# On Faith and Works - Author: [Augustine of Hippo](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/augustine-of-hippo/) - Latin title: *De fide et operibus* - Date: ca. 413 (approximate) - Source: Joseph Zycha, ed., Sancti Aureli Augustini opera, sect. VI, pars 2, CSEL 41 (Vienna: Tempsky; Leipzig: Freytag, 1900) (Latin text: Zycha, De fide et operibus (CSEL 41), digitized by Open Greek and Latin (csel-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0) - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/ - Passages: 49 ## On Faith and Works 1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-1 - Source: CSEL 41:35–36 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Augustine states the view he will answer: that anyone, even one openly persisting in grave sin, should be baptized first and taught morals afterwards, and will be saved “as through fire.” ### Latin text Quibusdam uidetur indiscrete omnes admittendos esse ad lauacrum regenerationis, quae est in Christo Iesu domino nostro, etiamsi malam turpemque uitam facinoribus et flagitiis euidentissimis notam mutare noluerint atque in ea se perseueraturos aperta etiam professione declarauerint. uerbi gratia, si quisquam meretrici adhaeret, non ei prius praecipiatur, ut ab ea discedat et tunc ueniat ad baptismum, sed etiam cum ea manens mansurumque se confitens seu etiam profitens admittatur et baptizetur nec inpediatur fieri membrum Christi, etiamsi membrum meretricis esse perstiterit, sed postea doceatur, quam sit hoc malum, iamque baptizatus de mutandis in melius moribus instruatur. peruersum enim putant atque praeposterum prius docere, quemadmodum debeat uiuere christianus et deinde baptizari. sed censent praecedere debere baptismi sacramentum, ut deinde sequatur uitae morumque doctrina: quam si tenere et custodire uoluerit, utiliter fecerit; si autem noluerit, retenta fide christiana, sine qua in aeternum periret, in quolibet scelere inmunditiaque permanserit, saluum eum futurum tamquam per ignem, uelut qui aedificauerit super fundamentum, quod est Christus, non aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos, sed ligna, fenum, stipulam, id est non iustos castosque mores, sed iniquos et inpudicos. ### English translation (Claude) Some people think that all without distinction should be admitted to the washing of regeneration which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, even if they are unwilling to change a bad and shameful life marked by the most evident crimes and disgraceful acts, and have even declared by open profession that they will persist in it. For example, if someone is living with a prostitute, he should not first be told to leave her and then come to baptism; rather, even while staying with her and confessing, or even professing, that he will stay, he should be admitted and baptized, and not be prevented from becoming a member of Christ, even if he persists in being a member of a prostitute; afterwards he should be taught how evil this is, and, once baptized, be instructed about changing his conduct for the better. For they think it perverse and backward first to teach how a Christian ought to live, and then to baptize. They hold that the sacrament of baptism ought to come first, so that the teaching about life and conduct may follow afterwards. If he is willing to hold to and keep it, he will have done something useful; but if he is unwilling, then, having kept the Christian faith, without which he would perish for ever, he will be saved, though he remains in any crime and impurity whatever, as through fire, as one who has built on the foundation, which is Christ, not gold, silver, and precious stones, but wood, hay, and straw, that is, not righteous and chaste conduct, but wicked and unchaste. ### Scripture references - Titus 3:5: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:11: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:12: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:15: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Titus 3:5; 1 Cor 6:15; 1 Cor 3:11–15. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 1 (CSEL 41:35–36; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-1). ## On Faith and Works 2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-2 - Source: CSEL 41:36–37 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The occasion of the dispute: some wanted to baptize those remarried after divorce, whose unions Christ calls adultery, and extended this to all unrepentant sinners. ### Latin text Ad hanc autem disputationem uidentur inpulsi, quod eos mouerit non admitti ad baptismum illos, qui dimissis uxoribus alias duxerint, uel feminas, quae dimissis uiris aliis nupserint, quia haec non coniugia, sed adulteria esse dominus Christus sine ulla dubitatione testatur. cum enim negare non possent esse adulterium, quod ueritas adulterium esse sine ambiguitate confirmat, eisque suffragari uellent ad accipiendum baptismum, quos huius modi laqueo ita captos uiderent, ut, si non admitterentur ad baptismum, sine ullo sacramento mallent uiuere uel etiam mori quam disrupto adulterii uinculo liberari, humana quadam miseratione conmoti sunt ad eorum causam sic suscipiendam, ut omnes cum eis facinerosos et flagitiosos etiam nulla prohibitione correptos, nulla instructione correctos, nulla paenitentia mutatos ad baptismum admittendos esse censerent, existimantes eos, nisi fieret, in aeternum esse perituros; si autem fieret, etiam in illis malis perseuerantes saluos per ignem futuros. ### English translation (Claude) They seem to have been driven to this argument because they were troubled that those men are not admitted to baptism who have put away their wives and married others, or those women who have put away their husbands and married others; for the Lord Christ testifies without any doubt that these are not marriages but adulteries. Since they could not deny that it is adultery, which the Truth without ambiguity confirms to be adultery, and yet wished to support the admission to baptism of those whom they saw so caught in this kind of snare that, if they were not admitted to baptism, they would rather live or even die without any sacrament than be freed by breaking the bond of adultery, they were moved by a certain human compassion to take up their cause in such a way as to hold that, together with them, all criminals and wrongdoers should be admitted to baptism, even though restrained by no prohibition, corrected by no instruction, changed by no repentance. They think that if this were not done they would perish for ever, but if it were done they would be saved through fire even while persisting in those evils. ### Scripture references - Matt 19:9: allusion, high confidence - Mark 10:11: allusion, high confidence - Mark 10:12: allusion, high confidence - Luke 16:18: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:15: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11–12; Luke 16:18. Augustine holds, as he says here, that remarriage after putting away a living spouse is adultery according to Christ's words; the passage is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 2 (CSEL 41:36–37; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-2). ## On Faith and Works 3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-3 - Source: CSEL 41:37–39 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The mixture of good and bad in the church does not abolish discipline: Moses, Phinehas, and Paul all punished or excluded notorious sinners, though in love. ### Latin text Quibus respondens hoc primum dico, ne quis ea testimonia scripturarum, quae conmixtionem bonorum et malorum in ecclesia uel praesentem indicant uel futuram praenuntiant, sic accipiat, ut disciplinae seueritatem siue diligentiam soluendam omnino atque omittendam non illis edoctus litteris, sed sua opinatione deceptus existimet. neque enim, quia illam primi populi permixtionem Moyses dei famulus patientissime perferebat, ideo non in multos etiam gladio uindicauit; et Phinees sacerdos adulteros simul inuentos ferro ultore confixit. quod utique degradationibus et excommunicationibus significatum est esse faciendum hoc tempore, cum in ecclesiae disciplina uisibilis fuerat gladius cessaturus. nec quia beatus apostolus inter falsos fratres tolerantissime congemescit et quosdam etiam diabolicis inuidentiae stimulis agitatos Christum tamen praedicare permittit, ideo parcendum censet illi, qui uxorem patris sui habuit — quem praecipit congregata ecclesia tradendum satanae in interitum carnis, ut spiritus saluus sit in die domini Iesu — aut ideo ipse alios non tradidit satanae, ut discerent non blasphemare, aut frustra dicit: scripsi uobis in epistula non commisceri fornicariis, non utique fornicariis huius mundi aut auaris aut raptoribus aut idolis seruientibus; alioquin debueratis de hoc mundo exire. nunc autem scripsi uobis non commisceri, si quis frater nominatur aut fornicator aut idolis seruiens aut auarus aut maledicus aut ebriosus aut rapax, cum eius modi ne quidem cibum sumere. quo enim mihi de his qui foris sunt iudicare? nonne de his qui intus sunt uos iudicatis? de his autem qui foris sunt deus iudicabit. auferte malum ex uobis ipsis. ubi quidem aliqui id, quod dictum est (ex uobis ipsis>, ita intellegunt, ut ex se ipso unusquisque auferat malum, hoc est, ut ipse sit bonus. sed utrolibet modo intellegatur, siue ut seueritate ecclesiae mali excommunicationibus corripiantur, siue ut se quisque corripiendo et corrigendo a se ipso auferat malum, illud tamen, quod supra dictum est, non habet ambiguitatem, ubi praecipit non commisceri eis fratribus, qui in aliquo supra dicto uitio nominantur, id est noti famosique sunt. Quo autem animo et qua caritate misericors ista seueritas adhibenda sit, non solum eo loco, ubi ait: ut spiritus saluus sit in die domini Iesu, sed alibi quoque euidenter ostendit dicens: si quis non obaudit uerbo nostro per epistulam, hunc notate, et nolite commisceri cum eo, ut erubescat; et non ut inimicum existimetis, sed corripite ut fratrem. ### English translation (Claude) In answering them, I say this first: let no one take those testimonies of the Scriptures which indicate that there is, or foretell that there will be, a mixture of good and bad in the church in such a way as to think that the strictness or care of discipline is to be completely relaxed and abandoned; for he would think so not taught by those writings but deceived by his own opinion. For although Moses, the servant of God, bore with great patience the mixture in the first people, he did not for that reason fail to punish many even with the sword; and Phinehas the priest pierced adulterers found together with an avenging blade. This signified that it was to be done in this time by degradations and excommunications, when in the discipline of the church the visible sword would cease. Nor, although the blessed apostle groans with great forbearance among false brothers and even allows some, driven by the devilish goads of envy, still to preach Christ, does he therefore think that the man should be spared who had his father's wife, whom he commands to be handed over to Satan, with the church assembled, for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Nor did he for that reason refrain from handing others over to Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme. Nor does he say in vain: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people; not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy, or robbers, or idolaters, since then you would have had to go out of this world. But now I have written to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother if he is sexually immoral, or an idolater, or greedy, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a robber; not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those inside whom you judge? God will judge those outside. Remove the evil from among yourselves.” Some understand “from among yourselves” to mean that each should remove the evil from himself, that is, be good himself. But whichever way it is understood, whether that the wicked are to be rebuked by the church's strictness through excommunications, or that each should remove the evil from himself by rebuking and correcting himself, what is said above has no ambiguity: he commands not to associate with those brothers who are named in any of the vices listed above, that is, who are known and notorious. And with what spirit and with what love this merciful strictness is to be applied he shows clearly, not only in the place where he says, “so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus,” but elsewhere too, saying: “If anyone does not obey our word in this letter, note that man, and do not associate with him, that he may be ashamed; and do not regard him as an enemy, but rebuke him as a brother.” ### Scripture references - Exod 32:27: allusion, high confidence - Num 25:7: allusion, high confidence - Num 25:8: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:26: allusion, medium confidence - Phil 1:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:1: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:4: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:5: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 1:20: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:10: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:11: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:12: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:13: quotation, high confidence - 2 Thess 3:14: quotation, high confidence - 2 Thess 3:15: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Exod 32:27–28; Num 25:7–8; 2 Cor 11:26; Phil 1:15–18; 1 Cor 5:1–5; 1 Tim 1:20; 1 Cor 5:9–13; 2 Thess 3:14–15. Fornicarius and fornicator are rendered “sexually immoral.” ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 3 (CSEL 41:37–39; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-3). ## On Faith and Works 4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-4 - Source: CSEL 41:39–40 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ tolerated Judas and foretold weeds among the wheat, yet he also commanded church discipline, including exclusion; both tolerance and correction have their place. ### Latin text Et ipse dominus, exemplum singulare patientiae, qui etiam in duodecim apostolis usque ad passionem diabolum pertulit et qui ait: sinite utraque crescere usque ad messem, ne forte, dum uultis colligere zizania, simul eradicetis et triticum, retiaque illa similitudine ecclesiae usque ad litus, hoc est usque ad saeculi finem, bonos et malos pisces habitura praedixit et cetera, si qua de permixtione bonorum et malorum siue aperte siue per similitudines est locutus, non ideo tamen omittendam censuit ecclesiae disciplinam; immo uero admonuit adhibendam, quando ait: adtendite uobis; si peccauerit in te frater tuus, uade corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum. si te audierit, lucratus eris fratrem tuum. si autem non audierit, adsume tecum unum uel duos, ut in ore testium duorum uel trium stet omne uerbum. quodsi non audierit eos, dic ecclesiae. si autem nec ecclesiam audierit, sit tibi tamquam ethnicus et publicanus. deinde ipsius seueritatis terrorem grauissimum adiecit etiam eo loco dicens: quae solueritis in terra, soluta erunt et in caelo, et quae ligaueritis in terra, ligata erunt et in caelo; prohibet etiam sanctum dari canibus. nec contrarius est apostolus domino, quia dicit: peccantes coram omnibus argue, ut ceteri timorem habeant, cum ille dicat: corripe eum inter te et ipsum. utrumque enim faciendum est, sicut infirmitatis diuersitas admonet eorum, quos utique non perdendos, sed corrigendos curandosque suscepimus, et alius sic, alius autem sic sanandus est. ita etiam est ratio dissimulandi et tolerandi malos in ecclesia; et est rursus ratio castigandi, corripiendi, non admittendi uel a communione remouendi. ### English translation (Claude) And the Lord himself, a unique example of patience, who bore with the devil among the twelve apostles until his passion, and who said, “Let both grow until the harvest, lest perhaps, while you want to gather the weeds, you uproot the wheat along with them,” and who foretold that those nets, in the likeness of the church, would hold good and bad fish until the shore, that is, until the end of the age, and whatever else he said, either openly or through likenesses, about the mixture of good and bad, did not for that reason think that the church's discipline should be abandoned. On the contrary, he urged that it be applied, when he said: “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take with you one or two others, so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. If he does not listen to them, tell the church. And if he does not listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Then he added the most grave terror of that strictness, saying in that very place: “Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” He also forbids giving what is holy to dogs. Nor is the apostle contrary to the Lord when he says, “Rebuke those who sin before all, so that the rest may have fear,” while the Lord says, “Rebuke him between you and him.” For both are to be done, as the difference in weakness of those demands whom we have taken up certainly not to be lost but to be corrected and cured; and one is to be healed in one way, another in another. So there is a reason for overlooking and tolerating the wicked in the church; and there is again a reason for chastening, rebuking, not admitting, or removing from communion. ### Scripture references - John 6:70: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:30: quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:29: quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:47: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:48: allusion, high confidence - Luke 17:3: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:15: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:16: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:17: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:18: quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:6: allusion, high confidence - 1 Tim 5:20: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:7: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - John 6:70; Matt 13:30, 47–48; Luke 17:3; Matt 18:15–18; Matt 7:6; 1 Tim 5:20; 1 Cor 7:7. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 4 (CSEL 41:39–40; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-4). ## On Faith and Works 5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-5 - Source: CSEL 41:40–41 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Error often comes from following one set of texts and ignoring the balancing ones, as in errors about the Trinity, marriage, and food. ### Latin text Errant autem homines non seruantes modum; et cum in unam partem procliuiter ire coeperint, non respiciunt diuinae auctoritatis alia testimonia, quibus possint ab illa intentione reuocari et in ea, quae ex utrisque temperata est, ueritate ac moderatione consistere, nec in hac re tantum, de qua nunc quaestio est, sed etiam in aliis multis. nam quidam intuentes diuinarum testimonia litterarum, quibus unus deus colendus insinuatur, eundem patrem, qui est filius, sanctumque spiritum putauerunt; alii rursus ueluti morbo contrario laborantes, cum adtenderent ea, quibus trinitas declaratur, nec ualerent intellegere, quomodo sit unus deus, cum et pater non sit filius nec filius sit pater nec spiritus sanctus aut filius aut pater, diuersitates etiam substantiarum asserendas putauerunt. quidam intuentes in scripturis sanctae uirginitatis laudem conubia damnauerunt; quidam rursus ea testimonia consectantes, quibus casta coniugia praedicantur, uirginitatem nuptiis aequauerunt. quidam cum legerent: bonum est, fratres, non manducare carnem neque bibere uinum et nonnulla similia, creaturam dei et quas uoluerunt escas inmundas esse senserunt; quidam uero legentes: omnis creatura dei bona est et nihil abiciendum, quod cum gratiarum actione percipitur, in uoracitatem uinolentiamque conlapsi sunt, non sibi ualentes auferre uitia, nisi eis e contrario uel tanta uel maiora succederent. ### English translation (Claude) But people go wrong by not keeping to the measure; and when they have begun to go headlong in one direction, they do not look at the other testimonies of divine authority by which they could be called back from that course and stand firm in the truth and moderation that is tempered from both; and not only in this matter, which is now in question, but in many others too. For some, looking at the testimonies of the divine writings by which it is taught that one God is to be worshiped, thought that the Father is the same as the Son and the Holy Spirit; others again, laboring as it were under the opposite disease, attending to the passages in which the Trinity is declared, and unable to understand how there is one God, since the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, nor the Holy Spirit either the Son or the Father, thought that they should even assert differences of substance. Some, looking at the praise of holy virginity in the Scriptures, condemned marriage; others again, pursuing the testimonies in which chaste marriage is praised, made virginity equal to marriage. Some, reading, “It is good, brothers, not to eat meat nor drink wine,” and some similar passages, thought that God's creation and whatever foods they chose were unclean; but others, reading, “Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving,” fell into gluttony and drunkenness, unable to rid themselves of vices without falling into others as great or greater on the opposite side. ### Scripture references - Rom 14:21: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 4:4: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Rom 14:21 (Augustine’s text adds “brothers”); 1 Tim 4:4. The errors described are those of Sabellians and Arians, of Encratites and Manichees, and of Jovinian. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 5 (CSEL 41:40–41; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-5). ## On Faith and Works 6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-6 - Source: CSEL 41:41–42 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Some, like the Donatists, press strictness so far as to break unity; others press patience so far as to abandon discipline and leave pastors unconcerned with conduct. ### Latin text Sic etiam in hac causa, quae habetur in manibus, quidam intuentes praecepta seueritatis, quibus admonemur corripere inquietos, non dare sanctum canibus, ut ethnicum habere ecclesiae contemptorem, a conpage corporis membrum, quod scandalizat, auellere, ita conturbant ecclesiae pacem, ut conentur ante tempus separare zizania atque hoc errore caecati ipsi potius a Christi unitate separentur. qualis nobis causa est aduersus schisma Donati, et hoc non cum illis, qui nouerunt Caecilianum non ueris, sed calumniosis criminibus adpetitum, et perniciosam sententiam suam mortifero pudore non deserunt, sed cum illis, quibus dicimus: etiamsi mali fuissent, propter quos in ecclesia non estis, uos tamen eos ferendo, quos emendare aut segregare minime poteratis, in ecclesia permanere debuistis. quidam uero e contrario periclitantes cum bonorum malorumque commixtionem in ecclesia demonstratam uel praedictam esse perspexerint et patientiae praecepta didicerint — quae ita nos firmissimos reddunt, ut, etiamsi uidentur in ecclesia esse zizania, non tamen inpediatur aut fides aut caritas nostra, ut, quoniam zizania esse in ecclesia cernimus, ipsi de ecclesia recedamus — destituendam putant ecclesiae disciplinam, quandam peruersissimam securitatem praepositis tribuentes, ut ad eos non pertineat nisi dicere, quid cauendum quidue faciendum sit, quodlibet autem quisque faciat non curare. ### English translation (Claude) So too in this case which we have in hand: some, looking at the commands of strictness, by which we are warned to rebuke the unruly, not to give what is holy to dogs, to hold one who despises the church as a Gentile, to tear from the structure of the body a member that causes offense, so disturb the peace of the church that they try to separate the weeds before the time, and, blinded by this error, are themselves rather separated from the unity of Christ. Such is our case against the schism of Donatus; and this not with those who know that Caecilian was attacked with charges not true but slanderous and yet, out of deadly shame, do not abandon their pernicious opinion, but with those to whom we say: “Even if those on whose account you are not in the church had been wicked, you ought still to have remained in the church, bearing with those whom you could not at all correct or separate.” Others, on the contrary, running into danger when they have seen that the mixture of good and bad in the church is shown or foretold, and have learned the commands of patience (which make us so steadfast that, even if weeds seem to be in the church, neither our faith nor our love is hindered, so that we should leave the church because we see weeds in it), think that the church's discipline should be abandoned, granting to those in charge a most perverse sort of security: that it is their business only to say what is to be avoided or what is to be done, but not to care what anyone does. ### Scripture references - 1 Thess 5:14: allusion, high confidence - Matt 7:6: allusion, high confidence - Matt 18:17: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:29: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 13:30: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Thess 5:14; Matt 7:6; Matt 18:17; Matt 5:29–30; Matt 13:30. Caecilian was bishop of Carthage, whose election the Donatists rejected. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 6 (CSEL 41:41–42; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-6). ## On Faith and Works 7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-7 - Source: CSEL 41:42–43 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Sound teaching balances both: tolerate the wicked when discipline would harm peace, but exercise discipline when peace allows. ### Latin text Nos uero ad sanam doctrinam pertinere arbitramur ex utrisque testimoniis uitam sententiamque moderari, ut et canes in ecclesia propter pacem ecclesiae toleremus et canibus sanctum, ubi est pax ecclesiae tuta, non demus. cum ergo siue per neglegentiam praepositorum siue per aliquam excusabilem necessitatem siue per occultas obreptiones inuenimus in ecclesia malos, quos ecclesiastica disciplina corrigere aut cohercere non possumus, tunc, ne ascendat in cor nostrum inpia et perniciosa praesumptio, qua existimemus nos ab his esse separandos, ut peccatis eorum non inquinemur atque ita post nos trahere conemur ueluti mundos sanctosque discipulos, ab unitatis conpage quasi a malorum consortio segregatos, ueniant in mentem illae de scripturis similitudines et diuina oracula uel certissima exempla, quibus demonstratum et praenuntiatum est malos in ecclesia permixtos bonis usque in finem saeculi tempusque iudicii futuros et nihil bonis in unitate ac participatione sacramentorum qui eorum factis non consenserint obfuturos. cum uero eis, per quos ecclesia regitur, adest salua pace ecclesiae potestas disciplinae aduersus inprobos aut nefarios exercendae, tunc rursus, ne socordia segnitiaque dormiamus, aliis aculeis praeceptorum, quae ad seueritatem cohercitionis pertinent, excitandi sumus, ut gressus nostros in uia domini ex utrisque testimoniis illo duce atque tutore dirigentes nec patientiae nomine torpescamus nec obtentu diligentiae saeuiamus. ### English translation (Claude) We, however, think it belongs to sound teaching to govern our life and judgment by both sets of testimonies, so that we both tolerate dogs in the church for the sake of the church's peace, and do not give what is holy to dogs where the peace of the church is safe. When, then, whether through the negligence of those in charge, or through some excusable necessity, or through hidden stealth, we find wicked people in the church whom we cannot correct or restrain by church discipline, then, lest an ungodly and pernicious presumption rise in our hearts, by which we might think we must separate from them so as not to be defiled by their sins, and so try to draw after us disciples supposedly clean and holy, cut off from the structure of unity as though from the company of the wicked, let those likenesses from the Scriptures come to mind, and the divine oracles and most certain examples, by which it has been shown and foretold that the wicked will be mixed with the good in the church until the end of the age and the time of judgment, and that they will do no harm to the good who, in unity and participation in the sacraments, have not consented to their deeds. But when those by whom the church is governed have, with the peace of the church safe, the power to exercise discipline against the wicked or criminal, then again, lest we sleep in sloth and idleness, we must be roused by the other goads of the commands that belong to the strictness of restraint; so that, directing our steps in the way of the Lord by both sets of testimonies, with him as our leader and guardian, we may neither grow sluggish under the name of patience nor rage under the pretext of diligence. ### Scripture references - Matt 7:6: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:30: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:49: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 7:6; Matt 13:30, 49. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 7 (CSEL 41:42–43; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-7). ## On Faith and Works 8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-8 - Source: CSEL 41:43–44 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: A married candidate who refused abstinence during the days of preparation would not be baptized; how then can an adulterer who refuses to amend be admitted? ### Latin text Hac ergo secundum sanam doctrinam moderatione seruata uideamus, unde agitur, id est, utrum ad percipiendum baptismum sic admittendi sunt homines, ut nulla ibi uigilet diligentia, ne sanctum canibus detur, usque adeo ut nec apertissimi adulterii perpetratores et eius perseuerantiae professores a sacramento tantae sanctitatis uideantur arcendi: quo sine dubio non admitterentur, si per ipsos dies, quibus eandem gratiam percepturi suis nominibus datis abstinentia, ieiuniis exorcismisque purgantur, cum suis legitimis et ueris uxoribus se concubituros profiterentur atque huius rei, quamuis alio tempore licitae, paucis ipsis sollemnibus diebus nullam continentiam seruaturos. quo modo igitur ad illa sancta recusans correctionem adulter admittitur, quo recusans obseruationem non admittitur coniugatus? ### English translation (Claude) Keeping, then, to this moderation according to sound teaching, let us see what is in question: that is, whether people are to be admitted to receive baptism in such a way that no care is exercised there that what is holy is not given to dogs; so much so that not even those who have committed most open adultery and profess that they will persist in it should seem to be kept away from the sacrament of such great holiness. They would certainly not be admitted if, during the very days in which, having given in their names to receive that grace, they are purified by abstinence, fasts, and exorcisms, they professed that they would sleep with their lawful and true wives and would keep no continence in this matter, which is lawful at another time, during those few solemn days. How, then, is an adulterer who refuses correction admitted to those holy things, to which a married man who refuses observance is not admitted? ### Scripture references - Matt 7:6: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 7:6. Candidates for baptism (competentes) gave in their names at the start of Lent and kept abstinence, including from marital relations, during the final preparation. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 8 (CSEL 41:43–44; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-8). ## On Faith and Works 9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-9 - Source: CSEL 41:44–45 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Except at the point of death, the time before baptism is precisely when converts should be taught how to live; the catechumenate exists for this. ### Latin text Sed prius, inquiunt, baptizetur, deinde doceatur, quid ad bonam uitam moresque pertineat. fit hoc, ubi quemquam forte dies urget extremus, ut ad uerba paucissima, quibus tamen omnia continentur, credat sacramentumque percipiat, ut, si ex hac uita emigrauerit, liberatus exeat a reatu praeteritorum omnium peccatorum; si autem saluus petit spatiumque discendi est, quod aliud oportunius tempus reperiri potest, quo audiat, quemadmodum fidelis fieri ac uiuere debeat, quam illud, cum adtentiore animo atque ipsa religione suspenso saluberrimae fidei sacramentum petit? an usque adeo dissimulamus a sensibus nostris, ut uel nos ipsos non recordemur, quam fuerimus adtenti atque solliciti, quid nobis praeciperent, a quibus catechizabamur, cum fontis illius sacramenta peteremus atque ob hoc conpetentes etiam uocaremur? uel non intueamur alios, qui per annos singulos ad lauacrum regenerationis adcurrunt, quales sint ipsis diebus, quibus catechizantur, exorcizantur, scrutantur, quanta uigilantia conueniant, quo studio ferueant, qua cura pendeant? si tunc tempus non est dicendi, quae uita congruat tanto, quod accipere desiderant, sacramento, quando erit? an uero cum acceperint, in tantis criminibus permanentes etiam post baptismum, non noui homines, sed rei ueteres? ut uidelicet peruersitate mirabili prius eis dicatis: induite hominem nouum, et cum induti fuerint, postea dicatur: exuite ueterem, cum apostolus sanum ordinem tenens dicat: exuite ueterem et induite nouum, et ipse dominus clamet: nemo adsuit pannum nouum uestimento ueteri, et nemo mittit uinum nouum in utres ueteres. quid autem aliud agit totum tempus, quo catechumenorum locum et nomen tenent, nisi ut audiant, quae fides et qualis uita debeat esse christiani, ut, cum se ipsos probauerint, tunc de mensa domini manducent et de calice bibant? quoniam qui manducat et bibit indigne, iudicium sibi manducat et bibit. quod autem fit per omne tempus, quo in ecclesia salubriter constitutum est, ut ad nomen Christi accedentes catechumenorum gradus excipiat, hoc fit multo diligentius et instantius his diebus, quibus conpetentes uocantur, cum ad percipiendum baptismum sua nomina iam dederunt. ### English translation (Claude) “But let him first be baptized,” they say, “and then be taught what belongs to a good life and conduct.” This is done when perhaps someone's last day presses him, so that he believes a very few words, in which, however, everything is contained, and receives the sacrament, so that if he departs from this life he may go out freed from the guilt of all past sins. But if he asks for it in good health and there is time to learn, what more fitting time can be found for him to hear how he ought to become and live as one of the faithful than when, with more attentive mind and held in suspense by religion itself, he asks for the sacrament of the most saving faith? Or do we so shut our eyes to our own experience that we do not remember how attentive and anxious we were about what those who catechized us commanded, when we were asking for the sacraments of that font and were therefore called “competents”? Or do we not look at others who each year hasten to the washing of regeneration, what they are like during the very days in which they are catechized, exorcized, and examined, with what watchfulness they come together, with what zeal they burn, with what care they hang on every word? If that is not the time to say what life befits so great a sacrament as they desire to receive, when will it be? Or when they have received it, while they remain in such great crimes even after baptism, not new men but old offenders? So that, with marvelous perversity, you would first say to them, “Put on the new man,” and when they have put it on, it would afterwards be said, “Put off the old”; whereas the apostle, keeping the sound order, says, “Put off the old and put on the new,” and the Lord himself cries out, “No one sews a new patch on an old garment, and no one puts new wine into old wineskins.” And what else is the whole time for, during which they hold the place and name of catechumens, but that they may hear what the faith and what the life of a Christian ought to be, so that, when they have examined themselves, they may then eat from the Lord's table and drink from the cup? For whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment on himself. And what is done through the whole time during which, as has been wholesomely established in the church, the rank of catechumens receives those who come to the name of Christ, is done much more diligently and urgently in those days when they are called competents, when they have already given in their names to receive baptism. ### Scripture references - Titus 3:5: allusion, high confidence - Eph 4:24: quotation, high confidence - Eph 4:22: quotation, high confidence - Col 3:9: allusion, high confidence - Col 3:10: allusion, high confidence - Matt 9:16: quotation, high confidence - Matt 9:17: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 11:28: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 11:29: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Titus 3:5; Eph 4:22–24; Col 3:9–10; Matt 9:16–17; 1 Cor 11:28–29. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 9 (CSEL 41:44–45; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-9). ## On Faith and Works 10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-10 - Source: CSEL 41:45–46 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: A woman who unknowingly marries another's husband becomes an adulteress only once she knows; ending such unions corrects sin rather than dissolving marriages, since in the church marriage is a sacrament. ### Latin text Quid? si, inquiunt, uirgo nesciens uiro nupserit alieno? hoc si semper nesciat, numquam ex hoc erit adultera; si autem sciat, iam ex hoc esse incipit, ex quo cum alieno uiro sciens cubauerit. sicut in iure praediorum tamdiu quisque bonae fidei possessor rectissime dicitur, quamdiu se possidere ignorat alienum, cum uero scierit nec ab aliena possessione recesserit, tunc malae fidei perhibetur, tunc iuste iniustus uocatur. absit ergo, ut sensu plane non humano, sed plane uano sic doleamus, cum flagitia corriguntur, tamquam conubia dirimantur, maxime in ciuitate dei nostri, in monte sancto eius, hoc est in ecclesia, ubi nuptiarum non solum uinculum, uerum etiam sacramentum ita commendatur, ut non liceat uiro uxorem suam alteri tradere, quod in republica tunc Romana non solum minime culpabiliter, uerum etiam laudabiliter Cato fecisse perhibetur. neque hinc modo diutius disputare opus est, cum et illi, quibus respondeo, non audeant adfirmare nullum hoc esse peccatum neque negent esse adulterium, ne ipsi domino sanctoque euangelio aperte conuincantur obsistere. sed cum eis placet primum admittendos esse tales ad percipiendum baptismi sacramentum et ad dominicam mensam, etiamsi correctionem uoce manifestissima recusauerint; immo uero nihil eos de hac re prorsus admoneri oportere, sed postea doceri, ut, si praecepti obseruationem receperint culpamque correxerint, habeantur in tritico; si autem contempserint, inter zizania tolerentur: satis ostendunt non se crimina ista defendere aut, quasi leuia uel nulla sint, agere. quis enim adulterium bonae spei christianus nullum seu paruum crimen existimet? ### English translation (Claude) “What,” they say, “if a virgin unknowingly marries another woman's husband?” If she never knows it, she will never on this account be an adulteress; but if she comes to know it, she begins to be one from the time when she knowingly lies with another woman's husband. Just as in the law of landed property someone is quite rightly called a possessor in good faith as long as he does not know that he possesses another's property, but when he has come to know it and does not withdraw from the other's property, then he is said to be in bad faith, then he is justly called unjust. Far be it, then, that with a feeling plainly not human but plainly vain we should grieve, when disgraceful acts are corrected, as if marriages were being dissolved; especially in the city of our God, on his holy mountain, that is, in the church, where not only the bond but also the sacrament of marriage is so commended that a husband is not permitted to hand over his wife to another, which Cato is said to have done in the Roman commonwealth of that time, not only without blame but even with praise. Nor is there any need to argue further about this now, since even those whom I am answering do not dare to affirm that this is no sin, nor deny that it is adultery, lest they be clearly shown to oppose the Lord himself and the holy gospel. But since they hold that such people should first be admitted to receive the sacrament of baptism and to the Lord's table, even if they have refused correction in the plainest words, and indeed that they should not be warned about this at all, but taught afterwards, so that, if they accept the observance of the commandment and correct their fault, they may be counted among the wheat, but if they despise it, they may be tolerated among the weeds, they show clearly enough that they are not defending these crimes or treating them as light or as nothing. For what Christian of good hope would think adultery no crime or a small one? ### Scripture references - Ps 48:1 (47:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:30: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Ps 48:1 (47:2 LXX/Vulg.); Matt 13:30. Cato the Younger gave his wife Marcia to Hortensius (Plutarch, Cato Minor 25). Augustine's view that a second union during a spouse's lifetime is adultery is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 10 (CSEL 41:45–46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-10). ## On Faith and Works 11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-11 - Source: CSEL 41:46–48 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The apostles' letters, written to the baptized, contain both faith and morals; putting faith first reflects that good life follows faith, not that morals should be taught only after baptism. ### Latin text Ordinem tamen, quo haec in aliis uel corrigantur uel ferantur, de scripturis sanctis se proferre arbitrantur, cum dicunt apostolos sic egisse et de litteris eorum quaedam testimonia proferunt, ubi reperiuntur prius insinuasse doctrinam fidei ac deinde morum tradidisse praecepta. atque hinc intellegi uolunt fidei tantummodo regulam baptizandis esse insinuandam, postea uero iam baptizatis etiam uitae in melius mutandae praecepta tradenda: quasi aliquas apostolorum epistulas legant ad eos, qui baptizandi sunt, datas, ubi de fide disputauerunt, et alias ad baptizatos, quibus praecepta de malis cauendis bonisque instituendis moribus continentur. cum igitur eos ad baptizatos iam christianos dedisse litteras constet, cur utroque sermone contextae sunt, et eo scilicet, qui ad fidem, et eo, qui ad uitam bonam pertinet? an forte iam placet, ut baptizandis utrumque non demus et baptizatis utrumque reddamus? quod si absurde dicitur, ergo fateantur apostolos doctrinam suam ex utroque perfectam suis epistulis indidisse, sed propterea plerumque insinuasse prius fidem ac deinde quod ad uitam bonam pertinet subiecisse, quia et in homine ipso, nisi praecedat fides, uita bona sequi non poterit. quidquid enim homo ueluti recte fecerit, nisi ad pietatem, quae ad deum est, referatur, rectum dici non oportet. quodsi arbitrarentur aliqui stulti et nimis inperiti apostolorum epistulas ad catechumenos datas, profecto etiam ipsi faterentur nondum baptizatis praecepta morum, qui fidei congruant simul cum fidei regulis intimanda: nisi forte ad hanc necessitatem sua nos isti disputatione conpellunt, ut primas partes epistularum apostolicarum, ubi de fide loquuntur, catechumenis legendas uelint, posteriores autem fidelibus, ubi iam praecipitur, quemadmodum christiani uiuere debeant. quod si stultissimum est dicere, nullum ergo documentum est huius opinionis ex epistulis apostolorum, cur ideo arbitremur baptizandos de sola fide, baptizatos autem de moribus admonendos, quia illi primis partibus litterarum suarum commendauerunt fidem ac postea consequenter, ut bene a fidelibus uiueretur, hortati sunt. quamuis enim illud prius, hoc posterius, saepissime tamen una contextione sermonis utrumque catechumenis, utrumque fidelibus, utrumque baptizandis, utrumque baptizatis, siue ut instruantur siue ne obliuiscantur, siue ut profiteantur siue ut confirmentur, doctrina sanissima et diligentissima praedicandum est. epistulae itaque Petri, epistulae Iohannis, de quibus quaedam testimonia commemorant, addant et Pauli et aliorum apostolorum. ea ratione accipiendum est, quod aduerterunt prius de fide ac postea de moribus dici, quam, nisi fallor, apertissime exposui. ### English translation (Claude) Yet they think they draw from the holy Scriptures the order in which these things are to be corrected or borne in others, when they say that the apostles acted so, and cite certain testimonies from their letters, where they are found first to have taught the doctrine of faith and then to have handed on the commands about conduct. And from this they want it understood that only the rule of faith is to be taught to those to be baptized, but that afterwards, to those already baptized, the commands for changing life for the better are to be handed on; as though they read some letters of the apostles addressed to those to be baptized, where they discussed faith, and others to the baptized, containing commands about avoiding evil and establishing good conduct. Since, then, it is certain that they wrote their letters to Christians already baptized, why are these woven of both kinds of discourse, that which concerns faith and that which concerns a good life? Or perhaps it now seems right that we give neither to those to be baptized, and both to the baptized? If that is absurd to say, then let them admit that the apostles put their teaching, complete in both parts, into their letters, but that for the most part they taught faith first and then added what concerns a good life, because in man himself too a good life cannot follow unless faith goes before. For whatever a man does that seems right should not be called right unless it is referred to the godliness that is toward God. And if some foolish and very ignorant people thought that the apostles' letters were addressed to catechumens, they would surely admit that the commands about conduct befitting the faith must be taught to the not yet baptized together with the rules of faith; unless perhaps these people drive us by their argument to the necessity of wanting the first parts of the apostolic letters, where they speak of faith, to be read to catechumens, and the later parts, where it is commanded how Christians ought to live, to the faithful. If that is most foolish to say, then there is no proof of this opinion from the apostles' letters, why we should think that those to be baptized are to be instructed about faith alone and the baptized about conduct, on the ground that the apostles commended faith in the first parts of their letters and afterwards, as a consequence, exhorted the faithful to live well. For though the one comes first and the other later, yet very often both are to be preached, in one connected discourse, to catechumens and to the faithful, to those to be baptized and to the baptized, whether to instruct them or so that they may not forget, whether so that they may profess or so that they may be confirmed, with most sound and careful teaching. So the letters of Peter and the letters of John, from which they cite some testimonies (let them add those of Paul and the other apostles too), must be taken on the principle by which they noticed that faith is spoken of first and conduct afterwards, which I have explained, unless I am mistaken, most plainly. ### Scripture references - Titus 1:1: allusion, low confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Tim 2:2 and Titus 1:1 (“the godliness that is toward God”). ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 11 (CSEL 41:46–48; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-11). ## On Faith and Works 12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-12 - Source: CSEL 41:48–49 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Peter's call at Pentecost included “Repent,” which means putting off the old life; repentance is fruitless for one who persists in adultery. ### Latin text Sed in actibus apostolorum Petrus, inquiunt, sic allocutus est illos, qui uerbo audito baptizati sunt uno die tria milia, ut eis solam fidem, qua in Christum crederent, praedicaret. qui cum dixissent: quid faciemus? respondit eis: agite paenitentiam, et baptizetur unusquisque uestrum in nomine domini Iesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum, et accipietis donum spiritus sancti. cur ergo non aduertunt, quod dictum est: agite paenitentiam? ibi est enim uitae ueteris spoliatio, ut noua induantur qui baptizantur. cui autem fructuosa est paenitentia, quae agitur de mortuis operibus, si in adulterio perseueret aliisque sceleribus, quibus dilectio mundi huius inuoluitur? ### English translation (Claude) “But in the Acts of the Apostles,” they say, “Peter so addressed those who, having heard the word, were baptized, three thousand in one day, that he preached to them only the faith by which they should believe in Christ.” When they had said, “What shall we do?”, he answered them: “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Why, then, do they not notice what was said, “Repent”? For there is the stripping off of the old life, so that those who are baptized may put on the new. And for whom is repentance fruitful, the repentance that is done for dead works, if he persists in adultery and in other crimes in which the love of this world is wrapped up? ### Scripture references - Acts 2:41: allusion, high confidence - Acts 2:37: quotation, high confidence - Acts 2:38: quotation, high confidence - Heb 6:1: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Acts 2:37–38, 41; Heb 6:1 (“dead works”). Paenitentia here is rendered “repentance.” ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 12 (CSEL 41:48–49; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-12). ## On Faith and Works 13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-13 - Source: CSEL 41:49–50 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Peter's call to repent and to be rescued from a crooked generation required a change of life before baptism, not only faith. ### Latin text Sed infidelitatis, inquiunt, tantummodo, qua in Christum non crediderunt, eos uoluit agere paenitentiam. mira praesumptio — nolo quicquam grauius dicere —, quando eo audito, quod dictum est: agite paenitentiam, solius infidelitatis acta dicitur, cum uita mutanda ex uetere in nouam doctrina euangelica traderetur, ubi utique et illud est, quod in ea sententia ponit apostolus: qui furabatur, iam non furetur, et cetera, quibus exsequitur, quid sit deponere ueterem hominem et induere nouum. in his autem ipsis uerbis Petri habent, unde admoneri potuissent, si diligenter adtendere uoluissent. cum enim dixisset: agite paenitentiam, et baptizetur unusquisque uestrum in nomine domini nostri Iesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum, et accipietis donum spiritus sancti. nobis enim haec est promissio et filiis nostris et omnibus qui sunt longe quoscumque uocauerit dominus deus noster, continuo subiecit qui librum scripsit atque ait: et ceteris uerbis pluribus testificabatur dicens: eripite uos a saeculo hoc prauo. at illi auidissime capientes exceperunt uerba et crediderunt et baptizati sunt; et adiectae sunt illa die tria milia animae. quis hic non intellegat "ceteris pluribus uerbis", quae ab scriptore propter longitudinem reticentur, id egisse Petrum, ut eriperent se ab hoc saeculo prauo, quandoquidem ipsa sententia breuiter indita est, cui persuadendae uerbis pluribus Petrus instabat? ipsa quippe summa posita est, cum dictum est: eripite uos a saeculo hoc prauo; uerbis autem pluribus, ut hoc fieret, testificabatur Petrus. in his uerbis erat mortuorum operum condemnatio, quae nequiter agunt huius saeculi dilectores, et commendatio uitae bonae, quam teneant atque sectentur, qui se ab hoc prauo saeculo eripiunt. iam itaque, si placet, adfirmare conentur eum se eripere ab hoc saeculo prauo, qui tantummodo credit in Christum, etiamsi in flagitiis quibus uoluerit perseueret usque ad professionem adulterii. quod si dicere nefas est, audiant baptizandi non solum quid credere debeant, sed etiam quemadmodum se ab hoc prauo saeculo eripiant. ibi enim necesse est, ut audiant quemadmodum credentes uiuere debeant. ### English translation (Claude) “But,” they say, “he wanted them to repent only of their unbelief, in that they had not believed in Christ.” A strange presumption (I do not want to say anything harsher), that when one hears what was said, “Repent,” it is said to be a repentance for unbelief alone, when the gospel teaching was handing on that life must be changed from the old to the new; in which, of course, there is also what the apostle puts in that passage, “Let him who used to steal steal no longer,” and the rest, in which he sets out what it is to put off the old man and put on the new. But in these very words of Peter they have something by which they could have been warned, had they been willing to pay careful attention. For when he had said, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For this promise is for us and for our children and for all who are far off, whomever the Lord our God calls,” the one who wrote the book at once added: “And with many other words he testified, saying: Rescue yourselves from this crooked generation. And they, receiving his words most eagerly, believed and were baptized; and there were added that day three thousand souls.” Who does not understand here that with “many other words,” which are passed over by the writer because of their length, Peter was urging them to rescue themselves from this crooked generation, since the sentence itself, to persuade them of which Peter was pressing with many words, is briefly inserted? For the sum of it is set down when it is said, “Rescue yourselves from this crooked generation”; but Peter testified with many words so that this might be done. In those words was the condemnation of the dead works that the lovers of this world wickedly do, and the commendation of the good life that those who rescue themselves from this crooked generation should hold to and pursue. So now, if they please, let them try to affirm that he rescues himself from this crooked generation who merely believes in Christ, even if he persists in whatever disgraceful acts he likes, even to the point of professing adultery. But if it is wicked to say that, let those to be baptized hear not only what they ought to believe, but also how they may rescue themselves from this crooked generation. For it is there that they must hear how believers ought to live. ### Scripture references - Eph 4:28: quotation, high confidence - Eph 4:22: allusion, high confidence - Eph 4:24: allusion, high confidence - Acts 2:38: quotation, high confidence - Acts 2:39: quotation, high confidence - Acts 2:40: quotation, high confidence - Acts 2:41: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Eph 4:28, 22–24; Acts 2:38–41. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 13 (CSEL 41:49–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-13). ## On Faith and Works 14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-14 - Source: CSEL 41:50–52 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The eunuch's short confession did not exclude further teaching: to “preach Jesus” includes both the whole creed and how believers must live. ### Latin text Spado, inquiunt, ille, quem Philippus baptizauit, nihil plus dixit quam: credo filium dei esse Iesum Christum, et in hac professione continuo baptizatus est. num ergo placet, ut hoc solum homines respondeant et continuo baptizentur? nihil de spiritu sancto, nihil de sancta ecclesia, nihil de remissione peccatorum, nihil de resurrectione mortuorum, postremo de ipso domino Iesu Christo nihil, nisi quia filius dei est, non de incarnatione eius ex uirgine, non de passione, de morte crucis, de sepultura, de tertii diei resurrectione, de ascensione ac sede ad dexteram patris aliquid dicendum est catechizanti ac profitendum credenti? si enim spado cum respondisset: credo filium dei esse Iesum Christum, hoc ei sufficere uisum est, ut continuo baptizatus abscederet, cur non id sequimur? cur non imitamur atque auferimus cetera, quae necesse habemus, etiam cum ad baptizandum temporis urget angustia, exprimere interrogando, ut baptizandus ad cuncta respondeat, etiamsi ea memoriae manis non uacuit? si autem scriptura tacuit atque intellegenda dimisit cetera, quae cum illo spadone baptizando Philippus egit, atque in eo, quod ait: baptizauit eum Philippus, intellegi uoluit inpleta omnia, quae, licet taceantur in scripturis gratia breuitatis, tamen serie traditionis scimus inplenda, pari modo etiam in eo, quod scriptum est euangelizasse Philippum spadoni dominum Iesum, nullo modo dubitandum est et illa in catechismo dicta esse, quae ad uitam moresque pertinent eius, qui credit in dominum Iesum. hoc est enim euangelizare Christum, non tantum dicere, quae sunt credenda de Christo, sed etiam quae obseruanda ei, qui accedit ad conpagem corporis Christi, immo uero cuncta dicere, quae sunt credenda de Christo, non solum cuius sit filius, unde secundum diuinitatem, unde secundum carnem genitus, quae perpessus et quare, quae sit uirtus resurrectionis eius, quod donum spiritus promiserit dederitque fidelibus, sed etiam qualia membra, quibus sit caput, quaerat, instituat, diligat, liberet atque ad aeternam uitam honoremque perducat. haec cum dicuntur, aliquando breuius atque constrictius, aliquando latius et uberius Christus euangelizatur; et tamen non solum quod ad fidem, uerum etiam quod ad mores fidelium pertinet, non praetermittitur. ### English translation (Claude) “The eunuch,” they say, “whom Philip baptized, said nothing more than, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,’ and on this profession he was baptized at once.” Do they want, then, that people should answer only this and be baptized at once? Is nothing to be said by the catechist, and professed by the believer, about the Holy Spirit, nothing about the holy church, nothing about the forgiveness of sins, nothing about the resurrection of the dead, and finally nothing about the Lord Jesus Christ himself except that he is the Son of God: nothing about his incarnation from the virgin, about his passion, the death of the cross, the burial, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension and the seat at the right hand of the Father? For if, when the eunuch had answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” this seemed sufficient for him to be baptized at once and go away, why do we not follow this? Why do we not imitate it and take away the rest, which we think it necessary to express by questioning, even when shortness of time presses for baptism, so that the one to be baptized may answer to everything, even if there has been no time to commit it to memory? But if Scripture kept silent about the rest that Philip did with that eunuch in baptizing him and left it to be understood, and by saying, “Philip baptized him,” wanted it understood that everything was fulfilled which, though passed over in the Scriptures for the sake of brevity, we know by the sequence of tradition must be fulfilled, then in the same way, in what is written, that Philip preached the Lord Jesus to the eunuch, there is no doubt at all that those things too were said in the instruction which concern the life and conduct of one who believes in the Lord Jesus. For this is to preach Christ: to say not only what is to be believed about Christ, but also what is to be observed by one who comes into the structure of Christ's body; indeed, to say everything that is to be believed about Christ, not only whose Son he is, whence he was begotten according to divinity and whence according to the flesh, what he suffered and why, what the power of his resurrection is, what gift of the Spirit he promised and gave to the faithful, but also what kind of members he, as their head, seeks, forms, loves, frees, and leads to eternal life and honor. When these things are said, sometimes more briefly and concisely, sometimes more fully and richly, Christ is preached; and yet not only what concerns faith but also what concerns the conduct of the faithful is not left out. ### Scripture references - Acts 8:37: quotation, high confidence - Acts 8:38: quotation, high confidence - Acts 8:35: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Acts 8:37 (the Western reading), 38, 35. “Memoriae manis” in the digital text is corrupt; translated by sense (“to commit to memory”). ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 14 (CSEL 41:50–52; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-14). ## On Faith and Works 15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-15 - Source: CSEL 41:52–54 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Preaching “Christ crucified” includes the crucifixion of the old self and its desires, so it cannot permit professed adultery. ### Latin text Hoc intellegi potest etiam in eo, quod commemorant dixisse apostolum Paulum: nihil me dixi scire in uobis, nisi Iesum Christum et hunc crucifixum. quod illi putant ita dictum, tamquam nihil aliud eis insinuatum esset, ut primitus crederent ac deinde baptizati quidquid ad uitam moresque pertinet discerent. hoc, inquiunt, apostolo satis superque suffecit, qui eis dixit, quod et si multos paedagogos haberent in Christo, sed non multos patres, quia eos in Christo Iesu per euangelium ipse genuisset. si ergo ille, qui per euangelium genuit, quamuis gratias agat, quod neminem ipsorum baptizauerit nisi Crispum et Gaium et Stephanae domum, nihil eos amplius docuit quam Christum crucifixum, quid? si dicat aliquis nec resurrexisse Christum eos audisse, quando per euangelium geniti sunt? unde est igitur, quod eis dicit: tradidi enim uobis in primis, quia Christus mortuus est secundum scripturas, et quia sepultus est, et quia resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas, si nihil nisi crucifixum docuerat? si autem non ita intellegunt, sed hoc quoque ad Christum crucifixum pertinere contendunt, sciant in Christo crucifixo multa homines discere et maxime, quod uetus homo noster simul crucifixus est, ut euacuetur corpus peccati, et ultra non seruiamus peccato. unde etiam de se ipso dicit: mihi autem absit gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri Iesu Christi, per quem mihi mundus crucifixus est et ego mundo. proinde adtendant et uideant, quemadmodum doceatur atque discatur Christus crucifixus, et ad eius crucem nouerint pertinere, quod etiam nos in eius corpore crucifigimur mundo: ubi intellegitur omnis cohercitio malarum concupiscentiarum. ac per hoc fieri non potest, ut eis, qui cruce Christi formantur, professa adulteria permittantur. nam et apostolus Petrus de sacramento ipsius crucis, hoc est passionis Christi, admonet, ut qui ea consecrantur peccare desinant, ita loquens: Christo ergo passo in carne et uos eadem cogitatione armamini, quia qui mortuus est carne desinit peccare, ut iam non hominum desideriis, sed uoluntate domini dei reliquum in carne uiuat et cetera, quibus consequenter ostendit eum pertinere ad Christum crucifixum, hoc est per carnem passum, qui in eius corpore crucifixis carnalibus desideriis bene uiuit per euangelium. ### English translation (Claude) This can be understood also from what they mention that the apostle Paul said: “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” They think this was said as though nothing else had been taught them, so that they would first believe and then, once baptized, learn whatever concerns life and conduct. “This,” they say, “was more than enough for the apostle, who told them that even if they had many tutors in Christ, they did not have many fathers, since he himself had begotten them in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” If, then, he who begot them through the gospel, though he gives thanks that he baptized none of them except Crispus and Gaius and the household of Stephanas, taught them nothing more than Christ crucified, what if someone should say that they had not even heard that Christ rose again when they were begotten through the gospel? Why, then, does he say to them, “For I delivered to you first of all that Christ died according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose on the third day according to the Scriptures,” if he had taught nothing but the crucified? But if they do not understand it so, but contend that this too belongs to Christ crucified, let them know that people learn many things in Christ crucified, and above all that our old man has been crucified with him, so that the body of sin may be done away with and we may no longer serve sin. Hence he also says of himself: “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” So let them pay attention and see how Christ crucified is taught and learned, and let them know that it belongs to his cross that we too are crucified to the world in his body; in which is understood every restraint of evil desires. And so it cannot be that professed adulteries are permitted to those who are being formed by the cross of Christ. For the apostle Peter too, speaking of the sacrament of that cross, that is, of Christ's passion, warns that those who are consecrated by it should cease to sin, speaking thus: “Since Christ, then, suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same thought, for he who has died in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of his time in the flesh no longer for human desires but for the will of the Lord God,” and the rest, in which he shows as a consequence that he belongs to Christ crucified, that is, to Christ who suffered in the flesh, who lives well through the gospel, with carnal desires crucified in his body. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 2:2: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 4:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:14: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:16: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:3: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:4: quotation, high confidence - Rom 6:6: quotation, high confidence - Gal 6:14: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 4:1: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 4:2: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Cor 2:2; 1 Cor 4:15; 1 Cor 1:14–16; 1 Cor 15:3–4; Rom 6:6; Gal 6:14; 1 Pet 4:1–2. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 15 (CSEL 41:52–54; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-15). ## On Faith and Works 16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-16 - Source: CSEL 41:54 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The two great commandments cannot be split between candidates and the baptized, since love of God and love of neighbor imply each other. ### Latin text Quid? quod etiam duo illa praecepta, in quibus dominus ait totam legem prophetasque pendere, huic suae opinioni suffragari arbitrantur? et sic ea commemorant, ut, quoniam primum praeceptum dictum est: diliges dominum deum tuum ex toto corde tuo et ex tota anima tua et ex tota mente tua. secundum autem simile huic: diliges proximum tuum tamquam te ipsum, primum credant pertinere ad baptizandos, ubi dilectio dei praecipitur, secundum autem ad baptizatos, ubi uidentur esse mores conuersationis humanae, sic obliti quod scriptum est: si fratrem tuum quem uides non diligis, deum, quem non uides, quomodo diligere poteris? et illud aliud in eadem epistula Iohannis: si quis diligit mundum, non est caritas patris in illo. quo autem pertinent omnia flagitia morum malorum nisi ad mundi huius dilectionem? ac per hoc illud primum praeceptum, quod ad baptizandos pertinere arbitrantur, sine bonis moribus obseruari nullo pacto potest. nolo pluribus inmorari; nam diligenter considerata duo ista praecepta ita ex alterutro conexa reperiuntur, ut nec dilectio dei possit esse in homine, si non diligit proximum, nec dilectio proximi, si non diligit deum. sed ad rem, quae nunc agitur, quod de his duobus praeceptis diximus sufficit. ### English translation (Claude) What of the fact that they think even those two commandments, on which the Lord says the whole law and the prophets hang, support their opinion? They cite them in such a way that, since the first commandment is stated, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and the second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” they believe that the first, where love of God is commanded, belongs to those to be baptized, and the second, where the conduct of human life seems to be, to the baptized; forgetting what is written: “If you do not love your brother whom you see, how can you love God whom you do not see?” and that other saying in the same letter of John: “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” And to what do all the disgraceful acts of evil conduct belong but to the love of this world? And so that first commandment, which they think belongs to those to be baptized, can in no way be kept without good conduct. I do not want to dwell on this at length; for when carefully considered, these two commandments are found to be so bound to each other that neither can there be love of God in a man if he does not love his neighbor, nor love of neighbor if he does not love God. But for the matter now in hand, what we have said about these two commandments is enough. ### Scripture references - Matt 22:40: allusion, high confidence - Matt 22:37: quotation, high confidence - Matt 22:39: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 4:20: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 2:15: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 22:37–40; 1 John 4:20; 1 John 2:15. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 16 (CSEL 41:54; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/1/#p-16). ## On Faith and Works 17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-17 - Source: CSEL 41:54–57 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Red Sea typology supports repentance before baptism: leaving Egypt signifies renouncing sin, and the law given after the crossing included both the worship of God and moral commands. ### Latin text At enim populus Israhel primum per mare rubrum ductus est, quo significatur baptismus, et postea legem accepit, ubi disceret, quemadmodum uiueret. cur ergo baptizandis uel symbolum tradimus reddendumque poscimus? nihil enim tale factum est erga illos, quos per mare rubrum deus ab Aegyptiis liberauit. si autem recte intellegunt hoc significari praecedentibus mysteriis de sanguine ouis postibus inlito et de azymis sinceritatis et ueritatis, cur non etiam illud consequenter intellegunt ipsam ab Aegyptiis separationem significare discessionem a peccatis, quam baptizandi profitentur? ad hoc enim pertinet, quod a Petro dictum est: agite paenitentiam, et baptizetur unusquisque uestrum in nomine domini nostri Iesu Christi, tamquam diceret: recedite ab Aegypto et per mare rubrum transite. unde et in epistula, quae ad Hebraeos inscribitur, cum eorum qui baptizantur commemorarentur initia, posita est ibi paenitentia a mortuis operibus. sic enim dicit: ideo remittentes initii Christi uerbum in consummationem respiciamus, non iterum iacientes fundamentum paenitentiae a mortuis operibus et fidei in deum, lauacri doctrinae, inpositionis manuum, resurrectionis etiam mortuorum et iudicii aeterni. haec igitur omnia pertinere ad initia neophytorum satis aperteque scriptura testatur. quid est autem a mortuis operibus paenitentia nisi ab his, quae oportet mortificari, ut uiuamus? quae si adulteria fornicationesque non sunt, quid iam inter opera mortua nominandum est? sic autem non sufficit professio recessionis a talibus, nisi etiam lauacro regenerationis cuncta praeterita, quae uelut persequuntur, peccata deleantur, sicut non sufficit Israhelitis recedere ab Aegypto, nisi ea quae insequebatur hostium multitudo eiusdem maris fluctibus interiret, qui dei populo transituro liberandoque patuerunt. qui ergo profitetur ab adulterio se nolle mutare, quomodo per mare rubrum ducetur, cum ab Aegypto adhuc recuset abscedere? deinde non adtendunt in ea lege, quae post transitum maris rubri illi populo data est, primum esse praeceptum: non erunt tibi dii alii praeter me. non facies tibi idola neque ullum simulacrum, quaecumque in caelo sunt sursum et quaecumque in terra deorsum et quaecumque in aqua et sub terra. non adorabis ea neque serui eis, et cetera ad hoc praeceptum pertinentia. adfirment itaque isti, si uolunt, contra ipsam suam adsertionem etiam de unius dei cultu cauendaque idololatria non adhuc baptizandis, sed iam baptizatis esse praedicandum et non iam dicant eis, qui baptismum percepturi sunt, fidem tantum quae in deo est intimandam et post eius sacramenti perceptionem de moribus uitae tamquam de secundo praecepto eos quod ad dilectionem proximi pertinet instruendos. utrumque enim lex continet, quam post mare rubrum tamquam post baptismum populus accepit; nec ita facta est distributio praeceptorum, ut ante illius maris transitum de cauenda idololatria plebs doceretur et, posteaquam transierunt, audiret honorandum patrem et matrem, non moechandum, non occidendum et cetera bonae atque innocentis conuersationis humanae. ### English translation (Claude) “But the people of Israel were first led through the Red Sea, by which baptism is signified, and afterwards received the law, in which they would learn how to live.” Why, then, do we hand on the creed to those to be baptized and require them to recite it back? For nothing of the kind was done for those whom God freed from the Egyptians through the Red Sea. But if they rightly understand that this is signified by the preceding mysteries of the blood of the lamb smeared on the doorposts and of the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, why do they not also understand, as a consequence, that the separation itself from the Egyptians signifies the departure from sins that those to be baptized profess? For to this belongs what Peter said, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” as though he said, “Depart from Egypt and cross through the Red Sea.” Hence also in the letter inscribed to the Hebrews, when the first steps of those being baptized are mentioned, repentance from dead works is placed there. For it says thus: “Therefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us look to completion, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the teaching of washing, of the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead too, and of eternal judgment.” Scripture testifies clearly and openly enough that all these belong to the first steps of new converts. And what is repentance from dead works but repentance from those things that must be put to death so that we may live? If adulteries and fornications are not such, what is to be named among dead works? But a profession of withdrawal from such things is not enough unless all past sins, which pursue as it were, are also blotted out by the washing of regeneration; just as it was not enough for the Israelites to depart from Egypt unless the multitude of enemies pursuing them perished in the waves of the same sea which opened for God's people to cross and be freed. How, then, will he who professes that he does not wish to change from adultery be led through the Red Sea, when he still refuses to depart from Egypt? Then they do not notice that in the law given to that people after the crossing of the Red Sea, the first commandment is: “You shall have no other gods besides me. You shall not make for yourself idols or any image of anything in heaven above or on earth below or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them,” and the rest that belongs to this commandment. So let these people affirm, if they like, against their own assertion, that the worship of one God and the avoidance of idolatry should be preached not to those still to be baptized but to those already baptized; and let them no longer say that only faith in God is to be taught to those about to receive baptism, and that after receiving that sacrament they are to be instructed about the conduct of life, as though about the second commandment, which concerns love of neighbor. For the law that the people received after the Red Sea, as after baptism, contains both; nor were the commandments so divided that before crossing that sea the people were taught to avoid idolatry, and after they crossed they heard that father and mother are to be honored, that one must not commit adultery, must not kill, and the rest of good and innocent human conduct. ### Scripture references - Exod 14:22: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 10:2: allusion, medium confidence - Exod 12:7: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:8: allusion, high confidence - Acts 2:38: quotation, high confidence - Heb 6:1: quotation, high confidence - Heb 6:2: quotation, high confidence - Exod 14:28: allusion, high confidence - Exod 20:3: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:4: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:5: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:12: allusion, high confidence - Exod 20:13: allusion, high confidence - Exod 20:14: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Exod 14; Exod 12:7; 1 Cor 5:8; Acts 2:38; Heb 6:1–2; Exod 20:3–5. Adulteria and fornicationes are rendered “adulteries” and “fornications” (sexual immorality), kept distinct. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 17 (CSEL 41:54–57; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-17). ## On Faith and Works 18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-18 - Source: CSEL 41:57–59 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: No one would baptize an idolater who refused to give up idolatry; for the same reason the sexually immoral who refuse to amend must not be baptized, since both are excluded from God's kingdom. ### Latin text Si ergo ita quisque ueniat ad sancti lauacri petitionem, ut profiteatur se ab idolorum sacrificiis non recessurum nisi forte postea, quando placuerit, baptismum tamen iam iamque deposcat templumque dei uiui se fieri flagitet non solum cultor idolorum, uerum etiam in aliquo tam nefario sacerdotio perseuerans, quaero ab istis, utrum eum faciendum uel catechumenum censeant: quod procul dubio fieri non debere clamabunt; neque enim aliud de illorum corde sentiendum est. reddant itaque rationem secundum testimonia scripturarum, quae sic intellegenda putant, quo modo huic audeant contradicere nec admittendum esse confirment reclamantem atque dicentem: didici et ueneror Christum crucifixum, credo filium dei esse Christum Iesum; non me ultra differas, nihil amplius iam requiras. quos per euangelium generabat apostolus, nihil eos nosse tunc amplius quam Christum crucifixum uolebat; post uocem spadonis, qua se credere Iesum Christum filium dei esse respondit, continuo Philippus eum baptizare non distulit. quid me ab idolorum cultu prohibes nec ad sacramentum Christi admittis, priusquam inde discessero? illud a pueritia didici, consuetudine ibi grauissima premor: faciam, cum potuero, cum commodum fuerit; quod etsi non faciam, non tamen sine Christi sacramento hanc uitam finiam, ne deus exigat animam meam de manibus tuis. quid huic respondendum existimant? an placet, ut admittatur? absit; nullo modo crediderim in tantum eos progredi. quid ergo respondebunt haec dicenti et addenti, quod nihil sibi de idololatria relinquenda saltem dici debuit ante baptismum, sicut inde nihil ante mare rubrum populus ille primus audiuit, quoniam lex haec habet, quam ex Aegypto iam liberatus accepit. profecto dicturi sunt homini: templum dei futurus es, cum baptismum acceperis; dicit autem apostolus: quae conpositio templo dei cum idolis? quare ergo non uident similiter esse dicendum: membrum Christi futurus es, cum acceperis baptismum; non possunt membra Christi esse membra meretricis? quia et hoc apostolus dicit, qui et alio loco, nolite, inquit, errare; neque fornicatores neque idolis seruientes et cetera, quae illic enumerat, regnum dei possidebunt. cur ergo ad baptismum idolis seruientes non admittimus et fornicatores admittendos putamus, cum et his et ceteris malis dicat: et haec quidam fuistis, sed abluti estis, sed sanctificati estis, sed iustificati estis in nomine domini Iesu Christi et in spiritu dei nostri? quid igitur causae est, ut, cum potestas patet utrumque prohibendi, uenientem ad baptismum permittam fornicarium permanere et non permittam idolis seruientem, cum et illis et illis dici audiam: et haec quidam fuistis, sed abluti estis? sed eo mouentur isti, quia putant in tuto esse salutem eorum, quamuis per ignem qui in Christum crediderint sacramentumque eius acceperint, id est baptizati fuerint, etiamsi morum corrigendorum ita neglegentes sint, ut nequiter uiuant. unde mox uidebo, si deus iuuerit, quid secundum scripturas sentiendum sit. ### English translation (Claude) If, then, someone comes to ask for the holy washing professing that he will not withdraw from sacrifices to idols except perhaps later, when he pleases, yet demands baptism here and now and begs to become a temple of the living God, being not only a worshiper of idols but even persisting in some such wicked priesthood, I ask these people whether they think he should be made even a catechumen. They will certainly cry out that this must not be done; nor should anything else be thought of their hearts. Let them give an account, then, according to the testimonies of the Scriptures which they think should be understood in their way, of how they dare to contradict this man, and to maintain that he should not be admitted, when he protests and says: “I have learned and I venerate Christ crucified; I believe that Christ Jesus is the Son of God; do not put me off any longer; ask nothing more of me. Those whom the apostle was begetting through the gospel he wanted to know nothing more at that time than Christ crucified; after the eunuch's words, in which he answered that he believed Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, Philip did not delay baptizing him at once. Why do you forbid me the worship of idols and not admit me to the sacrament of Christ before I have left it? I learned that from childhood; I am weighed down by a very heavy habit there. I will do it when I can, when it is convenient; and even if I do not do it, I will not end this life without the sacrament of Christ, lest God require my soul at your hands.” What do they think should be answered to him? Do they think he should be admitted? Far from it; I would never believe they go so far. What, then, will they answer to one who says this, and adds that nothing at all about giving up idolatry ought to have been said to him before baptism, just as that first people heard nothing about it before the Red Sea, since this is contained in the law which they received when already freed from Egypt? Surely they will say to the man: “You are to be a temple of God when you have received baptism; and the apostle says, ‘What agreement has the temple of God with idols?’” Why, then, do they not see that it must likewise be said: “You are to be a member of Christ when you have received baptism; the members of Christ cannot be the members of a prostitute”? For the apostle says this too, who says in another place: “Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters,” and the rest that he lists there, “will possess the kingdom of God.” Why, then, do we not admit idolaters to baptism, yet think the sexually immoral should be admitted, when to these and to the other wicked ones he says: “And such were some of you; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God”? What reason is there, then, when there is power to forbid both, that I should allow the sexually immoral man coming to baptism to remain so, and not allow the idolater, when I hear it said to both: “And such were some of you, but you were washed”? But these people are moved by the thought that the salvation of those who have believed in Christ and received his sacrament, that is, been baptized, is safe, though through fire, even if they are so negligent about correcting their conduct that they live wickedly. What is to be held about this according to the Scriptures I will soon examine, if God helps. ### Scripture references - 2 Cor 6:16: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:2: allusion, high confidence - Acts 8:37: allusion, high confidence - Ezek 3:18: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 6:15: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:10: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:11: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - 2 Cor 6:16; 1 Cor 2:2; Acts 8:37–38; Ezek 3:18 and 33:8 (“require his soul at your hand”); 1 Cor 6:15; 1 Cor 6:9–11. Fornicator and fornicarius are rendered “sexually immoral.” ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 18 (CSEL 41:57–59; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-18). ## On Faith and Works 19 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-19 - Source: CSEL 41:59–60 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: John the Baptist taught soldiers and tax collectors how to live before baptizing them, showing that moral instruction belongs to preparation for baptism. ### Latin text Nunc in hac quaestione adhuc uersor, in qua eis uidetur baptizatos admonendos esse de moribus ad christianam uitam pertinentibus, baptizandis autem solam insinuandam fidem. quod si ita esset, praeter tam multa, quae diximus, non Iohannes Baptista uenientibus ad baptismum suum diceret: generatio uiperarum, quis ostendit uobis fugere ab ira uentura? facite ergo fructum dignum paenitentiae et cetera, quae utique non de fide, sed de bonis operibus admonet. unde et militibus dicentibus: quid faciemus? non dixit: interim credite et baptizamini, post audietis quid facere debeatis, sed ante dixit, ante praemonuit, ut uenturo domino in cor eorum tamquam praecursor mundaret uiam: neminem concusseritis, nulli calumniam feceritis, sufficiat uobis stipendium uestrum. similiter publicanis quaerentibus, quid facere deberent, nihil amplius, inquit, exigatis praeter quam constitutum est uobis. his breuiter commemoratis euangelista — non enim totos catechismos inserere debuit — satis significauit pertinere ad eum, a quo baptizandus catechizatur, docere et monere de moribus. quodsi respondissent Iohanni: prorsus non faciemus fructus dignos paenitentiae, calumniaturi sumus, concussuri sumus, ea quae nobis non debentur exacturi sumus, et nihilominus eos post hanc professionem baptizaret, nec sic tamen dici posset, unde modo quaestio est, non esse temporis, cum quisque baptizandus est, ut prius illi sermo fiat, quemadmodum uitam bonam agere debeat. ### English translation (Claude) For now I am still engaged with this question, in which they think the baptized should be warned about the conduct belonging to the Christian life, but that only faith should be taught to those to be baptized. If this were so, besides the many things we have said, John the Baptist would not have said to those coming to his baptism, “Brood of vipers, who showed you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit, then, worthy of repentance,” and the rest, in which he certainly admonishes not about faith but about good works. Hence also, when soldiers said, “What shall we do?”, he did not say, “Meanwhile, believe and be baptized; afterwards you will hear what you must do”; but he said it first, he warned them first, so that, as forerunner, he might clear the way in their hearts for the Lord who was coming: “Extort from no one, accuse no one falsely, be content with your pay.” Likewise, when the tax collectors asked what they should do, he said: “Collect no more than what is appointed you.” By mentioning these briefly the evangelist (for he did not need to insert whole catechetical instructions) indicated clearly enough that it belongs to the one by whom a person to be baptized is catechized to teach and admonish about conduct. And if they had answered John, “We will certainly not bear fruits worthy of repentance; we will accuse falsely, we will extort, we will exact what is not owed us,” and he nevertheless baptized them after this profession, even so it could not be said, which is the present question, that when someone is to be baptized it is not the time for him first to be told how he ought to lead a good life. ### Scripture references - Luke 3:7: quotation, high confidence - Luke 3:8: quotation, high confidence - Luke 3:14: quotation, high confidence - Luke 3:12: allusion, high confidence - Luke 3:13: quotation, high confidence - Isa 40:3: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Luke 3:7–8, 14, 12–13; Isa 40:3. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 19 (CSEL 41:59–60; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-19). ## On Faith and Works 20 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-20 - Source: CSEL 41:60–61 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ told the rich man to keep the commandments to enter life; faith and conduct are inseparable, so Scripture sometimes names one for both. ### Latin text Quid ipse dominus, ut alia omittam, cum ab eo diues ille quaereret, quid boni faceret, ut uitam aeternam consequeretur, recolant quid responderit. si uis uenire, inquit, ad uitam, serua mandata. ait ille: quae? tunc dominus commemorauit praecepta legis: non occides, non moechaberis et cetera. ubi cum ille respondisset haec se fecisse a iuuentute sua, addidit etiam perfectionis praeceptum, ut uenditis suis omnibus et in pauperum elemosynas erogatis haberet thesaurum in caelo et eundem dominum sequeretur. uideant igitur non ei dictum esse, ut crederet et baptizaretur — quo solo adiutorio putant isti uenire hominem ad uitam — sed morum praecepta homini data, quae utique sine fide custodiri obseruarique non possunt. nec tamen quia hic de insinuanda fide dominus uidetur tacuisse, praescribimus nos atque contendimus morum tantummodo praecepta dicenda esse hominibus ad uitam peruenire cupientibus. utraque enim mutuo conexa sunt, sicut ante dixi, quia neque dilectio dei potest esse in homine, qui non diligit proximum, nec dilectio proximi, qui non diligit deum. et ideo aliquando alterum sine altero, siue illud siue illud, pro plena doctrina inuenitur scriptura commemorare, ut etiam hoc modo intellegatur alterum sine altero esse non posse: quia et qui credit deo, debet facere quod praecipit deus, et qui propterea facit, quia praecepit deus, necesse est, ut credat deo. ### English translation (Claude) To pass over other things, let them recall what the Lord himself answered when that rich man asked him what good he should do to obtain eternal life. “If you wish to come to life,” he said, “keep the commandments.” He said, “Which?” Then the Lord listed the commandments of the law: “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery,” and the rest. When the man answered that he had done these from his youth, he added also the commandment of perfection: that he should sell all he had and give it in alms to the poor, so as to have treasure in heaven, and follow the same Lord. Let them see, then, that he was not told to believe and be baptized, by which help alone these people think a man comes to life, but that commandments about conduct were given to the man, which certainly cannot be kept and observed without faith. Nor, because the Lord seems here to have said nothing about teaching faith, do we lay down and contend that only commandments about conduct should be spoken to people who desire to reach life. For the two are bound to each other, as I said before, because neither can there be love of God in a man who does not love his neighbor, nor love of neighbor in one who does not love God. And so Scripture is sometimes found to mention one without the other, whichever it is, as full teaching, so that in this way too it may be understood that one cannot be without the other: because whoever believes God ought to do what God commands, and whoever does it because God commanded must believe God. ### Scripture references - Matt 19:16: allusion, high confidence - Matt 19:17: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:18: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:20: allusion, high confidence - Matt 19:21: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 19:16–21. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 20 (CSEL 41:60–61; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-20). ## On Faith and Works 21 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-21 - Source: CSEL 41:61–62 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul's teaching that we are justified by faith without works of the law was misread as licence; true saving faith works through love, and the other apostles wrote against faith without works. ### Latin text Quamobrem iam illud uideamus, quod excutiendum est a cordibus religiosis, ne mala securitate salutem suam perdant, si ad eam obtinendam sufficere fidem putauerint, bene autem uiuere et bonis operibus uiam dei tenere neglexerint. nam etiam temporibus apostolorum non intellectis quibusdam subobscuris sententiis apostoli Pauli hoc eum quidam arbitrati sunt dicere: faciamus mala, ut ueniant bona, quia dixerat: lex subintrauit, ut abundaret delictum; ubi autem abundauit delictum, superabundauit gratia. quod ideo uerum est, quia legem accipientes homines, qui de suis uiribus superbissime praesumebant, nec diuinum adiutorium uincendarum malarum concupiscentiarum recta fide inpetrantes pluribus grauioribusque delictis etiam lege praeuaricata onerati sunt: ac sic magno reatu conpellente confugerunt ad fidem, qua misericordiam indulgentiae mererentur et auxilium a domino, qui fecit caelum et terram, ut diffusa per spiritum sanctum caritate in cordibus suis cum dilectione agerent, quae contra saeculi huius concupiscentias iuberentur secundum id, quod praedictum fuerat in psalmo: multiplicatae sunt infirmitates eorum; postea adcelerauerunt. cum ergo dicit apostolus arbitrari se iustificari hominem per fidem sine operibus legis, non hoc agit, ut percepta ac professa fide opera iustitiae contemnantur, sed ut sciat se quisque per fidem posse iustificari, etiamsi legis opera non praecesserint. sequuntur enim iustificatum, non praecedunt iustificandum. unde in praesenti opere non opus est latius disputare, praesertim quia ex hac quaestione prolixum librum edidi, qui inscribitur "De littera et spiritu". quoniam ergo haec opinio tunc fuerat exorta, aliae apostolicae epistulae, Petri, Iohannis, Iacobi, Iudae, contra eam dirigunt intentionem, ut uehementer astruant fidem sine operibus non prodesse: sicut etiam ipse Paulus non qualemlibet fidem, qua in deum creditur, sed eam salubrem planeque euangelicam definiuit, cuius opera ex dilectione procedunt. et fides, inquit, quae per dilectionem operatur. unde illam fidem, quae sufficere ad salutem quibusdam uidetur, ita nihil prodesse adseuerat, ut dicat: si habeam omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam, caritatem autem non habeam, nihil sum. ubi autem fidelis caritas operatur, sine dubio bene uiuitur; plenitudo enim legis caritas. ### English translation (Claude) Therefore let us now look at what must be driven out of devout hearts, so that they may not lose their salvation through a bad security, thinking that faith is enough to obtain it, while neglecting to live well and to keep God's way by good works. For even in the time of the apostles, since certain somewhat obscure sayings of the apostle Paul were not understood, some thought he was saying, “Let us do evil that good may come,” because he had said, “The law came in so that trespass might abound; but where trespass abounded, grace superabounded.” This is true for this reason: people who received the law, presuming most proudly on their own strength, and not obtaining by right faith the divine help for overcoming evil desires, were burdened with more and graver trespasses, having even transgressed the law. And so, driven by great guilt, they fled to faith, by which they might merit the mercy of pardon and help from the Lord who made heaven and earth, so that, with love poured into their hearts by the Holy Spirit, they might do with love what was commanded against the desires of this world, according to what had been foretold in the psalm: “Their infirmities were multiplied; afterwards they made haste.” When, then, the apostle says that he holds that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law, he does not mean that, once faith has been received and professed, the works of righteousness may be despised, but that each should know that he can be justified by faith even if works of the law have not gone before. For they follow the one justified; they do not precede the one to be justified. There is no need to argue this at greater length in the present work, especially since I have published a long book on this question entitled On the Spirit and the Letter. Since, then, this opinion had arisen at that time, other apostolic letters, of Peter, John, James, and Jude, direct their aim against it, so as to establish forcefully that faith without works is of no profit; just as Paul himself defined not any faith whatever by which one believes in God, but that saving and plainly evangelical faith whose works proceed from love. “And faith,” he says, “which works through love.” Hence he asserts that the faith which seems to some enough for salvation is of so little profit that he says, “If I have all faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” But where faithful love works, there without doubt one lives well; for love is the fullness of the law. ### Scripture references - Rom 3:8: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:20: quotation, high confidence - Ps 121:2 (120:2 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Rom 5:5: allusion, high confidence - Ps 16:4 (15:4 LXX): quotation, medium confidence - Rom 3:28: quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:6: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:2: quotation, high confidence - Rom 13:10: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Augustine, Spir. et litt. (On the Spirit and the Letter): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Rom 3:8; Rom 5:20; Ps 121:2 (120:2 LXX/Vulg.); Rom 5:5; Ps 16:4 (15:4 LXX/Vulg., Old Latin form); Rom 3:28; Gal 5:6; 1 Cor 13:2; Rom 13:10. Augustine refers to his On the Spirit and the Letter. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 21 (CSEL 41:61–62; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-21). ## On Faith and Works 22 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-22 - Source: CSEL 41:62–64 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: 2 Peter warns that some twisted Paul's hard sayings to neglect good living, and urges holy conduct in view of the new heavens and earth. ### Latin text Vnde euidenter in secunda epistula sua Petrus, cum ad uitae morumque sanctitatem hortaretur mundumque istum transiturum praenuntiaret, caelos uero nouos et terram nouam expectari, quae iustis inhabitanda traderetur, ut ex hoc adtenderent, qualiter eos oporteret uiuere, ut habitatione illa digni fierent, sciens de apostoli Pauli quibusdam subobscuris sententiis nonnullos iniquos accepisse occasionem, ut tamquam securi de salute, quae in fide est, bene uiuere non curarent, commemorauit quaedam ad intellegendum difficilia esse in epistulis eius, quae homines peruerterent sicut et alias scripturas ad proprium suum interitum: cum tamen et ille apostolus de salute aeterna, quae nisi bene uiuentibus non daretur, eadem sentiret, quae ceteri apostoli. sic itaque Petrus, his ergo, inquit, omnibus pereuntibus, quales oportet esse uos in sanctis conuersationibus et pietatibus, expectantes et properantes ad praesentiam diei domini, per quam caeli ardentes soluentur et elementa ignis ardore decoquentur. nouos uero caelos et terram nouam secundum promissa ipsius expectamus, in quibus iustitia inhabitat. quapropter, carissimi, haec expectantes satis agite inuiolati et inmaculati apud eum reperiri in pace, et domini nostri patientiam salutem existimate, sicut et dilectissimus frater noster Paulus secundum eam quae data est illi sapientiam scripsit uobis, ut et in omnibus epistulis loquens in eis de his, in quibus sunt difficilia intellectu, quae indocti et instabiles peruertunt sicut et ceteras scripturas ad proprium suum interitum. uos igitur, amantissimi, praescientes cauete, ne infaustorum errore seducti decidatis a corroboratione uestra, crescite uero in gratia et intellectu domini nostri et saluatoris Iesu Christi. ipsi gloria et nunc et in diem aeternitatis. ### English translation (Claude) Hence Peter in his second letter plainly, when he was urging holiness of life and conduct and foretelling that this world will pass away, while new heavens and a new earth are awaited, to be given to the righteous to dwell in, so that from this they might consider how they ought to live in order to become worthy of that dwelling, knowing that some wicked people had taken occasion from certain somewhat obscure sayings of the apostle Paul not to care about living well, as though secure of the salvation that is in faith, mentioned that there are some things hard to understand in his letters, which people pervert, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction; though that apostle too held the same as the other apostles about eternal salvation, which would be given only to those who live well. So Peter says: “Since all these things are thus perishing, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of the Lord, through which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved and the elements melted with the heat of fire. But according to his promises we wait for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these things, be diligent to be found by him unharmed and without blemish, in peace; and count the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our most beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of these things in all his letters, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable pervert, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. You, then, most beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest, led astray by the error of the unhappy, you fall from your firmness; but grow in the grace and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity.” ### Scripture references - 2 Pet 3:13: allusion, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:16: allusion, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:11: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:12: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:14: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:15: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:17: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:18: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - 2 Pet 3:11–18. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 22 (CSEL 41:62–64; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-22). ## On Faith and Works 23 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-23 - Source: CSEL 41:64 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: James compares faith without works to the demons' belief and calls it dead. ### Latin text Iacobus autem tam uehementer infestus est eis, qui sapiunt fidem sine operibus ualere ad salutem, ut illos etiam daemonibus conparet dicens: tu credis quoniam unus est deus? bene facis; et daemones credunt et contremescunt. quid breuius, uerius, uehementius dici potuit, cum et in euangelio legamus hoc dixisse daemonia, cum Christum filium dei confiterentur et ab illo corriperentur, quod in Petri confessione laudatum est? quid proderit, ait Iacobus, fratres mei, si fidem quis dicat se habere, opera autem non habeat? numquid poterit fides saluare eum? dicit etiam, quia fides sine operibus mortua est. quousque igitur falluntur, qui de fide mortua sibi uitam perpetuam pollicentur! ### English translation (Claude) James, however, is so strongly opposed to those who hold that faith without works avails for salvation that he even compares them to demons, saying: “You believe that God is one? You do well; the demons also believe and tremble.” What could be said more briefly, more truly, more forcefully, since we also read in the gospel that the demons said this, when they confessed Christ as the Son of God and were rebuked by him, which was praised in Peter's confession? “What will it profit, my brothers,” says James, “if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” He also says that faith without works is dead. How long, then, will they be deceived who promise themselves eternal life from a dead faith! ### Scripture references - Jas 2:19: quotation, high confidence - Luke 4:41: allusion, high confidence - Mark 3:11: allusion, medium confidence - Mark 3:12: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 16:16: allusion, high confidence - Jas 2:14: quotation, high confidence - Jas 2:17: allusion, high confidence - Jas 2:26: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Jas 2:19, 14, 17, 26; Luke 4:41 and Mark 3:11–12; Matt 16:16–17. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 23 (CSEL 41:64; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-23). ## On Faith and Works 24 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-24 - Source: CSEL 41:64–65 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Augustine introduces 1 Cor 3:11–15, which his opponents read as promising salvation through purgatorial fire to believers who live wickedly. ### Latin text Quapropter diligenter oportet adtendere, quo modo accipienda sit apostoli Pauli illa sententia, plane ad intellegendum difficilis, ubi ait: fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum est, quod est Christus Iesus. si quis autem superaedificat super fundamentum aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos, ligna, fenum, stipulam, uniuscuiusque opus manifestabitur. dies enim declarabit, quia in igne reuelabitur, et uniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit. si cuius opus permanserit, quod superaedificauit, mercedem accipiet; si cuius autem, opus arserit, damnum patietur; ipse autem saluus erit, sic tamen quasi per ignem. quod ita intellegendum putant, ut illi uideantur aedificare super hoc fundamentum aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos, qui fidei, quae in Christo est, bona opera adiciunt; illi autem ligna, fenum, stipulam, qui cum eandem fidem habeant, male operantur. unde arbitrantur per quasdam poenas ignis eos posse purgari ad salutem percipiendam merito fundamenti. ### English translation (Claude) Therefore we must pay careful attention to how that saying of the apostle Paul, plainly hard to understand, is to be taken, where he says: “For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. But if anyone builds on the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will be made manifest. For the day will declare it, because it will be revealed in fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one's is. If anyone's work that he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward; but if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” They think this should be understood as meaning that those seem to build gold, silver, and precious stones on this foundation who add good works to the faith that is in Christ; but those build wood, hay, and straw who, though they have the same faith, act wickedly. Hence they think that such people can be purified by certain punishments of fire so as to receive salvation on the merit of the foundation. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 3:11: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:12: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:13: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:14: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:15: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Cor 3:11–15. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 24 (CSEL 41:64–65; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-24). ## On Faith and Works 25 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-25 - Source: CSEL 41:65–68 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: If faith alone saved through fire, even persistent adulterers and prostitutes should be baptized, and the many texts excluding the wicked from God's kingdom and the judgment of Matthew 25 would be false. ### Latin text Hoc si ita est, fatemur istos laudabili caritate conari, ut omnes indiscrete admittantur ad baptismum, non solum adulteri et adulterae contra sententiam domini falsas nuptias praetendentes, uerum etiam publicae meretrices in turpissima professione perseuerantes, quas certe nulla etiam neglegentissima ecclesia consueuit admittere nisi ab illa primitus prostitutione liberatas. sed ista ratione cur non omni modo admittantur, omnino non uideo. quis enim non malit eas posito fundamento, licet ligna et fenum et stipulam congerant, aliquanto certe diuturniore igne purgari quam in aeternum perire? sed falsa erunt illa, quae obscuritatem ambiguitatemque non habent: si habeam omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam, caritatem autem non habeam, nihil sum, et: quid proderit, fratres mei, si fidem quis dicat se habere, opera autem non habeat? numquid poterit fides saluare eum? falsum erit et illud: nolite errare; neque fornicatores neque idolis seruientes neque adulteri neque molles neque masculorum concubitores neque fures neque auari neque ebriosi neque maledici neque rapaces regnum dei possidebunt. falsum et illud: manifesta sunt opera carnis, quae sunt fornicationes, inmunditiae, luxuria, idolorum seruitus, ueneficia, inimicitiae, contentiones, aemulationes, animositates, dissensiones, haereses, inuidiae, ebrietates, comessationes et his similia, quae praedico uobis, sicut et praedixi, quoniam qui talia agunt, regnum dei non possidebunt. falsa erunt haec. si enim tantummodo credant et baptizentur, quamuis in malis talibus perseuerent, salui erunt per ignem, atque ideo in Christo baptizati etiam qui talia agunt, regnum dei possidebunt. frustra autem dicitur: haec quidam fuistis, sed abluti estis, quando et abluti haec sunt. inaniter etiam illud a Petro dictum uidebitur: sic et uos simili forma baptisma saluos facit, non carnis depositio sordium, sed conscientiae bonae interrogatio, siquidem et habentes pessimas conscientias omnium flagitiorum et scelerum plenas nec eorum malorum paenitentia mutatas tamen baptisma saluos facit; propter fundamentum enim quod in eo baptismate ponitur, licet per ignem, salui erunt. illud quoque non uideo, cur dominus dixerit: si uis uenire ad uitam, serua mandata, et commemorauit ea, quae ad bonos mores pertinent, si etiam his non seruatis ad uitam ueniri potest per solam fidem, quae sine operibus mortua est. illud deinde quomodo uerum erit, quod eis, quos ad sinistram positurus est, dicet: ite in ignem aeternum, qui paratus est diabolo et angelis eius? quibus non increpitat, quia in eum non crediderunt, sed quia bona opera non fecerunt. nam profecto ne sibi quisquam de fide, quae sine operibus mortua est, uitam promittat aeternam, propterea omnes gentes segregaturum se dixit, quae permixtae eisdem pastoribus utebantur, ut adpareat eos illi dicturos: domine, quando te uidimus illa et illa patientem, et non ministrauimus tibi? qui in eum crediderant, sed bona operari non curauerant, tamquam de ipsa fide mortua ad uitam perueniretur aeternam. an forte ibunt in ignem aeternum, qui opera misericordiae non fecerunt, et non ibunt, qui aliena rapuerunt uel corrumpendo in se templum dei in se ipsos inmisericordes fuerunt? quasi opera misericordiae prosint aliquid sine dilectione dicente apostolo: si distribuam omnia mea pauperibus, caritatem autem non habeam, nihil mihi prodest, aut diligat quisquam proximum sicut se ipsum, qui non diligit se ipsum. qui enim diligit, inquit, iniquitatem, odit animam suam. neque illud hic dici poterit, in quo nonnulli se ipsos seducunt [dicentes], ignem aeternum dictum, non ipsam poenam aeternam. per ignem quippe, qui aeternus erit, transituros arbitrantur eos quibus propter fidem mortuam per ignem promittunt salutem, ut uidelicet ipse ignis aeternus sit, conbustio uero eorum, hoc est operatio ignis, non sit in eos aeterna, cum et hoc praeuidens dominus tamquam dominus sententiam suam ita concluserit dicens: sic ibunt illi in conbustionem aeternam, iusti autem in uitam aeternam. erit ergo aeterna conbustio, sicut ignis; et eos in illam ituros ueritas dixit, quorum non fidem, sed bona opera defuisse declarauit. ### English translation (Claude) If this is so, we admit that these people strive with praiseworthy love for all to be admitted to baptism without distinction, not only adulterous men and women who, against the Lord's sentence, allege false marriages, but even public prostitutes persisting in their most shameful profession, whom certainly no church, even the most negligent, has been accustomed to admit unless first freed from that prostitution. But on that reasoning I do not see at all why they should not by all means be admitted. For who would not prefer that, with the foundation laid, even if they heap up wood, hay, and straw, they should be purified by a fire, certainly somewhat longer, rather than perish for ever? But then those sayings will be false which have no obscurity or ambiguity: “If I have all faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing”; and, “What will it profit, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” This too will be false: “Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor the effeminate nor men who lie with males nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor revilers nor robbers will possess the kingdom of God.” False also this: “The works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornications, impurities, licentiousness, idolatry, sorceries, enmities, strife, jealousies, fits of anger, dissensions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, carousings, and the like, of which I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not possess the kingdom of God.” These will be false. For if they only believe and are baptized, though they persist in such evils, they will be saved through fire; and so those baptized in Christ, even though they do such things, will possess the kingdom of God. And it is said in vain, “Such were some of you, but you were washed,” when even after being washed they are such. That saying of Peter too will seem empty: “So baptism also, in like form, saves you, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the appeal of a good conscience,” if baptism saves even those who have the worst consciences, full of all disgraceful acts and crimes and not changed by repentance for those evils; for because of the foundation that is laid in that baptism they will be saved, though through fire. Nor do I see why the Lord said, “If you wish to come to life, keep the commandments,” and listed those that belong to good conduct, if even without keeping these one can come to life by faith alone, which without works is dead. Then how will it be true, what he will say to those whom he will set on the left: “Go into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels”? He does not rebuke them for not believing in him, but for not doing good works. For surely, so that no one may promise himself eternal life from a faith that without works is dead, he said that he would separate all nations, which, mixed together, were using the same pastures; so that it may appear that those will say to him, “Lord, when did we see you suffering this and that and did not minister to you?”, who had believed in him but had not cared to do good works, as though one could reach eternal life from that very dead faith. Or perhaps those who did not do works of mercy will go into the eternal fire, and those will not go who seized others' goods, or who, by corrupting the temple of God in themselves, were merciless to themselves? As if works of mercy were of any use without love, though the apostle says, “If I distribute all I have to the poor, but have not love, it profits me nothing”; or as if anyone loves his neighbor as himself who does not love himself. For “whoever loves iniquity,” it says, “hates his own soul.” Nor can it be said here, as some deceive themselves, that the fire is called eternal, not the punishment itself. For they think that those to whom, because of a dead faith, they promise salvation through fire will pass through a fire that will be eternal; so that, namely, the fire itself will be eternal, but their burning, that is, the working of the fire, will not be eternal against them. But the Lord, foreseeing this too, as Lord, concluded his sentence thus: “So these will go into eternal burning, but the righteous into eternal life.” The burning, then, will be eternal, like the fire; and the Truth said that those would go into it whom he declared to have lacked not faith but good works. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 3:12: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:2: quotation, high confidence - Jas 2:14: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:10: quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:19: quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:20: quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:21: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:11: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 3:21: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:17: quotation, high confidence - Jas 2:17: allusion, high confidence - Matt 25:41: quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:32: allusion, high confidence - Matt 25:44: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:17: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 13:3: quotation, high confidence - Ps 11:5 (10:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:46: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Cor 3:12–15; 1 Cor 13:2; Jas 2:14; 1 Cor 6:9–11; Gal 5:19–21; 1 Pet 3:21; Matt 19:17; Jas 2:17; Matt 25:41, 32–33, 44; 1 Cor 3:16–17; 1 Cor 13:3; Ps 11:5 (10:6 LXX/Vulg.); Matt 25:46 (Old Latin “conbustio,” “burning”). “Adulterers who allege false marriages” refers to those remarried after divorce (see sections 2 and 10). The editor deletes “dicentes” (square brackets). Fornicator is rendered “sexually immoral,” fornicationes “fornications.” ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 25 (CSEL 41:65–68; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-25). ## On Faith and Works 26 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-26 - Source: CSEL 41:68–69 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Since the plain texts are true, 1 Cor 3:11–15 must be interpreted otherwise, as one of Paul's hard sayings. ### Latin text Si ergo haec omnia et cetera, quae innumerabilia per omnes scripturas sine ambiguitate dicta reperiri possunt, falsa erunt, poterit uerus esse ille intellectus de lignis et feno et stipula, quod hi salui erunt per ignem, qui solam in Christum fidem tenentes bona opera neglexerunt. si autem ista et uera et clara sunt, procul dubio in illa apostoli sententia alius requirendus est intellectus atque in his deputanda est, quae Petrus dicit esse in scriptis eius quaedam difficilia intellectu: quam non debent homines peruertere ad proprium suum interitum, ut contra euidentissima testimonia scripturarum securos faciant de percipienda salute nequissimos, nequitiae suae pertinacissime cohaerentes nec emendando aut paenitendo mutatos. ### English translation (Claude) If, then, all these and the other innumerable things that can be found said without ambiguity throughout the Scriptures are false, that understanding of the wood, hay, and straw can be true, that those will be saved through fire who, holding only faith in Christ, have neglected good works. But if these are both true and clear, then without doubt another understanding must be sought for that saying of the apostle, and it must be counted among those things which Peter says are in his writings, some things hard to understand, which people ought not to pervert to their own destruction, so as, against the most evident testimonies of the Scriptures, to make the most wicked secure of receiving salvation, though they cling most stubbornly to their wickedness and are not changed by amendment or repentance. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 3:12: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:15: allusion, high confidence - 2 Pet 3:16: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Cor 3:12–15; 2 Pet 3:16. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 26 (CSEL 41:68–69; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-26). ## On Faith and Works 27 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-27 - Source: CSEL 41:69–72 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Augustine's own interpretation: the foundation is faith working through love; gold and silver are wholehearted devotion to God, while wood and hay are carnal attachments to lawful goods, lost with painful “fire”; grave sin destroys the foundation itself. ### Latin text Hic a me fortasse quaeratur, de ipsa Pauli apostoli sententia quid ego sentiam et quonam modo intellegendam putem. fateor, hinc mallem audire intellegentiores atque doctiores, qui sic eam exponant, ut illa omnia uera et inconcussa permaneant, quae supra commemoraui et quaecumque alia non commemoraui, quibus apertissime scriptura testatur nihil prodesse fidem, nisi eam, quam definiuit apostolus, id est quae per dilectionem operatur, sine operibus autem saluare non posse neque praeter ignem neque per ignem: quia, si per ignem saluat, ipsa utique saluat. absolute autem dictum est et aperte: quid prodest, si dicat quis fidem se habere, opera autem non habeat? numquid poterit fides saluare eum? dicam tamen, quam breuissime potero, etiam ipse quid sentiam de illa sententia Pauli apostoli ad intellegendum difficili; dummodo illud, quod ad meam professionem adtinet, praecipue teneatur, quod de hac me malle dixi audire meliores. fundamentum Christus est structura architecti sapientis. hoc expositione non indiget; aperte enim dictum est: fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum est, quod est Christus Iesus. si autem Christus, procul dubio fides Christi; per fidem quippe habitat Christus in cordibus nostris, sicut idem apostolus dicit. porro si fides Christi, illa utique, quam definiuit apostolus, quae per dilectionem operatur. non enim fides illa daemonum, cum et ipsi credant et contremescant et filium dei confiteantur Iesum, potest accipi in fundamentum. quare? nisi quia non est fides, quae operatur per dilectionem, sed quae exprimitur per timorem. fides itaque Christi, fides gratiae christianae, id est ea fides, quae per dilectionem operatur, posita in fundamento neminem perire permittit. sed quid sit aedificare super hoc fundamentum aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos et ligna, fenum, stipulam, si subtilius disserere coner, uereor, ne ad intellegendum difficilior sit ipsa expositio; enitar tamen, quantum dominus adiuuat, et breuiter et, quantum potero, dilucide expedire quod sentio. ecce ille, qui quaesiuit a magistro bono, quid faceret, ut haberet uitam aeternam, et audiuit, si ad uitam uenire uellet, seruanda sibi esse mandata, et cum quaereret, quae mandata, dictum est ei: non occides, non moechaberis, non furtum facies, non falsum testimonium dices, honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam et: diliges proximum tuum tamquam te ipsum, haec faciens in fide Christi teneret procul dubio fidem, quae per dilectionem operatur. neque enim diligeret proximum tamquam se ipsum nisi recepta dilectione dei, sine qua non diligeret se ipsum. porro si faceret quod dominus etiam addidit dicens: si uis esse perfectus, uade, uende omnia quae habes, et da pauperibus, et habebis thesaurum in caelo; et ueni, sequere me, aedificaret super illud fundamentum aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos; non enim cogitaret, nisi quae sunt dei, quomodo placeret deo. et hae cogitationes sunt, quantum existimo, aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosi. porro si circa diuitias suas quodam carnali teneretur affectu, quamuis ex eis multas elemosynas faceret nec ad eas augendas fraudis aliquid rapinaeque moliretur aut earum minuendarum uel amittendarum metu in aliquod facinus flagitiumue laberetur — alioquin iam se isto modo ab illius fundamenti stabilitate subtraheret —, sed propter carnalem, ut dixi, quem in eis habebat affectum, quo talibus bonis sine dolore carere non posset, aedificaret super fundamentum illud ligna, fenum, stipulam, maxime si et uxorem sic haberet, ut etiam propter ipsam cogitaret ea, quae sunt mundi, quomodo placeret uxori. haec igitur quoniam adfectu dilecta carnali non sine dolore amittuntur, propterea qui ea sic habent, ut habeant in fundamento fidem, quae per dilectionem operatur, neque huic ista ulla ratione uel cupiditate praeponunt, in eorum amissione passi detrimentum per ignem quendam doloris perueniunt ad salutem. a quo dolore atque detrimento tanto est quisque securior, quanto ea uel minus amauerit uel tamquam non habens habuerit. qui uero propter illa uel tenenda uel adipiscenda homicidium, adulterium, fornicationem, idololatriam et similia quaeque commiserit, non propter fundamentum per ignem saluabitur, sed amisso fundamento aeterno igne torquebitur. ### English translation (Claude) Here perhaps I may be asked what I myself think about this saying of the apostle Paul and how I think it should be understood. I confess that on this I would rather hear those more intelligent and learned, who would explain it so that all those things remain true and unshaken which I have mentioned above, and whatever others I have not mentioned, by which Scripture testifies most plainly that faith is of no profit except that which the apostle defined, that is, which works through love; and that without works it cannot save, either apart from fire or through fire, because if it saves through fire, it is certainly faith that saves. But it is said absolutely and openly: “What does it profit if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” Yet I will say, as briefly as I can, what I myself think about that saying of the apostle Paul, which is hard to understand; provided that what belongs to my profession is chiefly kept in mind, namely that I said I would rather hear better men on it. Christ is the foundation in the building of the wise architect. This needs no explanation, for it is said openly: “For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.” But if Christ, then without doubt faith in Christ; for Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, as the same apostle says. And if faith in Christ, then certainly that faith which the apostle defined, which works through love. For the faith of the demons, since they too believe and tremble and confess Jesus as the Son of God, cannot be taken as the foundation. Why? Only because it is not the faith that works through love, but the faith that is wrung out by fear. So the faith of Christ, the faith of Christian grace, that is, the faith that works through love, laid as the foundation, allows no one to perish. But what it is to build on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, and wood, hay, straw, I fear that, if I try to discuss it too subtly, the explanation itself may be harder to understand; yet I will strive, as far as the Lord helps, to set out what I think briefly and as clearly as I can. Look: that man who asked the good master what he should do to have eternal life, and heard that, if he wished to come to life, he must keep the commandments, and, when he asked which commandments, was told, “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother,” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”: if he did these things in the faith of Christ, he would without doubt hold the faith that works through love. For he would not love his neighbor as himself unless he had received the love of God, without which he would not love himself. And further, if he did what the Lord also added, saying, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me,” he would be building on that foundation gold, silver, precious stones; for he would think of nothing but the things of God, how to please God. And these thoughts are, I think, gold, silver, precious stones. But if he were held by a certain carnal affection for his riches, even though he gave much alms from them and did not contrive any fraud or robbery to increase them, nor, from fear of their diminution or loss, fall into some crime or disgraceful act (otherwise he would in that way withdraw himself from the stability of that foundation), but, because of the carnal affection, as I said, that he had for them, by which he could not do without such goods without pain, he would be building on that foundation wood, hay, straw; especially if he also had a wife in such a way that on her account too he thought of the things of the world, how to please his wife. Since, then, these things, loved with carnal affection, are not lost without pain, those who have them in such a way that they have as their foundation the faith that works through love, and do not for any reason or desire put these things before it, suffer loss in losing them and arrive at salvation through a kind of fire of pain. And each is the more secure from this pain and loss the less he has loved these things, or the more he has had them as though not having them. But whoever, to keep or obtain them, has committed murder, adultery, fornication, idolatry, and the like, will not be saved through fire because of the foundation, but, having lost the foundation, will be tormented in eternal fire. ### Scripture references - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence - Jas 2:14: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:10: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:11: quotation, high confidence - Eph 3:17: allusion, high confidence - Jas 2:19: allusion, high confidence - Matt 19:16: allusion, high confidence - Matt 19:17: allusion, high confidence - Matt 19:18: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:19: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:21: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:32: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:33: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:12: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:29: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Jas 2:14; 1 Cor 3:10–11; Eph 3:17; Gal 5:6; Jas 2:19; Matt 19:16–21; 1 Cor 7:32–33; 1 Cor 7:29–31. This is Augustine's tentative reading, offered as such. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 27 (CSEL 41:69–72; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-27). ## On Faith and Works 28 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-28 - Source: CSEL 41:72–73 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul's permission to let an unbelieving spouse depart (1 Cor 7:15) applies when she demands that the Christian continue in crime; the pain of such separation is the “fire” by which he is saved. ### Latin text Quamobrem et illud, quod dicunt, ueluti probare cupientes, quantum ualeat sola fides, ubi apostolus dicit: quod si infidelis discedit, discedat; non est enim seruituti subiectus frater aut soror in huius modi, id est, ut propter fidem Christi ipsa uxor legitima societate coniuncta sine ulla culpa relinquatur, si cum uiro christiano propter hoc, quia christianus est, permanere noluerit, non adtendunt eo modo illam rectissime dimitti, si uiro suo dicat: non ero uxor tua, nisi mihi uel de latrocinio diuitias congeras aut nisi solita lenocinia, quibus nostram domum transigebas, etiam Christianus exerceas, aut si quid aliud uel facinerosum uel flagitiosum in uiro nouerat, quo delectata uel libidinem explebat uel facilem uictum habebat uel etiam incedebat ornatior. tunc enim ille, cui hoc uxor dicit, si ueraciter egit paenitentiam ab operibus mortuis, quando accessit ad baptismum habetque in fundamento fidem, quae per dilectionem operatur, procul dubio plus tenebitur amore diuinae gratiae quam carnis uxoriae, et membrum, quod eum scandalizat fortiter amputat. quemcumque autem in hac diremptione dolorem cordis propter carnalem affectum coniugis sustinebit, hoc est detrimentum, quod patietur, hic est ignis, per quem feno ardente ipse saluabitur. si autem iam sic habebat uxorem tamquam non habens, non propter concupiscentiam, sed propter misericordiam, ne forte eam saluam faceret, reddens potius quam exigens debitum coniugale, profecto nec dolebit carnaliter, cum ab illo tale conubium separabitur; neque enim in ea cogitabat, nisi quae sunt dei, quomodo placeret deo. ac per hoc, in quantum aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos illis cogitationibus superaedificabat, in tantum detrimentum nullum pateretur, in tantum structura eius, quae non erat fenea, nullo incendio cremaretur. ### English translation (Claude) Therefore, as for what they say, as if wanting to prove how much faith alone avails, where the apostle says, “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; for a brother or sister is not subject to bondage in such cases” (that is, that for the faith of Christ a lawfully joined wife may be left without any fault, if she refuses to remain with a Christian husband because he is a Christian): they do not notice that she is quite rightly let go in this way if she says to her husband, “I will not be your wife unless you heap up riches for me even by robbery, or unless, even as a Christian, you carry on the pimping you used to carry on, by which you supported our house,” or anything else criminal or disgraceful that she knew in her husband, in which she took pleasure, and by which she either satisfied her lust, or had an easy living, or even walked about better dressed. For then he to whom his wife says this, if he truly repented of dead works when he came to baptism and has as his foundation the faith that works through love, will without doubt be held more by love of divine grace than of his wife's flesh, and will bravely cut off the member that causes him to stumble. But whatever pain of heart he endures in this separation because of carnal affection for his wife, this is the loss he will suffer, this is the fire through which, as the hay burns, he himself will be saved. But if he already had his wife as though not having her, not for lust but for compassion, in case perhaps he might save her, rendering rather than demanding the marriage debt, he will surely not grieve carnally when such a marriage is separated from him; for in her he thought of nothing but the things of God, how to please God. And so, to the extent that he was building gold, silver, precious stones on those thoughts, to that extent he would suffer no loss, to that extent his building, which was not of hay, would be burned by no fire. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 7:15: quotation, high confidence - Heb 6:1: allusion, medium confidence - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:30: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:29: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:16: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:3: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:32: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:12: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:15: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Cor 7:15; Heb 6:1; Gal 5:6; Matt 5:29–30; 1 Cor 7:29, 16, 3, 32; 1 Cor 3:12–15. Augustine speaks here of separation, not of a second marriage; translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 28 (CSEL 41:72–73; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-28). ## On Faith and Works 29 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-29 - Source: CSEL 41:73 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Augustine's interpretation, whether the purifying pain is in this life or after it, avoids promising salvation to the unrepentant wicked. ### Latin text Siue ergo in hac tantum uita homines ista patiuntur siue etiam post hanc uitam talia quaedam iudicia subsequuntur, non abhorret, quantum arbitror, a ratione ueritatis iste intellectus huiusce sententiae. uerumtamen etiam si est alius, qui mihi non occurrit, potius eligendus; istum quamdiu tenemus, non cogimur dicere iniustis, non subditis, scelestis, contaminatis, parricidis, matricidis, homicidis, fornicatoribus, masculorum concubitoribus, plagiariis, mendacibus, peiuris et si quid aliud sanae doctrinae aduersatur, quae est secundum euangelium gloriae beati dei: si tantummodo in Christum credatis et sacramentum baptismi eius accipiatis, etiamsi uitam istam pessimam non mutaueritis, salui eritis. ### English translation (Claude) Whether, then, people suffer these things only in this life, or whether some such judgments follow even after this life, this understanding of the saying is not, I think, out of keeping with the account of truth. Yet if there is another which does not occur to me, it should rather be chosen. As long as we hold this one, we are not forced to say to the unrighteous, the insubordinate, the wicked, the defiled, parricides, matricides, murderers, the sexually immoral, men who lie with males, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, which is according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God: “If you only believe in Christ and receive the sacrament of his baptism, you will be saved even if you do not change this very evil life.” ### Scripture references - 1 Tim 1:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 1:10: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 1:11: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Tim 1:9–11. Augustine leaves open whether such purifying judgments occur also after this life. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 29 (CSEL 41:73; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-29). ## On Faith and Works 30 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-30 - Source: CSEL 41:73–74 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Canaanite woman was praised because Christ saw her changed; believing in Christ means faith working through love, not the dead faith of demons. ### Latin text Vnde nec illa nobis mulier Chananaea praescribit, quia dominus ei quod petebat dedit, cum ante dixisset: non est bonum tollere panem filiorum et mittere canibus, quia ille cordis inspector mutatam uidit, quando laudauit. et ideo non ait: o canis, magna est fides tua! sed: o mulier, magna est fides tua! mutauit uocabulum, quia mutatum uidit affectum adque illam correptionem ad fructum peruenisse cognouit. miror autem, si laudaret in ea fidem sine operibus, id est fidem non talem, quae iam per dilectionem posset operari, fidem mortuam et, quod Iacobus dicere minime dubitauit, fidem non christianorum, sed daemonum. postremo si istam Chananaeam nolunt intellegere mutasse perditos mores, quando eam Christus contemnendo et corripiendo redarguit, quoscumque inuenerint tantummodo credere, uitam uero inquinatissimam nec saltem occultare, sed etiam libere profiteri ac nolle mutare, sanent filios eorum, si possunt, sicut sanata est filia Chananaeae mulieris; non tamen eos faciant membra Christi, cum ipsi esse non desinant membra meretricis. illud sane non absurde intellegunt, eum peccare in spiritum sanctum et esse sine uenia reum aeterni peccati, qui usque in finem uitae noluerit credere in Christum, sed si recte intellegerent, quid sit credere in Christum. non enim hoc est habere daemonum fidem, quae recte mortua perhibetur, sed fidem, quae per dilectionem operatur. ### English translation (Claude) Hence that Canaanite woman does not set a precedent against us either, because the Lord gave her what she asked after he had said, “It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs”; for he, the searcher of hearts, saw that she had changed when he praised her. And so he did not say, “O dog, great is your faith!” but, “O woman, great is your faith!” He changed the word because he saw that her disposition had changed and knew that that rebuke had reached its fruit. I would be surprised if he praised in her faith without works, that is, a faith not such as could already work through love, a dead faith, and, what James did not hesitate at all to say, the faith not of Christians but of demons. Finally, if they will not understand that this Canaanite woman changed her corrupt ways when Christ refuted her by scorning and rebuking her, then let them heal the children, if they can, of all those whom they find merely believing, while not even hiding a most defiled life, but openly professing it and refusing to change, as the daughter of the Canaanite woman was healed; but let them not make them members of Christ, while they do not cease to be members of a prostitute. They do indeed understand, not absurdly, that one sins against the Holy Spirit and is guilty of eternal sin without pardon who refuses until the end of life to believe in Christ; but they should understand rightly what it is to believe in Christ. For this is not to have the faith of demons, which is rightly called dead, but the faith that works through love. ### Scripture references - Matt 15:26: quotation, high confidence - Matt 15:28: quotation, high confidence - Jas 2:19: allusion, high confidence - Jas 2:26: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:15: allusion, high confidence - Mark 3:29: allusion, high confidence - Matt 12:32: allusion, high confidence - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 15:26, 28; Jas 2:19, 26; 1 Cor 6:15; Matt 12:31–32 and Mark 3:29; Gal 5:6. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 30 (CSEL 41:73–74; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/17/#p-30). ## On Faith and Works 31 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-31 - Source: CSEL 41:74–76 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Refusing baptism to those who profess to persist in adultery is not uprooting the weeds early but refusing to sow them; such people themselves refuse to come to Christ. ### Latin text Quae cum ita sint, quando tales ad baptismum non admittimus, non ante tempus zizania conamur euellere, sed nolumus insuper, sicut diabolus, zizania seminare; nec ad Christum uolentes uenire prohibemus, sed eos ad Christum uenire nolle ipsa sua professione conuincimus; nec Christo uetamus credere, sed demonstramus eos Christo nolle credere, qui uel adulterium dicunt non esse, quod ille adulterium dicit esse, uel credunt adulteros eius membra posse esse, quos per apostolum dicit regnum dei non possidere et sanae doctrinae aduersari, quae est secundum euangelium gloriae beati dei. unde non sunt isti inter eos deputandi, qui ad conuiuium nuptiarum uenerunt, sed inter eos, qui uenire noluerunt. cum enim ipsi doctrinae Christi audent apertissime contradicere et sancto aduersari euangelio, non uenientes repelluntur, sed uenire contemnunt. qui autem saeculo saltem uerbis, etiamsi non factis, renuntiant, ueniunt quidem et inter triticum seminantur et in aream congeruntur et ouibus adgregantur et retia subeunt et conuiuantibus admiscentur, sed intus, siue lateant siue pareant, tunc erit ratio tolerandi, si potestas nulla est corrigendi, nec debet esse praesumptio separandi. absit autem, ut sic intellegamus, quod scriptum est, ad conuiuium nuptiarum adductos, quos inuenerunt; bonos et malos, ut eos adduxisse credantur, qui se malos perseueraturos professi sunt. alioquin ipsi serui patris familias zizania seminarunt falsumque erit illud: inimicus autem qui ea seminauit, diabolus est. sed quia hoc falsum esse non potest, adduxerunt serui bonos et malos, siue qui laterent siue qui iam adducti et intromissi adparerent; siue bonos et malos dictum est secundum quandam humanam conuersationem, in qua etiam hi, qui nondum crediderunt, uel laudari uel uituperari solent. unde est etiam et illud, quod dominus monet discipulos, quos ad euangelium praedicandum primitus mittit, ut in quamcumque uenerint ciuitatem, quaerant, quis illic dignus sit, ut apud eum habitent. donec inde proficiscantur. profecto ille dignus quis erit, nisi qui existimatione ciuium suorum bonus habebitur? et quis indignus, nisi qui eis malus innotuerit? ex hoc utroque genere ueniunt ad Christi fidem et sic adducuntur boni et mali, quia et illi mali a mortuis operibus paenitentiam non recusant. si autem recusant, non intrare cupientes repelluntur, sed ab introitu ipsi aperta contradictione discedunt. ### English translation (Claude) This being so, when we do not admit such people to baptism, we are not trying to pull up the weeds before the time; but we do not want, like the devil, to sow weeds in addition. Nor are we forbidding those who wish to come to Christ; rather, by their own profession we convict them of not wishing to come to Christ. Nor are we forbidding them to believe in Christ; but we show that they do not wish to believe in Christ, who either say that what he says is adultery is not adultery, or believe that adulterers can be his members, whom he says through the apostle will not possess the kingdom of God and are contrary to sound teaching, which is according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. So these are not to be counted among those who came to the wedding feast, but among those who refused to come. For since they dare to contradict most openly the teaching of Christ and to oppose the holy gospel, they are not repelled as they come, but scorn to come. But those who renounce the world at least in words, even if not in deeds, do come, and are sown among the wheat, gathered onto the threshing floor, added to the sheep, go into the nets, and are mixed with the guests; but once inside, whether they are hidden or appear, then there will be reason for tolerating them, if there is no power of correcting them, and there ought to be no presumption of separating. But far be it from us so to understand what is written, that those brought to the wedding feast were those they found, good and bad, as to believe that they brought in those who professed that they would persist in being bad. Otherwise the servants of the householder themselves sowed the weeds, and that will be false: “But the enemy who sowed them is the devil.” But since this cannot be false, the servants brought in good and bad, either those who were hidden, or those who appeared so after they had been brought in and admitted; or “good and bad” was said according to a certain human way of life, in which even those who have not yet believed are usually praised or blamed. Hence too the Lord warns the disciples whom he first sends to preach the gospel that, into whatever city they come, they should find out who there is worthy, so as to stay with him until they leave. Who will that worthy person be, surely, but one who is held good in the judgment of his fellow citizens? And who unworthy but one who is known to them as bad? From both these kinds people come to the faith of Christ, and so good and bad are brought in, because those bad people too do not refuse to repent of dead works. But if they refuse, they are not repelled while wishing to enter, but they themselves depart from the entrance by open contradiction. ### Scripture references - Matt 13:30: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:25: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:9: allusion, high confidence - 1 Tim 1:10: allusion, high confidence - 1 Tim 1:11: allusion, high confidence - Matt 22:3: allusion, high confidence - Matt 3:12: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 13:47: allusion, high confidence - Matt 22:10: quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:39: quotation, high confidence - Matt 10:11: allusion, high confidence - Heb 6:1: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 13:30, 25, 39; Mark 10:14; 1 Cor 6:9–10; 1 Tim 1:10–11; Matt 22:3, 10; Matt 3:12; John 10:16; Matt 13:47; Matt 10:11; Heb 6:1. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 31 (CSEL 41:74–76; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-31). ## On Faith and Works 32 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-32 - Source: CSEL 41:76–78 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Refusing baptism to an adulterer who will not change is not the lazy servant's fault; admitting him would teach that unrepentant adulterers inherit the kingdom, a “bad net” pastors must avoid. ### Latin text Erit ergo et seruus ille securus nec inter pigros damnabitur, quod dominicum talentum noluerit erogare, quandoquidem illi noluerunt quod erogabat accipere. propter illos enim haec similitudo proposita est, qui nolunt suscipere in ecclesia dispensatoris officium, desidiosam praetendentes excusationem, nolle se rationem reddere de peccatis alienis, qui audiunt et non faciunt, id est accipiunt et non reddunt. cum uero dispensator fidelis et diligens in erogando paratissimus et lucrorum dominicorum auidissimus dicit adultero: noli esse adulter, si uis baptizari; crede Christo, qui hoc quod facis dicit esse adulterium, si uis baptizari; noli esse membrum meretricis, si uis fieri membrum Christi, ille autem respondet: non oboedio, non facio\\ ipse non uult ueram pecuniam dominicam accipere, sed suam potius adulterinam uult thesauris dominicis inportare. si autem se facturum profiteretur nec faceret nec postea quolibet modo corrigi posset, inueniretur. quid de illo fieret, ne aliis inutilis esset, si sibi utilis esse non posset, ut, si intra retia domini bona malus piscis esset, non tamen pisces domini sui malis retibus inretiret, hoc est, ut, si haberet in ecclesia uitam malam, non tamen illic institueret doctrinam malam. cum enim tales facta sua talia defendunt uel in eis se perseueraturos apertissime profitentes admittuntur ad baptismum, nihil uidetur aliud praedicari, nisi fornicatores et adulteros etiam usque in uitae huius finem in ea nequitia permanentes regnum dei possessuros et merito fidei, quae sine operibus mortua est, ad uitam aeternam salutemque uenturos. haec sunt mala retia, quae cauere debent praecipue piscatores: si tamen illa euangelica similitudine piscatores episcopi uel inferioris ordinis ecclesiarum praepositi intellegendi sunt, quia dictum est: uenit, et faciam uos piscatores hominum. retibus enim bonis capi possunt pisces et mali et boni; retibus autem malis capi non possunt pisces boni, quoniam in bona doctrina et bonus potest esse, qui audit et facit, et malus, qui audit et non facit; in doctrina uero mala et qui eam ueram putat, quamuis ei non obtemperet, malus est et qui obtemperat, peior est. ### English translation (Claude) That servant, then, will also be safe, and will not be condemned among the lazy for refusing to pay out the Lord's talent, since those people refused to receive what he was paying out. For this parable was put forward on account of those who are unwilling to take up the office of steward in the church, offering the lazy excuse that they do not want to give an account of other people's sins, those who hear and do not do, that is, who receive and do not repay. But when the faithful and diligent steward, most ready in paying out and most eager for the Lord's gains, says to an adulterer, “Do not be an adulterer if you wish to be baptized; believe Christ, who says that what you are doing is adultery, if you wish to be baptized; do not be a member of a prostitute if you wish to become a member of Christ,” and he answers, “I will not obey, I will not do it,” he himself refuses to receive the Lord's true money, and wants rather to bring his own counterfeit money into the Lord's treasury. But if he professed that he would do it and did not do it, and afterwards could not be corrected in any way, it would be found out what should be done with him, so that he would not be useless to others if he could not be useful to himself; so that, if he were a bad fish within the Lord's good nets, he would not at least catch his Lord's fish in bad nets; that is, if he had a bad life in the church, he would not at least establish bad teaching there. For when such people, defending such deeds of theirs or most openly professing that they will persist in them, are admitted to baptism, nothing else seems to be preached but that the sexually immoral and adulterers, persisting in that wickedness even to the end of this life, will possess the kingdom of God and will come to eternal life and salvation by the merit of a faith that without works is dead. These are the bad nets that the fishermen must especially beware of, if indeed bishops, or those in charge of churches of lower rank, are to be understood as fishermen in that gospel parable, since it is said: “Come, and I will make you fishers of men.” For in good nets both bad and good fish can be caught; but in bad nets good fish cannot be caught, since under good teaching one who hears and does can be good, and one who hears and does not do bad; but under bad teaching both he who thinks it true, though he does not obey it, is bad, and he who obeys it is worse. ### Scripture references - Matt 25:26: allusion, high confidence - Matt 25:27: allusion, high confidence - Matt 7:26: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 12:42: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 6:15: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:47: allusion, high confidence - Jas 2:17: allusion, high confidence - Matt 4:19: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 25:24–30; Matt 7:26; Luke 12:42; 1 Cor 6:15; Matt 13:47–48; Matt 4:19; Jas 2:17. The backslash after “facio” is a stray mark in the digital text. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 32 (CSEL 41:76–78; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-32). ## On Faith and Works 33 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-33 - Source: CSEL 41:78–79 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Excluding the openly unrepentant from baptism is not new but the church's ancient custom for prostitutes and actors; where adulterers are carelessly admitted, the practice should be corrected, not extended. ### Latin text Illud sane mirabile est, quod fratres, qui aliter sapiunt, cum debeant ab ista uel noua uel uetere, perniciosa tamen opinione discedere, ipsi insuper dicunt nouam esse doctrinam, qua nequissimi homines in suis flagitiis se perseueraturos in propatulo profitentes non admittuntur ad baptismum: quasi nescio ubi peregrinentur, quando meretrices et histriones et quilibet alii publicae turpitudinis professores nisi solutis aut disruptis talibus uinculis ad christiana sacramenta non permittuntur accedere, qui utique secundum istorum sententiam omnes admitterentur, nisi antiquum et robustum morem sancta ecclesia retineret, ex illa scilicet liquidissima ueritate uenientem, qua certum habet, quoniam qui talia agunt, regnum dei non possidebunt, et nisi egerint ab his mortuis operibus paenitentiam, accedere ad baptismum non sinuntur; si autem subrepserint, nisi uel postea mutati egerint, salui esse non possunt. sed ebriosi, auari, maledici et si qua alia uitia damnabilia apertis factis conuinci redarguique non possunt, praeceptis tamen et catechismis ualidissime flagellantur atque omnes tales mutata in melius uoluntate ad baptismum uidentur accedere. sed si forte adulteros, quos non lex humana, sed diuina condemnat, id est qui alienas uxores tamquam suas habent uel feminae [quae] alienos maritos, alicubi neglegentius admitti solere aduerterunt, ex illis rectis debent conari ista corrigere, hoc est, ut etiam isti non admittantur, non ex his prauis illa recta deprauare, ut neque de morum correctione catechizandos esse censeant conpetentes et consequenter omnes etiam illarum publicarum turpitudinum et scelerum professores, hoc est meretrices, lenones, gladiatores ac si quid huius modi est, etiam in illis malis permanentes admitti oportere arbitrentur. omnia quippe illa, quae apostolus enumerat, concludens, quoniam qui talia agunt, regnum dei non possidebunt, qui uehementius agunt, manifesta sibi congruenter increpant et resistentes atque in eis se permansuros profitentes ad accipiendum baptismum non admittunt. ### English translation (Claude) It is truly astonishing that brothers who think otherwise, when they ought to abandon this opinion, whether new or old, but in any case pernicious, themselves go further and say that it is a new teaching by which the most wicked people, openly professing that they will persist in their disgraceful acts, are not admitted to baptism; as if they were living abroad somewhere, when prostitutes, actors, and any other professionals of public shame are not allowed to approach the Christian sacraments unless such bonds have been loosed or broken. These would certainly all be admitted according to these men's view, were it not that the holy church keeps an ancient and robust custom, coming from that most clear truth by which she holds it certain that those who do such things will not possess the kingdom of God; and unless they repent of these dead works, they are not allowed to approach baptism; and if they have crept in, they cannot be saved unless they change afterwards and repent. But drunkards, the greedy, revilers, and whatever other damnable vices cannot be proved and refuted by open deeds, are nevertheless scourged most forcefully by commandments and catechetical instructions, and all such people seem to approach baptism with their will changed for the better. But if they have noticed that adulterers, whom not human but divine law condemns, that is, men who have other men's wives as their own, or women who have other women's husbands, are in some places admitted rather carelessly, they ought to try to correct this on the basis of those right practices, that is, so that these too are not admitted; not to corrupt those right practices on the basis of these crooked ones, so as to hold that competents should not be catechized about correcting their conduct, and consequently that all the professionals of those public disgraces and crimes, that is, prostitutes, pimps, gladiators, and anything of this kind, should be admitted even while remaining in those evils. For all those things which the apostle lists, concluding that those who do such things will not possess the kingdom of God, those who act more forcefully rebuke fittingly when they are manifest, and do not admit to receiving baptism those who resist and profess that they will remain in them. ### Scripture references - Gal 5:21: quotation, high confidence - Heb 6:1: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Gal 5:21; Heb 6:1. The editor deletes “quae” (square brackets); the sense is unaffected. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 33 (CSEL 41:78–79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-33). ## On Faith and Works 34 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-34 - Source: CSEL 41:79–80 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Even those who treat only unchastity, idolatry, and murder as deadly must count adultery among them. ### Latin text Qui autem opinantur cetera elemosynis facile conpensari, tria tamen mortifera esse non dubitant et excommunicationibus punienda, donec paenitentia humiliore sanentur, inpudicitiam, idololatriam, homicidium. neque nunc opus est quaerere, qualis sit eorum ista sententia et utrum corrigenda an adprobanda, ne opus susceptum mittamus in longum propter eam quaestionem, quae huic absoluendo minime necessaria est. sufficit enim, quia si omnia non sunt admittenda ad baptismi sacramentum, inter haec omnia est adulterium; si autem tria illa sola excipienda sunt, etiam in his tribus est adulterium, unde ista disputatio nata est. ### English translation (Claude) But those who think that other sins are easily compensated by almsgiving do not doubt that three are deadly and to be punished by excommunication until they are healed by a more humble penance: unchastity, idolatry, and murder. Nor is there need now to ask what kind of view this is of theirs, and whether it should be corrected or approved, lest we prolong the work undertaken because of a question that is not at all necessary for completing it. For it is enough that, if not all sins are to be admitted to the sacrament of baptism, adultery is among all of them; and if only those three are to be excepted, adultery is among those three too, from which this dispute arose. ### Translation notes - Paenitentia humilior here is the church's public discipline, rendered “penance.” ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 34 (CSEL 41:79–80; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-34). ## On Faith and Works 35 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-35 - Source: CSEL 41:80–81 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Augustine distinguishes manifest adultery, which bars from baptism, from doubtful cases: marriage to unbelievers, Herod's union, a faithful concubine, and a man who remarries after putting away an adulterous wife, where Scripture is obscure and error may be venial. ### Latin text Sed quoniam malorum christianorum mores, qui fuerunt antea etiam pessimi, habuisse non uidentur hoc malum, ut alienas uxores ducerent uiri aut alienis uiris feminae nuberent, inde fortasse apud quasdam ecclesias neglegentia ista subrepsit, ut in catechismis conpetentium nec quaererentur nec percuterentur haec uitia, atque inde factum est, ut inciperent defendi: quae tamen adhuc in baptizatis rara sunt, si ea nos neglegendo non densa faciamus. talem quippe in quibusdam neglegentiam, in aliis inperitiam, in aliis ignorantiam probabiliter dominus somni nomine significasse intellegitur, ubi ait: cum autem dormirent homines, uenit inimicus et superseminauit zizania. hinc autem existimandum est non ea primum adparuisse in moribus quamuis malorum christianorum, quoniam beatus Cyprianus in epistula de lapsis, cum deplorando et arguendo multa commemoraret, quibus merito dicit indignationem dei fuisse commotam, ut intolerabili persecutione ecclesiam suam sineret flagellari, haec ibi omnino non nominat, cum etiam illud non taceat et ad eosdem mores malos pertinere confirmet, iungere cum infidelibus uinculum matrimonii nihil aliud esse asserens quam prostituere gentilibus membra Christi: quae nostris temporibus iam non putantur esse peccata, quoniam reuera in nouo testamento nihil inde praeceptum est et ideo aut licere creditum est aut uelut dubium derelictum. sicut etiam illud ambiguum est, utrum Herodes mortui duxerit an uiui fratris uxorem, et ideo non ita claret, quid Iohannes ei non licere dicebat. de concubina quoque, si professa fuerit nullum se alium cognituram, etiamsi ab illo cui subdita est dimittatur, merito dubitatur, utrum ad percipiendum baptismum non debeat admitti. quisquis etiam uxorem in adulterio deprehensam dimiserit et aliam duxerit, non uidetur aequandus eis, qui excepta causa adulterii dimittunt et ducunt; et in ipsis diuinis sententiis ita obscurum est, utrum et iste, cui quidem sine dubio adulteram licet dimittere, adulter tamen habeatur, si alteram duxerit, ut, quantum existimo, uenialiter ibi quisque fallatur. quamobrem quae manifesta sunt inpudicitiae crimina, omni modo a baptismo prohibenda sunt, nisi mutatione uoluntatis et paenitentia corrigantur; quae autem dubia, omni modo conandum est, ne fiant tales coniunctiones. quid enim opus est in tantum discrimen ambiguitatis caput mittere? si autem factae fuerint, nescio utrum hi, qui fecerint, similiter ad baptismum non debere uideantur admitti. ### English translation (Claude) But since the conduct of bad Christians, even when it was formerly at its very worst, does not seem to have had this evil, that men married other men's wives or women married other women's husbands, perhaps for that reason this negligence has crept in in certain churches, that in the catechizing of competents these vices were neither inquired into nor struck at; and so it came about that they began to be defended. Yet these are still rare among the baptized, if we do not make them frequent by neglecting them. Such negligence in some, lack of skill in others, and ignorance in others, the Lord is plausibly understood to have signified by the name of sleep, where he says: “But while men were sleeping, the enemy came and sowed weeds over them.” That these vices had not appeared earlier in the conduct even of bad Christians may be judged from this: blessed Cyprian, in his letter on the lapsed, when in lamenting and reproving he lists many things by which he says God's indignation was rightly stirred to allow his church to be scourged by an intolerable persecution, does not name these at all there; although he does not keep silent even about that other thing, and affirms that it belongs to the same bad conduct, asserting that to join the bond of marriage with unbelievers is nothing else than to prostitute the members of Christ to the Gentiles. In our times this is no longer thought to be a sin, since in fact nothing is commanded about it in the New Testament; and so it has been believed either to be lawful or left as doubtful. Likewise it is also uncertain whether Herod married the wife of a dead or a living brother, and so it is not so clear what John was saying was not lawful for him. About a concubine too, if she has professed that she will know no other man even if she is sent away by the one to whom she is subject, it is rightly doubted whether she ought not to be admitted to receive baptism. Also, whoever has put away a wife caught in adultery and married another does not seem to be put on a level with those who put away and marry apart from the cause of adultery; and in the divine sayings themselves it is so obscure whether even this man, who is certainly permitted to put away an adulteress, is nevertheless to be held an adulterer if he marries another, that, as far as I judge, anyone who is mistaken there is mistaken venially. Therefore, crimes of unchastity that are manifest are by all means to be barred from baptism unless they are corrected by a change of will and repentance; but where things are doubtful, every effort must be made that such unions not take place. For what need is there to put one's head into so great a danger of uncertainty? But if they have taken place, I do not know whether those who have made them should likewise be thought not to be admitted to baptism. ### Scripture references - Matt 13:25: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 6:14: allusion, medium confidence - Mark 6:17: allusion, high confidence - Mark 6:18: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:32: allusion, high confidence - Matt 19:9: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Cyprian, Laps. 6 (On the Lapsed): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 13:25; Cyprian, On the Lapsed 6; 2 Cor 6:14; Mark 6:17–18; Matt 5:32 and 19:9 (the exception for adultery). Augustine here judges it obscure whether a man who puts away an adulterous wife and remarries is an adulterer, advises against such unions, and leaves open whether such persons may be baptized. He treats the question more fully in On Adulterous Marriages. Translated exactly as written. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 35 (CSEL 41:80–81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-35). ## On Faith and Works 36 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-36 - Source: CSEL 41:81–82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The right order is faith in the Trinity, repentance from dead works, and forgiveness in baptism, which forgives sin but does not permit it. ### Latin text Quantum adtinet igitur ad doctrinam salubrem ueritatis, ne cuiquam mortifero peccato perniciosissima securitas detur uel etiam pestilentiosissima tribuatur auctoritas, iste curationis ordo est, ut baptizandi credant in deum patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum eo ritu. quo symbolum traditur, et a mortuis operibus agant paenitentiam omniumque se omnino praeteritorum remissionem in baptismo accepturos esse non dubitent: non ut peccare liceat, sed ut peccasse non noceat, ut sit facti remissio, non permissio faciendi. tunc uere dici potest etiam spiritaliter: ecce sanus factus es; iam noli peccare, quod dominus de corporali sanitate ideo dixit, quoniam sciebat ei, quem saluum fecerat, meritis peccatorum illum etiam carnis accidisse languorem. hi autem ei homini, qui et baptizandus adulter ingreditur et baptizatus adulter egreditur, miror quomodo dici existiment: ecce sanus factus es. quis enim grauis et exitiabilis morbus erit, si adulterium sanitas erit? ### English translation (Claude) As far, then, as concerns the wholesome teaching of the truth, so that no deadly sin is given a most pernicious security or even granted a most pestilent authority, this is the order of healing: that those to be baptized believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the rite by which the creed is handed on; that they repent of dead works; and that they do not doubt that they will receive in baptism the forgiveness of absolutely all past sins: not so that it may be allowed to sin, but so that having sinned may do no harm; so that there may be forgiveness of what was done, not permission to do it. Then it can truly be said, even spiritually, “See, you have been made well; sin no more,” which the Lord said of bodily health because he knew that the man he had healed had suffered that weakness of the flesh too on account of the merits of his sins. But I wonder how these people think it can be said, “See, you have been made well,” to a man who both goes in to be baptized an adulterer and comes out baptized an adulterer. For what disease will be serious and deadly, if adultery will be health? ### Scripture references - Matt 28:19: allusion, high confidence - Heb 6:1: allusion, high confidence - John 5:14: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 28:19; Heb 6:1; John 5:14. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 36 (CSEL 41:81–82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-36). ## On Faith and Works 37 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-37 - Source: CSEL 41:82–83 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The absence of an explicit apostolic rule on remarried converts proves nothing; Peter's call to leave a crooked generation covers adultery, and John's demands on tax collectors show a fortiori that adultery cannot be allowed. ### Latin text Sed in tribus milibus, inquiunt, quos uno die apostoli baptizarunt, et in tot milibus credentium, in quibus apostolus ab Hierusalem usque Illyricum euangelium repleuit, erant utique aliqui alienis uxoribus copulati uel feminae alienis maritis: in quibus regulam apostoli constituere debuerunt, quae deinceps in ecclesiis seruaretur, utrum non admitterentur ad baptismum, nisi illa adulteria correxissent. quasi non similiter aduersus eos dici possit, quod non inueniunt aliquem commemoratum, qui, cum talis esset, admissus est; aut uero possent singulorum hominum crimina, quod infinitum erat, commemorari, cum generalis illa regula satis superque sufficiat, ubi Petrus pluribus uerbis testificans baptizandis ait: eripite uos ab hoc saeculo prauo. quis enim dubitet ad huius saeculi prauitatem adulteria pertinere et illos, qui elegerint in eadem iniquitate persistere? similiter autem dici potest publicas meretrices, quas utique ad baptismum nisi ab illa turpitudine liberatas nulla admittit ecclesia, potuisse inueniri in tot milibus tunc credentium per tot gentes et de his suscipiendis uel prohibendis constituere apostolos exempla debuisse. uerumtamen de quibusdam minoribus possumus coniectare maiora. si enim ad baptismum Iohannis uenientes publicani prohibiti sunt aliquid amplius exigere, quam quod eis fuerat constitutum, miror, si uenientibus ad baptismum Christi posset permitti adulterium. ### English translation (Claude) “But among the three thousand,” they say, “whom the apostles baptized in one day, and among the many thousands of believers with whom the apostle filled the gospel from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum, there were surely some joined to other men's wives, or women to other women's husbands; and in their case the apostles ought to have laid down a rule, to be kept thereafter in the churches, whether they should not be admitted to baptism unless they had corrected those adulteries.” As though it could not likewise be said against them that they do not find anyone mentioned who was admitted while being such; or as though the crimes of individual people could be mentioned, which would be endless, when that general rule is more than enough, where Peter, testifying with many words, says to those to be baptized: “Rescue yourselves from this crooked generation.” For who doubts that adulteries belong to the crookedness of this generation, and those who have chosen to persist in that same iniquity? Likewise it can be said that public prostitutes, whom certainly no church admits to baptism unless freed from that shame, could have been found among so many thousands of believers then through so many nations, and that the apostles ought to have laid down examples about receiving or refusing them. Yet from certain lesser things we can infer greater ones. For if the tax collectors coming to John's baptism were forbidden to exact anything more than what had been appointed them, I would be surprised if adultery could be permitted to those coming to the baptism of Christ. ### Scripture references - Acts 2:41: allusion, high confidence - Rom 15:19: allusion, high confidence - Acts 2:40: quotation, high confidence - Luke 3:12: allusion, high confidence - Luke 3:13: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Acts 2:41; Rom 15:19; Acts 2:40; Luke 3:12–13. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 37 (CSEL 41:82–83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-37). ## On Faith and Works 38 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-38 - Source: CSEL 41:83 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Israel's sin was not only unbelief but also the killing of Christ, a sin against good life; true faith avoids both. ### Latin text Commemorauerunt etiam Israhelitas multa mala et grauia perpetrasse et effudisse multum sanguinem prophetarum nec tamen ex his factis penitus meruisse deleri, sed ex infidelitate sola, qua in Christum credere noluerunt, non intuentes, quia peccatum eorum non hoc solum fuit, quia in Christum non crediderunt, uerum etiam quia Christum occiderunt: quorum unum pertinet ad crimen incredulitatis, alterum ad crimen crudelitatis. illud ergo est contra fidem rectam, illud contra bonam uitam. utroque autem uitio caret, qui fidem Christi habet non sine operibus mortuam, quae etiam in daemonibus inuenitur, sed fidem gratiae, quae per dilectionem operatur. ### English translation (Claude) They have also mentioned that the Israelites committed many grave evils and shed much blood of the prophets, and yet did not deserve to be wholly destroyed for these deeds, but only for their unbelief, by which they refused to believe in Christ. They do not see that their sin was not only that they did not believe in Christ, but also that they killed Christ: of which the one belongs to the crime of unbelief, the other to the crime of cruelty. The one, then, is against right faith, the other against good life. But he is free of both faults who has the faith of Christ, not the dead faith without works that is found even in demons, but the faith of grace which works through love. ### Scripture references - Matt 23:37: allusion, medium confidence - Jas 2:17: allusion, high confidence - Jas 2:19: allusion, high confidence - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 23:37; Jas 2:17, 19; Gal 5:6. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 38 (CSEL 41:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-38). ## On Faith and Works 39 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-39 - Source: CSEL 41:83–84 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The violent who seize the kingdom are those who by faith obtain the Spirit of love, fulfilling the law from love, not the wicked who merely believe. ### Latin text Haec est fides, de qua dicitur: regnum caelorum intra uos est. hanc enim diripiunt, qui uim faciunt credendo, inpetrantes spiritum caritatis, ubi est plenitudo legis, sine qua lex in littera reos faciebat etiam praeuaricationis. non itaque putandum est ideo dictum: regnum caelorum uim patitur et qui uim faciunt, diripiunt illud, quia etiam mali tantummodo credendo et pessime uiuendo perueniunt in regnum caelorum, sed quia reatus ille praeuaricationis, quem sola lex, id est littera sine spiritu iubendo faciebat, credendo soluitur et uiolentia fidei sanctus spiritus inpetratur, per quem diffusa caritate in cordibus nostris lex non timore poenae, sed iustitiae amore conpletur. ### English translation (Claude) This is the faith of which it is said: “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” For those seize it who use force by believing, obtaining the spirit of love, in which is the fullness of the law, without which the law in the letter made them guilty even of transgression. So it is not to be thought that it was said, “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and those who use force seize it,” because even the wicked, by merely believing and living very badly, arrive at the kingdom of heaven; but because that guilt of transgression, which the law alone, that is, the letter without the spirit, produced by commanding, is loosed by believing, and by the violence of faith the Holy Spirit is obtained, through whom, with love poured into our hearts, the law is fulfilled not by fear of punishment but by love of righteousness. ### Scripture references - Luke 17:21: quotation, high confidence - Rom 13:10: allusion, high confidence - Matt 11:12: quotation, high confidence - Rom 4:15: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 3:6: allusion, high confidence - Rom 5:5: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Luke 17:21; Rom 13:10; Matt 11:12; Rom 4:15; 2 Cor 3:6; Rom 5:5. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 39 (CSEL 41:83–84; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-39). ## On Faith and Works 40 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-40 - Source: CSEL 41:84–85 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Knowing God, which is eternal life, means keeping his commandments; God's commandment is to believe in Christ and love one another. ### Latin text Nequaquam ergo mens incauta fallatur, ut se existimet deum cognouisse, si eum fide mortua, hoc est sine bonis operibus confiteatur more daemonum, et ideo se iam non dubitet ad uitam aeternam esse uenturam, quia dominus dicit: haec est autem uita aeterna, ut cognoscant te unum uerum deum et quem misisti Iesum Christum. uenire quippe debet etiam illud in mentem, quod scriptum est: in hoc cognoscimus eum, si mandata eius seruemus. qui dicit quia cognoui eum, et mandata eius non seruat, mendax est, et in hoc ueritas non est. et ne quisquam existimet mandata eius ad solam fidem pertinere — quamquam hoc dicere nullus est ausus, praesertim quia mandata dixit, quae ne multitudine cogitationem spargerent, in illis duobus tota lex pendet et prophetae — licet recte dici possit ad solam fidem pertinere dei mandata, si non mortua, sed uiua illa intellegatur fides, quae per dilectionem operatur, tamen postea Iohannes ipse aperuit quid diceret, cum ait: hoc est mandatum eius, ut credamus nomini filii eius Iesu Christi et diligamus inuicem. ### English translation (Claude) Let no incautious mind, then, be deceived into thinking that it has known God if it confesses him with a dead faith, that is, without good works, after the manner of demons, and therefore not doubting that it will come to eternal life because the Lord says: “Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the one true God, and him whom you have sent, Jesus Christ.” For this too should come to mind, which is written: “By this we know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says, ‘I have known him,’ and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” And lest anyone think that his commandments concern faith alone (though no one has dared to say this, especially since he said “commandments,” which, lest their number scatter our thought, all hang on those two, the whole law and the prophets), although it could rightly be said that God's commandments concern faith alone, if by it is understood not a dead but a living faith, which works through love, still John himself afterwards made clear what he meant when he said: “This is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another.” ### Scripture references - John 17:3: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 2:3: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 2:4: quotation, high confidence - Matt 22:40: allusion, high confidence - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence - 1 John 3:23: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - John 17:3; 1 John 2:3–4; Matt 22:40; Gal 5:6; 1 John 3:23. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 40 (CSEL 41:84–85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-40). ## On Faith and Works 41 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-41 - Source: CSEL 41:85–86 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Faith profits by bringing help to live well and pardon for those who turn from sin; Wisdom 15:2 and 1 John 2:1–2 give no security to those who persist. ### Latin text Hoc itaque prodest in deum recta fide credere, deum colere, deum nosse, ut bene uiuendi ab illo sit nobis auxilium et, si peccauerimus, ab illo indulgentiam mereamur, non in factis quae odit securi perseuerantes, sed ab eis recedentes eique dicentes: ego dixi, domine, miserere mei; sana animam meam, quoniam peccaui tibi, quod non habent, cui dicant, qui non in eum credunt; et frustra dicunt qui cum tam longe ab illo sint, a gratia mediatoris alieni sunt. hinc illa uerba sunt in libro Sapientiae, quae nescio quomodo intellegit perniciosa securitas: et si peccauerimus, tui sumus, quoniam scilicet bonum et magnum dominum habemus, qui et uelit atque possit paenitentium peccata sanare, non qui minime audeat permanentes in malignitate disperdere, denique cum dixisset tui sumus, addidit: scientes potentiam tuam, utique potentiam, cui se subtrahere nequeat aut occultare peccator. ideoque secutus adiunxit: non peccabimus autem, scientes quoniam tui sumus deputati. quis enim digne cogitans habitationem apud deum, in qua omnes praedestinatione sunt deputati, qui secundum propositum uocati sunt, non enitatur ita uiuere, ut tali habitationi congruat? quod ergo et Iohannes dicit: haec scripsi uobis, ut non peccetis. et si quis peccauerit, aduocatum habemus ad patrem, Iesum Christum iustum; et ipse est exoratio pro peccatis nostris, non id agit, ut cum securitate peccemus, sed ut recedentes a peccato, si quod admissum est, propter illum aduocatum, quem non habent infideles, minime de indulgentia desperemus. ### English translation (Claude) This, then, is what profits: to believe in God with right faith, to worship God, to know God, so that we may have from him help for living well and, if we sin, may merit pardon from him, not persisting securely in deeds that he hates, but withdrawing from them and saying to him: “I said, Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.” Those who do not believe in him have no one to say this to; and they say it in vain who, being so far from him, are strangers to the grace of the Mediator. Hence come those words in the book of Wisdom, which a pernicious security understands in some strange way: “And if we sin, we are yours”; since, that is, we have a good and great Lord, who both wills and is able to heal the sins of the penitent, not one who would not dare to destroy those who persist in wickedness. Indeed, after saying, “We are yours,” he added, “knowing your power”: certainly a power from which the sinner cannot withdraw or hide himself. And so he went on to add: “But we will not sin, knowing that we are counted yours.” For who, worthily considering the dwelling with God, to which all who are called according to his purpose are counted by predestination, would not strive so to live as to befit such a dwelling? So what John too says, “I have written these things to you so that you may not sin; and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins,” does not aim at our sinning with security, but at our not despairing of pardon, as we withdraw from sin, if any has been committed, because of that advocate whom unbelievers do not have. ### Scripture references - Ps 41:4 (40:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 2:5: allusion, high confidence - Rom 8:28: allusion, high confidence - 1 John 2:1: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 2:2: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 15:2 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Ps 41:4 (40:5 LXX/Vulg.); 1 Tim 2:5; Wis 15:2; Rom 8:28; 1 John 2:1–2. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 41 (CSEL 41:85–86; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-41). ## On Faith and Works 42 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-42 - Source: CSEL 41:86–87 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Rom 2:12 offers no milder fate: “judgment” in Scripture can mean eternal damnation, as John 5:28–29 divides the risen by their deeds. ### Latin text Nec de his igitur uerbis mitior ulla condicio promittenda est sic in deum credere uolentibus, ut permaneant in perditis moribus, multo minus de illis, ubi apostolus ait: qui sine lege peccauerunt, sine lege peribunt; qui autem in lege peccauerunt, per legem iudicabuntur, tamquam hoc loco aliquid distet inter perire et iudicari, cum alio uerbo hoc idem significatum sit. solent enim scripturae etiam iudicium pro aeterna damnatione ponere, sicut in euangelio dominus loquitur: ueniet hora, in qua omnes qui sunt in monumentis audiant uocem eius; et procedent qui bene fecerunt in resurrectionem uitae; qui autem male egerunt in resurrectionem iudicii. neque hic dictum est (hoc qui crediderunt, illud autem qui non crediderunt, sed: hoc illi qui bene egerunt, illud qui male egerunt. inseparabilis est quippe bona uita a fide, quae per dilectionem operatur; immo uero ea ipsa est bona uita. uidemus itaque resurrectionem iudicii dixisse dominum pro resurrectione damnationis aeternae, de omnibus quippe resurrecturis — ubi procul dubio erunt etiam hi, qui omnino non credunt; neque enim ipsi non sunt in monumentis — duas partes fecit, alios in resurrectionem uitae, alios in resurrectionem iudicii resurrecturos esse declarans. ### English translation (Claude) Nor, then, is any milder condition to be promised from these words to those who wish to believe in God in such a way as to remain in corrupt ways; much less from those where the apostle says, “Those who have sinned without the law will perish without the law; and those who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law,” as though in this place there were some difference between perishing and being judged, when the same thing is signified by another word. For the Scriptures are accustomed to put “judgment” also for eternal damnation, as the Lord says in the gospel: “The hour will come in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice; and those who have done good will come forth to the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” Nor is it said here, “the one those who believed, the other those who did not believe,” but, “the one those who did good, the other those who did evil.” For good life is inseparable from the faith that works through love; indeed, that faith itself is good life. So we see that the Lord said “resurrection of judgment” for the resurrection of eternal damnation; for of all who will rise (among whom will certainly be also those who do not believe at all, since they too are in the tombs) he made two parts, declaring that some will rise to the resurrection of life, others to the resurrection of judgment. ### Scripture references - Rom 2:12: quotation, high confidence - John 5:28: quotation, high confidence - John 5:29: quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Rom 2:12; John 5:28–29; Gal 5:6. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 42 (CSEL 41:86–87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-42). ## On Faith and Works 43 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-43 - Source: CSEL 41:87–88 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: “Judgment” cannot mean temporary purgation, since unbelievers too are “already judged”; those who sin knowingly under the law are worse off, not better. ### Latin text Quodsi dicunt non ibi intellegendos etiam eos qui omnino non credunt, sed eos, qui per ignem salui erunt, quia crediderunt, etiamsi male uixerunt, ut eorum transitoriam poenam iudicii nomine significatam arbitrentur, quamquam hoc inpudentissime dicatur, cum omnino dominus omnes resurrecturos, in quibus sine dubio et increduli erunt, in duo diuiserit, uitam) et iudicium, ita iudicium uolens aeternum intellegi, quamuis hoc non addiderit, sicut et uitam — neque enim ait: in resurrectionem uitae aeternae, cum aliud intellegi utique noluerit — uideant tamen quid responsuri sunt, ubi ait: qui autem non credit iam iudicatus est. nam hic procul dubio aut iudicium pro poena aeterna positum intellegunt -aut per ignem saluos futuros etiam incredulos dicere audebunt, quoniam qui non credit, inquit, iam iudicatus est, hoc est iam iudicio destinatus; et non erit, quod pro magno beneficio polliceantur credentibus nequiterque uiuentibus, quando et hi, qui non credunt, non erunt perdendi, sed iudicandi. quod si dicere non audent, non audeant aliquid mitius polliceri eis, de quibus dictum est: per legem iudicabuntur, quia constat iudicium etiam pro aeterna damnatione solere nominari. quid? quod inuenimus non solum minime mitioris, uerum etiam deterioris condicionis esse illos, qui scientes peccant? hi sunt enim maxime, qui legem acceperunt; nam, sicut scriptum est, ubi lex non est, nec praeuaricatio. hinc est et illud: concupiscentiam nesciebam nisi lex diceret: non concupisces. occasione itaque accepta peccatum per mandatum operatum est in me omnem concupiscentiam et alia multa, quae de hac re idem apostolus dicit. ab hoc reatu grauiore liberat gratia spiritus sancti per Iesum Christum dominum nostrum, quae diffusa caritate in cordibus nostris donat iustitiae delectationem, qua inmoderatio concupiscentiae superetur. hinc itaque confirmatur non solum nihil mitius, sed grauius aliquid intellegendum, de quibus dictum est: qui in lege peccauerunt, per legem iudicabuntur, quam de illis, qui sine lege peccantes sine lege peribunt, nec pro poena transitoria hoc loco dictum iudicium, sed pro ea, qua etiam non credentes iudicabuntur. ### English translation (Claude) But if they say that those who do not believe at all are not to be understood there, but those who will be saved through fire because they believed, even if they lived badly, so that they think their temporary punishment is signified by the name of judgment (though this is said most shamelessly, since the Lord divided absolutely all who will rise, among whom there will certainly be unbelievers too, into two, life and judgment, wanting judgment to be understood as eternal, although he did not add this, just as with life; for he did not say, “to the resurrection of eternal life,” though he certainly did not want anything else to be understood): let them see, nonetheless, what they will answer where he says, “But whoever does not believe has already been judged.” For here, without doubt, they either understand judgment as put for eternal punishment, or they will dare to say that even unbelievers will be saved through fire, since “whoever does not believe,” he says, “has already been judged,” that is, is already destined for judgment. And then there will be nothing for them to promise as a great benefit to those who believe and live wickedly, since even those who do not believe will not be destroyed but judged. If they do not dare to say this, let them not dare to promise anything milder to those of whom it is said, “They will be judged by the law,” since it is certain that judgment is also usually named for eternal damnation. What of the fact that we find those who sin knowingly to be not only in no milder but in a worse condition? For these are above all those who have received the law; for, as it is written, “where there is no law, there is no transgression.” Hence also this: “I would not have known covetous desire if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, worked in me every kind of covetous desire,” and much else that the same apostle says on this matter. From this graver guilt the grace of the Holy Spirit frees, through Jesus Christ our Lord, which, with love poured into our hearts, gives delight in righteousness, by which the excess of desire is overcome. So it is confirmed from this that of those of whom it is said, “Those who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law,” nothing milder but something graver is to be understood than of those who, sinning without the law, will perish without the law; and that judgment in this place is not said of a temporary punishment, but of that by which unbelievers too will be judged. ### Scripture references - John 5:29: allusion, high confidence - John 3:18: quotation, high confidence - Rom 2:12: quotation, high confidence - Rom 4:15: quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:7: quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:8: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:5: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - John 5:29; John 3:18; Rom 4:15; Rom 7:7–8; Rom 5:5; Rom 2:12. The digital text has stray marks around “uitam)” and “-aut”; translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 43 (CSEL 41:87–88; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-43). ## On Faith and Works 44 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-44 - Source: CSEL 41:88–89 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Rom 2:12 concerns Gentiles and Jews, both needing Christ's grace, not good and bad Christians. ### Latin text Nam qui hac utuntur sententia ad promittendam salutem per ignem illis, qui credentes pessime uiuunt, ut eis dicant: qui sine lege peccauerunt, sine lege peribunt; qui autem in lege peccauerunt, per legem iudicabuntur, tamquam dictum sit (non peribunt, sed per ignem salui erunt, nec illud adtendere potuerunt, hoc apostolum de illis, qui sine lege, et illis, qui in lege peccauerunt, dixisse, cum de gentibus et iudaeis ageret, ut non tantum gentibus, sed utrisque gratiam Christi, qua liberentur, necessariam demonstraret: quod tota ipsa epistula ad Romanos euidenter ostendit. iam ergo etiam iudaeis in lege peccantibus, de quibus dictum est: per legem iudicabuntur, non eos liberante gratia Christi promittant, si placet, salutem per ignem, quoniam de his dictum est: per legem iudicabuntur. quod si non faciunt, ne contra se ipsos ueniant, qui eos grauissimo infidelitatis crimine obstrictos esse dicunt, ut quid transferunt ad infideles et fideles in eo, quod ad fidem Christi adtinet, illud, quod dictum est de his, qui sine lege, et his, qui in lege peccauerunt, cum de iudaeis et de gentibus ageretur, ut ad Christi gratiam utrique inuitarentur? Neque enim dictum est: qui sine fide peccauerunt, sine fide peribunt; qui autem in fide peccauerunt, per fidem iudicabuntur, sed sine lege dictum est et in lege ut satis adpareret illam causam tangi, quae inter gentes et iudaeos agebatur, non quae inter bonos malosque Christianos. ### English translation (Claude) For those who use this sentence to promise salvation through fire to those who believe and live very badly, telling them, “Those who have sinned without the law will perish without the law; and those who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law,” as though it were said, “they will not perish, but will be saved through fire,” could not even notice that the apostle said this of those who sinned without the law and those who sinned under the law when he was dealing with Gentiles and Jews, so as to show that the grace of Christ, by which they are freed, is necessary not only for the Gentiles but for both; which the whole letter to the Romans itself shows plainly. So let them now, if they please, promise salvation through fire even to Jews who sin under the law, of whom it is said, “They will be judged by the law,” without the grace of Christ freeing them, since it is said of them, “They will be judged by the law.” And if they do not do this, so as not to go against themselves, since they say that these are bound by the gravest crime of unbelief, why do they transfer to unbelievers and believers, with respect to the faith of Christ, what was said of those who sinned without the law and those who sinned under the law, when Jews and Gentiles were in question, so that both might be invited to the grace of Christ? For it was not said, “Those who have sinned without faith will perish without faith; and those who have sinned in faith will be judged by faith,” but “without the law” and “under the law” was said, so that it might be clear enough that the case touched is the one between Gentiles and Jews, not the one between good and bad Christians. ### Scripture references - Rom 2:12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Rom 2:12. The opening parenthesis before “non peribunt” is a quotation marker in the digital text. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 44 (CSEL 41:88–89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-44). ## On Faith and Works 45 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-45 - Source: CSEL 41:89–91 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: 2 Peter 2 says that those who know Christ and return to corruption are worse off than if they had never known him, refuting any milder fate for baptized sinners. ### Latin text Quamquam si illo loco legem pro fide accipi uolunt, quod nimis inportunum et absurdum est, etiam hinc apertissimam possunt legere sententiam apostoli Petri, qui cum loqueretur de his, qui in occasionem carnis acceperant et in uelamentum malitiae, quod scriptum est, nos ad nouum testamentum pertinentes non ancillae filios esse, sed liberae, qua libertate Christus nos liberauit, et putauerant hoc esse libere uiuere, ut tamquam de tanta redemptione securi, quidquid liberet, licere sibi arbitrarentur, non intuentes, quod dictum est: uos in libertatem uocati estis, fratres; tantum ne libertatem in occasionem carnis detis. unde et ipse Petrus dicit: liberi, non sicut uelamentum malitiae habentes libertatem, ait de illis et in secunda epistula sua: hi sunt fontes sicci et nebulae a turbine exagitatae, quibus caligo tenebrarum reseruata est. superba enim uanitatis loquentes inliciunt in concupiscentiis carnis inpudicitiae eos qui paululum effugerunt, in errore conuersati, libertatem illis promittentes, cum ipsi serui sint corruptionis. a quo enim quis deuictus est, huic et seruus addictus est. si enim refugientes coinquinationes mundi in agnitionem domini nostri et conseruatoris Iesu Christi his rursus inplexi superantur, facta sunt illis posteriora deteriora prioribus. melius enim erat illis non cognoscere uiam iustitiae quam cognoscentes retrorsum reflecti a tradito sibi sancto mandato. contigit enim illis res ueri prouerbii: canis reuersus ad uomitum suum et: sus lota in uolutabris ceni. quid adhuc promittitur contra istam manifestissimam ueritatem condicio melior his, qui cognouerunt uiam iustitiae, hoc est dominum Christum, et perdite uiuunt, quam si omnino non cognouissent, cum apertissime dicatur: melius erat illis non cognoscere uiam iustitiae quam cognoscentibus retrorsum reflecti a tradito sibi sancto mandato? ### English translation (Claude) Yet even if they want “law” in that place to be taken as “faith,” which is very inappropriate and absurd, they can read here too a most plain sentence of the apostle Peter. He was speaking of those who had taken as an occasion for the flesh and a cloak for malice what is written, that we who belong to the new testament are not children of the slave woman but of the free, with the freedom with which Christ has set us free; and they had thought that to live freely was this: that, as if secure of so great a redemption, they could think whatever pleased them lawful for them; not attending to what was said: “You were called to freedom, brothers; only do not use freedom as an occasion for the flesh.” Hence Peter himself also says, “Free, not having freedom as a cloak for malice”; and he says of them in his second letter too: “These are dry springs and mists driven by a whirlwind, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved. For, speaking proud words of vanity, they entice with the lusts of the flesh of unchastity those who have barely escaped, living in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption. For by whatever a man is overcome, to that he is bound as a slave. For if, having fled the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them not to know the way of righteousness than, knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment handed on to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: ‘The dog has returned to its own vomit,’ and, ‘The washed sow to wallowing in the mire.’” Why, against this most manifest truth, is a better condition still promised to those who have known the way of righteousness, that is, the Lord Christ, and live corruptly, than if they had not known it at all, when it is said most plainly: “It would have been better for them not to know the way of righteousness than, knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment handed on to them”? ### Scripture references - 1 Pet 2:16: quotation, high confidence - Gal 4:31: allusion, high confidence - Gal 5:1: allusion, high confidence - Gal 5:13: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:17: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:18: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:19: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:20: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:21: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:22: quotation, high confidence - Prov 26:11: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Pet 2:16; Gal 4:31; Gal 5:1, 13; 2 Pet 2:17–22 (Prov 26:11). ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 45 (CSEL 41:89–91; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-45). ## On Faith and Works 46 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-46 - Source: CSEL 41:91–92 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The “holy commandment” of 2 Peter is chaste living; Peter's dry springs, Jude's waterless clouds, and James's dead faith all describe believers who do not live accordingly. ### Latin text Neque enim illud hoc loco intellegendum est sanctum mandatum, quo praeceptum est, ut in deum credamus - quamquam eo ipso totum continetur, si eam intellegamus fidem credentium, quae per dilectionem operatur — sed aperte expressit quid diceret sanctum mandatum, id est, quo praeceptum est, ut ab huius mundi coinquinationibus recedentes casta conuersatione uiuamus. sic enim ait: si enim refugientes coinquinationes mundi in agnitionem domini nostri et conseruatoris Iesu Christi his rursus inplexi superantur, facta sunt illis posteriora deteriora prioribus. non ait *refugientes ignorantiam dei aut *refugientes infidelitatem saeculi* uel tale aliquid, sed: coinquinationes mundi, in quibus est utique omnis inmunditia flagitiorum. nam de his superius loquens dixit: coepulantes uobiscum, oculos habentes plenos adulterii et indesinentis peccati. ideo etiam fontes siccos eos appellat: fontes uidelicet, quod acceperint agnitionem domini Christi, siccos autem, quia non congruenter uiuunt. de talibus quippe etiam Iudas apostolus loquens, hi sunt, inquit, qui in dilectionibus uestris maculati coepulantur sine timore semet ipsos pascentes, nubes sine aqua et cetera. quod enim Petrus ait: coepulantes uobiscum, oculos habentes plenos adulterii, hoc Iudas: in dilectionibus uestris maculati coepulantur. mixti sunt enim bonis in epulis sacramentorum et dilectionibus plebium. et quod Petrus ait fontes sicci, hoc Iudas "nubes sine aqua" hoc Iacobus fides mortua. ### English translation (Claude) For the holy commandment in this place is not to be understood as the one by which it is commanded that we believe in God (though the whole is contained in that very commandment, if we understand the faith of believers as that which works through love); but he expressed plainly what he meant by the holy commandment, namely the one by which it is commanded that, withdrawing from the defilements of this world, we should live in chaste conduct. For he says thus: “For if, having fled the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.” He does not say “having fled ignorance of God” or “having fled the unbelief of the world” or anything of the kind, but “the defilements of the world,” in which is certainly all the impurity of disgraceful acts. For speaking of these above, he said: “Feasting with you, having eyes full of adultery and of unceasing sin.” That is also why he calls them dry springs: springs, clearly, because they have received the knowledge of the Lord Christ, but dry because they do not live accordingly. The apostle Jude too, speaking of such people, says: “These are the ones who, stained, feast at your love feasts without fear, feeding themselves, clouds without water,” and so on. For what Peter says, “feasting with you, having eyes full of adultery,” Jude says as, “stained, they feast at your love feasts.” For they are mixed with the good at the feasts of the sacraments and the love feasts of the people. And what Peter calls “dry springs,” Jude calls “clouds without water,” and James “dead faith.” ### Scripture references - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:20: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:13: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:14: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 2:17: quotation, high confidence - Jude 1:12: quotation, high confidence - Jas 2:17: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Gal 5:6; 2 Pet 2:20, 14, 17; Jude 12; Jas 2:17. The asterisks in the digital text mark quoted phrases. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 46 (CSEL 41:91–92; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-46). ## On Faith and Works 47 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-47 - Source: CSEL 41:92–93 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Those who seek baptism while professing to keep their adulteries are worse than backsliders: they refuse to leave Sodom at all, and sinning knowingly aggravates guilt. ### Latin text Non itaque promittatur poena ignis transitoria turpiter scelerateque uiuentibus, quia uiam iustitiae cognouerunt, quibus melius erat non cognoscere, sicut ueracissima scriptura testatur. de talibus quippe etiam dominus ait: et erunt nouissima illius hominis peiora quam erant prima, quoniam purgationis suae habitatorem sanctum spiritum non recipiens fecit in se inmundum spiritum multipliciorem redire. nisi forte ideo sunt isti, de quibus agitur, meliores habendi, quia non redierunt ad inmunditiam adulteriorum, sed ab ea non recesserunt, nec purgati se rursus inquinauerunt, sed purgari recusauerunt. neque enim, ut releuata conscientia intrent ad baptismum, dignantur saltem uomere pristinas inmunditias, quas canum more iterum sorbeant, sed in lauacri ipsius sanctitate pertinaciter crudo pectore indigestam nequitiam tenere contendunt; nec occultant eam pollicitatione uel ficta, sed inpudentia professionis eructant; nec exeuntes de Sodomis more uxoris Loth in praeterita iterum adtendunt, sed omnino de Sodomis dedignantur exire, immo ad Christum cum Sodomis conantur intrare. Paulus apostolus dicit: qui prius fui blasphemus et persecutor et iniuriosus; sed misericordiam consecutus sum, quia ignorans feci in incredulitate; et istis dicitur: tunc potius misericordiam consequemini, si scientes male uixeritis in ipsa fide. nimis longum est et paene infinitum omnia testimonia scripturarum uelle colligere, quibus adparet non solum non esse mitiorem causam eorum, qui scientes quam qui nescientes uitam nequissimam et iniquissimam ducunt, uerum etiam hoc ipso grauiorem. proinde ista suffecerint. ### English translation (Claude) So let not a temporary punishment of fire be promised to those who live shamefully and wickedly because they have known the way of righteousness, when it would have been better for them not to know it, as the most truthful Scripture testifies. For of such people the Lord too says: “And the last state of that man will be worse than the first,” since, not receiving the Holy Spirit as the dweller in his cleansed house, he made the unclean spirit return into him more manifold. Unless perhaps these people we are dealing with are to be held better because they did not return to the impurity of adulteries but did not withdraw from it; nor, having been cleansed, did they defile themselves again, but refused to be cleansed. For they do not even deign, in order to enter baptism with an unburdened conscience, to vomit up their former impurities, to gulp them down again like dogs; but they insist on holding their undigested wickedness stubbornly, with raw heart, in the very holiness of the washing. Nor do they hide it even by a pretended promise, but belch it out by the shamelessness of their profession. Nor, going out of Sodom, do they look back at the past like Lot's wife, but they disdain to go out of Sodom at all; indeed, they try to enter to Christ with Sodom. The apostle Paul says: “I who was formerly a blasphemer and persecutor and insolent; but I obtained mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief”; and to these it is said: “You will obtain mercy rather if you have lived badly knowingly, in the faith itself”! It would be too long and almost endless to want to collect all the testimonies of the Scriptures by which it appears that the case of those who lead a most wicked and unrighteous life knowingly is not milder than that of those who do so unknowingly, but even graver for that very reason. So let these suffice. ### Scripture references - 2 Pet 2:21: allusion, high confidence - Matt 12:45: quotation, high confidence - Luke 11:26: allusion, high confidence - Prov 26:11: allusion, high confidence - Gen 19:26: allusion, high confidence - 1 Tim 1:13: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - 2 Pet 2:21; Matt 12:45 and Luke 11:26; Prov 26:11; Gen 19:26; 1 Tim 1:13. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 47 (CSEL 41:92–93; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/31/#p-47). ## On Faith and Works 48 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/48/#p-48 - Source: CSEL 41:93–95 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Life must accord with baptism; there are grave sins requiring excommunication, lesser ones healed by rebuke, and daily sins forgiven through the Lord's Prayer. ### Latin text Caueamus ergo diligenter in adiutorio domini dei nostri non facere homines male securos, dicentes eis, quod si fuerint in Christo baptizati, quomodolibet in ea fide uixerint, eos ad salutem aeternam esse uenturos, ne sic faciamus christianos, quomodo iudaei proselytos, quibus dominus ait: uae uobis, scribae et pharisaei, qui circumitis mare et terram facere unum proselytum; cum autem feceritis, facitis eum filium gehennae duplo quam uos estis; sed potius sanam doctrinam dei magistri in utroque teneamus, ut sancto baptismo consona sit uita christiana nec cuiquam homini, si utrumlibet defuerit, uita promittatur aeterna. qui enim dixit: nisi quis renatus fuerit ex spiritu sancto, non intrabit in regnum caelorum, ipse etiam dixit: nisi abundauerit iustitia uestra super scribarum et pharisaeorum, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum. de illis quippe ait: scribae et pharisaei cathedram Moysi sedent. quae dicunt facite; quae autem faciunt, facere nolite; dicunt enim et non faciunt. ergo iustitia eorum est dicere et non (facere). ac per hoc nostram esse uoluit abundantem super illorum *dicere et facere; quae si non fuerit, non intrabitur in regnum caelorum. non quia quisquam ita debet extolli, ut, non dicam apud alios iactare, sed apud se ipsum putare audeat se in hac uita esse sine peccato, sed nisi essent quaedam ita grauia, ut etiam excommunicatione plectenda sint, non diceret apostolus: congregatis uobis et meo spiritu tradere huius modi satanae in interitum carnis, ut spiritus saluus sit in die domini Iesu. unde etiam dicit: ne lugeam multos, qui ante peccauerunt et non egerunt paenitentiam super inmunditiam et fornicationem quam gesserunt. item nisi essent quaedam non ea humilitate paenitentiae sananda, qualis in ecclesia datur eis, qui proprie paenitentes uocantur, sed quibusdam correptionum medicamentis, non diceret ipse dominus: corripe eum inter te et ipsum; si te audierit, lucratus es fratrem tuum. postremo nisi essent quaedam, sine quibus haec uita non agitur, non cotidianam medellam poneret in oratione, quam docuit, ut dicamus: dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. ### English translation (Claude) Let us, then, take great care, with the help of the Lord our God, not to make people falsely secure by telling them that, if they have been baptized in Christ, however they live in that faith they will come to eternal salvation; lest we make Christians in the way the Jews made proselytes, to whom the Lord said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, who go around sea and land to make one proselyte; and when you have made him, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.” But rather let us hold the sound teaching of God the master in both respects, so that Christian life may be in harmony with holy baptism, and eternal life may be promised to no one if either is lacking. For he who said, “Unless one is born again of the Holy Spirit, he will not enter the kingdom of heaven,” also said, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” For of them he said: “The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses' seat. Do what they say, but do not do what they do; for they say and do not do.” Their righteousness, then, is to say and not to do; and so he wanted ours to exceed theirs by saying and doing; if it does not, the kingdom of heaven will not be entered. Not that anyone should be so lifted up as to dare, I will not say to boast to others, but even to think to himself that he is without sin in this life; but if there were not some sins so grave that they must be punished even with excommunication, the apostle would not say, “When you are assembled, and my spirit, to hand over such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” Hence he also says: “Lest I mourn over many who have sinned before and have not repented of the impurity and fornication they have committed.” Again, if there were not some sins to be healed not by that humility of penance which is given in the church to those who are properly called penitents, but by certain medicines of rebuke, the Lord himself would not say: “Rebuke him between you and him; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” Finally, if there were not some sins without which this life is not lived, he would not have put a daily remedy in the prayer he taught, that we should say: “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” ### Scripture references - Matt 23:15: quotation, high confidence - John 3:5: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:20: quotation, high confidence - Matt 23:2: quotation, high confidence - Matt 23:3: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:4: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:5: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 12:21: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:15: quotation, high confidence - Matt 6:12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 23:15; John 3:5; Matt 5:20; Matt 23:2–3; 1 Cor 5:4–5; 2 Cor 12:21; Matt 18:15; Matt 6:12. Paenitentia here refers to the church's public penance (“those properly called penitents”); rendered “penance.” The bullet and asterisk are stray marks in the digital text. ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 48 (CSEL 41:93–95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/48/#p-48). ## On Faith and Works 49 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/48/#p-49 - Source: CSEL 41:95–97 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Conclusion: the wicked are tolerated without abandoning discipline; candidates must be taught how to live as well as what to believe; eternal life is not promised to dead faith, and those who openly intend to remain in adultery refuse Christ's gift. ### Latin text Iam satis, quantum arbitror, de illa tota opinione quid mihi uideretur exposui, ubi tres quaestiones mouerunt: unam de permixtione in ecclesia bonorum et malorum tamquam tritici et zizaniorum. ubi cauendum est, ne ideo putemus esse propositas istas similitudines, uel hanc uel de inmundis in arca animalibus uel quaecumque alia idem significant, ut dormiat ecclesiae disciplina, de qua in figura illius mulieris dictum est: seuerae sunt conuersationes domus eius, sed ut non eo usque progrediatur dementiae potius temeritas quam seueritas diligentiae, ut quasi bonos a malis per nefaria schismata separare praesumat. neque enim per has similitudines et praenuntiationes consilium desidiae bonis datum est, qua neglegant, quod prohibere debent, sed patientiae, qua perferant salua doctrina ueritatis, quod emendare non ualent. nec quia scriptum est introisse ad Noe in arcam etiam inmunda animalia, ideo praepositi uetare non debent, si qui inmundissimi ad baptismum uelint intrare saltantes, quod est certe mitius quam moechantes; sed per hanc figuram rei gestae praenuntiatum est inmundos in ecclesia futuros propter tolerantiae rationem, non propter doctrinae corruptionem uel disciplinae dissolutionem. non enim quacumque libuit intrauerunt inmunda animalia arcae conpage confracta, sed ea integra per unum atque idem ostium, quod artifex fecerat. altera quaestio est, in qua eis uisum est fidem solam baptizandis esse tradendam, postea uero iam baptizatos docendos esse de moribus. sed satis demonstratum est, nisi fallor, tunc magis pertinere ad curam speculatoris, cum omnes, qui fidelium conpetunt sacramentum, omnia quae dicuntur intentius et sollicitius audiunt, non tacere de poena, quam male uiuentibus dominus comminatur, ne in ipso baptismo rei sint grauissimorum criminum, quo ueniunt, ut remittatur reatus omnium peccatorum. tertia quaestio est periculosissima, qua parum considerata et non secundum diuinum eloquium pertractata tota illa opinio mihi uidetur exorta, in qua promittitur scelestissime turpissimeque uiuentibus, etiamsi eo modo uiuere perseuerent et tantummodo credant in Christum eiusque sacramenta percipiant, eos ad salutem uitamque aeternam esse uenturos contra apertissimam domini sententiam, qui desideranti uitam aeternam respondit: si uis uenire ad uitam, serua mandata, et commemorauit (quae mandata, ubi ea scilicet peccata uitantur quibus nescio quomodo salus aeterna promittitur propter fidem sine operibus mortuam. de his tribus quaestionibus satis, quantum existimo, disputaui demonstrauique sic tolerandos in ecclesia malos, ut non neglegatur ecclesiastica disciplina; sic catechizandos eos, qui baptismum petunt, ut non solum audiant atque suscipiant, quid credere, uerum etiam qualiter uiuere debeant; sic promitti fidelibus uitam aeternam, ut non etiam per fidem mortuam, quae sine operibus saluare non potest, ad eam se quisque peruenire posse arbitretur, sed per illam fidem gratiae, quae per dilectionem operatur. non itaque culpentur dispensatores fideles, non sua neglegentia uel pigritia, sed quorundam potius contumacia, qui pecuniam dominicam recusant accipere et adulterinam suam cogunt seruos dominicos erogare, dum nolunt saltem tales mali esse, quales sanctus Cyprianus commemorat, saeculo uerbis solis et non factis renuntiantes, quando nec uerbis renuntiare diaboli operibus uolunt, cum se in adulterio permansuros uoce apertissima profitentur. si quid ab eis dici solet, quod forte disputando non adtigi, tale arbitratus sum, cui mea responsio necessaria non fuisset, siue quod ad rem, de qua agitur. non pertineret, siue quod tam leue esset, ut a quolibet facillime redargui posset. ### English translation (Claude) I have now, I think, set out sufficiently what I think of that whole opinion, in which they raised three questions. One concerns the mixture of good and bad in the church, like wheat and weeds. Here we must beware of thinking that these likenesses were put forward, whether this one or that of the unclean animals in the ark or any others that signify the same, so that the church's discipline might sleep, of which it is said in the figure of that woman, “Strict are the ways of her house”; but so that the rashness of madness, rather than the strictness of diligence, may not go so far as to presume to separate the good from the bad, as it were, through wicked schisms. For through these likenesses and predictions the good were given counsel not of sloth, by which they would neglect what they ought to forbid, but of patience, by which they would bear, with the teaching of truth kept safe, what they cannot amend. Nor, because it is written that unclean animals too entered the ark with Noah, ought those in charge therefore not to forbid it if some most unclean people wish to enter baptism as dancers, which is certainly milder than as adulterers; but by this figure of what took place it was foretold that there would be unclean people in the church for the sake of tolerance, not for the corruption of teaching or the dissolution of discipline. For the unclean animals did not enter the ark wherever they pleased, with its structure broken, but with it intact, through one and the same door which the builder had made. The second question is the one in which they thought that faith alone should be handed on to those to be baptized, but that afterwards, when already baptized, they should be taught about conduct. But it has been shown sufficiently, unless I am mistaken, that it belongs more to the watchman's care at that time, when all who seek the sacrament of the faithful listen more attentively and anxiously to everything that is said, not to keep silent about the punishment with which the Lord threatens those who live badly, lest in baptism itself they be guilty of most grave crimes, when they come to it so that the guilt of all sins may be forgiven. The third question is most dangerous; from it, not considered enough and not treated according to the divine word, that whole opinion seems to me to have arisen: in it, it is promised to those who live most wickedly and shamefully, even if they persist in living so and only believe in Christ and receive his sacraments, that they will come to salvation and eternal life; against the plainest sentence of the Lord, who answered one who desired eternal life, “If you wish to come to life, keep the commandments,” and mentioned which commandments, namely those in which those very sins are avoided to which, in some strange way, eternal salvation is promised because of a faith that without works is dead. On these three questions I have, I think, argued sufficiently, and shown that the wicked are to be tolerated in the church in such a way that church discipline is not neglected; that those who ask for baptism are to be catechized in such a way that they hear and accept not only what they must believe but also how they must live; and that eternal life is to be promised to the faithful in such a way that no one thinks he can reach it through a dead faith, which cannot save without works, but through that faith of grace which works through love. So let the faithful stewards not be blamed, not for their own negligence or laziness, but rather for the obstinacy of certain people who refuse to receive the Lord's money and force the Lord's servants to pay out their counterfeit; since they are unwilling to be even such bad people as holy Cyprian mentions, renouncing the world in words only and not in deeds, when they are unwilling to renounce the works of the devil even in words, since they profess in the plainest voice that they will remain in adultery. If they are accustomed to say anything that I have perhaps not touched on in arguing, I judged it such that my answer was not necessary to it, either because it did not concern the matter in question, or because it was so light that anyone could very easily refute it. ### Scripture references - Matt 13:30: allusion, high confidence - Gen 7:2: allusion, high confidence - Gen 7:8: allusion, high confidence - Prov 31:27: quotation, medium confidence - Gen 6:16: allusion, high confidence - Ezek 3:17: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 19:17: quotation, high confidence - Jas 2:17: allusion, high confidence - Gal 5:6: allusion, high confidence - Matt 25:27: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Cyprian, Laps. 6 (On the Lapsed): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 13:24–30; Gen 7:2, 8; Prov 31:27 (Old Latin form); Gen 6:16; Ezek 3:17; Matt 19:17; Jas 2:17; Gal 5:6; Matt 25:27. Cyprian, On the Lapsed 6 (renouncing the world in words only). ### Citation (SBL) Augustine, Fid. op. 49 (CSEL 41:95–97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-fide-operibus/48/#p-49).