this sacrifice are to be received as living symbols of the true atonement, as prescribed in Leviticus: when the congregation sins unwittingly, and a command is broken unknowingly, and guilt follows awareness, they offer a bull, whose blood the priest brings into the sanctuary, making atonement and securing pardon. Thus boasting is silenced—not by human achievement, but by the law of faith, which excludes all pride rooted in works. Even the one who thanks God he is not like others shall be humbled, for true faith knows no ground for self-exaltation. And so, through faith alone, the boastful mouth is closed, and the humble heart is lifted.

Greek · §7

αὐτοὺς λόγοις τὸ ἐν ἁμαρτίαι ἐ μὲν περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴπερ ὁ Ἰὼβ δείκνυται πρὸ Μωσέως γεγονέναι, φησὶν εἰ δὲ καὶ ἁμαρτὼν ἑκου ίω ἔκρυψα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μου καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ὥστε δοκεῖ μοι μὴ τὸν Μωσέως νόμον νῦν λέγεσθαι τῷ ἀποστόλῳ ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ φυσικοῦ, ὃς καὶ γέγραπται ἐν ταῖ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων. τίνες δ' ἂν εἶεν οἱ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ; ἢ πᾶς ὁ συμπληρώσας τὸν λόγον ἄνθρωπος; οὐκ εἰσὶ γὰρ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ οἱ ἔτι ζῶντε χωρὶ νόμου, ὁποῖος ἦν καὶ Παῦλός ποτε. πλὴν οἱ ἅγιοι οὓς προέγνω καὶ προώρι εν καὶ ἐκάλε εν καὶ ἐδικαίω εν καὶ ἐδόξα εν νόμο εἰ ὶ καὶ οὐκ ἐν νόμῳ· διόπερ οὐ φραγήσεται αὐτῶν τὸ στόμα, οὐδὲ ὑπόδικοι γενήσονται τῷ θεῷ, οὐ γὰρ εἰσὶ σάρξ· καὶ εἰ δικαιοῦνται δέ, οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, νόμος γὰρ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου δικαιωθήσεται, αὐτόθεν δίκαιος ὤν. οὕτω δὲ διὰ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας, ὡς διὰ ἰατρικῆς ἐπίγνωσις νόσου, καὶ μάλιστα τῆς λανθανούσης καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν νοσοῦντα. [καὶ ἄλλως δὲ] ὅσον ἐπὶ τῷ νόμῳ τιμωρηθῆναι τὸν μοιχεύοντα ἐχρῆν καὶ τὸν φονεύοντα κολάζεσθαι βουλομένῳ πάντως, τὸ δὲ κύριο ἀφεῖλεν τὸ ἀνόμημά ου οὐκέτι βούλημα ἦν τοῦ νόμου ἀλλὰ χάρις τοῦ δεδωκότος τὸν νόμον. διὰ τοῦτο ἀκριβῶς εἰπὼν τὸ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐκ ἐπήγαγε Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἀλλὰ Πᾶσα σάρξ. διαθέσει μὲν γὰρ δικαιοῦσθαι δυνατόν, ὅταν τῇ προθέσει πρὸς τὸ τοῦ νόμου ῥέπῃ βούλημα, ἔργοις δὲ οὐκέτι δυνατόν· τὰ δὲ ἔργα σαρκὸς ἅπερ ἂν ἕληται ψυχή. 15 21, 22 νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν· δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας. ὃ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· οὐχ ὥσπερ διὰ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας, οὕτως καὶ φανέρωσις δικαιοσύνης θεοῦ διὰ νόμου γίνεται, χωρὶς γὰρ νόμου δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται· μείζων γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δικαιοσύνη τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν φυσικῶν ἀφορμῶν, αἵτινες οὐκ εἰσὶν αὐτάρκεις πρὸς τὸ κατανοῆσαι δικαιοσύνην, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἀλλὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗ τὰ δικαιούμενα κρίματα ἀνεξερευνητά ἐ τι. διὸ νυνὶ χωρὶς νόμου πεφανέρωται ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιοσύνη, ἧς διδάσκαλός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός, ἐν μηδενὶ παραλαμβάνων εἰς παράστασιν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιοσύνης τὸν τῆς φύσεως νόμον. ἐμαρτυρεῖτο δὲ αὕτη, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ τῶν προφητικῶν λόγων ἐξ ἁγίου πνεύματος αἰνιγματωδῶς εἰρημένων, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου Μωυσέως νόμου. καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς εἰ δύο σημαινόμενα τοῦ ἑνὸς ὀνόματος τοῦ νόμου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ παρείληπται τόπῳ· εὑρήσομεν γὰρ ταύτην τὴν συνήθειαν καὶ ἐν ἄλλαις γραφαῖς· οἷον οὐχ ὑμεῖ λέγετε ἔτι τετράμηνό ἐ τιν καὶ ὁ θερι μὸ ἔρχεται; ἐπάρατε τοὺ ὀφθαλμοὺ ὑμῶν καὶ θεά α θε τὰ χώρα ὅτι λευκαί εἰ ι πρὸ θερι μὸν ἤδη. δὶς γὰρ ἐκεῖ ὁ θερισμὸς ὀνομασθείς, κατὰ μὲν τὸ πρότερον ἐπὶ τὸν σωματικὸν ἀναφέρεται, κατὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον ἐπὶ τὸν πνευματικόν. εἴπερ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς νόμος παρείληπται κατά τινας, εἰ μὲν χωρὶς νόμου πεφανέρωται οὐχ ὑπὸ νόμου μαρτυρεῖται, εἰ δὲ ὑπὸ νόμου μαρτυρεῖται οὐ χωρὶς τοῦ νόμου πεφανέρωται. 16 22–25 οὐ γάρ ἐστι διαστολή· πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι· διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ὃν προέθετο ὁ θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι. δίκαιον δὲ παραθέσθαι τοὺς μετὰ αἵματος γενομένους κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἱλασμούς, ἵν' εὑρεθῇ ἐκ τῶν παρατιθεμένων καὶ ὧν ἐστὶ σύμβολα τὰ γεγραμ μένα. γέγραπται τοίνυν μετὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀρxiερέως θυσίαν ἐν τῷ Λευιτικῷ ἐὰν δὲ πᾶ α υναγωγὴ ἀγνοή ῃ, καὶ λάθῃ ῥήμα ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν τῆ υναγωγῆ , καὶ ποιή ω ι μίαν ἁπα ῶν τῶν ἐντολῶν κυρίου ἣ οὐ ποιηθή εται, καὶ πλημμελή ω ι, καὶ γνω θῇ αὐτοῖ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἣν ἥμαρτον ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ προ άξει ἡ υναγωγὴ μό χον ἐκ βοῶν περὶ τῆ ἁμαρτία · εἶτα μετ' ὀλίγα καὶ εἰ οί ει ὁ ἱερεὺ ὁ χρι τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματο τοῦ μό χου εἰ τὴν κηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου· καὶ πάλιν μετ' ὀλίγα καὶ ποιή ει φησὶ τὸν μό χον ὃν τρόπον ἐποίη εν τὸν μό χον τῆ ἁμαρτία · οὕτω ποιηθή εται αὐτῷ καὶ ἐξιλά εται περὶ αὐτῶν ὁ ἱερεὺ καὶ ἀφεθή εται αὐτοῖ . 17 iii 27 ποῦ οὖν ἡ καύχησις; ἐξεκλείσθη· διὰ ποίου νόμου; τῶν ἔργων; οὐχί· ἀλλὰ διὰ νόμου πίστεως. ἐπεὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἐξ ἔργων ἀπεκλείσθη πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις καύχησις, διὰ τοῦτο πᾶ ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθή εται, κἂν ἀληθεύων λέγῃ τὸ ὁ θεὸ εὐχαρι τῶ οι ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὡ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. διὰ νόμου δὲ πίστεως ἐκκλείεται πᾶσα καύχησις ἣν καυχήσαιντο ἄνθρωποι μὴ νοοῦντες τὴν ἐκ πίστεως δικαίωσιν· οὐκ

Justification by Faith Alone: The Cross as Sole Ground of Boasting and the Law Upheld, Not Nullified§8

8Boasting in legal observance has no place; Paul declares, 'Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.' He affirms that he will glory in nothing else. Thus we conclude that a person is justified by faith, independent of works of the law. The law of faith is sufficient for justification, even for those who have done nothing. We demonstrate this through the thief on the cross and the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume, whose sins were forgiven not by deeds but by faith, and to whom he said, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace' RomansAfter coming to know the truth, sin destroys grace, as Paul will later make clear. He also maintains that even works done before faith, if they appear commendable, do not justify unless grounded in faith. Is God the God of Jews alone? Certainly not; he is also God of the Gentiles, since there is one God who justifies the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. What advantage then does the circumcised person justified by faith have over the uncircumcised justified through faith? Not that Paul exercised his privileges differently. Just as a wife says she comes from her husband and the husband says he comes through his wife—she originates from him first, not through him; he originates from his ancestors first, then through her—so circumcision holds a position of priority, and the uncircumcised seeks justification through faith to be justified, not having originated from faith; but the believer approaches circumcision, especially the hidden kind Paul refers to, making justification by faith superior to justification through faith, just as being from a man is preferable to being through a woman. Regarding the Savior, it is not said that he came through a woman, for although all people come through women after coming from men, the Savior did not come from a man, so he came from a woman but not through her. Do we then abolish the law by faith? Certainly not! We uphold the law. Why did he say 'through faith' rather than 'by faith'? The one justified by faith is circumcision; if the law were annulled by faith, then circumcision justified by faith would be annulled; but the uncircumcised justified through faith would annul the law. Yet we received the Mosaic law through faith, not annulled, for faith establishes the law as originating from God. This is evident when speaking of genuine faith. If someone objects from 2 Corinthians about the ministry of death inscribed in stone being glorious, so that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its radiance, we ask: Is it that the law is annulled, or that we annul the law? Paul does not annul the law; if it is annulled, it is by the surpassing glory of Christ, of whom it is said he is Lord of the Sabbath, and the fading glory was not glorified in comparison to the surpassing glory. The enduring he named Christ’s; the fading, the law annulled, since the law serves as a guardian until the fullness of time. If Abraham had been justified by works, he would have had something to boast about—but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? He believed, and it was credited to him as righteousness Romans.

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Greek · §8

ἐκκλείεται δὲ ἡ ἐκ πίστεως καύχησις, ὁποία ἦν ἡ Παύλου λέγοντος ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶ θαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ ταυρῷ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰη οῦ Χρι τοῦ, δι' οὗ ἐμοὶ κό μο ἐ ταύρωται κἀγὼ τῷ κό μῳ· μονονουχὶ γάρ φησιν ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶ θαι ἐπ' οὐδεμίᾳ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἢ ἐν μόνῳ τῷ ταυρῷ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰη οῦ Χρι τοῦ. 18 ιιι 28 λογιζόμεθα οὖν πίστει δικαιοῦσθαι ἄνθρωπον χωρὶς ἔργων νόμου. ὅτι δὲ ἀρκεῖ εἰς δικαίωσιν ὁ τῆς πίστεως νόμος καθόλου μηδὲν ἐργασαμένοις ἡμῖν, ἔχομεν δεῖξαι τὸν συσταυρωθέντα λῃστὴν τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ κατὰ Λουκᾶν ἁμαρτωλὸν γυναῖκα τὴν κομί α αν ἀλάβα τρον μύρου καὶ τᾶ αν παρὰ τοὺ πόδα τοῦ Ἰη οῦ καὶ διαπραξαμένην ἅπερ ἀναγέγραπται πεποιηκέναι. ἐξ οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἔργου ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς πίστεως ἀφέωνται ταύτης αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, καὶ ἤκουσεν τὸ ἡ πί τι ου έ ωκέν ε πορεύου εἰ εἰρήνην. ὅτι δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν ἀδικία γενομένη ἀθετεῖ τὴν χάριν τοῦ δικαιώσαντος σαφῶς αὐτὸς ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς παραστήσει. ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι, φησίν, ὅτι καὶ τὰ πρὸ τῆς πίστεως ἔργα κἂν δοκῇ εἶναι δεξιά, ὡς μὴ ἐποικοδομηθέντα καλῷ θεμελίῳ τῇ πίστει, οὐ δικαιοῖ τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτά. 19 iii 29, 30 ἢ Ἰουδαίων ὁ θεὸς μόνον; οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ ἐθνῶν; ναί, καὶ ἐθνῶν· ἐπείπερ εἷς ὁ θεὸς ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως καὶ ἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως. τίνι διαφέρει ἡ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιουμένη περιτομὴ τῆς δικαιουμένης διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἀκροβυστίας; οὐ γὰρ νομιστέον ὡς ἔτυχεν Παῦλον ταῖς προθέσεσι διαφόρως κεχρῆσθαι. οἷον καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους ἡ γυνή φησιν ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸ ὁ δὲ ἀνὴρ διὰ τῆ γυναικό . δοκεῖ δέ μοι οἰκειότερον εἶναι τὸ ἔκ τινος τῷ ἐξ οὗ <ἤ>περ τὸ διά τινος τῷ δι' οὗ· ἡ μὲν γὰρ γυνὴ πρώτως ἐξ ἀνδρός ἐστιν, οὐδέποτε δι' ἀνδρός· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐξ ἄλλου ποτὲ γυνὴ ἵνα γένηται δι' ἀνδρός· καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὰν ἀκούῃ τούτων κατὰ τὸν Ἀδὰμ καὶ τὴν Εὖαν, διὰ τὸ τοῦτο νῦν ὀ τοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὀ τῶν μου καὶ ὰρξ ἐκ τῆ αρκό μου. ὁ δὲ ἀνὴρ οὐδέποτε ἐκ τῆς γυναικός· ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς πρώτως ἐξ ἀνδρὸς ὢν μετὰ ταῦτα γίνεται διὰ γυναικός· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οὐκέτι ἁρμόζει ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἀλλ' ἐπὶ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς μετ' ἐκεῖνον. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν εὐγενέστερον περιτομὴ ἀκροβυστίας, δικαιοῦται περιτομὴ ὡσπερεὶ βέλτιον τῆς ἀκροβυστίας ὑπάρχον, τὸ δὲ ὑποδεέστερον ἡ ἀκροβυστία ὁδεύει διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἵνα δικαιωθῇ, οὐκ ἐλθοῦσα ἐκ πίστεως· πιστεύσας γάρ τις ἔρχεται εἰς τὴν περιτομήν, καὶ μάλιστα ἥν φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος τὴν ἐν κρυπτῷ· ὥστε βέλτιον ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῆναι ἢ διὰ πίστεως, ὡς βέλτιον νοεῖται τὸ ἐξ ἀνδρὸ καθὸ ἐξ ἀνδρός, <ἢ> τὸ διὰ γυναικὸ καθὸ διὰ γυναικός. περὶ δὲ τοῦ σωτῆρος οὐκ εἴρηται διὰ γυναικὸ ὅτι ἐπὶ παντὸς μὲν ἀνθρώπου χώραν ἔχει τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ πρὸ τοῦ διὰ γυναικὸς γέγονεν ἐξ ἀνδρός, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ σωτῆρος μὴ γενομένου ἐξ ἀνδρὸς οὐκ ἔχει τὸ γεγονέναι αὐτὸν διὰ γυναικό · διόπερ ἐκεῖ, ἐπεὶ τὸ γεγενημένον ἐκ τῆ αρκὸ άρξ ἐ τιν, ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ, μὴ γενομένη ἐξ ἀνδρός, γέγονεν ἐκ γυναικὸ καὶ οὐ διὰ γυναικός. 20 iii 31 νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως; μὴ γένοιτο, ἀλλὰ νόμον ἱστάνομεν. ζητοῦμεν διατί μὴ εἶπεν Ἐκ πίστεως ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς πίστεως. τὸ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιούμενον ἡ περιτομή ἐστιν, καὶ οὐκ ἀμφιβάλλομέν φησιν εἰ μὴ καταργεῖται ἐκ πίστεως νόμος, δικαιουμένης ἐκ τῆς πίστεως τῆς περιτομῆς· τῆς δὲ ἀκροβυστίας διὰ τῆς πίστεως δικαιουμένης καταργεῖται ὁ νόμος. ἀλλὰ νῦν νόμον ἐλάβομεν τὸν Μωσέως διὰ τῆς πίστεως οὐ καταργούμενον· ἡ γὰρ πίστις ἵστησι καὶ τὸν νόμον ὡς ἐκ θεοῦ ὄντα· πρόδηλον δὲ ὡς περὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως φαμέν. εἰ δέ τις ἀντιθήσει ἐκ τῆς δευτέρας πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστολῆς τὸ εἰ δὲ ἡ διακονία τοῦ θανάτου ἐν γράμμα ιν ἐντετυπωμένη λίθοι ἐγενήθη ἐν δόξῃ ὥ τε μὴ δύνα θαι ἀτενί αι τοὺ υἱοὺ Ἰ ραὴλ εἰ τὸ πρό ωπον Μωυ έω διὰ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ προ ώπου αὐτοῦ τὴν καταργουμένην, ἐροῦμεν ὅτι οὐ ταὐτόν ἐστι τὸ Νόμος οὖν καταργεῖται; τῷ νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν; οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐνεργεῖ ὁ Παῦλος τὸ καταργεῖν τὸν νόμον. εἰ γὰρ καὶ καταργεῖται, ὑπὸ τῆς ὑπερβαλλού η δόξη τοῦ Χριστοῦ· κύριο γάρ ἐ τι τοῦ αββάτου φησίν· καὶ οὐ δεδόξα ται τὸ δεδοξα μένον ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει ὡς πρὸς σύγκρισιν τῆς ὑπερβαλλού η δόξη . μένον γοῦν ὠνόμασε τὸ Χριστοῦ· τὸ δὲ μὴ μένον καταργούμενον, ἐπεὶ ὁ νόμο παιδαγωγὸ ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου. 21 iv 2, 3 εἰ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἔχει καύχημα· ἀλλ' οὐ πρὸς τὸν θεόν· τί γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ λέγει; ἐπίστευσε δὲ

Faith Credited as Righteousness Apart from Works§9

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9Abraham placed his trust in God, and that trust was counted as righteousness. The text does not specify exactly what he believed about God, though the apostle seems to treat it as a general conviction. If belief were truly universal, then it would necessarily include every particular; but if Abraham only believed God concerning the specific promises made to him, it does not follow that his belief was all-encompassing, for there are degrees and measures in how one trusts God. Thus, while Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness, no such reckoning is recorded when Israel witnessed the mighty acts of the Lord against Egypt, feared the Lord, and believed in Him and in Moses His servant. I suspect those from the nations who have not been careful in reading Scripture will now be presented with the explicit statement from Genesis—not as Paul placed it at the outset—but only as a bare acknowledgment that Abraham believed in God. Such a precise writer would not have framed Abraham’s belief and its reward as righteousness unless he meant to emphasize the gift nature of that credit. It is therefore likely that in the Epistle to the Romans, the apostle intends to show that it was faith—specifically Abraham’s faith—that was credited to him for righteousness. Now we turn to Abraham himself. To the one who labors, the wage is not regarded as a gift but as a debt owed; but to the one who does not work, yet trusts in the One who justifies the ungodly, that faith is counted as righteousness. Nothing that God gives to human nature as due is actually given as an obligation; rather, all is bestowed as grace. Even the good deeds performed are not done out of a sense of owed beneficence, but flow from God’s will to extend grace to whomever He chooses to bless. We must grasp this simply and universally: it applies clearly to those who work for wages and receive them not as grace but as what is due. This too can be said of those like Cain, who till the soil and do evil works—for I regard such actions as owed, as wages to be paid to sinners. Hence the apostle declares that the wages of sin are death, but no longer are the wages of God seen as owed things like eternal life; instead, eternal life is given as His grace. For He says that the grace of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. We must not suppose that in the gospel, the principle by which you measure will be measured back to you refers to excellent works; for we stand by grace, and this is not from us, but the gift of God, so that no one may boast. Regarding the measure of our sins, the punishments must be understood as given to us.

Furthermore, just as David speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works—blessed are those whose lawlessness is forgiven, whose sins are covered, blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not count sin—this blessedness, then, is it tied to circumcision or to uncircumcision? We say that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness—but how? Was it while he was circumcised, or while he was uncircumcised? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision; and he received the sign of circumcision as a seal, a seal of the righteousness that comes by faith in the uncircumcised state, so that he might be the father of all who believe without circumcision, and that righteousness might be credited to them as well. And he is father not only of the circumcised, but also of those who walk in the steps of the faith that our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. He receives, after being justified by faith, the sign of circumcision as it were a seal.

Greek · §9

Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην. ἐπὶ τίνι ἐπίστευσεν Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ οὐ πάνυ σαφῶς διηγήσατο ἡ γραφή· ἔοικεν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος καθόλου αὐτὸν ἐκλαμβάνειν πεπιστευκέναι. καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς, εἰ μὲν τὸ καθόλου, πάντως καὶ τὸ κατὰ μέρος· εἰ δ' ἐπὶ τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐπίστευσεν τῷ θεῷ, οὐκ ἀκολουθεῖ ὅτι καθόλου ἐπίστευσεν· ἔστιν γὰρ μέτρα τοῦ πιστεύειν θεῷ· διὸ Ἀβραὰμ μὲν ἐπίστευσε τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, οὐδὲν δὲ τοιοῦτον γέγραπται ἡνίκα εἶδεν Ἰ ραὴλ τὴν χεῖρα τὴν μεγάλην ἃ ἐποίη ε κύριο τοῖ Αἰγυπτίοι · καὶ ἐφοβήθη ὁ λαὸ τὸν κύριον· καὶ ἐπί τευ ε τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ Μω ῇ τῷ θεράποντι αὐτοῦ, οὐ πρόσκειται δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τὸ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην. νομίζω δὲ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν μὴ ἐπιστήσαντας τῇ ἀκριβείᾳ τῆς γραφῆς ἐκτεθήσεσθαι τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς Γενέσεως ῥητὸν οὐχ ὡς Παῦλος αὐτὸ ἔθηκεν ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ· οὐκ ἂν γὰρ ὁ οὕτως ἀκριβὴς ἐξέθετο τὸ ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, ἀλλ' ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ. οὕτω δὲ εἰκὸς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς γεγράφθαι ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ ὅτι ἐλογί θη ἡ πί τι τῷ Ἀβραὰμ εἰ δικαιο ύνην. νυνὶ δὲ ἔχομεν ἡμεῖς Ἀβραάμ. 22 iv 4, 5 τῷ δὲ ἐργαζομένῳ ὁ μισθὸς οὐ λογίζεται κατὰ χάριν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ὀφείλημα· τῷ δὲ μὴ ἐργαζομένῳ, πιστεύοντι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἀσεβῆ, λογίζεται ἡ πίστις αὐτοῦ εἰς δικαιοσύνην. οὐδὲν ὧν δίδωσιν ὁ θεὸς τῇ γενητῇ φύσει ὡς ὀφείλων δίδωσιν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὡς χάριν δωρεῖται· καὶ πάντα τὰ εὐεργετούμενα οὐκ ὀφειλομένης αὐτοῖς εὐεργεσίας εὐεργετεῖται, ἀλλὰ τῷ βούλεσθαι τὸν θεὸν ἰδίᾳ χάριτι εὐεργετεῖν οὓς ἂν εὐεργετῇ. νῦν οὖν νομιστέον αὐτὸ ἁπλούστερον καὶ καθόλου εἰρῆσθαι καὶ ἄλλως κοινότερον νοούμενον ἐπὶ τῶν οἱστισινοῦν ἐργαζομένων καὶ τὸν μισθὸν ἀπ' ἐκείνων λαμβανόντων, οὐ κατὰ χάριν ἀλλὰ κατὰ ὀφείλημα. ἡγητέον δὲ αὐτὸ δύνασθαι λέγεσθαι φέρε εἰπεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν ὡς Κάιν ἐργαζο μένων τὴν γῆν καὶ ποιούντων ἔργα πονηρά· τούτοις γὰρ ὡς ὀφειλόμενα νομίζω καὶ ὡς μισθὸν τῶν ἡμαρτημένων ἀποδίδοσθαι τὰς κολάσεις. διὸ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ὀψώνια μὲν τῆ ἁμαρτία ἔφησεν εἶναι τὸν θάνατον· οὐκέτι δὲ ὀψώνια καὶ ὡσπερεὶ ὀφειλόμενα ἀπὸ θεοῦ τὴν αἰώνιον ζωήν, ἀλλὰ χάρι μα αὐτοῦ· φησὶ γὰρ τὸ χάρι μα τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιο ἐν Χρι τῷ Ἰη οῦ τῷ κρίῳ ἡμῶν. οὐ νομιστέον οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν κρειττόνων ἔργων λέγεσθαι ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τὸ ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε ἀντιμετρηθή εται ὑμῖν· χάριτι γάρ ἐ μεν ε ω μένοι· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ἡμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον, ἵνα μή τι καυχή ηται. πρὸς δὲ μέτρον τῶν ἡμαρτημένων ἡμῖν δίδοσθαι τὰς κολάσεις ὑποληπτέον. 23 iv 6–9 καθάπερ καὶ ∆αυεὶδ λέγει τὸν μακαρισμὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ᾧ ὁ θεὸς λογίζεται δικαιοσύνην χωρὶς ἔργων· μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι, καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι· μακάριος ἀνὴρ ᾧ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν· ὁ μακαρισμὸς οὖν οὗτος, ἐπὶ τὴν περιτομὴν ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν; μηκέτι πραττομένου τοῦ χείρονος ἄφεσις εἰκὸς δύναται γενέσθαι ἀνομιῶν· ἀγαθοῦ δ' ἐπιτελουμένου, ὡς τὰ γενόμενα κώλυμα γενέσθαι τῶν προημαρτημένων ἐξαφανίζοντα αὐτῶν τὴν φύσιν, ἐπικαλύπτονται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι· ὧν προαγόντων, οὐδὲ λογίζεται ἔτι κύριός τινι τὸ ἡμαρτηκέναι. 24 iv 9–12 λέγομεν γὰρ ὅτι ἐλογίσθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην· πῶς οὖν ἐλογίσθη; ἐν περιτομῇ ὄντι, ἢ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ; οὐκ ἐν περιτομῇ ἀλλ' ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ· καὶ σημεῖον ἔλαβεν περιτομῆς, σφραγῖδα τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐν τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πατέρα πάντων τῶν πιστευόν των δι' ἀκροβυστίας, εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι καὶ αὐτοῖς τὴν δικαιοσύνην· καὶ πατέρα περιτομῆς τοῖς οὐκ ἐκ περιτομῆς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς στοιχοῦσι τοῖς ἴχνεσι τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐν τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ. λαμβάνει δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἐκ πίστεως δικαίωσιν σημεῖον περιτομῆς ὡσπερεὶ σφραγῖδα

Faith as the True Seal and Inheritance Beyond Law§10

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10When the faithful turn aside like the sealed, the mystery of those justified by faith unfolds. Those who, after believing, emerge from Abraham’s circumcision—yet remain distinct from the faithful—may be counted as his children or reckoned as his offspring, forming a people apart from the uncircumcised justified by faith. The seal remained intact as long as no one from faith and uncircumcision had arrived. But when the foretold people formed from the uncircumcised justified by faith appeared, the seal and its sign were loosed, so that it could be said to the one desiring that seal: if you circumcise, Christ profits you nothing. For the law brings wrath; where there is no law, there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes through faith, so that it may rest upon grace, ensuring the promise is sure for all Abraham’s seed—not only those under the law, but also those who share Abraham’s faith, who is father of us all, as it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’ Before him, he believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. One must hear the apostle here without contention and grasp his intent. Some claim: ‘If there is no law nor transgression in that place, then surely no one transgressed before Moses.’ But if no one transgressed, then no one is blameworthy—not Cain, nor those who perished in the flood due to their own sins, nor the Sodomites in transgression, nor even Adam and Eve. Yet it must be told them: the Mosaic law does not work wrath in judgment, but wrath according to itself—making some stonecutters, others burning in fire, or subjecting others to another punishment. Even where there is no law nor transgression, the law still speaks to those under the law. Observe them and the law beside Paul, called the law of faith, which works God’s wrath, and where transgression occurs when the law of faith and the law of God intersect. But clearly, he is another law—namely, the law of God, by which alone he delights in the inward man. Yet another law exists: the law in his members, warring against the law of the mind. Beware lest this be the true worker of wrath; and where there is no law, this is neither transgression. Those under this law are in no way heirs, for if those under the law are heirs, faith is rendered void. In the catalogue of charismata distributed according to the measure of faith, faith itself is enumerated—for Paul says, with other gifts, to another faith in the same Spirit. And elsewhere he declares that from God he has graciously granted you not only to attain Christ, but also to suffer for his sake. But I think the apostles, being weakly persuaded, are to be in the faith that dwells in us… Even if the heirs and the promise are to be according to grace, yet this faith which precedes grace—by which it is said that it is of faith that it might be according to grace—cannot subsist without grace. And to all the seed, he says: either to those of the law or to those of Abraham’s faith, and not only to those of the law, but also if one should possess Abraham’s faith in addition to the law. For if we do not thus obtain, the promise will fall to those from Ishmael and those from Keturah, which is not pleasing. (Of the same) It is necessary, he says, it appears, to examine how being according to faith and according to grace follows the promise being sure; for if it were of the law, obtaining the sure promise would be impossible. Therefore, consider, as if a dyer were dyeing: the dyeing is made by faith concerning the soul, and especially the reasoning accounted to righteousness, so that the promise and grace through it might possess, by its inexhaustibility or immutability, certainty—which does not appear concerning the works of the law. Sometimes he feeds the righteous from his own righteousness and does evil; but I do not know whether it is written concerning faith that anyone has turned away from faith, having once been testified to have believed and been justified by faith. Then also the divine apostle seals with his testimony the thing said to him. (Of the same) [But what he says this is: as God is not a partial God but the Father of all, so also he; and again, as God is Father not according to natural kinship but according to the familiarity of faith, so also he; for obedience makes a father of all of us. Since neither]

…

Greek · §10

τυγχάνουσαν καὶ ἀποκλίνουσαν, δίκην τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, τὸ μυστήριον τῶν ἐκ πίστεως δικαιουμένων· ἵν' οἱ μετὰ τὴν πίστιν ἐκεῖνοι γενόμενοι ἐκ περιτομῆς τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, ἕτεροι ὄντες τῶν ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθη σομένων τέκνων αὐτοῦ, ἢ εἰς τέκνα αὐτοῦ λογισθησομένων, ἕτερος ὦσιν λαὸς παρὰ τὸν ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθησόμενον· ἡ δὲ σφραγὶς ἐτηρεῖτο μὲν μὴ λυομένη, ὅσον οὐδέπω ἐληλύθεισαν οἱ ἐκ πίστεως καὶ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ· ἡνίκα δὲ ἦλθεν ὁ προειρημένος τεχθήσεσθαι λαὸς τῶν ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ καὶ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιουμένων, τότε ἡ σφραγὶς καὶ τὸ σημεῖον ἐκεῖνο ἐλύθη, ὥστ' ἂν λεχθῆναι τῷ βουλομένῳ τὴν σφραγῖδα ἐκείνην λαβεῖν ὅτι ἐὰν περιτέμνη θε, Χρι τὸ ὑμᾶ οὐδὲν ὠφελή ει. 25 iv 15–17 ὁ γὰρ νόμος ὀργὴν κατεργάζεται· οὗ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστι νόμος οὐδὲ παράβασις. διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ πίστεως ἵνα κατὰ χάριν, εἰς τὸ εἶναι βεβαίαν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν παντὶ τῷ σπέρματι· οὐ τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἐκ πίστεως Ἀβραάμ, ὅς ἐστι πατὴρ πάντων ἡμῶν· καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε· κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσε θεοῦ τοῦ ζωοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα. ἀσυκοφαντήτως ἀκούειν χρὴ τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἐν τούτοις καὶ συνιέναι τοῦ βουλήματος αὐτοῦ. φασὶ γάρ τινες· εἰ ἔνθα οὐκ ἔστι νόμος οὐδὲ παράβασις, δηλονότι οὐδεὶς ἐν παραβάσει γέγονε πρὸ Μωσέως· εἰ δὲ μὴ γέγονέ τις, οὐδὲ ψεκτός· οὔτε οὖν Κάιν οὔτε πάντες οἱ διὰ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτίας τὸν κατακλυ σμὸν παθόντες ἢ οἱ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐν παραβάσει γεγόνασιν· καὶ πρό γε τούτων Ἀδὰμ καὶ ἡ Εὖα. λεκτέον οὖν πρὸς τούτους ὅτι ὁ Μωσέως νόμος οὐ τὴν ἐν τῇ κρίσει ὀργὴν κατεργάζεται ἀλλὰ τὴν κατ' αὐτόν, τοὺς μὲν λιθολεύστους ποιῶν, ἑτέρους δὲ ἐπὶ πυρὸς κατακαίων, ἢ ἑτέρᾳ ὑποβάλλων τιμωρίᾳ· ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴπερ οὗ οὐκ ἔστι νόμος οὐδὲ παράβασις, ὅτε ὅ α ὁ νόμο λαλεῖ τοῖ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ. ὅρα δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸν παρ' αὐτῷ Παύλῳ νόμον πί τεω ὀνομαζό μενον θεοῦ ὀργὴν κατεργάζεσθαι, καὶ παράβασιν εἶναι ἔνθα ἐστὶν ὁ τῆς πί στεως νόμος καὶ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ, σαφῶς δὲ αὐτὸς ἕτερον μὲν εἶναι νόμον τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, ᾧ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτὸς υνήδεται κατὰ τὸν ἔ ω ἄνθρωπον, ἕτερον δὲ νόμον εἶναι τὸν ἐν τοῖ μέλε ιν ἑαυτοῦ ἀντι τρατευόμενον τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοό . καὶ ὅρα μήποτε οὗτος ἐστὶν ὁ ἀληθῶς ὀργὴν κατεργαζόμενος, καὶ οὗ οὐκ ἔστι νόμος οὗτος ἐκεῖ οὐδὲ παράβασίς ἐστιν· καὶ οἱ ἐκ τούτου τοῦ νόμου οὐδαμῶς εἰσὶ κληρονόμοι, εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἐκ νόμου κληρονόμοι κεκένωται ἡ πίστις. ἐν τῷ καταλόγῳ τῶν χαρισμάτων τῶν διδομένων κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆ πί τεω , κατείλεκται καὶ ἡ πίστις· φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος μεθ' ἕτερα ἄλλῳ πί τι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι. ὁ δ' αὐτός φησι καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ὅτι ἀπὸ θεοῦ ὑμῖν ἐχαρί θη οὐ μόνον τὸ εἰ Χρι τὸν πι τεύειν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πά χειν. οἶμαι δὲ ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐλλιπῆ πεισθέντες εἶναι τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν πίστιν ... εἰ καὶ ἐκ πίστεως οὖν οἱ κληρονόμοι καὶ ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἵνα κατὰ χάριν, οὐδ' αὐτὴ ἡ πίστις ἡ πρὸ τῆς χάριτος, καθ' ἣν λέγεται διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ πίστεως ἵνα κατὰ χάριν, χωρὶς χάριτος ὑφεστάναι οὐ δύναται. παντὶ δὲ τῷ σπέρματι, φησίν, ἤτοι τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ἢ τῷ ἐκ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ μόνον τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ἀλλ' εἰ ἔχοι πρὸς τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου τὸ ἐκ τῆς πίστεως. εἰ γὰρ μὴ οὕτως ἐκλάβοιμεν, ἔσται ἡ ἐπαγγελία τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσμαὴλ καὶ τοῖς ἐκ Χεττούρας, ἅπερ οὐκ ἀρέσκει. (τοῦ αὐτοῦ) ἀναγκαῖον δέ, φησίν, ἐξετάσαι φαίνεται πῶς ἀκολουθεῖ τῷ ἐκ πίστεως καὶ τῷ κατὰ χάριν τὸ βεβαίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν· ἄρα γὰρ εἰ ἦν ἐκ νόμου, οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν βεβαίαν τυγχάνειν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν. πρόσχες οὖν οἱονεὶ δευσοποιός τις βαφὴ γίνεται ἐκ πίστεως περὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ μάλιστα τῆς λελογισμένης εἰς δικαιοσύνην, ὥστε τὴν δι' αὐτῆς ἐπαγγελίαν καὶ χάριν ἴσχειν διὰ τὸ ἀνέκ πλυτον αὐτῆς, ἢ ἀμετάβολόν γε τὴν βεβαιότητα· ἥτις οὐκ ἐμφαίνεται περὶ τὰ ἐκ νόμου ἔργα. ἀπο τρέφειν γοῦν ποτὲ δίκαιο ἀπὸ τῆ δικαιο ύνη αὐτοῦ λέγεται καὶ ποιεῖν ἀδικίαν· οὐκ οἶδα δὲ εἰ καὶ περὶ τῆς πίστεως γέγραπται ὅτι ἀπέστρεψέν τις ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως, ἅπαξ μαρτυρηθεὶς πεπιστευκέναι καὶ δικαιω θεὶς διὰ τὴν πίστιν. εἶτα καὶ τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ ἐπισφραγίζει ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος τὸ εἰρημένον αὐτῷ. (τοῦ αὐτοῦ) [ὃ δὲ λέγει τοῦτό ἐστιν· ὥσπερ ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἔστι μερικὸς θεὸς ἀλλὰ πάντων πατήρ, οὕτω καὶ αὐτός. καὶ πάλιν ὥσπερ ὁ θεὸς πατήρ ἐστιν οὐ κατὰ τὴν φυσικὴν συγγένειαν ἀλλὰ κατ' οἰκείωσιν πίστεως, οὕτω καὶ αὐτός· ἡ γὰρ ὑπακοὴ ποιεῖ πατέρα πάντων ἡμῶν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐδὲν

Faith's Paradox: God's Power in Human Weakness§11

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11They regarded their kinship as having grasped the stronger one, thus exhibiting lordship over the word of God and lifting it upward. Following this, he demonstrates that he received this as a reward of faith; therefore, if this were not true, even if he were father of all who dwell on earth, the opposite would have no room—since the opposite is identical in nature. This is the paradox: those he did not possess by nature, he received as God’s gift. Such, he says, were the many nations whom the God who gives promises to him appointed as father. Regarding those made dead through sin, whose soul has become dead within a living body, I now believe he says: the sinner’s own soul will die. But what of those who are not, or those deprived of being and not sharing in it—thus called in opposition to those who partake in the one who said, ‘I am he who is’? He calls those who are not, so that, by obeying them, he may grant them the gift of being. Yet perhaps someone will object: how does the apostle elsewhere say that God chose the non-existent things in order to abolish the existing things? But it is clear this is a different sense of ‘existing’ and ‘non-existing,’ apart from every composition there: those existing here are the strong, the powerful, the well-born; those not existing are those otherwise disposed in relation to these, as regards their opinion. Romans 4:18–22 He who against hope believed in hope, that he might become father of many nations according to what was said, so will your offspring be; and not having weakened in faith, he considered his own body already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah’s womb; but in regard to God’s promise, he was not weakened by unbelief but was strengthened by faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he promised is able and to do; therefore it was credited to him for righteousness. See lest perhaps as Abraham believed against hope, from hope to hope, so also all who are sons of Abraham by faith believe against hope, from hope to hope, concerning all things, whether concerning the resurrection of the dead or concerning inheriting the heavenly kingdom or the kingdom of God. For these things, insofar as they are upon human nature, are against hope; but insofar as they are upon the power of God and his truthful promises, upon hope those who from faith hope attain. And since the one who believes upon hope believes, therefore he remains in faith, hope; from which these are born, and the third greater than these is love; and I suppose that faith has the logic of elementary instruction, hope of progress, love of perfection. But that it is said that Abraham’s body is deadened not because of old age will be evident to the one who has considered how Abraham, having set forth, took a wife named Keturah; and he bore her after Sarah’s death, who lived one hundred twenty-seven years; and Abraham is clearly found to be ten years older than Sarah. If therefore, as some say, through the promise he caused Isaac to be educated, how then, apart from promise, after one hundred twenty years did he bear those from Keturah? Therefore it is said in praise that such a deadening of the members upon the earth mortifies; for when someone by spirit does the deeds of the body to death, then he extinguishes all the innate fire to burn within him; therefore that Isaac’s birth is not from burning but from God’s promise; for they have become worthy to be called parents of this patriarch. Romans 4:23–25 It was not written only because of him that he was credited, but also because of us to whom it is going to be credited who believe in the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, who was delivered because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. Now the ‘because of him alone’ has been taken instead of ‘concerning him alone’; but also the ‘because of us’ instead of ‘concerning us’; for not in order that Abraham, having met Moses the earlier writer, might be benefited by the later letter of him. But if it is not written only concerning Abraham that he was credited to righteousness, but also concerning us, as if the Word were proclaiming beforehand the righteousness to be credited from faith to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, then take heed lest perhaps only and every believer upon the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, the one raised with Christ, might say and also rise and dwell in us in the heavenly places in Christ; having been raised together with Christ, the one having become conformed to his resurrection, and because of having died together with him, lives with him; for if we die and live, he died with Christ, since Christ, having died.

He regarded their kinship as having seized the stronger one, thereby displaying lordship over the word of God and lifting it upward. After these things, he also shows that he received this as a recompense of faith; therefore, if this is not the case, even if he is father of all who inhabit the earth, the opposite no longer has space; for the opposite is the same. For this is the paradox: those whom he did not have by nature, he received these from God's gift. Such, he says, were the many nations whom the God who gives the promises to him appointed as father. Concerning those who through sin have been made dead, whose soul has become dead in a living body, I now suppose he says: the soul of the sinner itself will die. But what of those who are not, or those deprived of being and not sharing in it, thus called in opposition to those who partake of the one who said 'I am he who is'? He calls those who are not, so that, obeying them, he may grant them the gift of being. But perhaps someone will say against these things: how does the apostle elsewhere say that God chose the not-existing things in order to abolish the existing things? Yet it is clear that this is a different meaning of 'existing' and 'not existing' insofar as it is apart from every composition there: those existing here are the strong, powerful, and well-born; those not existing are those otherwise disposed in relation to these, as regards their opinion. Romans 4:18–22 He who against hope believed in hope, that he might become father of many nations according to what was said, so will your offspring be; and not having weakened in faith, he considered his own body already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah's womb; but in regard to God's promise, he was not weakened by unbelief but was strengthened by faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he promised is able and to do; therefore it was credited to him for righteousness. See lest perhaps as Abraham believed against hope, from hope to hope, so also all who are sons of Abraham by faith believe against hope, from hope to hope, concerning all things, whether concerning the resurrection of the dead or concerning inheriting the heavenly kingdom or the kingdom of God. For these things, insofar as they are upon human nature, are against hope; but insofar as they are upon the power of God and his truthful promises, upon hope those who from faith hope attain. And since the one who believes upon hope believes, therefore he remains in faith, hope; from which these are born, and the third greater than these is love; and I suppose that faith has the logic of elementary instruction, hope of progress, love of perfection. But that it is said that Abraham's body is deadened not because of old age will be evident to the one who has considered how Abraham, having set forth, took a wife named Keturah; and he bore her after Sarah's death, who lived one hundred twenty-seven years; and Abraham is clearly found to be ten years older than Sarah. If therefore, as some say, through the promise he caused Isaac to be educated, how then, apart from promise, after one hundred twenty years did he bear those from Keturah? Therefore it is said in praise that such a deadening of the members upon the earth mortifies; for when someone by spirit does the deeds of the body to death, then he extinguishes all the innate fire to burn within him; therefore that Isaac's birth is not from burning but from God's promise; for they have become worthy to be called parents of this patriarch. Romans 4:23–25 It was not written only because of him that he was credited, but also because of us to whom it is going to be credited who believe in the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, who was delivered because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. Now the 'because of him alone' has been taken instead of 'concerning him alone'; but also the 'because of us' instead of 'concerning us'; for not in order that Abraham, having met Moses the earlier writer, might be benefited by the later letter of him. But if it is not written only concerning Abraham that he was credited to righteousness, but also concerning us, as if the Word were proclaiming beforehand the righteousness to be credited from faith to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, then take heed lest perhaps only and every believer upon the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, the one raised with Christ, might say and also rise and dwell in us in the heavenly places in Christ; having been raised together with Christ, the one having become conformed to his resurrection, and because of having died together with him, lives with him; for if we die and live, he died with Christ, since Christ, having died.

Greek · §11

ἐνόμιζον εἶναι ταύτην τὴν συγγένειαν, τὴν παχυτέραν ἐκείνην κατασχόντες, δείκνυσι ταύτην κυριω τέραν ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν τὸν λόγον ἀνάγων. καὶ μετὰ τούτων κἀκεῖνο ἐμφαίνει ὅτι καὶ ἀμοιβὴν τῆς πίστεως ταύτην ἔλαβεν· ὥστε ἂν μὴ τοῦτο ᾖ, κἂν πάντων ᾖ πατὴρ τῶν τὴν γῆν οἰκούντων, τὸ κατέναντι οὐκέτι χώραν· τὸ γὰρ κατέναντι τὸ ὁμοίως ἐστίν. τὸ γὰρ παράδοξον τοῦτό ἐστιν, οὓς οὐκ εἶχεν ἐκ φύσεως τούτους ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δωρεᾶς λαβεῖν.] ὁποῖα, φησί, τὰ πολλὰ ἔθνη ἦν ὧν τέθεικεν αὐτὸν πατέρα ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας αὐτῷ διδοὺς θεός. περὶ γὰρ τῶν διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν νενεκρωμένων, ὧν ἡ ψυχὴ νεκρὰ γεγένητο ἐν σώματι ζῶντι, οἴομαι νῦν αὐτὸν λέγειν· ψυχὴ γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτάνου α αὐτὴ ἀποθανεῖται. τίνα δὲ τὰ μὴ ὄντα ἢ οἱ ἐστερημένοι τοῦ ὄντος καὶ μὴ μετέχοντες αὐτοῦ, οὕτω καλούμενοι πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τῶν μετεχόντων τοῦ εἰπόντος ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν; καλεῖ δὲ τὰ μὴ ὄντα ἵνα ὑπακούσασιν αὐτοῖς χαρίσηται τὸ εἶναι. ἀλλ' ἴσως τις πρὸς ταῦτα ἐρεῖ, πῶς ὁ ἀπόστολος ἑτέρωθί φησι μεθ' ἕτερα ἐξελέξατο ὁ θεὸ τὰ μὴ ὄντα ἵνα τὰ ὄντα καταργή ῃ, ἀλλ' εὔδηλον ὡς ἕτερόν ἐστι τοῦτο σημαινόμενον τοῦ ὄντος καὶ μὴ ὄντος ὅσον ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς ἐκεῖσε συμφράσεως· ὄντες μὲν γὰρ ἐνθάδε οἱ κατὰ άρκα οφοὶ καὶ δυνατοὶ καὶ εὐγενεῖ · μὴ ὄντες δὲ οἱ ἄλλως παρὰ τούτοις διακείμενοι ὡς πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπόληψιν. 26 iv 18–22 ὃς παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου· καὶ μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει κατενόησε τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα ἤδη νενεκρωμένον, ἑκατονταετής που ὑπάρχων, καὶ τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας· εἰς δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἀλλ' ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει, δοὺς δόξαν τῷ θεῷ καὶ πληροφορηθεὶς ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται δυνατός ἐστι καὶ ποιῆσαι· διὸ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην. ὅρα μήποτε ὡς Ἀβραὰμ παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν, οὕτω καὶ πάντες οἱ τῆς πίστεως Ἀβραὰμ υἱοὶ παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι περὶ πάντων πιστεύουσιν, εἴτε περὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν εἴτε περὶ τοῦ κληρονομήσειν βασι λείαν οὐρανῶν ἢ βασιλείαν θεοῦ. ταῦτα γὰρ ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐστίν, ὅσον δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ δυνατῷ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ταῖς ἀψευδέσιν ἐπαγγελίαις αὐτοῦ ἐπ' ἐλπίδι τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πιστεύειν ἐλπιζόντων τυγχάνει. καὶ ἐπείπερ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' ἐλπίδι πιστεύει, διὰ τοῦτο μένει πί τι , ἐλπί · ἀφ' ὧν γεννᾶται καὶ τὸ τρίτον μεῖζον τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη· καὶ νομίζω στοιχειώσεως μὲν ἔχειν λόγον τὴν πίστιν, προκοπῆς δὲ τὴν ἐλπίδα, τελειότητος δὲ τὴν ἀγάπην. ὅτι δὲ οὐ διὰ τὸ γῆρας λέγεται τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ νενεκρωμένον, δῆλον ἔσται τῷ ἐπιστήσαντι τίνα τρόπον προ θέμενο Ἀβραὰμ ἔλαβεν γυναῖκα τοὔνομα Χεττούραν· καὶ ἔτεκεν αὐτῷ μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν άρρα , ἥτις ἔζησεν ἔτη ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιεπτά· πρεσβύτερος δὲ τῆς Σάρρας δεκὰ ἔτεσιν εὑρίσκεται σαφῶς ὁ Ἀβραάμ. εἰ οὖν διὰ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, ὥς φασί τινες, ἐπαιδοποίησεν τὸν Ἰσαάκ, πῶς χωρὶς ἐπαγγελίας μετὰ ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιεπτὰ ἔτη ἔτεκεν τοὺς ἀπὸ Χεττούρας; ὥστε ἐν ἐπαίνῳ λέγεται ἡ τοιαύτη νέκρωσις τοῦ τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆ γῆ νεκρώ αντο · ὅτε γάρ τις πνεύματι τὰ πράξει τοῦ ώματο θανατοῖ, τότε σβέννυσι πᾶσαν τὴν πεφυκυῖαν ἀνάπτεσθαι ἐν αὐτῷ πύρωσιν· ὥστε τὴν τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ γένεσιν μὴ εἶναι ἀπὸ πυρώσεως ἀλλ' ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας θεοῦ· ἄξιοι γὰρ γεγόνασι τ<οῦ> τούτου ἐπιγραφῆναι πατριάρχου γονεῖς. 27 iv 23–25 οὐκ ἐγράφη δὲ δι' αὐτὸν μόνον ὅτι ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς οἷς μέλλει λογίζεσθαι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἐκ νεκρῶν· ὃς παρεδόθη διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶν καὶ ἠγέρθη διὰ τὴν δικαίωσιν ἡμῶν. νῦν τὸ δι' αὐτὸν μόνον εἴληπται ἀντὶ τοῦ περὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ δι' ἡμᾶς ἀντὶ τοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν· οὐ γὰρ ἵνα Ἀβραὰμ ἐντυχὼν ὁ Μωυσέως προγε νέστερος τῷ μεταγενεστέρῳ αὐτοῦ γράμματι ὠφελήθη. εἰ δὲ οὐ περὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ μόνου γέγραπται τὸ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν, οἱονεὶ προαναφωνοῦντος τοῦ λόγου τὴν λογισθησομένην ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοσύνην τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν, πρόσχες ἐπιμελέστερον μήποτε μόνος καὶ πᾶς πιστεύει ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἐκ νεκρῶν ὁ συνεγερθεὶς Χριστῷ, ὥστ' ἂν εἰπεῖν καὶ υνήγειρεν καὶ υνεκάθι εν ἡμᾶ ἐν τοῖ ἐπουρανίοι ἐν Χρι τῷ· συνηγέρθη δὲ Χριστῷ ὁ ύμμορφο γενόμενος τῇ ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸ συναποτεθνη κέναι συζῶν αὐτῷ· εἰ γὰρ υναπεθάνομεν καὶ υζή ομεν· συναπέθανεν δὲ Χριστῷ, ἐπεὶ καὶ Χριστὸς ἀποθανὼν

The Once-for-All Death to Sin and Life in Christ§12

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12He endured death to sin in a single, definitive act; and he, having died to sin, now lives in communion with Christ. Indeed, the one who walks in newness of life walks with Christ. For the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who was given to us. This occurred precisely when we were still powerless: Christ died at the appointed moment for the ungodly. It is rare for someone to lay down their life for a righteous person—perhaps only for a genuinely good person might one find the courage to die. Yet God reveals his own love toward us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Consequently, since we have now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved through him from the wrath of God. When the text speaks of the weak or sinners, it names them and draws them into communion; but when it refers to the ungodly, it does not name them. Perhaps this distinction reflects the condition of those who live under the law: they strive by their own strength, and thus remain weak and sinful, yet they are not labeled 'ungodly' in the ordinary scriptural sense—because those under the law who transgress against God are called sinners, not ungodly. The truly ungodly are those who, though they claim to live under the law and possess its knowledge, have abandoned the God of their ancestors and turned to the gods of the nations. Before we turned to God in reverence, love had not taken root within us, for we all loved something more than God. But in that very condition—while we were still such—Christ died for us, and only then was the love of God established and made firm within us, after every obstacle to its presence had been removed by the death of Jesus. From this we must therefore listen to the ongoing establishment and confirmation of God’s love within us, a love that belongs properly to none other than God himself. As we do not merely await immortal life, but even now, as those who have become acquainted with God, are exalted in our contemplation of the Lord Christ—who, having become our mediator, brought about peace—we are called to this awareness. Therefore, if we have truly been united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall most certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection. He planted a name, having come to know a certain plant—namely, the death of Jesus—which bears fruit that destroys sin. To this plant, the word tills among those who have received instruction through Christ, making them one with him in the likeness of his death. While human nature can assume a certain likeness of that death, it cannot take on his actual death, lest it fall into sin or even come to know sin. But having died—not to cleanse sin in himself, but to cleanse sin in us—no one who has sinned can die in that same way. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, yet are justified freely, and the rest follows. In other passages, he says: God raised him up and seated him with himself in the heavenly realms in Christ; and if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above. How, then, does he say here that we too shall be in the resurrection? Let it be understood that the apostle speaks of the resurrection in two ways: first, the resurrection in which the holy one has already risen with Christ and, having risen with him, now seeks the things above; second, the resurrection that will occur when the perfect comes—of which Daniel the prophet prophesied, saying that many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Thus, the saints affirm concerning the first resurrection that they have already risen with Christ; but concerning the second, they declare that they shall rise again. If we have died with Christ, we believe we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies; death no longer holds dominion over him. For what he died to, he died to sin once for all; and what he lives for, he lives to God. So too, you should regard yourselves as truly dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He boldly affirms that death no longer rules over him—an idea that seems disgraceful to many, who claim he did not die to escape death’s rule, but willingly surrendered his soul for his sheep, or for his friends. For the Savior himself declares: No one takes my life from me; I lay it down of my own accord. Then someone might object, saying that death is now called the middle and indifferent state, as the common saying goes, that he died at that time, just as Paul says he died according to the Scriptures. But how can this be reconciled with the narrative that we died with Christ, and that what he died for, he died to sin once for all?

Greek · §12

τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ· καὶ αὐτὸς ἀποθανὼν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ συζῇ Χριστῷ· ζῇ δὲ Χριστῷ ὁ ἐν καινότητι ζωῆ περιπατῶν. 28 v 5–9 ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν· ἔτι γὰρ Χριστὸς ὄντων ἡμῶν ἀσθενῶν κατὰ καιρὸν ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανεν· μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν· συνίστησι δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν· πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον δικαιωθέντες νῦν ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ σωθησόμεθα δι' αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. ὅπου μὲν ἀσθενεῖς ἢ ἁμαρτωλοὺς ὀνομάζει, καὶ ἑαυτὸν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐμπερι λαμβάνει· ὅπου δὲ λέγει ἀσεβεῖς, οὐκέτι. καὶ τάχα εἰκότως ὁ ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον ὤν, ὃς ἠ θένει διὰ τῆ αρκό , ἀσθενὴς μέν ἐστι καὶ ἁμαρτωλός, οὐ μὴν καὶ κατὰ τὴν συνήθειαν τῆς διαστολῆς τῶν γραφῶν καὶ ἀσεβής, λεγόντων τῶν ὑπὸ νόμον ἁμαρτανόντων τῷ θεῷ καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἁμαρτάνωμεν οί ἐ μεν εἰδότε ου τὸ κράτο · ἀσεβεῖς δὲ τότε οἱ νομιζόμενοι εἶναι ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον τυγχάνουσιν, ἐπὰν ἐγκαταλιπόντες τὸν θεὸν τῶν πατέρων ζητοῦσι τοὺς θεοὺς τῶν ἐθνῶν. πρὶν δὲ προσελθεῖν ἡμᾶς θεοσεβείᾳ ἀγάπη ἐν ἡμῖν οὐ συνειστήκει, πάντα γὰρ μᾶλλον ἢ θεὸν ἀγαπῶμεν· ὅτε δὲ τοιούτων ἡμῶν ὑπαρχόντων Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανε, τότε συνέστη καὶ ὑπέστη ἐν ἡμῖν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγάπη, πάντων περιαιρεθέντων τῷ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ θανάτῳ ἀφ' ἡμῶν τῶν ἐμποδιζόντων τῇ συστάσει τῆς εἰς ἡμᾶς τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγάπης. κατὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν διήγησιν τοῦ συνίστησιν ἀκουστέον, συνιστάντος καὶ ὑφιστάντος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην, τὴν οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου κυρίως ἢ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ τυγχάνουσαν. (Ὠριγενοῦς) [οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὴν ἀθάνατον ζωὴν ἀναμένομεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον ὡς προσοικειωθέντες τῷ θεῷ σεμνυνόμεθα, τὰ κατὰ τὸν δεσπότην Χριστὸν λογιζόμενοι, ὃς μεσίτης ἡμῶν γενόμενος τὴν εἰρήνην ἐπραγματεύσατο.] 29 vi 5 εἰ γὰρ σύμφυτοι γεγόναμεν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα. πλάσας τὸ ὄνομα τέθεικεν, φυτόν τι ἐπιστάμενος τὸν Ἰησοῦ θάνατον, φέρον κάρπους ἀναιρετικοὺς τῆς ἁμαρτίας· ᾧ φυτῷ ὁ λόγος γεωργεῖ ἐν τοῖς παρα δεξαμένοις τὴν διδασκαλίαν τὴν διὰ Χριστοῦ, ποιῶν αὐτοὺς συμφύτους τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου· ὁμοίωμα μὲν γάρ τι τοῦ θανάτου ἐκείνου δύναται ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις ἀναλαβεῖν, τὸν δὲ ἐκείνου θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτίαν μὴ ποιή αντο , μηδὲ γνόντο ἁμαρτίαν, ἀλλ' ἀποθανόντος ἐπὶ τῇ καθαιρέσει οὐχὶ τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ ἁμαρτίας ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν, οὐχ οἷόν τε ἐστὶν ἀποθανεῖν τινὰ τῶν ἡμαρτη κότων· πάντε δὲ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑ τεροῦνται τῆ δόξη τοῦ θεοῦ, δικαιούμενοι δωρεάν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἐν ἄλλοις δὲ λέγει· υνήγειρεν καὶ υνεκάθι εν ἐν τοῖ ἐπουρανίοι ἐν Χρι τῷ· καὶ εἰ υνηγέρθητε τῷ Χρι τῷ, τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε· πῶς οὖν ἐνταῦθα λέγει, καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα; πρὸς τοῦτο λεκτέον ὅτι διττῶς ὀνομάζει τὴν ἀνάστασιν ὁ ἀπόστολος· μίαν μὲν τὴν ἤδη καθ' ἣν ὁ ἅγιος συνανέστη Χριστῷ καὶ συνεγερθεὶς αὐτῷ τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖ· ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν ὅταν ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, περὶ ἧς καὶ ∆ανιὴλ προφητεύων φησὶν πολλοὶ τῶν καθευδόντων ἐν γῆ χώματι ἀνα τή ονται, οὗτοι εἰ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ οὗτοι εἰ ὀνειδι μὸν καὶ εἰ αἰ χύνην αἰώνιον· τὴν ἑτέραν μὲν οὖν τῶν ἀναστάσεων οἱ ἅγιοι ἐροῦσι συνεγηγέρθαι Χριστῷ, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἑτέραν καὶ ἀναστήσεσθαι. 30 vi 8–10 εἰ δὲ ἀπεθάνομεν σὺν Χριστῷ, πιστεύομεν ὅτι καὶ συζήσομεν αὐτῷ· εἰδότες ὅτι Χριστὸς ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν οὐκέτι ἀποθνήσκει· θάνατος αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύει· ὃ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν, τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ· ὃ δὲ ζῇ, ζῇ τῷ θεῷ· οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε ἑαυτοὺς νεκροὺς μὲν εἶναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ζῶντας δὲ τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. ἀποτετολμημένως ἐπιφέρει τὸ θάνατος αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύει, ὅπερ ἐστὶ δυσφημοειδές· οἱ γὰρ πλεῖστοί φασιν ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὸν οὐ τῷ κυριεύεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἑκόντα τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τεθεικέναι ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων ἑαυτοῦ, ἢ ὑπὲρ τῶν φίλων ἑαυτοῦ· φησὶν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ σωτὴρ οὐδεὶ αἴρει τὴν ψυχήν μου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ἀλλ' ἐγὼ τίθημι αὐτὴν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ. ὁ μὲν οὖν τις πρὸς ταῦτα φήσει ὅτι θάνατος λέγεται νῦν ὁ μέσος καὶ ἀδιάφορος, ὃν κατὰ τὸ κοινότερον ἀπέθανεν ὅτε, ὥς φησιν ὁ Παῦλος, ἀπέθανεν κατὰ τὰ γραφά . ἀλλὰ πῶς ταύτῃ δυνήσεται συναγορεῦσαι τῇ διηγήσει τὸ ἀπεθάνομεν σὺν Χριστῷ, καὶ τὸ ὃ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν, τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ; ἀλλ'

The Dual Meaning of Scripture in Bodily and Spiritual Contexts§13

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13It might be objected that Scripture employs identical terms in dual senses—sometimes referring to physical realities, at other times to spiritual truths—just as the encounter with the Samaritan woman presents water and drinking in the same setting, now signifying bodily thirst, now the soul’s longing. Likewise, when heat is mentioned, the reference shifts according to context. Thus, it should not surprise us that the apostle declares we have died with Christ, not to the ordinary death shared by all, but to a death from which his dominion no longer extends—a death now termed the ‘middle’ death. Another interpreter may argue that the death in view here is the sovereign death that Christ overcame, none other than his adversary, whose foreshadowing appears in the great sea creature prophesied against Jonah and lamented by Job, which he nonetheless curses—the one destined to be seized by the hand of the coming deliverer. Moving toward that death in accordance with the season of the middle death, he spoke not because of that intermediate state, but because of the ultimate one: now my soul is shaken and deeply distressed, my soul drawing near to death. For as if entering his realm through those under his control, perhaps it was for this reason declared, ‘I brought you up from the dust of death.’ And he subjected himself to him, becoming obedient even unto death. Having been condemned in him, he condemned the sin residing in that death—just as a free person might enslave himself to the enemy commander, so that, by gaining access, he could liberate his people’s economic bondage from the threat posed by that foe, through ambush slaying the commander and his forces. For the one who acts thus is not regarded as a captive taken, but as one who employs wisdom with excellence. So too Christ gave himself into servitude, that none of his disciples, instructed by the word, might become enslaved to death. As Scripture affirms, he abolished the one who held the power of death, namely the devil, and what follows. Perhaps he also surrendered himself to death, about to be dominated, flowing to rescue those under his sway, and instead offering himself over, that afterward he might assume command and abolish death. Romans 6:12-14: Therefore, let sin not reign in your mortal body so as to obey its desires, nor offer your members as instruments of wickedness to sin; but present yourselves to God as those raised from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin will not have dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Earlier he said that just as sin once reigned in death, now he does not repeat that, but says, ‘Let sin not reign in your mortal body,’ teaching that just as a throne and kingdom belong to sin, so our mortal body is its domain. For the mind set on the flesh is hostility toward God, and again, the mind set on the flesh is death. Moreover, all sins are works of the flesh, which the apostle has explicitly named. Among them, he has enumerated and taught the choices, that these too are works of the flesh, to free us from distraction, so that we do not imagine some things are works of the flesh while others are sins not of the flesh but either of soul or mind. But if anyone inquires how these choices belong among the works of the flesh, let it be said that they arise from the mind of the flesh, concerning which Paul states somewhere that he enters empty and is inflated under the mind of his flesh, yet does not lift up his head. And perhaps, when we sin while sin reigns in our mortal body, we are nothing other than that mortal body and flesh; for he does not say that my spirit remains in these people into the age because they are flesh. And this soul indeed seems not to endure, but either to become flesh through wickedness or spirit through virtue. For when it unites with the prostitute, it becomes flesh—a single entity.

Greek · §13

ἴσως ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐρεῖ ὡς τὰ αὐτὰ ὀνόματα τίθησι διττῶς ἡ γραφή, ποτὲ μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν σωματικῶν, ὅτε δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ πνευματικοῦ· ὡς καὶ περὶ τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος γεγραμμένον, ἐν ᾧ τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ τὸ πιεῖν κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον ὅτε μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ σωματικοῦ ὅτε δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ πνευματικοῦ τετάχθαι δοκεῖ· καὶ τὸ περὶ τοῦ θερι μοῦ ὡσαύτως φησίν. φήσει τοίνυν οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν χαρακτῆρα καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον εἰρηκέναι, τὸ μὲν ἀπεθάνομεν σὺν Χριστῷ τάσσοντα οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοινοτέρου θανάτου, τὸ δὲ θάνατος αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύει, ὡς θανάτου νῦν τοῦ μέσου ὀνομαζομένου. ἕτερος δὲ παρὰ τοῦτον ἐρεῖ ὅτι θάνατος ἐνταῦθα λέγεται ὁ κυριεύων Χριστοῦ οὐκ ἄλλος ἢ ὁ ἐχθρὸς αὐτοῦ οὗ τύπος ἦν τὸ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωνᾶν κῆτο προφητευόμενον καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰὼβ φάσκοντος ἀλλὰ καταρά αιτο αὐτὴν ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτο χειρώ α θαι. πρὸς ὃν θάνατον ὁδεύων κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ μέσου θανάτου ἔλεγεν, οὐ διὰ τὸν μέσον θάνατον ἀλλὰ δι' ἐκεῖνον, νῦν ἡ ψυχή μου τετάρακται καὶ περίλυπό ἐ τιν ἡ ψυχή μου ἕω θανάτου. οἱονεὶ γὰρ ἀπῄει εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτοῦ διὰ τοὺς κρατουμένους ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὡς τάχα διὰ τοῦτο εἰρῆσθαι τὸ εἰ χοῦν θανάτου κατήγαγέ με. καὶ ἑαυτὸν πεποίηκεν αὐτῷ ὑποχείριον ὑπήκοο γενόμενο μέχρι θανάτου. διὰ γὰρ τὸ γεγονέναι ἐν αὐτῷ κατακριθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κατέκρινε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὖσαν ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ θανάτῳ. ὡσάν τις παραδείγματος ἕνεκεν ἐλεύθερος ὢν δοῦλον ἑαυτὸν παραδίδωσιν τῷ στρατηγῷ τῶν πολεμίων, ἵνα παρ' αὐτῷ γενόμενος ἐλευθερώσῃ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ οἰκονομικῇ δουλείᾳ τοὺς πολίτας ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑπ' ἐκείνῳ κινδύνου, διὰ τοῦ ἐνέδρᾳ τινὶ ἀποκτεῖναι τὸν στρατηγὸν καὶ τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτῷ πολεμίους· ἐκυριεύθη γὰρ ὁ τοῦτο δράσας ὡς οὐκ αἰχμάλωτος ἁλοὺς ἀλλὰ φρονήματι χρησάμενος ἀριστέως. οὕτως οὖν καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἑαυτὸν παρέδωκεν τῇ δουλείᾳ, ἵνα μηδεὶς θανάτου γένηται τῶν μαθητευομένων αὐτοῦ τῷ λόγῳ δοῦλος· οὗτος γὰρ ὡς φησὶν ἡ γραφὴ κατήργη ε τὸν τὸ κράτο ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου, τοῦτ' ἐ τὶν τὸν διάβολον, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. τάχα δὲ καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν τῷ θανάτῳ κυριευθησόμενον ῥυόμενος τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κεκρατημένους καὶ ἀντ' ἐκείνων ἑαυτὸν προδιδούς, ἵνα μετὰ τοῦτο καταστρατηγήσῃ καὶ καταργή ῃ τὸν θάνατον. 31 vi 12–14 μὴ οὖν βασιλευέτω ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐν τῷ θνητῷ ὑμῶν σώματι εἰς τὸ ὑπακούειν αὐτῇ ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτοῦ· μηδὲ παριστάνετε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν ὅπλα ἀδικίας τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· ἀλλὰ παραστήσατε ἑαυτοὺς τῷ θεῷ ὡς ἐκ νεκρῶν ζῶντας, καὶ τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν ὅπλα δικαιοσύνης τῷ θεῷ· ἁμαρτία γὰρ ὑμῶν οὐ κυριεύσει· οὐ γάρ ἐστε ὑπὸ νόμον ἀλλ' ὑπὸ χάριν. ἀνωτέρω μὲν εἶπεν ἵνα ὥ περ ἐβα ίλευ εν ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ, νυνὶ δὲ οὐκ εἶπεν τοῦτο ἀλλὰ μὴ βασιλευέτω ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐν τῷ θνητῷ ὑμῶν σώματι, διδάσκων ὅτι ὥσπερ θρόνος καὶ βασίλειόν ἐστι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸ θνητὸν ἡμῶν σῶμα· τὸ γὰρ φρόνημα τῆ αρκὸ ἔχθρα εἰ θεόν, καὶ πάλιν τὸ φρόνημα τῆ αρκὸ θάνατο . ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἔργα αρκό ἐστιν ἅπερ ὁ ἀπόστολος φανερὰ ὠνόμασεν. ἐν αὐτοῖς δὲ τάξας καὶ τὰς αἱρέ ει ἐδίδαξεν ὅτι καὶ αὗται αρκό εἰσιν ἔργον, ἀπολύων ἡμᾶς περισπασμοῦ, ἵνα μὴ νομί ζωμεν τινὰ μὲν εἶναι ἔργα αρκό , τινὰ δὲ ἁμαρτήματα οὐ αρκὸ μὲν ἤτοι δὲ ψυχῆς ἢ νοῦ. ἀλλ' ἐπάν τις ζητῇ πῶς καὶ αἱρέ ει ἐν τοῖς ἔργοι τῆ αρκό εἰσι κατειλεγμέναι, λεκτέον πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι αἱρέ ει γίνονται ἀπὸ τοῦ νοῦ τῆ αρκό , περὶ οὗ φησί που ὁ Παῦλος εἰκῆ ἐμβατεύων καὶ φυ ιούμενο ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸ τῆ αρκὸ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλήν. τάχα δὲ καὶ ὅτε ἁμαρτάνομεν βασιλευούσης τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐν τῷ θνητῷ ἡμῶν σώματι οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἐσμὲν ἤπερ τὸ θνητὸν σῶμα καὶ άρκε · οὐ μὴ γάρ φησι καταμείνῃ τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖ ἀνθρώποι τούτοι εἰ τὸν αἰῶνα διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺ άρκα . καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ ψυχὴ ἔοικε μὴ μένειν, ἀλλ' ἤτοι διὰ κακίαν γίνεσθαι σὰρξ ἢ δι' ἀρετὴν πνεῦμα· ὅτε γὰρ κολλᾶται τῇ πόρνῃ γίνεται εἰ άρκα μίαν

The Believer's Identity: Dead to Sin, Alive to God in Christ§14

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14Think of yourselves as having died to sin, yet made alive to God through Christ Jesus. Some may interpret this as referring to those who lived for God apart from Christ Jesus. But we suggest it might not be possible to truly live for God in Christ Jesus, since even Abraham saw Christ’s day and rejoiced. If Moses served God, he did so in communion with Christ, valuing the disgrace of Christ above Egypt’s treasures. Likewise, many prophets and righteous ones longed to witness what the apostles saw and heard, yet never attained that longing, missing the life in Christ Jesus before God. You may wonder whether all who live for God in Christ Jesus must be dead to sin. One response: if someone once lived under sin, or if one enlightened by the Spirit exploring God’s depths finds those who never lived under sin yet live for God in Christ Jesus, then it appears that whoever lives for God in Christ Jesus is already dead to sin. But if all sinned because Christ died for all, then it is clear that all who live in Christ Jesus once lived under sin and later became dead to it, thus living for God in Christ Jesus. Another might argue that some are enabled to live for God in Christ Jesus without ever having been in sin, yet they are still dead to sin, just as sin was powerless before the law, not arising from prior transgression. Yet the divine apostle affirms elsewhere the ease of victory: sin will not rule over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Consider the apostolic precision: how does ruling apply? To Christ he said death no longer rules; to us he said sin will not rule—nor would it be fitting to say of Christ that sin does not rule, nor of us that death does not rule, lest the same be said of Christ and us as similar. After this, as giving cause that our sin does not rule, he says: you are not under law but under grace. For according to Paul, the power of sin is the law, and the law came in so that trespass might increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Now we are under grace, not under law. For a righteous law does not lie in needing the letter’s instruction to keep God’s commandments, being taught by God, as Paul teaches concerning love: you need not write to one another, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. If anyone has grown together with God’s law so as not to wish the law otherwise than to be the human will, such a one is not under law but under grace. Thus we ought to think: in the Lord’s law was his will. Just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. And since, as many have said (he says), we have kept watch, the name of righteousness is sometimes put in place of virtue; thus we say that now also this is what is said when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to virtue. And following the genitive of sin, the genitive of virtue is to be named righteousness in these things. Moreover, it will seem specifically that speaking of sanctification urges toward purity and bodily chastity for the one capable of receiving it. What fruit did you have then in the things you now are ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. But now, having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end is eternal life. By despising the fruit of slaves of sin as worthless talk, he says: for whatever someone formerly did in sin and ignorance, later coming to feel shame for the things committed, such fruit would be useless, unripe for food, and of no use. For the end of such works is nothing else but death, the enemy of Christ.

Thus we must understand: the law of the Lord embodies his will. Once you offered your bodily members as servants to uncleanness and lawlessness, leading only to greater lawlessness; now offer them as servants to righteousness, leading to sanctification. When you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness. And since, as he notes, we have kept vigil, the term ‘righteousness’ is sometimes substituted for ‘virtue’; therefore, we say that even now, this is what is meant when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to virtue. Following the genitive of sin, the genitive of virtue is to be called righteousness in these contexts. Furthermore, it will clearly appear that speaking of sanctification calls for purity and moral integrity of life in those who are able to receive it. What gain did you reap then from the actions you now blush to recall? For the outcome of those actions is death. But now, having been liberated from sin and made servants of God, you possess the fruit that leads to holiness, and the final result is eternal life. By treating the fruit of sin’s slaves as meaningless chatter, he declares: whatever anyone once did in sin and ignorance, and later came to feel shame for those deeds, that fruit would be useless, unfit for consumption, and serving no purpose. For the end of such deeds is nothing other than death, the adversary of Christ.

Greek · §14

πρὸς αὐτήν, ὁ δὲ κολλώμενο τῷ κυρίῳ ἓν πνεῦμά ἐ τιν. καὶ ἤδη τοῦτο εἴρηκεν, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε ἑαυτοὺς νεκροὺς μὲν εἶναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ζῶντας δὲ τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. τινὲς δὲ τοῦτο πρὸς ἀντι διαστολὴν λήψονται λέγεσθαι ἑτέρων οἳ ἔζησαν μὲν τῷ θεῷ οὐ μὴν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. ἡμεῖς δέ φαμεν μήποτε ἀδυνατόν ἐστιν ζῇν μὲν τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ <...> ἐπείπερ εἶδεν τὴν Χρι τοῦ ἡμέραν καὶ ἐχάρη· εἴτε Μωσῆς ἔζησεν τῷ θεῷ, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἔζησεν, ὅστις γε καὶ μείζονα πλοῦτον ἡγή ατο τῶν Αἰγύπτου θη αυρῶν τὸν ὀνειδι μὸν τοῦ Χρι τοῦ· ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἐπιθυμή αντε πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἰδεῖν ὃ εἶδον οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ ἀκοῦ αι ὧν ἤκου αν, οὐκ ἂν ἦλθον εἰς τὴν τῶν τοιούτων ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ ὄρεξιν ἔξω τυγχάνοντες τοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ζῇν τῷ θεῷ. ζητήσεις δὲ εἰ χρὴ φάσκειν πάντα τὸν ζῶντα τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ νεκρὸν εἶναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. πρὸς τοῦτο δὲ λέγοιτ' ἄν, εἰ μὲν ὡς νεκρὸς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἔζη ποτὲ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· ἐὰν δέ τις ὑπὸ τοῦ πάντα ἐρευνῶντο πνεύματο καὶ τὰ βάθη τοῦ θεοῦ φωτισθεὶς εὕρῃ τινὰς χωρὶς τοῦ ἐζηκέναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ποτὲ ζῶντας τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἀποφαίνεται ὅτι οὐκ εἴ τις ζῇ τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ οὗτος ἤδη πάντως νεκρός ἐστιν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ πάντε ἥμαρτον διὰ τὸ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, δῆλον ὅτι πᾶς ζῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἔζη ποτὲ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, καὶ ὕστερον νεκρὸς γενόμενος αὐτῇ ἔζησεν τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. ἕτερος δὲ εἴποι ἂν ὅτι ἐνδέχεται καὶ διδομένου τοῦ ζῇν τινὰς τῷ θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ μηδέποτε γενομένους ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ, οὐδὲν ἧττον κἀκείνους νεκροὺς εἶναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ὥσπερ χωρὶ νόμου ἁμαρτία ἦν νεκρά, οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ ποτὲ ζῇν ἐλθοῦσα ἐπὶ τὸ γενέσθαι νεκρά. δείκνυσι δὲ ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος καὶ ἑτέρωθεν τῆς νίκης τὴν εὐκολίαν, ἁμαρτία γὰρ ὑμῶν, φησίν, οὐκέτι κυριεύσει, οὐ γάρ ἐστε ὑπὸ νόμον ἀλλ' ὑπὸ χάριν. πρόσχες ἐνταῦθα τῇ ἀποστολικῇ ἀκριβείᾳ, τίνα τρόπον τὸ κυριεύειν τάσσων ἐπὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ σωτῆρος θάνατο εἶπεν αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύ ει, ἐπὶ δὲ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτία γὰρ ὑμῶν οὐ κυριεύσει· οὔτε γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἔπρεπεν λέγεσθαι τὸ ἁμαρτία αὐτοῦ οὐ κυριεύσει, οὔτε ἐφ' ὑμῶν κυριώτερον ἦν τὸ θάνατο ὑμῶν οὐ κυριεύ ει· καὶ ἵνα μὴ ταὐτὸν περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ ἡμῶν λέγηται ὡς παραπλησίων. μετὰ ταῦτα ὥσπερ αἰτίαν παριστὰς τοῦ ἁμαρτίαν ἡμῶν μὴ κυριεύειν φησὶ τὸ οὐ γάρ ἐστε ὑπὸ νόμον ἀλλ' ὑπὸ χάριν· κατὰ γὰρ αὐτὸν τὸν Παῦλον ἡ δύναμι τῆ ἁμαρτία ὁ νόμο ἐ τίν, καὶ νόμο παρει ῆλθεν ἵνα πλεονά ῃ τὸ παράπτωμα ἀλλ' ὅπου ἐπλεόνα εν ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐκεῖ ὑπερεπερί ευ εν ἡ χάρι · νῦν δὲ ἐσμὲν ὑπὸ τὴν περι εύου αν χάριν, διότι οὐκέτι ἐσμὲν ὑπὸ νόμον ἀλλ' ὑπὸ χάριν. δικαίῳ γὰρ νόμο οὐ κεῖται, οὐ γὰρ δέεται τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ γράμματος νομικῆς διδασκαλίας εἰς τὸ τηρεῖν τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ θεοδίδακτος ὤν, ὡς Παῦλος διδάσκει λέγων περὶ δὲ τῆ ἀγάπη οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ὑμῖν γράφε θαι, ὑμεῖ γὰρ θεοδίδακτοί ἐ τε εἰ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν ἀλλήλου . εἴ τινι οὖν συμπέφυκεν ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ νόμος, ὡς μὴ ἕτερον μὲν βούλεσθαι τὸν νόμον ἕτερον δὲ εἶναι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ὁ τοιοῦτος οὐκ ἐστὶν ὑπὸ νόμον ἀλλ' ὑπὸ χάριν· οὕτω νοητέον ἀλλ' ἦν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ κυρίου τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ. 32 vi 19, 20 ὥσπερ γὰρ παρεστήσατε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ, καὶ τῇ ἀνομίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἀνομίαν, οὕτως νῦν παραστήσατε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ εἰς ἁγιασμόν· ὅτε γὰρ δοῦλοι ἦτε τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἐλεύθεροι ἦτε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. ἐπειδή, ὡς πολλαχοῦ (φησίν) ἐτηρήσαμεν, τὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὄνομα ἀντὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔσθ' ὅτε παραλαμβάνεται, λεκτέον ὅτι καὶ νῦν τοιοῦτόν ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον ὅτε δοῦλοι ἦτε τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐλεύθεροι ἦτε τῇ ἀρετῇ. καὶ παρ ακολουθεῖ τῷ γενικῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὀνόματι τὸ γενικὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς δικαιοσύνην ἐν τούτοις ὀνομάζεσθαι. δόξει δὲ εἰδικῶς τὸ εἰς ἁγιασμὸν λέγειν, προτρεπόμενος εἰς ἁγνείαν καὶ καθαρότητα βίου τὸν δυνάμενον χωρῆ αι. 33 vi 21, 22 τίνα οὖν καρπὸν εἴχετε τότε ἐφ' οἷς νῦν ἐπαισχύνεσθε; τὸ γὰρ τέλος ἐκείνων θάνατος· νυνὶ δέ, ἐλευθερωθέντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας δουλωθέντες δὲ τῷ θεῷ, ἔχετε τὸν καρπὸν ὑμῶν εἰς ἁγιασμόν, τὸ δὲ τέλος ζωὴν αἰώνιον. ἐξευτελίζων τὸν καρπὸν τῶν δούλων τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὡς οὐδενὸς ἄξιον λόγου τοῦτό φησιν· ἐφ' οἷς γάρ τις πρότερον ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ καὶ ἀγνοίᾳ πεπραγμένοις ὕστερον εἰς συναίσθησιν ἐλθὼν τῶν ἡμαρτημένων αἰσχύνεται, ταῦτα καρπὸ ἂν εἴη ἄχρη το , ἄωρο εἰ βρῶ ιν καὶ εἰ οὐθὲν ἐπιτηδεῖο · καὶ γὰρ τέλος τῶν τοιούτων ἔργων οὐκ ἄλλο ἢ θάνατός ἐστιν, ὁ ἐχθρὸς Χριστῷ τῷ

Wages of sin, gift of life; letter-husband and Spirit's newness§15

15He who said I am the life rules those who have borne such fruits. In that death no one remembers God: whoever has died in it has died to God and lives to death—the same as living to sin.

Our fruit runs toward sanctification; the fruit that shames the one already aware of it is neither ours nor of our nature. That the better belongs to us and the worse does not, the Savior shows: if you were entrusted with what is alien and proved unworthy, what of your own will he give you? Even when we fail to become worthy of the better, sin keeps us from receiving it as ours by nature.

Some say the sanctifying fruit of those enslaved to God is complete purity from sexual pleasure. On that reading, having been freed from sin you became slaves of righteousness fits those in marriage, while the stronger word but now that you have been freed from sin fits those in chastity. So the person whose final fruit is sanctification through slavery to God was already enslaved to righteousness earlier, yet may still lack that sanctifying fruit because of the word spoken by way of concession.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our LordThe contrast is deliberate: wages for sin, gift for God. God does not pay wages as a debt; he gives a gift. Sin does not give a gift; it pays what is owed. Nor does he simply call the gift 'eternal life,' for that life is incomplete when it is not in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin deals death to the one it rules; God does not bring Christ's enemy, death—God did not make deathIf someone answers with I kill and I make alive and the Lord kills and makes alive, we say God kills sin so that afterward he may make alive the one who has died to sin.

Or do you not know, brothers—for I speak to those who know the law—that the law rules a person as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her living husband; but if the husband dies, she is released from the law of the husband. So while the husband lives she will be called an adulteress if she belongs to another; but if the husband dies she is free from the law and is not an adulteress if she belongs to another.

To know the law fully is to know the difference inside it between the oldness of the letter and the newness of the spirit in its meanings. That is perfect knowledge of the law. His example fits tightly: the married woman is bound to the living husband; if he dies she is released. The husband is the law—clearly the letter-law—which can die because it is the oldness of the letter; what grows old and ages nears disappearance. It is even said to die when it no longer truly lives among those who still claim to keep it.

But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letterThe Holy Spirit is always new—neither aging nor wearing out—while our inner self is renewed day by day. The oldness of the letter was never new, and our old self was never young: it aged at once, not by the clock but by the thoughts and deeds that made it old.

What then? Is the law sin? 'Law' is one word, but Scripture does not mean one thing by it everywhere. At each place you must ask what 'law' signifies now. The same holds for many other shared names in Scripture that confuse readers who think one sound means one sense wherever it appears. Leaving aside harder cases that need construction and replies, it is enough to shame anyone into admitting that 'law' is laid on several realities.

Greek · §15

εἰπόντι ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωή, κυριεύων τῶν τοιούτους καρποὺς ἐνηνοχότων. ἐν ᾧ θανάτῳ οὐκ ἐ τὶν ὁ μνημονεύων θεοῦ· καὶ γὰρ πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ τέθνηκεν τῷ θεῷ καὶ ζῇ τῷ θανάτῳ, ὅπερ ταὐτόν ἐστιν τῷ ζῇν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. ἡμέτερος καρπὸς εἰς ἁγιασμόν· οὐχ ἡμέτερος δέ, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν, ὁ φέρων τῷ ἤδη συνησθημένῳ αὐτοῦ αἰσχύνην. ὅτι δὲ ἡμέτερον μὲν τὸ κρεῖττον, οὐ τοιοῦτον δὲ τὸ χεῖρον, δηλοῖ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ λέγων εἰ τὸ ἀλλότριον ἐπι τεύθητε καὶ οὐκ ἐγένε θε ἄξιοι, τὸ ὑμέτερον τί ὑμῖν δώ ει; κἂν γὰρ μὴ γενώμεθα ἄξιοι τοῦ κρείττονος, ὡς ἡμέτερον αὐτὸ τῇ φύσει οὐ λαμβάνομεν διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. ἐρεῖ δέ τις ἐνταῦθα τὸν εἰς ἁγιασμὸν καρπὸν εἶναι τῶν δεδου λωμένων τῷ θεῷ τὴν παντελῆ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀφροδισίων καθάρευσιν· καί φησιν ὁ τοιοῦτος τοῖς μὲν ἐν γάμῳ ἁρμόζειν τὸ ἐλευθερωθέντες δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐδουλώθητε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ, τοῖς δὲ ἐν ἁγνείᾳ ὡς μεῖζον τὸ νυνὶ δὲ ἐλευθερω θέντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· ὥστε τὸν μὲν ἔσχατον καρπὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἁγιασμὸν διὰ τὸ δεδουλῶσθαι τῷ θεῷ δεδουλῶσθαι πολὺ πρότερον τῇ δικαιο σύνῃ μὴ πάντως ἔχειν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἁγιασμὸν διὰ τὸν κατὰ υγγνώμην λόγον. 34 vi 23 τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος, τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. καλὴ ἡ διαφορά, ὀψωνίου μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τεταγμένου, χαρίσματος δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ θεοῦ· οὔτε γὰρ ὀψώνια ὡς ὀφειλόμενα δίδωσιν ὁ θεὸς ἀλλὰ χάρισμα, οὐδὲ χάρισμα ἡ ἁμαρτία ἀλλ' ὀφειλόμενα ὀψώνια. τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔταξεν ἁπλῶς ζωὴ αἰώνιος, ἀτελὴς γὰρ αὕτη νοεῖται ὅτε μὴ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐστιν τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. δηλοῦται δὲ ὅτι ἡ ἁμαρτία τῷ βασιλευομένῳ ὑπ' αὐτῆς δίδωσι τὸν θάνατον, καὶ οὐχ ὁ θεὸς ἐπιφέρει τὸν ἐχθρὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ θάνατον, ὁ γὰρ θεὸ θάνατον οὐκ ἐποίη εν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἐὰν δέ τις πρὸς τοῦτο ἀνθυποίσῃ καὶ τὸ ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ καὶ ζῇν ποιή ω καὶ κύριο θανατοῖ καὶ ζωογονεῖ, ἐροῦμεν ὅτι ἀποκτέννει ὁ θεὸς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἵνα μετὰ τοῦτο ζωοποιήσῃ τὸν ἀποθανόντα τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. 35 vii 1–3 ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε, ἀδελφοί, γινώσκουσι γὰρ νόμον λαλῶ, ὅτι ὁ νόμος κυριεύει τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐφ' ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ; ἡ γὰρ ὕπανδρος γυνὴ τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ δέδεται νόμῳ· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνήρ, κατήργηται ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἀνδρός. ἄρα οὖν ζῶντος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μοιχαλὶς χρηματίσει ἐὰν γένηται ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνήρ, ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, τοῦ μὴ εἶναι αὐτὴν μοιχαλίδα γενομένην ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ. τὸ γινώσκειν τὸν νόμον πάντως οἶδεν τὴν διαφορὰν τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ παλαιότητο τοῦ γράμματο καὶ τῆς ἐνυπαρχούσης τοῖς νοήμασιν αὐτοῦ καινότητο τοῦ πνεύματο · τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ τελείως γινώσκειν τὸν νόμον. ἐπιφέρει δὲ καὶ παράδειγμα, σφόδρα τῷ προκειμένῳ κατάλληλον· ἡ γὰρ ὕπανδρος γυνὴ τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ δέδεται νόμῳ· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ κατήργηται ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἀνδρός· ὁ νόμος ἐστὶν ὁ ἀνήρ· δῆλον δὲ ὅτι ὁ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα· οὗτος γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἀποθνήσκειν ἐπεδέξατο διὰ τὸ εἶναι παλαιότη γράμματο · τὸ δὲ παλαιού μενον καὶ γηρά κον ἐγγὺ ἀφανι μοῦ. λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἀποθνήσκειν καὶ ἐπεὶ μηδὲ παρὰ τοῖς βουλομένοις αὐτὸν φυλάσσειν καὶ οὕτω προαιρουμένοις, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ζῇ. 36 vii 6 νυνὶ δὲ κατηργήθημεν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἀποθανόντες ἐν ᾧ κατειχόμεθα, ὥστε δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος καὶ οὐ παλαιότητι γράμματος. τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ἀεί ἐστιν ἐν καινότητι, οὔτε παλαιούμενον οὔτε γηρά κον ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τοῦ ἔ ω ἡμῶν ἀνθρώπου ἀνακαινουμένου ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ· καὶ ἡ παλαιότης δὲ τοῦ γράμματος οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτε καινὴ ἦν, οὐδὲ ὁ παλαιὸ ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπο καινός ποτε ἦν, ὅστις ἅμα τῷ ὑποστῆναι πεπαλαίωται, οὐ χρόνῳ ἀλλὰ τῶν τοιῶνδε νοημάτων καὶ ἔργων παλαιωσάντων αὐτόν. vii 7 <τί οὖν; ὁ νόμος ἁμαρτία; οὐχ ὥσπερ ὄνομα ἕν ἐστι νόμος, οὕτω καὶ εἷς ὁ περὶ νόμου πανταχοῦ τῆς γραφῆς λόγος. διὸ καθ' ἕκαστον χρὴ τόπον αὐτῆς ἐπιμελῶς ἐπιστήσαντα θεωρῆσαι, νῦν μὲν τί σημαίνεται ἐκ τῆς νόμος φωνῆς, νῦν δὲ τί χρὴ τὸ τοιοῦτον ἐννοεῖν. ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ἄλλων πλειόνων· ὁμώνυμοι γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ ἄλλων εἰσὶ κατὰ τὴν γραφὴν φωναί, αἵτινες συγχέουσι τοὺς νομίζοντας ὅτι ὡς ὄνομα ἕν ἐστιν οὕτω καὶ τὸ σημαινόμενον ἕν, ὅπου ἂν τοῦτο ὀνομασθῇ. ὅτι δὲ ἡ νόμος φωνὴ οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πλειόνων τέτακται, τὰ πολλὰ παραλιπόντες καὶ δεόμενα κατασκευῆς, ἔχοντα ἀνθυποφορὰν λύσεως δεομένην, ἐκθησόμεθα τὰ πάνθ' ὁντινοῦν δυσωπῆσαι δυνάμενα, ὡς τῆς νόμος φωνῆς κειμένης ἐπὶ πλειόνων.

The Twofold Meaning of Law: Letter and Spirit§16

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16For instance, when the Epistle to the Galatians declares that those who rely on works of the law stand under a curse, quoting Scripture: 'Cursed is everyone who fails to uphold every command written in the book of the law,' it becomes evident that the law as given by Moses comprises both prescriptive demands—what must be done—and prohibitive warnings—what must be avoided—by those subject to it. This dual character is reinforced elsewhere in the same letter, where we learn the law was added due to transgressions, serving as a temporary guardian until the promised offspring arrived, instituted through angelic mediation. Likewise, the law functioned as our custodian until Christ, so that justification might come through faith; but once faith emerged, we are no longer under such supervision, for all who believe in Christ Jesus are sons of God. The historical narrative authored by Moses is thus revealed as an expression of the law’s voice, as when the Galatian epistle challenges: 'Tell me, you who wish to be under the law, do you not hear what it says?' For it is recorded that Abraham had two sons—one by the slave woman, born according to the flesh, and one by the free woman, born through promise. I also recognize the Psalms as bearing the name 'law,' since their fulfillment is seen in the words: 'I ate them with gladness.' Furthermore, the prophecy of Isaiah is termed 'law' by the apostle, citing: 'It is written in the law: I will speak to this people with strangers’ tongues and foreign lips; yet even then they will not listen,' declares the Lord—a sentiment I find echoed in Aquila’s translation. Moreover, the law is understood not only in its external form but also in its deeper, spiritual dimension, as we affirm: 'The law is spiritual.' Beyond this, the law is described as that which is inwardly implanted by common notions and, as Scripture affirms, 'written on the heart'—a word that prescribes duty and forbids transgression. This is further confirmed when Gentiles, who lack the law by nature, nevertheless perform its requirements; they become a law to themselves, demonstrating the work of the law inscribed in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, their thoughts either accusing or excusing them. For the law written in the hearts and practiced by Gentiles through nature is none other than that which is innately engraved in the rational faculty by common conception, now being more fully realized in our time. This understanding of the law was operative even before sin was imputed in the absence of law, or known only through law; for prior to the Mosaic law, sin was charged to Cain and to those in the flood, and still to the Sodomites and countless others, and many had knowledge of sin long before Moses. There is no need to be surprised when a single term like 'law' carries two meanings in the same context, for this pattern appears elsewhere—for example, when you do not say: 'Is it four-monthly, and does summer come?' Lift your eyes and behold the land: it is already white for harvest. Indeed, the harvest is named twice—first referring to the physical gathering, then to the spiritual ingathering. The same duality appears in the man born blind who was healed; when addressed in bodily terms, He declared: 'I have come into this world so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.' Thus, apart from the law of nature, God’s righteousness has been unveiled, attested by the law of Moses and the prophets. Yet to those still hesitant to accept the twofold sense of 'law,' we might say: if the same law is received both now and apart from it, and God’s righteousness is revealed in both cases, witnessed by law and prophets, then if it is revealed apart from the law, it is not witnessed by the law; if witnessed by the law, it is not separate from it. But concerning the righteousness of God revealed in Jesus Christ, the law of nature bears no testimony at all, for it is inferior to it; whereas the Mosaic law—not in its letter but in its spirit, along with those who embody its spirit—the prophets, and the indwelling spiritual word—do bear witness. Therefore, let the attentive reader of sacred Scripture observe that writings do not always employ identical terms for identical realities, yet they do so intentionally, sometimes…

Greek · §16

οἷον ἐπὰν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας λέγηται ὅ οι γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου εἰ ὶν ὑπὸ κατάραν εἰ ί, γέγραπται γάρ· ἐπικατάρατο πᾶ ὃ οὐκ ἐμμένει πᾶ ι τοῖ γεγραμ μένοι ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ποιῆ αι αὐτά, σαφὲς ὅτι νόμος ὁ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα δηλοῦται Μωσέως, τὸ προστακτικὸν μὲν ὧν ποιητέον, ἀπαγορευτικὸν δὲ ὧν οὐ ποιητέον τοῖς αὐτῷ ὑποκειμένοις. τὸ δ' αὐτὸ δηλοῦται ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ἐπιστολῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ὁ νόμο γὰρ τῶν παραβά εων χάριν ἐτέθη, ἄχρι οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ πέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται, διαταγεὶ δι' ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ με ίτου· καὶ ἐν τῷ ὥ τε ὁ νόμο παιδαγωγὸ ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰ Χρι τόν, ἵνα ἐκ πί τεω δικαιωθῶμεν· ἐλθού η δὲ τῆ πί τεω οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐ μεν. πάντε γὰρ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐ τὲ διὰ τῆ πί τεω ἐν Χρι τῷ Ἰη οῦ. σημαίνεται καὶ ἡ παρὰ Μωσεῖ ἀναγεγραμμένη ἱστορία ἀπὸ τῆς νόμος φωνῆς, ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔστι λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ λέγετέ μοι, οἱ ὑπὸ νόμον θέλοντε εἶναι, τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀκούετε; γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Ἀβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺ ἔ χεν, ἕνα ἐκ τῆ παιδί κη καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆ ἐλευθέρα . ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆ παιδί κη κατὰ άρκα γεγέννηται, ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῆ ἐλευθέρα διὰ τῆ ἐπαγγελία . οἶδα καὶ τοὺς ψαλμοὺς ὀνομαζομένους νόμον, ὡς δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ ἵνα πληρωθῇ ὁ λόγο ὁ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτῶν γεγραμμένο ὅτι ἐμί η άν με δωρεάν. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ἠσαίου προφητεία νόμος παρὰ τῷ ἀποστόλῳ λέγεται, φάσκοντι ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται· ἐν ἑτερογλώ οι καὶ ἐν χείλε ιν ἑτέροι λαλή ω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ, καὶ οὐδ' οὕτω εἰ ακού ονταί μου, λέγει κύριο · εὗρον γὰρ τὰ ἰσοδυναμοῦντα τῇ λέξει ταύτῃ ἐν τῇ τοῦ Ἀκύλου ἑρμηνείᾳ κείμενα. λέγεται νόμος καὶ ἡ μυστικωτέρα καὶ θειοτέρα τοῦ νόμου ἐκδοχή, ὡς ἐν τῷ οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι ὁ νόμο πνευματικό ἐ τι. παρὰ δὲ πάντα ταῦτα λέγεται νόμος ὁ κατὰ τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας ἐνεσπαρμένος τῇ ψυχῇ καί, ὡς ὀνομάζει ἡ γραφή, ἐγγεγραμμένος τῇ καρδίᾳ λόγος, προσ τακτικὸς μὲν ὧν ποιητέον, ἀπαγορευτικὸς δὲ ὧν οὐ ποιητέον. καὶ τοῦτο δὲ δηλοῦται ἐν τῷ ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύ ει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιοῦ ιν, οὗτοι νόμον μὴ ἔχοντε ἑαυτοῖ εἰ ὶ νόμο · οἵτινε ἐνδείκνυνται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖ καρδίαι αὐτῶν, υμμαρτυρού η αὐτῶν τῆ υνειδή εω . ὁ γὰρ γραπτὸ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις νόμος καὶ ἐν ἐθνικοῖς φύ ει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιοῦ ιν οὐκ ἄλλος ἐστὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας φύσει ἐγγεγραμμένου τῷ ἡγεμονικῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ τρανωτέρου μετὰ τῆς συμπληρώσεως τοῦ λόγου ὁσημέραι γινομένου. τοῦτο τὸ σημαινόμενον ἦν τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἐν τῷ ἁμαρτία οὐκ ἐλλο γεῖται μὴ ὄντο νόμου· καὶ ἐν τῷ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔγνων εἰ μὴ διὰ νόμου. πρὸ γὰρ τοῦ κατὰ Μωσέα νόμου ἐλλελόγηται ἁμαρτία καὶ τῷ Κάϊν καὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν παθοῦσιν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ Σοδομίταις καὶ ἄλλοις μυρίοις· πολλοί τε ἔγνωσαν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ Μωσέως νόμου. καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς εἰ δύο σημαινόμενα τοῦ ἑνὸς ὀνόματος τοῦ νόμου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ παρείληπται τόπῳ· εὑρήσομεν γὰρ ταύτην τὴν συνήθειαν καὶ ἐν ἄλλαις γραφαῖς, οἷον οὐχ ὑμεῖ λέγετε ὅτι τετράμηνό ἐ τι καὶ ὁ θερι μὸ ἔρχεται; ἐπάρατε τοὺ ὀφθαλμοὺ ὑμῶν καὶ θεά α θε τὰ χώρα ὅτι λευκαί εἰ ι πρὸ θερι μὸν ἤδη. δὶς γὰρ ὁ θερισμὸς ὀνομασθεὶς κατὰ μὲν τὸ πρότερον ἐπὶ τὸν σωματικὸν ἀναφέρεται, κατὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον ἐπὶ τὸν πνευματικόν. τὸ δὲ ὅμοιον εὑρήσεις καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀπὸ γενετῆς τυφλοῦ θεραπευθέντος· ᾧ ἐπιφέρει σωματικῶς γενομένῳ τὸ εἰ κρίμα ἐγὼ εἰ τὸν κό μον τοῦτον ἦλθον, ἵνα οἱ μὴ βλέποντε βλέπω ι καὶ οἱ βλέποντε τυφλοὶ γένωνται. οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ νῦν χωρὶ μὲν νόμου τοῦ τῆς φύσεως δικαιο ύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται, μαρτυρουμένη δὲ ὑπὸ νόμου Μωσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν. εἴποιμεν δ' ἂν πρὸς τοὺς ἔτι ὀκνοῦντας παραδέξασθαι τὸ διττὸν σημαινόμενον τοῦ νόμου, ὅτι εἴπερ ὁ αὐτὸς νόμος παρείληπται ἔν τε τῷ νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶ νόμου δικαιο ύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται, καὶ ἐν τῷ μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν· εἰ μὲν χωρὶς νόμου πεφανέρωται, οὐχ ὑπὸ νόμου μαρτυρεῖται· εἰ δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου μαρτυρεῖται, οὐ χωρὶς νόμου πεφανέρωται. τῇ τοίνυν δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ θεοῦ φανερουμένῃ ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μαρτυρεῖ οὐδαμῶς μὲν ὁ τῆς φύσεως νόμος· μικρότερος γάρ ἐστιν αὐτῆς· ὁ δὲ Μωσέως νόμος, οὐ τὸ γράμμα ἀλλὰ τὸ πνεῦμα, καὶ οἱ ἀνάλογον τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νόμου προφῆται, καὶ ὁ ἐν αὐτοῖς πνευματικὸς λόγος. διὸ χρὴ ἐπιμελῶς τὸν ἀναγινώσκοντα τὴν θείαν γραφὴν τηρεῖν ὅτι οὐ πάντως ταῖς αὐταῖς λέξεσιν ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν πραγμάτων χρῶνται αἱ γραφαί· τοῦτο δὲ ποιοῦσιν, ὁτὲ

Romans catena (u05-open)§17

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17At times we must interpret a word according to its plain meaning, at others figuratively, and occasionally because the context requires a different sense—either as it stands or as it appears elsewhere in Scripture. By observing this carefully, we avoid many mistakes and unfounded suppositions. Therefore, we must recognize that what has been perceived is not always located in the same reality; sometimes it is bodily sight, sometimes spiritual discernment. This principle must be universally understood: when the divine purpose is to conceal truth rather than reveal it openly to the Spirit in the prophets and to the Word of Christ in the apostles, the phrasing often becomes complex and does not follow a single, straightforward sequence. This is done so that the unworthy, upon encountering what is secretly reserved for their benefit, do not bring judgment upon themselves by seizing what was meant to remain hidden. This is frequently the reason why some suppose that Scripture as a whole lacks syntax and coherence—especially the prophetic and apostolic writings, and most notably Paul’s letter to the Romans, where legal matters are named differently and placed in varied contexts, making it seem as though Paul deviates from his stated purpose. But what shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Yet I would not have known sin except through the law; for I would not have known covetousness had the law not declared, 'You shall not covet.' Thus we understand the law not merely as Moses’ prohibition against covetousness, but also as the natural law ingrained in us—for desire is naturally implanted in us as a passion, and sin has seized opportunity not only through the written commandment but also through this inner law. Even Adam knew this before the Mosaic law. Sin, taking occasion through the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetousness—not only in me, but in every soul when sin awakens, all covetousness wages war against the human race; for it is impossible for a human soul not to fall into passions, even if later, through discipline, it appears, as it were, to attain impassibility. Paul declares that all covetousness is passionate and sinful—which the law forbids by teaching, 'You shall not covet'—and this is an irrational impulse arising from mere urge, overflowing beyond reason, by which we cling to life, desiring good, the middling and indifferent life, attaching ourselves to wealth, honor, women, and other covetous things, doing the will of sin, thus stretching ourselves toward what we imagine to be good upon all that we desire. For the fantasy of good becomes covetousness. Apart from the law, sin is powerless. I once lived apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died, and I found that the very commandment meant for life became death to me—for sin, seizing opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and thereby killed me. Then it could be said of such a person that he lives apart from the law; for upon this condition, reflecting, Paul and every person would say, I once lived apart from the law, when, as he says, on the eighth day after birth, of the race of Israel, a Hebrew of the Hebrews—for it is not possible for an irrational infant, possessing a state, to live under law. Indeed, every person has lived apart from the law at some time, namely in childhood, when there was no reproof, for ignorance is not subject to punishment; and the commandment has come at some time to every person—but when did they fulfill the word, and understand the commandment enjoining such things and forbidding such things? And at the very moment the commandment came, in its first occurrence, wickedness arose—or, as Paul called it, sin awoke, having been dead; for since it is not natural for sin and humanity to coexist, therefore, when the commandment came, sin awoke and the soul died, according to the soul, the sinner, this one shall die. For I, concerning the soul and concerning the human...

Greek · §17

μὲν παρὰ τὴν ὁμωνυμίαν, ὁτὲ δὲ παρὰ τὴν τροπολογίαν, καὶ ἔσθ' ὅτε παρὰ τὴν σύμφρασιν ἀπαιτοῦσαν ἄλλως τῇ λέξει χρήσασθαι ἐν τοῖσδέ τισιν ἢ ὡς κεῖται ἐν ἑτέροις. καὶ τοῦτο ἐὰν ἐπιμελῶς παραφυλατ τώμεθα, πολλῶν σφαλμάτων ἀπαλλαττόμεθα καὶ παρεκδοχῶν. χρὴ οὖν εἰδέναι ὅτι τὸ ἑώρακεν οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀεὶ κεῖται, ἀλλ' ὁτὲ μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ σωματικοῦ ὁρᾷν, ὁτὲ δὲ ἀντὶ τοῦ νοεῖν. καθόλου γὰρ τοῦτο ἰστέον, ὅτι προκειμένου κρύψαι καὶ μὴ φανερῶς ἐκθέσθαι τὰ νοήματα τῆς ἀληθείας τῷ ἐν τοῖς προφήταις πνεύματι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις Χριστοῦ λόγῳ, πολλαχοῦ καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς φράσεως συγχεῖται καὶ οὐχ ὡς ὑπὸ μίαν λέγεται ἀκολουθίαν· ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἀνάξιοι εἰς κρίμα τῆς ἑαυτῶν ψυχῆς εὕρωσι τὰ συμφερόντως αὐτοῖς ἀποκεκρυμμένα. καὶ τοῦτο πολλαχοῦ αἴτιόν ἐστι τοῦ δοκεῖν μὴ ἔχειν σύνταξιν μηδὲ ἀκολουθίαν τὴν ὅλην γραφήν· καὶ μάλιστα, ὡς προείπομεν, τὴν προφη τικὴν καὶ τὴν ἀποστολικήν· καὶ μάλιστα τῆς ἀποστολικῆς τὴν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολήν, ἐν ᾗ τὰ περὶ νόμου διαφόρως ὀνομάζεται, καὶ ἐπὶ διαφόρων πραγμάτων κείμενα· ὥστε δοκεῖν ὅτι οὐκ ἔχεται ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῇ γραφῇ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τοῦ προκειμένου αὐτῷ σκοποῦ.> 37 vii 7 τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ὁ νόμος ἁμαρτία; μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔγνων εἰ μὴ διὰ νόμου· τήν τε γὰρ ἐπιθυμίαν οὐκ ᾔδειν εἰ μὴ ὁ νόμος ἔλεγεν Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις. νόμον ὧδε νοοῦμεν οὐ μόνον τὸν Μωσέως τὸν κωλύοντα τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν φυσικόν· ἐνέσπαρται γὰρ ἡμῖν φυσικῶς ἡ ἐπιθυμία ὡς πάθος, καὶ ὁ περὶ ταύτην νόμος, καὶ ἔλαβεν ἀφορμὴν ἡ ἁμαρτία οὐ διὰ τῆ γραπτῆς μόνης ἐντολῆ , ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τῆς φυσικῆς. καὶ ὁ Ἀδὰμ δὲ ᾔδει τοῦτο καὶ πρὸ τοῦ Μωσέως νόμου. 38 vii 8 ἀφορμὴν δὲ λαβοῦσα ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς κατειργάσατο ἐν ἐμοὶ πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν. οὐκ ἐν Παύλῳ μόνῳ ἀλλ' ἐν πάσῃ ψυχῇ, ὅτε ἡ ἁμαρτία ὑπέστη, πᾶσα ἐπιθυμία κατεπολέμει τὸ γένος· ἀμήχανον γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνην ψυχὴν μὴ ὑπο πεσεῖν πάθεσι, κἂν ἐξ ἐπιμελείας ὕστερον οἱονεὶ ἐν ἀπαθείᾳ γένηται. ὧδε δὲ ὁ Παῦλος πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν λέγει παθητικὴν καὶ ἁμαρτωλόν (ἣν ὁ νόμος ἀπαγορεύει διδάσκων τὸ Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις), ἥτις ἐστὶν ὄρεξις ἄλογος γινομένη κατὰ ὁρμὴν πλεονάζουσαν παρὰ λόγον, καθ' ἣν φιλοζωοῦμεν, ὡς ἀγαθοῦ ὀρεγόμενοι τῆς μέσης καὶ ἀδιαφόρου ζωῆς, προσκείμενοι πλούτῳ καὶ δόξῃ καὶ γυναιξὶ καὶ ταῖς λοιπαῖς ἐπιθυμίαις, κατὰ τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας βούλημα ποιούσης ἡμᾶς ἐκτείνεσθαι ὡς ἐπὶ ἀγαθὸν <ἐπὶ> πᾶν τὸ ὑφ' ἡμῶν ἐπιθυ μούμενον. φαντασία γὰρ ἀγαθοῦ ἡ ἐπιθυμία γίνεται. 39 vii 8–11 χωρὶς γὰρ νόμου ἁμαρτία νεκρά. ἐγὼ δὲ ἔζων χωρὶς νόμου ποτέ· ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς ἐντολῆς ἡ ἁμαρτία ἀνέζησεν, ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπέθανον, καὶ εὑρέθη μοι ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ εἰς ζωὴν αὕτη εἰς θάνατον· ἡ γὰρ ἁμαρτία ἀφορμὴν λαβοῦσα διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐξηπάτησέν με καὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἀπέκτεινεν. τότε γὰρ καὶ λέγοιτ' ἂν περὶ τοῦ τοιούτου ὅτι οὗτος ζῇ χωρὶς νόμου· ἐπὶ ταύτην γὰρ τὴν κατάστασιν ἀναφέρων ὁ Παῦλος καὶ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἐρεῖ, ἐγὼ δὲ ἔζων χωρὶς νόμου ποτέ, ἐπεὶ ποτὲ ἦν χωρὶς νόμου ὅπου, καθὼς αὐτός φησι, περιτομῇ ὀκταήμερο , ἐκ γένου Ἰ ραήλ, Ἑβραῖο ἐξ Ἑβραίων· οὐ γὰρ δύναταιτὸ ἔτι ἄλογον ἔχον κατάστασιν παιδίον ζῇν ὑπὸ νόμον. πᾶς γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἔζη χωρὶς νόμου ποτέ, ὅτε παιδίον ἦν· <ὅτε οὐκ ἦν ἐπιτίμησις· ἄγνοια γὰρ κολάσει οὐχ ὑπόκειται·> καὶ παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ ἦλθέν ποτε ἡ ἐντολή· πότε δὲ ἢ ὅτε συνεπλήρωσε τὸν λόγον, καὶ νενόηκε τὴν ἐντολὴν προστάττουσαν μὲν τὰ τοιάδε, ἀπαγορεύουσαν δὲ τὰ τοιάδε; ἅμα δὲ τῷ ἐλθεῖν τὴν ἐντολὴν κατὰ τὸν πρῶτον αὐτῆς καιρὸν ὑφίσταται ἡ κακία, ἤ, ὡς ὁ Παῦλος ὠνόμασεν, ἀναζῇ ἡ ἁμαρτία τέως οὖσα νεκρά· ἐπεὶ δὲ μὴ πέφυκεν ἅμα ζῇν ἁμαρτία καὶ ὁ ἔ ω ἄνθρωπο , διὰ τοῦτο ἐλθούσης τῆς ἐντολῆς ἡ μὲν ἁμαρτία ἀναζῇ ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἀποθνήσκει, κατὰ τὸ ψυχὴ ἡ ἁμαρτάνου α αὐτὴ ἀποθανεῖται. τὸ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἔ ω ἄνθρωπον

The Law's Role in Revealing Sin and Death§18

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18The goodness embedded in the law, meant to guide life, paradoxically becomes a catalyst for death—since sin lacks definition apart from the law, and condemnation requires its boundary, yet it is through the law that sin’s guilt and punishment are formally established. Do not confuse the initial death of sin with its final demise; there is a profound distinction between sin lying inert without the law’s demand and sin being put to death through the Spirit’s mortification of our earthly nature; thus, the lifeless state of sin in each scenario produces vastly different outcomes in spiritual vitality, and they cannot be equated by any measure of lived experience. Indeed, sin remains deadly as long as our bodily impulses remain un subdued by the divine word, and even before the law was given, sin held sway over humanity. Yet someone might object: even if sin seizes the commandment as an occasion to deceive and destroy, we must still affirm the truth and embrace the law inscribed on the heart by God as holy, and honor the command as good, flowing from the God of goodness. So, has this good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, in order to be exposed as sin through the very good that works death in me, so that through the commandment sin might be revealed as utterly sinful. If someone objects, saying, 'Perhaps the holy law has become death to humanity?'—know this: when the commandment arrived, sin sprang back to life and the person died—let them understand that it was not the good that turned into death, but that sin must be made manifest in its true evilness; for when the good dwells in the soul, evil is unveiled, and if one then sins, it becomes clear that the commandment, which identified evil and warned against it, serves as the occasion of death, and sin—not merely sin, but sin in its most aggravated form—enters through the holy command and brings about our destruction. We acknowledge that the law is spiritual, yet I remain fleshly, enslaved to sin. A question emerges from all this: how can Paul say these things without appearing to contradict himself when he declares we were bought with a price, Christ redeemed us, and yet I no longer live, but Christ lives in me? Unless we allow that the Word assumes different persons, and the passages are tailored to distinct personal realities, in which the foolish act contrary to their original intent. This discourse is fitting for those who have come to know the law as divine and see its commands as good, yet, as those still enslaved to sin and governed by the flesh, they do not know how to resist and thus fall into transgression. For what I do, I do not understand; for what I wish to do, I do not do, but what I detest, that I perform. These words suit those who have weakened toward passion due to feeble reasoning, and those who, at times, are overcome by anger and fear and act against their will and their deepest aversions; but when, having been defeated by intellectual pride, we are conquered by what appears good but is not true, we endorse the law in word while doing what pleases us. For I delight in God’s law according to the inner self, yet I perceive another law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my flesh. In those who have not yet fortified themselves toward virtue, Paul outlines this present reality: just as a soldier who has taken captive enemies leads them away, so in these individuals, the law in their members opposes the law of their mind, enslaves the miserable soul, and drives it toward the law of sin residing in the bodily members. Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? I give thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. As one who weakens the human frailty that drags and distracts reason and incites opposition, he cries, 'Wretched man that I am'; and as one delivered by divine aid from the body named the body of death for these very reasons, he adds, 'I give thanks to God through Jesus Christ.' For what the law could not accomplish—because it was weakened by the flesh—

Greek · §18

ἀναφέρεται. <περιίσταται τοίνυν τὸ ζωοποιὸν ἀγαθόν, ἡ τοῦ νόμου πρόσταξις, εἰς θανάτου πρόφασιν· ἧς γὰρ ἄνευ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐχ οἷόν τε ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι, οὐδὲ καταδικάζειν θανάτῳ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, διὰ ταύτης δή που καὶ τὸ τῆς πονηρίας ἔγκλημα καὶ τὸ τῆς κολάσεως ἐπιτίμιον συνίσταται>. μὴ νομίσῃς δὲ παραπλήσιόν τι ἔχειν τὸν θάνατον τὸν πρῶτον τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ δευτέρῳ ταύτης θανάτῳ· ὡς γὰρ πολλὴ διαφορὰ ὅτε νεκρὰ ἡ ἁμαρτία χωρὶς νόμου καὶ ὅτε νεκρὰ ἡ ἁμαρτία νεκρωθέντων τῶν μελῶν τῶν ἐπὶ γῆ ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου, οὕτως καὶ τῆς καθ' ἑκατέραν νεκρότητα τῆς ἁμαρτίας ζωῆς πολλή τις ἂν εἴη καὶ οὐ συγκριτικὴ ἡ ἑτέρα τῇ ἑτέρᾳ διαφορὰ τοῦ ζῇν· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι ἡ νεκρὰ ἁμαρτία ζῇ ὅτε μήπω νεκροῦται τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆ γῆ ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου, πρὸ δὲ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔζη νεκρὰ οὖσα. <κἀνταῦθα δέ τις νόμον τὸν φυσικὸν ἀπέδωκεν οὕτω λέγων, ὡς εἰ καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἀφορμὴν λαβοῦσα διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐξηπάτησε καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπέκτεινεν, οὐδὲν ἧττον τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὁμολογητέον, καὶ τὸν ἐγγεγραμμένον τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ νόμον ὡς ἅγιον ἀποδεκτέον, καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν ὡς ἀγαθὴν καὶ ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ θεοῦ ἐπαινετέον.> 40 vii 13 τὸ οὖν ἀγαθὸν ἐμοὶ γέγονε θάνατος; μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἵνα φανῇ ἁμαρτία διὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μοι κατεργαζομένη θάνατον· ἵνα γένηται καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλὸς ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς. εἴ τις πρὸς τὰ εἰρημένα ἀνθυποφέρει λέγων Μή ποτε ὁ ἅγιος νόμος γέγονεν εἰς θάνατον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ἐλθού η γὰρ τῆ ἐντολῆ ἀνέζη εν ἡ ἁμαρτία ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἀπέθανεν; ἀκούσεται ὅτι οὐ τὸ ἀγαθὸν γέγονε θάνατος, ἀλλ' ἔδει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν φανῆναι ἡλίκον ἐστὶ κακόν· ὅτε γὰρ ἐπιδημεῖ τὸ ἀγαθὸν τῇ ψυχῇ, φανεροῦται τὸ κακόν· καὶ ἐάν τις μετὰ τοῦτο ἁμαρτῇ, εὑρίσκεται τὸν θάνατον ποιοῦσα ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ ὑποδείξασα τὸ κακὸν καὶ ἡ ὑποδείξασα τὸ φευκτέον ἐντολὴ θανάτου πρόξενος, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἁμαρτία ἀλλὰ καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλός, αὕτη διὰ τῆς ἁγίας ἐντολῆς παρεισδύνουσα καὶ τὸν θάνατον ἡμῖν κατεργαζομένη. 41 vii 14 οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι ὁ νόμος πνευματικός ἐστιν· ἐγὼ δὲ σαρκικός εἰμι, πεπραμένος ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. ζήτημα ἀνακύπτει ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς προκειμένης περικοπῆς πῶς ταῦτα λέγων ὁ Παῦλος οὐ δοκεῖ ἐναντιοῦσθαι τοῖς ἰδίοις λόγοις ὁ λέγων τιμῆ ἠγορά θητε καὶ Χρι τὸ ἡμᾶ ἐξηγόρα εν καὶ ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χρι τό · εἰ μή που εἴπωμεν ὅτι προσωποποιίας ἔχει διαφόρους ὁ λόγος, καὶ συσχηματί ζονται αἱ περικοπαὶ πρὸς διαφόρους ποιότητας προσώπων, ἔνθα οἱ φαῦλοι ἄλλα πράττουσι παρὰ τὴν προηγουμένην ἑαυτῶν πρόθεσιν. ὁ δὲ παρὼν λόγος ἁρμόζει λέγεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν μεμαθηκότων τὰ περὶ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι θεῖός ἐστι, καὶ βλεπόντων αὐτοῦ τὰ προστάγματα ὅτι εἰσὶ καλά, οὐδὲν δὲ ἧττον ὡς πεπρα μένοι ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ σαρκικοὶ ὄντες, οὐ γινώσκουσι πῶς, ἐμπίπτουσιν ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. 42 vii 15 ὃ γὰρ κατεργάζομαι οὐ γινώσκω· οὐ γὰρ ὃ θέλω τοῦτο πράσσω, ἀλλ' ὃ μισῶ τοῦτο ποιῶ. ἁρμόζει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα λέγειν τοῖς παλαίσασι πρὸς τὰς ἐπιθυμίας διὰ δὲ ἀσθένειαν λογισμοῦ πεσοῦσι, καὶ τοῖς ὑπὸ θυμοῦ ἔσθ' ὅτε νικωμένοις καὶ ὑπὸ φόβου καὶ πράττουσιν ἃ μὴ θέλουσι καὶ ἃ μισοῦσιν· ὅταν δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ λόγου ἐπάρσεως ἡττηθέντες νικηθῶμεν ἐκ τοῦ δοκοῦντος εἶναι ἀγαθοῦ οὐ μὴν ἀληθοῦς, ύμφαμεν τῷ νόμῳ ὅτι καλὸ ποιοῦμεν δὲ τὸ καθ' ἡδονήν. 43 vii 22, 23 συνήδομαι γὰρ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον· βλέπω δὲ ἕτερον νόμον ἐν τοῖς μέλεσί μου ἀντιστρατευόμενον τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοός μου καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντά με τῷ νόμῳ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ ὄντι ἐν τοῖς μέλεσί μου. ἐν τοῖς μηδέπω κρατύνασι τὴν ἕξιν ἐπὶ τὰ βέλτιστα διαγράφει ὁ Παῦλος τὸν παρόντα λόγον· ὥσπερ τοίνυν στρατιώτης κρατήσας πολεμίων αἰχμαλώτους ἄγει, οὕτως ἐν τοῖς προειρημένοις προσώποις ἐστὶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν αὐτῶν νόμος ἀντιστρατευόμενος τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοὸς αὐτῶν καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζων τὴν ταλαίπωρον ψυχὴν καὶ ἄγων ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας νόμον ἐν τοῖς σωματικοῖς μέλεσιν. 44 vii 24, 25 ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος· τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου; εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν. ὡς κακίζων τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν τὴν περιέλκουσαν καὶ περισπῶσαν τὸν λογισμὸν καὶ προκαλουμένην ἐπὶ τὰ ἐναντία λέγει τὸ ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος· καὶ ὡς διὰ ἐπικουρίας θείας ῥυσθεὶς τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ὀνομασθέντος σώματος θανάτου διὰ τὰς προειρημένας αἰτίας, ἐπάγει τὸ εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. 45 viii 3, 4 τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου, ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός,

Likeness of sinful flesh; fleshly mindset versus Spirit's help§19

19 God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Here he speaks of what the law of sin and death cannot do. Virtue is strong by its own nature; vice and what comes from it are weak and powerless. Vice rules not the strong but the slack—not by its own strength but by their feebleness. Such a 'law' is powerless by nature, so it worked in weak flesh.

God condemned that law by sending his Son not in flesh of the sin that slaves of the law of sin serve, but in a likeness of such flesh. The Son's flesh was not sin but likeness, because it did not come from a man's seed and a woman joined in sleep. So God condemned sin become exceedingly sinful, and through the flesh the divine law's righteous requirement is fulfilled in us when we do not walk according to flesh—where that powerless weakness, which is vice, works—but follow God according to his Spirit and receive the Son into ourselves.

Because the mindset of the flesh is enmity toward God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor can it be; and those who are in the flesh cannot please GodFrom Paul we learn who walk according to flesh—those who mind fleshly things—and who according to Spirit—those who mind the Spirit's things.

Fleshly mindsets are fornication, wantonness, idolatry, and the like—death itself. The Spirit's fruit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and what follows—life. Such people are already in life and rejoice in peace. Those who sow to the flesh reap corruption; those who live by the Spirit sow of the Spirit and reap eternal life. Those of the flesh's mindset are also God's enemies.

People who want riches or glory also mind fleshly things. Jews who live by the letter and practice visible circumcision in the flesh mind the fleshly side of the law; Jews in secret, who circumcise heart and spirit, mind the Spirit's things. In the fleshly mindset of the law you find death and enmity toward God; in the Spirit's mindset of the law, life and peace. Those in the flesh of the law cannot please God; those in the Spirit of the law can. Both profess Moses' law, yet they take it according to flesh and we according to Spirit—so they reckon the promises fleshy, while we take them as spiritual blessing in the heavenlies.

Hope that is seen is not hope; for what one sees, why still hope? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with enduranceOther copies read something like 'if he is eager he endures what he sees'; but greatness belongs to the one who hopes toward what is unseen and, stretching the mind toward it, endures whatever comes.

Likewise the Spirit helps our weaknesses; for we do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit itself intercedes for us with unspoken groaningsIt fills up what our weakness lacks. Through this, all human nature is shown. In countless ways the Spirit helps our weakness, not least when we pray and cross over so as to pray in spirit. Not knowing what to pray as we ought, helped by the Spirit we pray in spirit; then with the mind following that help we pray with the mind too. Prayer that uses only one is incomplete, as if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful shows. So that the mind may bear fruit, he says: I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the mind. …

Greek · §19

ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί, ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα. μᾶλλον τὸ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου τοῦ τῆ ἁμαρτία καὶ τοῦ θανάτου ὧδε λέγει· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἀρετὴ ἰδίᾳ φύσει ἰσχυρά, οὕτω καὶ ἡ κακία καὶ τὰ ἀπ' αὐτῆς ἀσθενῆ καὶ ἀδύνατα· κρατεῖ γὰρ οὐ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐκλύτων, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἰσχὺν ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀδράνειαν· τοῦ τοιούτου νόμου ἡ φύσις ἀδύνατός ἐστιν· διὸ καὶ ἐνήργει ἐν τῇ ἀσθενεῖ σαρκί. ὃν νόμον κατέκρινεν ὁ θεὸς πέμψας τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν οὐκ ἐν σαρκὶ ἁμαρτίας τοιαύτης ᾗ ὁ δουλεύων κατὰ νόμον ἁμαρτίας δουλεύει, ἀλλ' ἐν ὁμοιώματι τοιαύτης σαρκός. διὰ δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἦν ἁμαρτία ἡ σὰρξ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλ' ὁμοίωμα, ἐπείπερ οὐκ ἦν ἐκ σπέρματος ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς ὕπνῳ συνελθούσης. οὐκοῦν ὁ θεὸς κατε δίκασεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν γενομένην καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλόν, καὶ διὰ τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπληρώθη τὸ τοῦ θείου νόμου δικαίωμα ἐν ἡμῖν, ὅτε μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περι πατοῦμεν, ἐν ᾗ σαρκὶ ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἀσθενές, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ κακία· ἀλλ' ἑπόμενοι θεῷ κατὰ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ πράττομεν πάντα, εἰς ἑαυτοὺς παραδεχόμενοι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ. 46 viii 7 διότι τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς ἔχθρα εἰς θεόν, τῷ γὰρ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ 46 οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται, οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται· οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται. ἀφ' ὧν διδάσκει ὁ Παῦλος μανθάνομεν τίνες εἰσὶ κατὰ σάρκα, οἱ τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς φρονοῦντες, καὶ τίνες οἱ κατὰ πνεῦμα, οἱ τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος φρονοῦντες. τὰ δὲ φρονήματα τῆς σαρκός εἰσι πορνεία, ἀ έλγεια, εἰδωλολατρεία, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια, ὅπερ αὐτὸ τοῦτο θάνατός ἐστι· τὰ δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἀκόλουθα, ἅπερ ἐστὶ ζωή. καὶ ἤδη ἐν τῇ ζωῇ εἰσὶν οἱ τοιοῦτοι, καὶ ἐν εἰρήνῃ εὐφραίνονται· ἀκόλουθον οὖν τοὺ μὲν εἰ τὴν άρκα πείροντα θερίζειν φθοράν, τοὺς δὲ πνεύματι ζῶντα πείρειν εἰ τὸ πνεῦμα, ἀφ' οὗ ἐστὶ θερί αι ζωὴν αἰώνιον· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἐχθροί εἰσι τοῦ θεοῦ οἱ τοῦ φρονήματος τῆς σαρκός. φρονοῦσι δὲ τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ὅσοι βούλονται πλουτεῖν ἢ ἐπιθυμοῦσι δόξης. καὶ οἱ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα ζῶντες Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ τὴν ἐν φανερῷ περιτομὴν ἐν αρκὶ ἀσκοῦντες, οὗτοι τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς τοῦ νόμου φρονοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ κατὰ πνεῦμα, οἱ ἐν κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖοι, οἱ τὴν ἐν καρδίᾳ καὶ πνεύματι περιτομὴν ποιοῦντες, <οὗ>τοι φρονοῦσι τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. καὶ ἐν μὲν τῷ φρονήματι τῆς σαρκὸς τοῦ νόμου θάνατόν τις εὑρήσει καὶ ἔχθραν τὴν εἰς θεόν, ἐν δὲ τῷ φρονήματι τοῦ νόμου τοῦ πνεύματος ζωὴν καὶ εἰρήνην. οἱ δὲ ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ τοῦ νόμου ὄντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται, ἀλλ' οἱ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νόμου ὄντες· ἀμφότεροι γὰρ ἐπαγγελλόμεθα τὸν Μωσέως νόμον, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι μὲν κατὰ σάρκα, ἡμεῖς δὲ κατὰ πνεῦμα· διὸ ἐκεῖνοι σαρκικὰς ἡγοῦνται τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, ἀκολούθως τῷ σαρκικῷ νόμῳ, ἡμεῖς δὲ πνευματικάς, ἐν πά ῃ εὐλογίᾳ πνευματικῇ ἐν τοῖ ἐπουρανίοι . 47 viii 24, 25 ἐλπὶς δὲ βλεπομένη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπίς· ὃ γὰρ βλέπει τις, τί καὶ ἐλπίζει; εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ βλέπομεν ἐλπίζομεν, δι' ὑπομονῆς ἀπεκδεχόμεθα. ἀνθ' οὗ ἐν ἄλλοις εὕρομεν ἀντὶ τοῦ ὃ γὰρ βλέπει τίς ὑπομένει, οἷον εἰ πρόθυμος γίνεται ὑπομένειν ὃ βλέπει· μέγα δὲ ποιεῖ ὁ ἐλπίζων εἰς μὴ βλεπόμενον, καὶ δι' ἐκεῖνο τῷ τετάσθαι τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸ πᾶν ὁτιποτ οῦν ὑπομένων. 48 viii 26 ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα συναντιλαμβάνεται ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, τὸ γὰρ τί προσευξόμεθα καθ' ὃ δεῖ οὐκ οἴδαμεν, ἀλλ' αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑπερεν τυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις. τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἂν πληροῖ τὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀσθενείας ἀντιλαμβανόμενον αὐτῆς, ἅμα δὲ μανθάνομεν ὅτι πᾶσιν ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις διὰ τούτων δεδήλωται. (τοῦ αὐτοῦ) ἐν δυσεξαριθμήτοις τὸ πνεῦμα ἀντιλαμβάνεται τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἔλαττον δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ προσεύχεσθαι ἡμᾶς, ἐπὰν διαβαίνωμεν ὥστε προ εύχε θαι πνεύματι. τότε γὰρ τί προσευξόμεθα καθ' ὃ δεῖ οὐκ εἰδότες, ἀντιλαμβανο μένου τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν ἀσθενείας, διὰ τὴν ἀπὸ τούτου βοήθειαν προ ευχόμεθα πνεύματι· εἶτ' ἐφεπομένου αὐτῷ βοηθοῦντι τοῦ νοῦ προ ευχόμεθα καὶ τῷ νοΐ. ἐλλιπὴς δὲ ἡ εὐχὴ τοῦ μὴ προσευχομένου ἀμφοτέροις, ὡς δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ ἐὰν γλώ αι λαλῶ τὸ πνεῦμά μου προ εύχεται, ὁ δὲ νοῦ μου ἄκαρπο ἐ τιν. ἵνα οὖν μὴ ἄκαρπος ᾖ ὁ νοῦς, προ εύξομαί φησι τῷ πνεύματι, προ εύ ξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ. 49 viii 31, 32 τί οὖν

The Inseparability of Believers from God's Love Through Christ§20

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20What can we say in response? If God stands with us, who can stand against us? He who did not withhold his own Son but delivered him for our sake—how could he fail to lavish upon us, together with him, every good thing? This is a recapitulation, a return to what has gone before, and he speaks not in defiance of what is plainly evident. I have seen, moreover, how all things rise against us for the sake of that name—people, yes, but also the very forces that oppose: principalities, powers, world-rulers of this dark age, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly realms, with Satan himself bent on our overthrow. Yet we must not claim, contrary to what is evident, that if God is for us, then his cause is insignificant and we are nothing, or that our adversaries are powerless; to think so would be to invite fear and distress, as if we were left alone to contend with such foes. But now that God is for us, what measure can be taken against this array of opposition? To what shall they be compared—if not to nothing? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen? God himself, who justifies. Who is there to condemn? It seems clear that this points to the devil, the accuser of the brethren, who charges the elect before God—yet there is not one he accuses who is not also defended, save only Jesus, who knew no sin. And so it is said: the ruler of this world comes, and finds in me nothing to lay hold of. Thus he is brought to nothing by his own accusations against God’s elect, for if God justifies, who can condemn? Even if the accuser produces the very things for which they were once condemned—if they had not been left behind—still, God has justified them: as a cloud sweeps away their iniquities, as darkness is scattered before light, as those once stained by sin are made white like refined zinc. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For the victor in a contest is not merely the one who, after struggle, overtakes his opponent, but the one who does not even allow the beginning of resistance to take shape. Such was Paul, and such are those who have undergone the same preparation against temptation: they trample oppression, find joy in the one who straitens, pursue the hunter by endurance, laugh at famine through heavenly food, regard nakedness as nothing, having put on Christ through whom they are clothed, treat danger as no danger, and wield the sword not by strength but by the living word of God, which they find easy to wield, being persuaded. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Consider whether it is not reasonable that I am convinced of this—having appointed these things to be weighed against greater realities, or measured by human trials—and that the very thing that would separate us is nothing but the esteeming of the lesser exercises of the human soul over the greater. And if we more than conquer the former and the human, we shall not lack a better breath and energy surrounding them; thus it was fitting that Paul added the words 'through him who loved us.' But reflect: if death indeed sought to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, it would not be the common fate of which it was said above—that we die wholly each day—but rather the enemy of Christ, who has been destroyed. For this one would seek to divide us, to speak, Paul—but he shall not be destroyed by the one in whom he dwells, Christ. And life is not contrary to this death, for mutually opposed things do not naturally desire the same end; rather, the way of life through sin, its appearances, and falsehood is what opposes it. But if even for each kind of sin there is some base form of life, you will know this through the superior mercy that extends over life. For this one would seek to separate the one embraced in the love of God in Christ Jesus—but she cannot, being destroyed in part by the death through which one dies on account of sin, and in part by our life, which is hidden in Christ in God. And the angels, too, seek to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, concerning whom it has been said to those on the left: 'Depart, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' And the thing that neither rulers nor what is in us—the old blood and barrier—can effect, but which, before the rulers and the things that follow, is referred back.

Greek · §20

ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα; εἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τίς καθ' ἡμῶν; ὅς γε τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν παρέδωκεν αὐτόν, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ χαρίσεται ἡμῖν τὰ πάντα; ὥσπερ ἀνακ<ε>φαλαιούμενος τὰ προειρημένα καὶ ἐπ' ἐκεῖνα ἀναφέρων ταῦτά φησιν, οὐ παρὰ τὸ ἐναργὲς λέγων. ἑώρα γὰρ κατὰ τὸ καὶ ἔ ε θε μ(ι) ούμενοι ὑπὸ πάντων διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου ὡς πολλοὶ καθ' ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐ μόνον ἄνθρωποι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἃ ἡ πάλη, ἀρχαὶ καὶ ἐξου ίαι καὶ κο μοκράτορε τοῦ κότου τούτου καὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆ πονηρία ἐν τοῖ ἐπουρανίοι καὶ αὐτὸς ὅλος ὁ πλεονεκτεῖν ἡμᾶς θέλων Σατανᾶ · μὴ παρὰ τὸ ἐναργὲς δὲ λέγων τὸ εἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, εὐτελὴς καὶ οὐδενὸς λόγου ἄξιός ἐστιν καὶ οὐδὲν δυνάμενος ἕκαστος τῶν καθ' ἡμῶν· μὴ οὖν εὐλαβεῖσθε μηδὲ ταράσσεσθε· εἰ μὲν γὰρ μόνοι ἦτε καὶ μὴ μετὰ θεοῦ πρὸς τοιούτους ἀνθιστάμενοι, κἂν εὔλογόν τι ἔχειν ἐδοκεῖτε φοβεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς· νυνὶ δὲ θεοῦ ὄντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, εἰς τίνα μετρηθήσεται τὰ τοσαῦτα καθ' ἡμῶν ἢ εἰς οὐδέν; 50 viii 33 τίς ἐγκαλέσει κατὰ ἐκλεκτῶν θεοῦ; θεὸς ὁ δικαιῶν· τίς ὁ κατα κρίνων; δοκεῖ μοι τοῦτο ἀναφέρεσθαι ἐπὶ τὸν διάβολον ὄντα κατήγορον καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν οἷς ἐγκαλέσει· οὐδεὶς γάρ ἐστιν οὗ ἐκεῖνος μὴ κατηγορήσει καὶ ᾧ οὐκ ἐγκαλέσει, εἰ μὴ μόνος Ἰησοῦς, ὃ ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἐποίη εν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λέγων νῦν ἔρχεται ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κό μου τούτου καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐκ ἔχει οὐδέν. διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἐκεῖνος ἐξευτελίζεται ἐγκαλῶν καὶ κατὰ ἐκλεκτῶν θεοῦ· τοῦ γὰρ θεοῦ δικαιοῦντος τίς κατακρίναι δύναται, κἂν ὁ κατήγορος φέρει εἰς μέσον τὰ ἀπηλιμμένα ἐφ' οἷς κατεκρίθησαν εἰ μὴ ἀπήλιπτο; ἐδικαίωσεν δὲ αὐτοὺς ὡ νεφέλην ἀπαλείψα τὰ ἀνομία αὐτῶν καὶ ὡ γνόφον τὰ ἁμαρτία αὐτῶν καὶ λευκάνα τοὺς πρότερον ἡμαρτηκότας ὡ xiόνα. 51 viii 37 ἀλλ' ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς. νικᾷ μὲν ὁ μετὰ ἀμφηρίστου ἀγῶνος τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἀγωνιζομένοις περὶ νίκης περιγενόμενος τοῦ ἀνταγωνιστοῦ· ὑπερνικᾷ δὲ ὁ μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπιτρέψας στῆναι πρὸς αὐτὸν τῷ ἐναντιουμένῳ. τοιοῦτος ὁ Παῦλος καὶ οἱ τὴν ὁμοίαν αὐτῷ παρασκευὴν πρὸς τοὺς πειρασμοὺς ἀνειληφότες, τὸ θλίβον καταπατοῦντες καὶ ἐντρυφῶντες τῷ τενοχωροῦντι καὶ τὸ διῶκον τῇ ὑπομονῇ διώκοντες, καὶ τὸν λιμὸν διὰ τὴν οὐράνιον τροφὴν γελῶντες, καὶ τὴν γυμνότητα ἐν οὐδενὶ τιθέμενοι δι' ὃν ἐνδέδυνται Χριστόν, καὶ τὸν κίνδυνον ὡς οὐ κινδυνεύοντες καταπατοῦντες, καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν διὰ τὸν ζῶντα τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον οὐδὲν χαλεπὸν ἐργάσασθαι αὐτοὺς πειθόμενοι. 52 viii 38, 39 πέπεισμαι γὰρ ὅτι οὔτε θάνατος οὔτε ζωὴ οὔτε ἄγγελοι οὔτε ἀρχαὶ οὔτε δυνάμεις οὔτε ἐνεστῶτα οὔτε μέλλοντα οὔτε ὕψωμα οὔτε βάθος οὔτε τις κτίσις ἑτέρα δυνήσεται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. ὅρα εἰ μὴ εὐλόγως τὸ μὲν πέπεισμαι ὅτι οὐ δύναται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι τάδε τινὰ ἔταξεν ἐπὶ τῶν μειζόνων ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον πειρα μῶν, τὸ δὲ τί ἡμᾶ χωρί ει ἐξευτελίζων τοὺς ἀνθρωπίνου ἐπὶ τῶν ἐλαττόνων γυμνασίων τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ψυχῆς· καὶ ἐὰν ὑπερνικῶμεν δὲ τὰ πρότερα καὶ ἀνθρώπινα, οὐ χωρὶς συμπνοίας καὶ ἐνεργείας κρείττονος αὐτῶν περιεσόμεθα· διὸ καλῶς ὁ Παῦλος προσέθηκεν τὸ διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπή αντο ἡμᾶ . πρόσχες δὲ εἰ θάνατος μὲν παλαίει βουλόμενος χωρίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ οὐχ ὁ κοινὸς περὶ οὗ ἀνωτέρω εἴρηται τὸ ἕνεκέν ου θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἀλλ' ὁ ἐχθρὸ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἔ χατο καταργηθη όμενο · βουλήσεται μὲν γὰρ οὗτος χωρίσαι, φέρε εἰπεῖν, Παῦλον, οὐ δυνήσεται δὲ καταργούμενο ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ Χριστοῦ· ζωὴ δὲ οὐχ <ἡ> τῷ θανάτῳ τούτῳ ἐναντία, τὰ γὰρ ἀλλήλοις ἐναντία οὐ πέφυκεν ἓν καὶ ταὐτὸν βούλεσθαι, ἀλλὰ ἡ καθ' ἣν ζῇ τις τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ καὶ τοῖς εἴδεσιν αὐτῆς καὶ τῷ ψεύδει· εἰ δὲ καὶ καθ' ἕκαστον εἶδος ἁμαρτία ἔστι τις φαύλῃ ζωῇ, ἐπιστήσεις διὰ τὸ κρεῖττον τὸ ἔλεό ου ὑπὲρ ζωά · αὕτη γὰρ βουλήσεται μὲν χωρίσαι τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, οὐ δύναται δέ, καταργουμένη πῇ μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου καθ' ὃν ἀποθνή κει τις τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, πῇ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν ἥτις κέκρυπται ὺν τῷ Χρι τῷ ἐν τῷ θεῷ. καὶ ἄγγελοι δὲ βούλονται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, περὶ ὧν λέλεκται τοῖ ἐξ εὐωνύμων Ὑπάγετε εἰ τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον τὸ ἡτοιμα μένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖ ἀγγέλοι αὐτοῦ. τὸ δὲ οὔτε ἀρχαὶ ἐπὶ τὸ οὐκ ἐ τὶν ἡμῖν ἡ παλὴ πρὸ αἷμα καὶ άρκα ἀλλὰ πρὸ τὰ ἀρχὰ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἀναφέρεται,

Present and coming powers; love of God holds§21

21Next comes the clause when he abolishes every rule and every authority and powerAfter that stand 'the things present.' Ask whether these can point to the world-ruler of this darkness, and not merely to present human affairs; another reader would refer 'present things' to what is seen and temporary.

Then consider what 'the things to come' are. They may be the struggles still ahead for the apostle in this life's sojourn, measured from the days when the letter was written; or they may be what meets the soul at once after this age and after departure—when the ruler of this world and powers under him will try to seize the one who has gone abroad, yet cannot touch those who have already laid hold of the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Next after these is 'neither powers,' which seems to name a kind of rational being outside a mortal body.

Greek · §21

καὶ εἰς τὸ ὅταν καταργή ῃ πᾶ αν ἀρχὴν καὶ πᾶ αν ἐξου ίαν καὶ δύναμιν. ἑξῆς τούτ<ῳ> ἐστὶ τὰ ἐνεστῶτα· ταῦτα δὲ ἐπίσκεψαι εἰ δύναται ἀναφέρεσθαι ἐπὶ τοὺ κο μοκράτορα τοῦ κότου τούτου, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐπί τινα ἐνεστῶτα ἀνθρώπινα· ἄλλος δ' ἂν λέγοι τὰ ἐνεστῶτα ἀναφέρεσθαι ἐπὶ τὰ βλεπόμενα καὶ πρό καιρα. μετὰ τοῦτο ἴδωμεν τίνα τὰ μέλλοντα καὶ ἤτοι <τὰ> πρὸς τὸν μέλλοντα χρόνον παλαίσοντα τῷ ἀποστόλῳ τῆς ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ παρεπιδημίας, ὡς πρὸς τὰς ἐνεστηκυίας αὐτῷ τῆς γραφῆς τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἡμέρας, ἢ τὰ μετὰ τὸν ἐνεστηκότα αἰῶνα καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον εὐθέως ἀπαντησόμενα, ὅτε ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κό μου τούτου καί τινες ὑπ' αὐτῷ δυνάμεις βουλήσονται μὲν κρατεῖν τοῦ ἐκδημήσαντος, οὐ δυνήσονται δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν προανειληφότων τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. ἑξῆς δὲ αὐτῶ<ν> ἐστὶν τὸ οὔτε δυνάμεις, ὅπερ ἔοικεν εἶναι εἴδους τινὸς τῶν ἔξω θνητοῦ σώματος λογικῶν,

Height, depth, and feeding the enemy§22

22'Neither height nor depth.' Perhaps the human soul is ambushed by 'height' through the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies, and by 'depth' through what lies under the earth. Neither will let the one armed in God's love be parted from it.

And if, beside this whole visible creation, there is another creation visible by nature but not yet seen, ask whether that is what 'neither another creation will be able to separate us from the love of God' points to.

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with goodSince the desire for virtue—

Greek · §22

<οὔτε ὕψωμα οὔτε βάθος>. μήποτε <οὖν> ἡ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴ ἐπιβουλεύεται ὑπὸ μὲν ὑψώματος κατὰ τὰ ἐν τοῖ ἐπουρανίοι πνευματικὰ τῆ πονηρία , ὑπὸ δὲ βάθους κατὰ τὰ καταχθόνια· ὧν οὐδέτερον τὸν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁπλισάμενον χωρισθῆναι αὐτῆς ἐάσει. εἰ δὲ καὶ παρὰ τὴν βλεπομένην ὅλην ταύτην κτίσιν ἐστὶν ἑτέρα κτίσις τῇ φύσει μὲν βλεπομένη νῦν δὲ οὐδέπω ὁρωμένη, ζητήσεις εἰ δύναται ἐπ' ἐκείνην ἀναφέρεσθαι τὸ οὔτε κτίσις ἑτέρα δυνήσεται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ. 53 xiii 20, 21 ἐὰν οὖν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ. μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ νίκα ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν. ἐπειδὴ ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν

Feeding the enemy; antichrist as false head§23

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23—and the appetite for contemplation seems to be hunger and thirst, as things that work health in the soul. If the enemy ever feels that hunger or thirst after repenting of his sins, the holy person must give him the holy bread when he hungers—unless he is a dog or pig unworthy of holy things.

There are many ways to feed a hungry enemy: sometimes by a teaching word, sometimes by prayer for him. And since the head of every man is Christ, the enemy—as not a 'man' because of impiety—has the antichrist as head. That head must be consumed as opposed to the Word of God by the coals of rational fire, whenever the impious one whose head is the antichrist, hungering, eats—

Greek · §23

καὶ θεωρίαν ὄρεξις δοκεῖ πείνη εἶναι καὶ δίψαὡσ ὑγείας ἐμποιητικὰ ψυxiκῆς, ἐὰν τοιαύτην ποτὲ πείνην ἢ δίψαν ὁ ἐχθρὸς διψήσῃ μετὰ τὸ μετανοῆσαι ἐφ' οἷς ἥμαρτεν, δεῖ αὐτῷ τὸν ἅγιον ἄρτον πεινῶντι διδόναι, ἐὰν μὴ ἐστὶ κύων ἢ χοῖρο ἀνάξιος τῶν ἁγίων· πολλαχῶς δὲ ἔστι πεινῶντα θρέψαι τὸν ἐχθρὸν ποτὲ <μὲν> λόγῳ διδασκαλικῷ ποτὲ <δὲ> εὐχῇ τῇ περὶ αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐπειδὴ παντὸ ἀνδρὸ κεφαλὴ ὁ Χρι τό , οὐκοῦν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, ὡς μὴ ὄντος ἀνδρὸς διὰ τὸ ἀσεβές, κεφαλὴ ὁ ἀντίχριστος, ὃν χρὴ ἐξαφανίζεσθαι ὡς ἐναντίον τῷ θεῷ λόγῳ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθράκων τοῦ λογικοῦ πυρός, ὅταν ἀσεβὴς ὁ ἔχων κεφαλὴν τὸν ἀντίχριστον πεινή<σας φάγ>ῃ

Coals of true words; enemy becomes friend§24

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24—the bread from what is holy, and when thirsty is given living water from the holy spring. So it is a fine work to heap coals—that is, chosen words—on the enemy's head. The Lord Jesus consumes that head with the spirit of his mouth; this is the saving fire of which he said, I came to cast fire on the earth—meaning the consuming and vanishing of all that is bodily and material.

Many coals are needed so the enemy's head may be thoroughly burned away; they are the true words that make falsehood vanish. When that head is consumed or mastered by the heaped coals, feeding the hungry enemy turns the former enemy into a friend who now has Christ as head.

Greek · §24

τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου ἄρτον, καὶ διψήσας ποτισθῇ τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁγίας πηγῆς ὕδατι ζῶντι· διὸ καλόν ἐστιν ἔργον σωρεῦσαι ἄνθρακας ὅ ἐστι λόγους ἐκλεκτοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ κεφαλήν· ὃν ὁ κύριο Ἰη οῦ ἀναλοῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ τόματο αὐτοῦ, τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ σωτήριον πῦρ, περὶ οὗ εἶπεν πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀναλῶσαι καὶ ἐξαφανίσαι πάντα τὰ σωματικὰ καὶ ὑλικά. πολλῶν δὲ ἀνθράκων χρεία ἵνα ἡ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ κεφαλὴ ἐξαναλωθῇ· οἵτινές εἰσιν οἱ ἀληθεῖς λόγοι οἱ ἐξαφανίζοντες τὸ ψεῦδος· ὅταν οὖν ἀναλωθῇ ἢ χειρωθῇ ἡ κεφαλὴ ὑπὸ τῶν σωρευομένων ἀνθράκων, ἐκ τοῦ τρέφεσθαι πεινῶντα τὸν ἐχθρὸν γίνεται ὁ ποτὲ ἐχθρὸς φίλος καὶ κέχρηται κεφαλῇ τῷ Χριστῷ.

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