Origen on John



PSALM 76; HOMILY 2	Homilia II in Psalmum LXXVI. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ οϛ´ ‹ψαλμοῦ› ὁμιλία β´ ἐσχεδιασμένη


1. FREQUENTLY one who lives a godly life, while in the early stages of that godly life, imagines he has made the beginning of living as he ought to live, but when he has understood the difference between the early stages of the godly life and that which occurs after the early stages on the path of a godly life; []* recognizing that, at first, he seemed to be beginning when he was not actually beginning, but later, he knew what the beginning was; he says, “Now Ι have begun.” (Ps 76.11a)	1. Ὁ βιοὺς κατὰ θεὸν πολλάκις ἐν προοιμίοις ὢν τοῦ βίου τοῦ κατὰ θεὸν οἴεται τὴν ἀρχὴν πεποιῆσθαι τοῦ βιοῦν καθὸ χρὴ βιοῦν· ἐπὰν δὲ νοήσας τὴν διαφορὰν τοῦ προοιμίου ^[184r] τοῦ κατὰ θεὸν βίου γένηται μετὰ τὸ προοίμιον ἐπὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ κατὰ θεὸν βίου, ἐπιγινώσκων ὅτι πρότερον μὲν ἐδόκει ἄρχεσθαι, οὐκ ἦν δὲ ἀρξάμενος, ⁵ *ὕστερον δὲ ἔγνω τίς ἡ ἀρχή, φησὶ τὸ νῦν ἠρξάμην* a.**
But, if this should be made clearer by an example, let us pay attention to these things that will be said. Often someone who has dedicated himself to following the Christian religion who is at the beginnings of his self-dedication, either because he is, on his own, unaware of how one must follow Christ, or because he has fallen among teachers who do not have it straight—seems to be following Christ, but is not actually doing so as he should.	Εἰ δὲ χρὴ ἀπὸ παραδείγματος καὶ τοῦτο σαφέστερον ποιῆσαι τοῖς ἀκούουσι, προσέχωμεν τοῖς λεχθησομένοις. Πολλάκις ἐπιδούς τις ἑαυτὸν τῇ κατὰ Χριστὸν θεοσεβείᾳ κατὰ τὰς ἀρχὰς τοῦ ἐπιδεδωκέναι ἑαυτὸν ἤτοι αὐτὸς καθ᾽ αὑτὸν μὴ συνεὶς τὸν τρόπον καθ᾽ ὃν δεῖ θεοσεβεῖν, ἢ καὶ διδασκάλοις ¹⁰ περιπεσὼν οὐ δεξιοῖς, δοκεῖ μὲν θεοσεβεῖν κατὰ Χριστόν, οὐδέπω δὲ ὃν δεῖ τρόπον θεοσεβῶν· ^.
But later that person, having sought, finds, (cf. Mt 7.7) through God’s aid. He is fortunate enough to get a teacher who provides good guidance; after having spent a long time seeming to follow the Christian religion, once he has truly come to that religion, he says, “Now Ι have begun.”	ἐπὰν ὕστερον ζητήσας εὕρῃ, εὐεργετηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, λάβῃ ἢ εὐτυχήσῃ διδασκάλων ὁδηγούντων καλῶς, μετὰ τὸ πολὺν χρόνον πεποιηκέναι ἐν τῷ δοκεῖν εἶναι ἐν τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ, ἐλθὼν ἀληθῶς ἐπὶ τὴν θεοσέβειαν ἐρεῖ· νῦν ἠρξάμην
For example, someone wanted to be a Christian after life as a gentile, but falls in with an Ebionite who teaches him to observe the wording of the law; that person has lived for a time in Ebionism, thinking that he is practicing Christianity when he is actually practicing Judaism. Later, by God’s aid, he learned that the law has the shadow of coming good things (Heb 10.1) and that even they are not the genuine secrets.	¹⁵ Οἷον ἠθέλησέ τις Χριστιανίζειν ἀπὸ ἐθνικοῦ βίου, ^[184v] ἐμπέπτωκε δὲ Ἐβιωναίῳ διδάσκοντι αὐτὸν τηρεῖν τὰ ῥητὰ τοῦ νόμουc· οὗτος χρόνον βεβίωκεν ἐν τῷ Ἐβιωνισμῷd Ἰουδαΐζων μετὰ τοῦ νομίζειν Χριστιανίζεινe, ὕστερον τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτὸν εὐεργετήσαντος ἔμαθεν ὅτι σκιὰν ἔχει ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐκεῖνά ἐστι τὰ ἀληθινὰ μυστήρια.
Learning, after wearing himself out in Ebionism, the road that is not the figurative one, but the genuine one, and knowing that he does not have the genuine road, he would say—even if he had spent a long time in a spurious observance—because he began to live by the truth, “Now Ι have begun.”	Μαθὼν δὲ μετὰ τὸν κάματον τὸν ἐν Ἐβιωνισμῷ τίς ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ οὐ τυπικὴ ἀλλ᾽ ἀληθινὴ καὶ γνοὺς ὅτι οὐκ ἔχει ὁδὸν τὴν ἀληθινήνg, εἴποι ἄν – εἰ καὶ πολὺν χρόνον πεποίηκεν τῇ δοκούσῃ θεοσεβείᾳ – ὅτε ἤρξατο κατὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν βιοῦν· νῦν ἠρξάμην ^h.
From this example, also pass beyond it, seeing some comparable things that occur in many instances. For the beginnings, especially if they are not completely apparent because of darkness and ignorance in the soul, make it so that someone is living confusedly, and, after living confusedly for a long time, when clarity gradually appears,	Ἀπὸ τούτου δὲ τοῦ ⁵ παραδείγματος καὶ αὐτὸ διάβηθι, τὰ παραπλήσια ὁρῶν ἐπὶ πολλῶν γινόμενα. Καὶ γὰρ αἱ ἀρχαὶ μάλιστα ὡσπερεὶ ἀπὸ σκότου καὶ ἀγνοίας οὔσης τῇ ψυχῇ μὴ φαινόμεναι καθαρῶς, συγκεχυμένως ποιοῦσί τινα βιοῦν καὶ μετὰ χρόνον πολὺν τὸν τοῦ συγκεχυμένως βιοῦν τῆς τρανότητος κατὰ βραχὺ φαινομένης ^[185r] ,
he comes to live in accord with the spirit of God; and, living in such a way, if it should be perceived what true religion is, he says, “Indeed, what I had been doing before was empty, for I came to know later what was true, and, ‘Now Ι have begun.”	ἔρχεταί τις ἐπὶ τὸ βιοῦν κατὰ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ¹⁰ βιώσας οὕτως, ἐπὰν συναίσθηται τίς ἡ ἀληθινὴ θεοσέβεια, λέγει ὅτι “ἄρα τὰ πρότερόν μοι μάταια ἦν, ὕστερον γὰρ ἔγνων τὸ ἀληθὲς καὶ νῦν ἠρξάμην”.
Thus someone who has grown old in Judaism—let it be granted that he has not understood Christianity and seems to have been practicing religion in a godly way—recognizing that this was not religion, but a figure of religion, grant that he say, when he has become a Christian, “Now Ι have begun.”	Οὕτως ἐν Ἰουδαϊσμῷ τις γηράσας Χριστιανισμὸν μὴ νενοηκέτω καὶ δοκῶν εὐσεβηκέναι εἰς τὸν θεόν, καταλαβὼν ὅτι οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνα εὐσέβεια, ἀλλὰ τύπος εὐσεβείας, λεγέτω γενόμενος Χριστιανός· νῦν ἠρξάμην.
Thus someone previously aimed at virtue and teaching and has imagined that he was worshiping God; let him approach the logos of truth and say, “Now Ι have begun.”	Οὕτω τις ἐν ἀρετῇ καὶ ¹⁵ διδασκαλίᾳ πρῶτον γεγονὼς καὶ δόξας λατρεύειν τῷ θεῷ προσεληλυθέτω ἀληθείας λόγῳ καὶ λεγέτω· νῦν ἠρξάμην.
Thus someone who has previously lived very stupidly because he did not at all understand the clarity of truth, when later he becomes aware of truth, grant that he has lived by it, and let him say, “Now Ι have begun.”	Οὕτως ἰδιωτικώτερόν τις πρότερον βιώσας τῷ μηδὲ νενοηκέναι τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας τρανότητα, ὕστερον κατανοήσας τὴν ἀλήθειαν βεβιωκέτω κατ᾽ αὐτὴν καὶ λεγέτω· νῦν ἠρξάμην.
Now, then, it is possible for a man who is progressing and understanding that certain things that he did earlier were not in accord with considered knowledge, being aware of this, to say, “Now Ι have begun.”	Ἤδη γοῦν ἀνδρός ἐστι προκόπτοντος καὶ νενοηκότος ὅτι τινὰ μὲν πρότερον ἐποίει οὐ κατὰ ²⁰ θεωρίαν οὐδὲ κατὰ κατάληψιν, νῦν δὲ ἤρξατο πολιτεύεσθαι, τὸ λέγειν συνιέντα· νῦν ἠρξάμην ^[185v] ^m.
It is said that something comparable occurs with skills, that, after spending a long time, those being introduced to the skills, being confused because they do not understand the purpose of those skills, it is as if they have not even made a beginning at mastering the skills; but when they have become more familiar with those skills, spending a long time in the introductory phase, they begin to understand clearly, so that, often, after two or three years, when they seem to have been introduced to the skill, having become aware that they are just beginning to master the skill, they each say, “Now Ι have begun.”	Λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τεχνῶν τοιοῦτόν τι εἶναι, ὅτι ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον οἱ εἰσαγόμενοι εἰς τὰς τέχνας, συγκεχυμένοι ἀπὸ τοῦ τέλεον μήπω ἐγνωκέναι τὰ τῶν τεχνῶν, οὐδὲ οἱονεὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχουσι τοῦ ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ γενέσθαι· ἐπὰν δὲ ²⁵ περιηχθέντες ἐπὶ πλεῖον τὰ τῶν τεχνῶν καὶ προσδιατρίψαντες τῇ εἰσαγωγῇ ἄρχωνται τρανῶς νοεῖν, πολλάκις μετὰ δύο καὶ τρία ἔτη τῆς δοκούσης εἰσαγωγῆς εἰς τὴν τέχνην συναισθηθέντες τοῦ ἄρτι ἄρχεσθαι ἐν τέχνῃ εἶναι λέγουσι τὸ νῦν ἠρξάμηνn.
If such things occur in the case of ordinary skills and in the case of matters preoccupying the soul in ignorance prior to knowledge, is it not possible that the beginning of the call, in each of us, is somewhat confused, but later becomes clear, and, when the clarity is perceived, he says, “Now Ι have begun”?	Εἰ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν μέσων τεχνῶνo γίνεται καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κατὰ ἄγνοιαν πραγμάτων προκαταλαβόντων ψυχὴν πρὸ τῆς γνώσεως, οὐχ οἷον δὲ καὶ ἑκάστου ἡμῶν τὴν ἀρχὴν ⁵ τῆς κλήσεως εἶναι ὑποσυγκεχυμένην, ὕστερον δέ ποτε ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ τὴν τράνωσιν, ὅτε καὶ ὁ συναισθηθεὶς τρανώσεως λέγει· νῦν ἠρξάμην ;
I have often heard believers testifying that they have been deemed to be in the faith for a long time and to have been taught the secrets of the faith, at some point finding a teacher who makes it clear, saying, “Now Ι have begun’ to become a Christian, now I am learning for the first time what Christianity is.”	Ἐγὼ πολλάκις ἤκουσα ὁμολογούντων πιστῶν πλείονα χρόνον ἐν τῇ πίστει πεποιη ^[186r] κότων καὶ μεμαθηκότων τὰ τῆς πίστεως μυστήρια, ἡνίκα ἐὰν ¹⁰ περιτύχωσι διδασκάλῳ καλῶς τρανοῦντι, λεγόντων ὅτι “νῦν ἠρξάμην Χριστιανὸς γενέσθαι, νῦν μανθάνω πρῶτον τί ἐστι Χριστιανισμός”.
They say these things not to take away from their earlier practice, but seeing that earlier they did not get the point of the secrets, on the other hand they have a beginning of understanding when they have been formed by good teaching. So let us, then, make an effort to become such persons as to say, thanks to progress in our condition, “Now Ι have begun.”	Ταῦτα δὲ λέγουσιν οὐχὶ τέλεον ἀθετοῦντες τὰ πρότερα, ἀλλ᾽ ὁρῶντες ὅτι πρότερον μὲν οὐ συνίεσαν τῶν μυστηρίων, ἀρχὴν δὲ ἔχουσι τοῦ νοεῖν ὅτε τετεύχασι διδασκαλίας ἀγαθῆς. Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὖν πειραθῶμεν τοιοῦτοι γενέσθαι ὥστε εἰπεῖν ¹⁵ διὰ τὴν προκοπὴν ἡμῶν τῇ διαθέσει· νῦν ἠρξάμην^q.


2. But why, “Now Ι have begun”? Because “this is the change of the right hand of the Most High”;(Ps 76. 11 b) because of the change I understand “Now Ι have begun.” I do not think that “the right hand of the Most High” is anything other than my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.	2. Διὰ τί δὲ νῦν ἠρξάμηνa; Ὅτι αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀλλοίωσις τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ ὑψίστου b, δι᾽ ἣν ἀλλοίωσιν νοῶ τὸ νῦν ἠρξάμην c. “Δεξιὰν ὑψίστου” ἐγὼ οὐδένα ἄλλον οἶδα ἢ τὸν κύριόν μου καὶ σωτῆρα Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν.
He, Christ Jesus, is the right hand of God, who, when he was “in the form of God,” was not changed, but was what he was, but when “he did not consider it something to be grabbed to be equal to God, he emptied himself.” (Phil 2.6-7) He was changed, so that through this change of this right hand and—if I may use such terms—its transformation and humiliation, we human beings have been done a kindness, and we have been helped in our human affairs.	*Οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δεξιὰ χεῖρ τοῦ θεοῦ, Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς, ὃς ὅτε μὲν ἦν ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ* οὐκ** ²⁰ ἠλλοίωτο, ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ὅπερ ἦν· ὅτε δὲ οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγησάμενος τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν d ^[186v] , ἠλλοιώθη, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως ἐκείνης τῆς δεξιᾶς καὶ – ἵν᾽ οὕτως ὀνομάσω – μεταμορφώσεως καὶ ταπεινώσεως ἐπὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα πράγματα εὐεργετηθῶμεν καὶ ὠφεληθῶμεν ἡμεῖς οἱ ἄνθρωποι
To the extent, then, that I, in my religious observance, did not perceive “the change of the right hand of the Most High” because I was participating in it, I seemed to be religious, but I had not even started. But when “the change of the right hand of the Most High” occurred in me, “Now I have begun.”	Ὅσον οὖν θεοσεβὴς ὢν οὐ συνίειν τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ ὑψίστου e, ὅτε μετελάμβανον αὐτῆς, ἐδόκουν μὲν εὐσεβεῖν, οὐδέπω δὲ οὐδὲ ἠρχόμην· ὅτε δὲ γέγονεν ἡ ἀλλοίωσις τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ ὑψίστου ἐν ἐμοί, νῦν ἠρξάμην.
For example, someone brought up among the Jews, never knowing anything about my Lord Jesus Christ, thinks that he is conducting himself according to the law of Moses, and after wearing himself out for a long time in it, he has later understood that it consists of secrets concerning Christ Jesus, and finding that out, let him say, “Things that were going on before that one’s appearance were not true, but figurative.	Οἷον ἐν Ἰουδαίοις τις ἀνατεθραμμένος καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸν κύριόν μου Ἰησοῦν ⁵ Χριστὸν μηδέπω ἐγνωκὼς δοκεῖ πολιτεύεσθαι κατὰ τὸν Μωϋσέως νόμον, καὶ χρόνον διατρίψας πολὺν ἐν αὐτῷ ὕστερον νενόηκε τὸ περὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ μυστήριον, καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὸ λεγέτω ὅτι “τὰ πρὸ τῆς τούτου ἐπιδημίας οὐκ ἦν ἀληθῆ, ἀλλὰ τυπικά·
But since he has appeared, being the right hand of God and having changed, I am also beginning to live according to his teaching, and therefore what I held earlier is a loss, but, ‘Now I have begun’;	ἐπεὶ δὲ οὗτος ἐπιδεδήμηκεν, ὢν δεξιὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἀλλοιωθείς, καὶ ἄρχομαι βιοῦν κατὰ τὴν τούτου διδασκαλίαν, διὰ ^[187r] τοῦτο τὰ ¹⁰ *μὲν πρότερον ἡγοῦμαι ζημίαν εἶναι, νῦν* δὲ ἠρξάμην·**
‘whatever was profit to me, that I consider a loss, but I also hold all these things as loss through the exceeding excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord,’(Phil 3.7-8) who is the changed ‘right hand of the Most High.”	ἅτινα ἦν μοι κέρδη, ταῦτα ἥγημαι ζημίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡγοῦμαι ταῦτα πάντα ζημίαν εἶναι διὰ τὸ ὑπερέχον τῆς γνώσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, ὅς ἐστιν ἀλλοιωθεῖσα ἡ δεξιὰ τοῦ ὑψίστου”.


3. But when is it “I have begun”? When the right hand of the Most High has been changed. But when? Just when “I remembered the works of the Lord.” (Ps 76.12a) For if earlier, before the right hand of the Most High had been changed, I seemed to be wearing my-self out in the works of the law, because I did not understand Israel, I did not remember the works of the Lord, but later, I remembered the works of the Lord; for example, I recognized that Moses’s hand was stretched out and, while it was stretched out, Israel was prevailing, and when Moses’s hand was lowered, Amalek was prevailing, but, recognizing this work, I was not understanding it.	*3. Πότε δὲ ἠρξάμην; Ἀλλοιωθείσης τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ ὑψίστουa. Πότε δέ;* ¹⁵ Ἡνίκα ἐμνήσθην τῶν ἔργων τοῦ κυρίου . Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πρότερον, πρὶν ἀλλοιωθῆναι τὴν τοῦ ὑψίστου δεξιάν, ἐδόκουν διατρίβειν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ κυρίου, μὴ συνεὶς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ‹οὐκ ἐμνήσθην› τῶν ἔργων τοῦ κυρίουc, ἀλλ᾽ ὕστερον ἐμνημόνευσα τῶν ἔργων τοῦ κυρίου· οἷον ἐπὶ παραδείγματος, ἀνεγίνωσκον ὅτι ἐκτέτατο ἡ χεὶρ Μωϋσέως καὶ ἐκτεινομένης αὐτῆς ἐνίκα ὁ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ὅτε ²⁰ καθίετο ἡ χεὶρ Μωϋσέως ἐνίκα ὁ Ἀμαλέκ. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον ἀναγινώσκων οὐ συνίειν,
But later, knowing that the logos referred to the secret of Christ, “I remembered the works of the Lord,” and I see that “all these things took place figuratively, but they were written for our sake, on whom the ends of the eons have come.” (1 Cor 10.11)	ὕστερον ‹δὲ› ἔγνων ἐπὶ τὸ Χριστοῦ μυστήριον ἀναφέρεσθαι τὸν λόγον· ἐμνήσθην τοῦ ἔργου τοῦ κυρίου f, καὶ βλέπω ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα τυπικῶς ἐγίνετο ἐ ^[187v] κείνοις, ἐγράφη δὲ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς εἰς οὓς τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων κατήντηκε .
And I see that “all the fathers were under the cloud, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, but they drank of the spiritual rock that was following, but the rock was Christ.” (1 Cor 10.1-4)	Καὶ ὁρῶ ὅτι πάντες οἱ πατέρες ὑπὸ τὴν νεφέλην ἦσαν καὶ πάντες εἰς τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐβαπτίσθησαν ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ καὶ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ καὶ πάντες τὸ αὐτὸ πνευματικὸν ἔφαγον βρῶμα καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πνευματικὸν ἔπιον πόμα· ἔπινον γὰρ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας, ἡ δὲ πέτρα ἦν ὁ Χριστός .
And seeing such things, why they took place then, and of what they were tokens, “I remembered the works of the Lord,” and in each case I examine how it took place, and I say that “I will remember your marvels from the beginning.” (Ps 76.12b) I roll out (cf. Clement 31.1) and examine all the Scriptures from the beginning of making the cosmos and see all the secrets of Christ:	Καὶ βλέπων ταῦτα διὰ ⁵ τί τότε ἐγίνετο καὶ τίνων σύμβολα ἦν, ἐμνήσθην τῶν ἔργων κυρίου i, καὶ ἐξετάζω ἕκαστον αὐτῶν πῶς γεγένηται, καὶ λέγω ὅτι μνησθήσομαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν θαυμασίων σου. Ἀνατυλίσσω γὰρ καὶ ἐξετάζω ὅλας τὰς γραφὰς ἀπὸ ἀρχῆς κοσμοποιίας καὶ βλέπω πάντα τὰ Χριστοῦ μυστήρια·
“Because of this a man abandons his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.” (Gn 2.24) These things were not about Adam and Eve, but this is a great secret, as one wiser than I am has said: “But I speak concerning Christ and concerning the Church.” (Eph 5.32)	*ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν* ¹⁰ μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν l. Ἐκεῖνα οὐ περὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῆς Εὔας ἦν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μυ ^[188r] στήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστί, λέγει δὲ ὁ ἐμοῦ σοφώτερος· ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
I recognize Abraham and two women, Sarah, barren, and handmaiden Hagar, and that a child first came from the handmaiden, (cf. Gn 16.15) after that from the free woman as a result of God’s promise. (cf. Gn 21.2)	Ἀναγινώσκω Ἀβραὰμ καὶ δύο γυναῖκας, Σάρραν στείραν καὶ παιδίσκην Ἄγαρ, παιδίον πρῶτον γινόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς ¹⁵ παιδίσκηςn, μετὰ τοῦτο ὑπὸ τῆς ἐλευθέρας ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας θεοῦ·
When, recognizing the logos, I do not know anything beyond the narrative, I do not “remember the works of the Lord” God, but when I understand that “these things are said allegorically, for they are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai born into slavery, which is Hagar,” and what follows,(cf. Gal 4.24) then I say: “I will remember your marvels from the beginning, and I will study all’(Ps 76.12b-13a) the works of the Lord.	ὅτε ἀναγινώσκω‹ν› τὸν λόγον οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν τῆς ἱστορίας, οὐδέπω ἐμνήσθην τῶν ἔργων κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦp· ὅτε δὲ νοῶ ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα· αὗται γάρ εἰσι δύο διαθῆκαι, μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὅρους Σινᾶ εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἄγαρ q καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, τότε λέγω· μνησθήσομαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν θαυμασίων σου καὶ μελετήσω ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ θεοῦr.


4. Insofar as things turn out well, they are from God, just as good logoi are from God, for one is not speaking these things well on his own, but he speaks them from God. But just as, when the logoi proceed from my mouth, those that are unassailable and divine are not mine but God’s, so that I say confidently: “or do you seek proof of Christ who speaks in me?”(2 Cor13.3)	4. Ὅσα καλῶς γίνεται, ταῦτα ⁵ θεοῦ ἐστιν, οἷον οἱ λόγοι οἱ καλοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσιν· οὐ γὰρ τὰ ἴδιά τις λέγει καλῶς, ἀλλὰ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ λέγειa. Ὥσπερ δὲ οἱ λόγοι κἂν ἐξίωσιν ἐκ στόματός μου, ὦσι δὲ ἀνεπίληπτοι καὶ θεῖοι, οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐμοῦ ἀλλὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὥστε θαρροῦντά με λέγειν· ἢ δοκιμὴν ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ ^[188v] λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ b,
To the extent that I act well, so as to choose all the works of God’s logos, ones that are to be completed according to God’s commandment, it is God’s doing. But chastity is also God’s doing, for it is a gift of grace, so that accomplishing chastity is not my doing. Listen to “I want all human beings to be as I am; each individually has a gift of grace from God, one this way and one this way.” (1 Cor 7.7)	οὕτως κἂν πράττω καλῶς ὥστε τὰ ἔργα πάντα ἑλέσθαι τοῦ ¹⁰ λόγου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἀεὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ εἶναι ἐπιτελούμενα, τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ἁγνεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστι· χάρισμα γάρ ἐστι, καὶ οὕτως οὐκ ἐμόν ἐστι ἁγνείαν κατορθῶσαι. Ἄκουε τοῦ· θέλω δὲ πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἶναι ὡς καὶ ἐμαυτὸν ἀλλ᾽ ἕκαστος ἴδιον ἔχει χάρισμα ἐκ θεοῦ ὁ μὲν οὕτως, ὁ δὲ οὕτως c.
If it is God’s gift of grace, chastity is not my doing. But these also are oracles of God; if someone is speaking oracles of God, it is not so much his doing if he acts well, “sharing in simplicity, leading in zeal, showing mercy in cheerfulness.” (Rom 12.8) The Apostle accounts all these as gifts of grace, but if they are gifts of grace, they are God’s works.	Εἰ οὖν χάρισμά ἐστι τοῦ θεοῦ, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν ἡ ἁγνεία. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τὰ λόγια τοῦ ¹⁵ θεοῦ ἐστιν· εἰ γάρ ἐστί τις λαλῶν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ, οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ μάλιστα ἐὰν ‹ᾖ› καλῶς πράττων, ‹ὁ› μεταδιδοὺς ἐν ἁπλότητι, ὁ προϊστάμενος ἐν σπουδῇ, ὁ ἐλεῶν ἐν ἱλαρότητι d. Ταῦτα ὡς χαρίσματα ὁ ἀπόστολος διηγεῖται· εἰ δέ ἐστι χαρίσματα, ταῦτα πάντα ἔργα ἐστὶ θεοῦ.
Why, then, is it said: “I will study your works,” (Ps 76.13a) or is it clear that, doing them, I study your works? And this study is blessed, when one studies, not catchphrases or verbal formulas, but “all God’s works, and in your pursuits I shall be talkative.” (Ps 76.13) Whenever someone reading the divine Scriptures comes across “these things says the Lord, ruler of all,” or that he has made these things, or that God killed these persons, or that God threw stones of hail, as God did to some in Joshua, (cf. Jos 10.11) he is talkative, inquiring into [God’s] pursuits.	*Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον· μελετήσω ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σουe ἢ δηλονότι* ²⁰ τὰ σὰ ἔργα πράσσων μελετήσω; Καὶ μακαρία γε αὕτη ἡ μελέτηf, ὅτε τις ^[189r] μελετᾷ οὐκ ἐν ῥήματι οὐδὲ ἐν λεξειδίοιςg, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασί σου ἀδολεσχήσω h. Ὅταν τις ἀναγινώσκων τὴν θείαν γραφὴν εὑρίσκῃ· “τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ” ἢ πεποίηκε τάδε, ἢ ὁ θεὸς ἀπέκτεινε τούσδε, ἢ ὁ θεὸς ἐπέρριψε λίθους χαλάζηςj, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ τούσδε τινὰς ὁ θεός, ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτοῦ ἐξετάζων ἀδολεσχεῖ.
If, then, you want to be talkative, be talkative, yet seek God’s pursuits and be talkative in them, keeping the law that says, “speaking about them seated in a house, walking on a road, lying down, arising.” (Dt 6.7) Do not let your conversation be worldly, not about how the horses have done, not what the driver did or performed, not what occurred in the theater, not what the gentile governor decided.	Εἰ οὖν θέλεις ἀδολεσχεῖν, ἀδολέσχει, ἔτι⁵ μὲν παρὰ θεῷ ζήτει τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀδολέσχει τηρῶν κἀκεῖνον τὸν λέγοντα νόμον· λαλήσεις ἐν αὐτοῖς καθήμενος ἐν οἴκῳ, πορευόμενος ἐν ὁδῷ, κοιταζόμενος, διανιστάμενος . Ἡ ὁμιλία σου μὴ ἔστω κοσμική, μὴ τί οἱ ἵπποι πεποιήκασι, μὴ τί ὁ ἡνίοχος πεποίηκεν ἢ κατώρθωσεν, μὴ τί ἐν θεάτρῳ γεγένηται, μὴ τί ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ ¹⁰ ἔθνους ἐδίκασε.
All these things are alien to the command that says: “Let your mouth open with a logos of God,” (Prv31.8) but when your mouth is opening with a logos of God, be bold and say: “In all your pursuits I am talkative; God, your road is in the holy.” (Ps 76.13b-14a)	Ταῦτα πάντα ἀλλότριά ἐστι τῆς λεγούσης ἐντολῆς· ἄνοιγε σὸν στόμα ^[189v] λόγῳ θεοῦ n, ἀνοίγων δέ σου τὸ στόμα λόγῳ θεοῦ θάρρει καὶ λέγε· ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασί σου ἀδολεσχήσω, ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ἡ ὁδός σου.


5. What is God’s road, leading to God, but the one who says: “I am the road and the truth and the life”? (Jn 14.6) Where is God’s road? In the holy one, if you are holy, keeping the command, ‘You shall be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy.” (Lv 11.45)	5. Τίς ἐστιν ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ φέρουσα πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἢ ὁ εἰπών· ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή a; Ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ θεοῦ; Ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ, ἐὰν ἅγιος ᾖς τηρῶν τὴν ⁵ *λέγουσαν ἐντολήν· ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.*
In a most surprising matter, his road is in you just as God’s kingdom is not outside us—for I am persuaded by my Savior’s saying, “God’s kingdom is within you” (Lk 17.21)—so is the road. If we travel on it, it is within us.	Παραδοξότατον πρᾶγμα, ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ ἐν σοί ἐστι καὶ ὥσπερ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκτὸς ἡμῶν – πείθομαι γάρ μου τῷ σωτῆρι λέγοντι· ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν – οὕτως καὶ ἡ ὁδός. Ἐὰν ὁδεύωμεν αὐτὴν, ἐντὸς ἡμῶν ἐστιν.
Grant that it concerns the soul, for the road must not be outside us, the life must not be outside us, the resurrection, the genuine light, but may all other things that Christ is be in me, (cf. Ps 36, Hom 2.1) so that the words may be true: “His road is in the holy. What god is great as our God is? You are our God who performs marvels.” (Ps 76.14-15a)	Ἔστω περὶ τὴν ψυχήν· μὴ γὰρ γένοιτο ἐκτὸς ἡμῶν εἶναι τὴν ¹⁰ ὁδόν, μὴ ἔξω μου εἶναι τὴν ζωήν, τὴν ἀνάστασινe, τὸ ἀληθινὸν φῶςf ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν ἐμοὶ τυγχάνῃ, ἵνα ἀληθὲς ᾖ καὶ τό· ὁ θεός, ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ· τίς θεὸς μέγας ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν; σὺ εἶ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια .
With whom does one contrast and compare him, saying, “What god is great as our God is?” If he is speaking about idols, the idols are presumably blessed ones, among which God—even if they are excelled by him—is compared, but let it be far from us to say this: that “What god is like our God (cf. Philo, On Drunkenness 41-45) can be said to be comparing idols with God.	Τίνι αὐτὸν συνεξετά ^[190r] ζει καὶ τίνι συγκρίνει λέγων· τίς θεὸς ὡς ὁ θεὸς ¹⁵ ἡμῶν h; Ἐὰν τοῖς εἰδώλοις λέγῃ, ἤδη μακάρια καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα, ἐν οἷς ὁ θεὸς – κἂν νικῶνται ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ – συγκρίνεται, ἀλλὰ ἀπείη τοῦτο λέγειν, ὅτι τίς θεὸς ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν; συγκρινομένων τῶν εἰδώλων τῷ θεῷ λέγεται.
One of our predecessors found fault with this, and it is well that he did this, in regard to Jethro saying, “Now I know that the Lord is great beyond all gods,” (Ex 18.11) because he seemed to say something about God, comparing him to idols, not understanding other gods than these.	Ἐμέμψατό τις τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν, καὶ καλῶς γε ἐμέμψατο, τὸν Ἰοθὸρ εἰπόντα ὅτι νῦν ἔγνων ὅτι μέγας κύριος παρὰ πάντας τοὺς θεούς j, ὅτι καὶ ἔδοξέ τι λέγειν περὶ θεοῦ συγκρίνων ²⁰ αὐτὸν εἰδώλοις, οὐ νοήσας ἄλλους θεοὺς ἢ ταῦτα.
If, then, Scripture says, “What god is great as our God is?” one must give an accounting concerning the subject of the logos, and concerning with what and about what it is speaking when God is compared in “What god is great as our God is?”	Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ γραφὴ λέγῃ· τίς θεὸς μέγας ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν; l ἐξεταστέον καὶ περὶ τίνος ὁ λόγος καὶ περὶ τίνων καὶ τίνι συγκρινομένου τοῦ θεοῦ λέγεται· τίς θεὸς μέγας ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν;
First one must keep in mind the Apostle’s words, how he did indeed say somewhere, “There are so-called gods either in heaven or on earth, just as there are many gods.”(1Cor 8.5) But, look, catechumen, do not be perplexed and run back to idols because Christians say that there are many gods.	Πρῶτον τὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου τηρετέα, ὅντινα τρόπον φησί που τὸ εἴπερ εἰσὶ λεγόμενοι θεοὶ εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπὶ ⁵ γῆς, ὥσπερ εἰσὶ θεοὶ πολλοί n. Ἀλλ᾽ ὅρα, ὦ κατηχούμενεo, μὴ σφαλῇς ὅτι καὶ Χριστιανοὶ λέγουσι πολλοὺς θεοὺς καὶ παλινδρομήσῃς ἐπὶ τὰ εἴδωλα.
For listen to God’s Scripture saying: “All of the gods of the gentiles are demons.” (1Cor 15.41-42) But just because he does not begrudge his beneficence, God says: “For I said, ‘You are all gods and sons of the highest.” (Ps 95.5)	Ἄκουε ^[190v] γὰρ τῆς γραφῆς τοῦ θεοῦ λεγούσης· πάντες οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν δαιμόνια p. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδήπερ ἄφθονός ἐστι τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν αὐτοῦ, ὁ θεός φησιν· ἐγὼ γὰρ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε, καὶ υἱοὶ ὑψίστου πάντες.
The Scripture says that if someone has received God’s logos, he becomes a god, (Ps 81.6)but also, “God stood in the gathering of the gods, but in the midst he distinguishes gods,” (cf. Jn 10.34-35)and if you are gathered as human beings, God is not in the gathering.	Φησὶ γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ ὅτι εἴ τις ἐδέξατο τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, θεὸς γίνεταιr, ἀλλὰ καί· ὁ θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ, καὶ εἰ μὲν ‹ὡς› ἄνθρωποι συνήχθητεt, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ.
If the gathering itself is of gods, gods are being called such because the logos of God is among them and they do not walk as human beings do; God is in such a gathering, and there is where “God stood in the gathering of gods; in the midst he distinguishes gods.”	Εἰ δὲ αὕτη ἡ συναγωγὴ θεῶν ἐστι συναγωγή, ⁵ θεῶν χρηματιζόντων τῷ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ εἶναι ἐν αὐτοῖςu καὶ μὴ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον αὐτοὺς περιπατεῖνv, ἐν τοιαύτῃ ἐστὶν ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἐνθάδε ἐστὶν ὁ θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ.
In a way, something analogous holds concerning the glory of these gods and the glory that the sun has; something similar holds concerning the glory that the moon has; something similar holds concerning the glory of stars. “For the glory of the sun is one thing, the glory of the moon another thing, and the glory of the stars yet another, for star differs from star in glory, so also in the resurrection of the dead.” (Ps 81.1. cf. Ps 8, Ι; Hom 1-2)	Πῇ τις μὲν τούτων τῶν θεῶν ἀνάλογον δόξῃ ἡλίου δόξαν ἔχει, τις δὲ ἀνάλογον δόξῃ σελήνης δόξαν ἔχει, τις ἀνάλογον δόξῃ ἀστέρων δόξαν ἔχει. ¹⁰ Ἄλλη γὰρ δόξα ἡλίου, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελήνης, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα ἀστέρων· ἀστὴρ γὰρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἀνά ^[191r] στασις τῶν νεκρῶν.
These are to demonstrate that “God stood in the gathering of gods,” and, “I have said, ‘You are gods,” so that from here I can move to “What god is great as our God is?”	Ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ παραστῆσαι ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν καὶ ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε z, ἵν᾽ ἐκεῖθεν μεταβῶ εἰς τὸ τίς θεὸς μέγας ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν;
For a great god—íf it is fitting for me to speak boldly—is Abraham; Isaac is a great god; Jacob is a great god; and because they were divínized, since indeed God linked his own name, “God,” to their names, saying: “I am the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob.” (Ex 3.6)	Μέγας γὰρ θεὸς – εἰ δεῖ οὕτως τολμήσαντα εἰπεῖν – Ἀβραάμ, μέγας θεὸς ¹⁵ Ἰσαάκ, μέγας θεὸς Ἰακώβ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐθεοποιήθησανab ἐκεῖνοι, ἐπειδήπερ συνῆψεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ὄνομα, τὸ ‘θεός’, τῷ ἐκείνων ὀνόματι λέγων· ἐγὼ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ θεὸς Ἰακώβ.
But saying this once, “I am the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob,” graciously allowed even Abraham to be a god, since indeed there was a participation by him in the divinity of God. And when you come to the Savior, you say something similar about this “god”—for he is god, since, “In beginning was the logos, and a god was near God and the logos was a god.” (Jn 1.1)	Ἅπαξ δὲ εἰπών· ἐγὼ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ θεὸς Ἰακώβ ad, ἐχαρίσατο καὶ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ‹τὸ θεὸν εἶναι›, ἐπειδήπερ μετοχὴ αὐτῷ γίνεται ἀπὸ τῆς θεότητος τοῦ θεοῦae. Κἂν ἐπὶ τὸν σωτῆρα δὲ ἔλθῃς καὶ θεὸν τοῦτον ὁμολογήσῃς – ἔστι γὰρ θεός, ἐπεὶ ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ θεὸς ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ⁵ καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος af –,
Do not shrink from saying that many just persons are gods, but if the just will become equal to angels, (Mt 22.30, Lk 20.36) the angels are much more numerous; I am not speaking about demons,	μὴ ὄκνει λέγειν ὅτι πολλοὶ μὲν δίκαιοι θεοί εἰσιν· εἰ δὲ οἱ δίκαιοι οἱ ἐσόμενοι ἰσάγγελοιag, πολλῷ πλέον ‹οἱ› ἄγγελοι, οὐ λέγω τὰ δαιμόνια,
I am not speaking about idols. I am careful to be respectful of God’s logos, but our Savior and Lord incomparably exceeds all of these.	οὐ λέγω τὰ εἴδωλα. Ἀσφαλίζομαι^[191v] γὰρ διὰ τὸ εὐπρεπὲς τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ σωτὴρ καὶ κύριος ἡμῶν ἀσυγκρίτως ὑπερέχει πάντων τούτων^.


6. Because the one who makes holy and those who are being made holy are all from one: “What god is great as our God is? You are the God who does marvels.” (Ps 76.14b-15a)	¹⁰ 6. Ὅτε γὰρ ‹ὁ› ἁγιάζων καὶ οἱ ἁγιαζόμενοι ἐξ ἑνὸς πάντες, τίς γὰρ θεὸς μέγας ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν; Σὺ εἶ ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια a. Εἴτε ἐπὶ τοῦ πατρὸς λαμβάνοις, ὁρῶ ὅτι ἔστι θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια –
Either you may take this in reference to the Father, I see that he is a god doing marvelous things—the whole creation, the wonderful things among the people, and surprising things generation by generation—or to the Savior, you, Jesus Christ are the god who does marvelous things—raising the dead, making the blind to see again, the lame to walk—and you are not idle when it comes to doing wonders today.	ὅλην τὴν κτίσιν, τὰ τέρατα τὰ ἐν τῷ λαῷ τά τε κατὰ γενεὰν [τὰ] παράδοξα –, εἴτε ἐπὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος· σὺ εἶ ὁ θεὸς Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια· νεκροὺς ἀνήγειρας, τυφλοὺς πεποίηκας ἀναβλέπειν, χωλοὺς περιπατεῖνb, καὶ οὐκ ἀργεῖς οὐδὲ σήμερον ποιῶν θαυμάσια.
Let it be seen where each of us comes from to God’s Church, who on what logoi; perhaps some of us were among idols not many days ago, not many months ago, [but are] now in God’s Church. Is this not marvelous, since once an idolater, hating Christianity, rejecting God’s logos, now you follow after Christ, already bound by bonds of love, fulfilling the Scripture that says: “They shall follow behind you, bound in handcuffs, and they shall worship you, and in you they shall pray.” (Is 45.15)	Ἕκαστος ὑμῶν ἰδέτω πόθεν ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκλησίαν, τίς ὢν ἐπὶ ποίους λόγους· εἰς τὰ εἰδωλεῖά τινες ἡμῶν ἦσαν τάχα πρὸ ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν, πρὸ ὀλίγων μηνῶν, νῦν ⁵ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ· τοῦτ᾽ οὐκ ἔστι θαυμαστόν, ἵνα ὁ εἰδωλολάτρης, ὁ μισῶν Χριστιανισμόν, ὁ ἀπεστραμμένος τὸν λόγον τοῦ ^[192r] θεοῦ, νῦν ὀπίσω Χριστοῦ ἀκολουθῇς ἤδη δεδεμένος τοῖς δεσμοῖς τῆς ἀγάπης, πληρουμένης τῆς λεγούσης γραφῆς· ὀπίσω σου ἀκολουθήσουσι δεδεμένοι χειροπέδαις καὶ προσκυνήσουσί σοι καὶ ἐν σοὶ ¹⁰ *προσεύξονται* ^c;
If you understand that you the fornicator, you the adulterer, not just an idolater, you the thief, you the one who robbed others, you now have arrived at learning that cleanses you and changes you and transforms you from such wickedness, and because you have already sensed the change, because you are going to become temperate and just, prudent and courageous, you are bold to say that Christ Jesus, who did these things and is now doing them, has done marvels in you.	Ἐὰν δὲ νοήσῃς ὅτι σὺ ὁ πορνεύων, σὺ ὁ μοιχός, οὐ μόνον εἰδωλολάτρης, σὺ ὁ κλέπτης, σὺ ὁ τὰ ἀλλότρια ἁρπάζων, νῦν προσελήλυθας μαθήμασι καθαίρουσί σε καὶ μεταβάλλουσί σε καὶ μεταμορφοῦσιν ἀπὸ τῶν τηλικούτων κακῶν, καὶ ὅτι ἤδη αἴσθῃ τῆς μεταβολῆς, ὅτι μέλλεις σώφρων γίνεσθαι καὶ δίκαιος, φρόνιμος ¹⁵ καὶ ἀνδριζόμενος, θαρσεῖς εἰπεῖν ὅτι ὁ ποιήσας ταῦτα Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς, καὶ νῦν ποιῶν, πεποίηκε καὶ ἐπὶ σοὶ θαυμάσια.
And if your ailing body has been cured by Jesus, you marvel that, being blind, you see again, or lame, you walk, when that is because, having been paralyzed in soul and lamed in the ability to choose, having been blinded in calculations, now you have thrown all that off and have received back the health of your ability to choose, you say: “You are the God who does marvels.”	Καὶ εἰ μὲν τὸ σῶμά σου νοσοῦ‹ν› ἐθεραπεύθη ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐθαύμασας ὅτι τυφλὸς ὢν ἀνέβλεψας ἢ χωλὸς περιεπάτησαςe· ὅτε δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν παραλελυμένος καὶ κεχωλωμένος τὴν προαίρεσιν ^[192v] , τετυφλωμένος τοὺς λογισμούς, νῦν ταῦτα πάντα ἀπέβαλες ²⁰ καὶ ἀνείληφας τὴν ὑγείαν τῆς προαιρέσεώς σου, λέγεις· σὺ ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια ^f.


7. In addition, I say to God: “You have made known your power among the peoples.” (Ps 76.15b) What sort of power has he made known among the peoples? Christ, for Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor 1.24) But if Christ has made his power known to us, how is it that “when you are gathered together and my spirit is with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ”? (1 Cor 5.4) The power of Jesus is here, and when the power is present, you are all gathered, and we are united every day by his power, for “he who is joined to the Lord is one spírít.” (1 Cor 6.17)	⁷. Τούτῳ τῷ θεῷ λέγω καὶ τό· ἐγνώρισας ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς τὴν δύναμίν σουa. Ποίαν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ἐγνώρισεν ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς; Τὸν Χριστόν. Χριστὸς γὰρ θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ θεοῦ σοφία b. Εἰ δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ἐγνώριζεν ἡμῖν, ²⁵ πῶς συναχθέντων ὑμῶν καὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ πνεύματος σὺν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ c; Ἔστιν οὖν ἐνθάδε ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τῆς δυνάμεωςπαρούσης [καὶ] συνάγεσθε πάντες καὶ ἑνούμεθα ὁσημέραι αὐτῇ τῇ δυνάμει· ὁ γὰρ κολλώμενος τῷ κυρίῳ ἓν πνεῦμά ἐστι ^d.
“You redeemed your people in your arm.” (Ps 76.16b) The Savior stretching out his own arm has redeemed his people from the hand of the enemies; he gathered them from the countries; he redeemed the “children of facob,” (Ps 76.16b) but by “children of Jacob” we must not understand the Jews. You are more a child of Jacob than they are. It is said to those who boast that they are children of Abraham: “If you are children of Abraham, do the works that Abraham did,” (Jn 8.39)	Ἐλυτρώσω ἐν τῷ βραχίονί σου τὸν λαόν σουe· ἐκτείνας ὁ σωτὴρ τὸν βραχίονα ἑαυτοῦ ἐλυτρώσατο τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν ἐχθρῶν, συνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν χωρῶν, ἐλυτρώσατο τοὺς ⁵ υἱοὺς Ἰακώβ f· τοὺς δὲ υἱοὺς Ἰακὼβ οὐ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους χρὴ νοεῖν ^[193r] . Σὺ μᾶλλον εἶ υἱὸς Ἰακὼβ ἢ ἐκεῖνοι. Ἐκείνοις γοῦν λέγεται αὐχοῦσιν εἶναι υἱοῖς τοῦ Ἀβραάμ· εἰ ἦτε τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἂν ἐποιεῖτε,
because they denied both through their works and through their unbelief in my god Jesus Christ that they were children of Abraham, and so of Isaac, and so of Jacob. But you by faith, in which you have imitated Abraham—for Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for justíce (Gn 15.12)— have become children of Abraham, and so of Isaac, and so of Jacob.	ὥς τε ἠρνήσαντο διὰ τῶν ἔργων καὶ τῆς εἰς τὸν θεόν μου Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀπιστίας μὴ εἶναι υἱοὶ τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, οὕτω δὲ καὶ τοῦ ¹⁰ Ἰσαάκ, οὕτω δὲ καὶ τοῦ Ἰακώβ. Σὺ δὲ διὰ τῆς πίστεως, ‹εἰς› ἣν ἐμιμήσω τὸν Ἀβραάμ – ἐπίστευσε γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην h –, γέγονας υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀβραάμ· οὕτω καὶ τοῦ Ἰσαάκ, οὕτω καὶ τοῦ Ἰακώβ.
And God redeemed “the children of Jacob and of Joseph,”(Ps 76.16b) for we pray to become imitators, understanding the lives of the fathers, of Jacob, of Joseph, and of other just persons, their children, so that, by becoming their imitators, we may become their children. Still with one voice I shall proclaim the Gospel so that I shall demonstrate to the faithful that not they, but we, are children of Jacob and of Abraham and of Isaac: “For God from these stones can awaken children for Abraham.” (Mt. 3.9 and parallels)	Καὶ ἐλυτρώσατο ὁ θεὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰακὼβ καὶ Ἰωσήφ i· μιμηταὶ γὰρ εὐχόμεθα γενέσθαι, νοήσαντες τοὺς βίους τῶν πατέρων, τοῦ Ἰακώβ, τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, ¹⁵ τῶν ἄλλων δικαίων, τῶν υἱῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα γενόμενοι αὐτῶν μιμηταὶ γενώμεθα αὐτῶν υἱοί. Ἔτι μιᾷ φωνῇ ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου χρήσομαι, ἵνα τοῖς πιστοῖς παραστήσω ὅτι οὐκ ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν υἱοὶ Ἰα ^[193v] *κὼβ καὶ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαάκ· δύναται γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγείρειν τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ.*
What sort of stones? He indicates you the gentile, the silly, the senseless, and truly prophesies concerning you that you are the stone that will become a child of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob and of the rest of the chosen, just patriarchs in Christ Jesus, to whom is the glory and the might to the ages. Amen.	Ποίων λίθων; Σὲ δείκνυσι τὸν ἐθνικόν, τὸν ἠλίθιον, τὸν ἀναίσθητον, καὶ ἀληθῶς ²⁰ προφητεύει περὶ σοῦ ὅτι σὺ ὁ λίθος γέγονας υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐκλεκτῶν δικαίων πατριαρχῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· ᾧ ἐστιν ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.


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