Against Eunomius 3.1–3.6

Greek text: PG 29.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 3

3.1PG 29:655

ΒΑΣ. Μόλις ποτὲ κορεσθεὶς τῶν εἰς τὸν Μονογενῇ βλασφημιῶν, ἐπὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον μετελήλυθεν, ἀκόλουθα τῇ ὅλῃ αὐτοῦ προαιρέσει καὶ περὶ τούτου διαλεγόμενος " γράφει δὲ οὕτως" ΕΥ̓͂Ν. ᾿Αρκούντων δὲ ἡμῖν τοσούτων περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς, ἀκόλουθον ἂν εἴη καὶ περὶ τοῦ Παρακλήτου λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν " οὐ ταῖς ἀνεξετάστοις τῶν πολλῶν ἀκολουθοῦντας δόξαις, τὴν δὲ τῶν ἁγίων ἐν ἅπασι φυλάσσοντας διδασκαλίαν, παρ᾽ ὧν τρίτον αὑτὸ ἀξιώματι καὶ τάξει μαθόντες, τρίτον εἶναι καὶ τῇ φύσει πεπιστεύκαμεν. ΒΑΣ. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ οὐχ οἴεται δεῖν τῇ ἁπλῇ καὶ ἀνεπιτηδεύτῳ πίστει τῶν πολλῶν ἐμμένειν, ἀλλὰ τεχνικοῖς τισι καὶ σεσοφισμένοις λόγοις πάλιν πρὸς πὸ δοκοῦν ἑαυτῷ παραχρούεσθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἰκανῶς ἐξ ὧν εἶπεν ἐδήλωσεν. ᾿Ατιμάζων γὰρ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν δόξαν, ἧ δοξάζουσι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, προσποιεῖται τὴν τῶν ἀγίων φυλάσσειν διδασκαλίαν, καὶ τοὺς ταύτην αὐτῷ παραδεδωχότας ἀποσιωπᾷ, καὶ νῦν, ἅπερ κὰν τοῖς περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς λόγοις ποιῶν ἀπεδείχθη. Εἶτά φησι παρὰ μὲν τῶν ἁγίων μεμαθηκέναι τὸ τρίτον εἶναι τῇ τάξει καὶ τῷ ἀξιώματι, παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ δὲ πεπιστευκέναι τὸ καὶ τρίτον εἶναι τῇ φύσει. Τίνες δὲ οἱ ἅγιοι, καὶ ἐν ποίοις λόγοις τὴν διδασκαλίαν πεποίηνται, εἰπεῖν οὐχ ἔχει. … γέγονεν οὕτω τολμηρὸς ἄνθρωπος, τὰς περὶ τῶν θείων δογμάτων καινοτομίας εἰσηγούμενος; Τίς γὰρ ἀνάγκη, εἰ τῷ ἀξιώματι καὶ τῇ τάξει τρίτον … ᾿Αξιώματι μὲν γὰρ δευτερεύειν τοῦ παραδίδωσιν ἴσως ὁ τῆς εὐσεβείας λόγος " φύσει δὲ τρίτῃ χρῆσθαι, οὔτε παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων Γραφῶν δεδιδάγμεθα, οὔτε ἐκ τῶν προειρημένων κατὰ τὸ ἀκόλουθον δυνατὸν συλλογίσασθαι. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ Υἱὸς τάξει μὲν, δεύτερος τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὅτι ἀπ᾽ ἐκείνου " καὶ ἀξιώματι, ὅτι ἀρχὴ καὶ αἰτία, τῷ εἶναι αὐτοῦ πατέρα, καὶ ὅτι δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἣ πρόσοδος καὶ προαγωγὴ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα" φύσει δὲ οὐκέτι δεύτερος, διότι ἡ θεότης ἐν ἑκατέρῳ μία " οὕτω δηλονότι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, εἰ καὶ ὑποβέβηκε τὸν Υἱὸν τῇ τε τάξει καὶ τῷ ἀξιώματι: (ἵνα καὶ ὅλως συγχωρήσωμεν), οὐκέτ᾽ ἂν εἰκότως, ὡς ἀλλοτρίας ὑπάρχον φύσεως, ἀκολουθεῖν, ἐκεῖθεν δῆλον. Αγγελοι πάντες ὥσπερ προσηγορίας μιᾶς, οὕτω καὶ φύσεως πάντως τῆς αὐτῆς ἀλλήλοις τυγχάνουσιν - ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν ἐθνῶν προεστήχασιν, οἱ δὲ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν πιστῶν εἰσι παρεπόμενοι. “Ὅσῳ μέντοι προτιμότερον ἔθνος ὅλον Ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς, τοσούτῳ δήπου μεῖζον ὑπάρχειν ἀνάγκη ἀξίωμα τοῦ ἐθνάρχου ἀγγέλου παρὰ τὸ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου τὴν προστασίαν Τὸ δὲ συνεῖναι ἑκάστῳ τῶν πιστῶν ἄγγελον, οἷον παιδαγωγόν τινα καὶ νομέα τὴν ζωὴν διευθύνοντα, οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ, μεμνημένος τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου λόγων, εἰπόντος " Μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν ἐλαχίστων τούτων", ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ ὁ Ψαλμῳδός φησι καὶ, ἄγγελος ὁ ῥυσάμενός με ἐκ νεότητός μου" καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα. Ὅτι δὲ πάλιν εἰσί τινες ἄγγελοι καὶ ὅλων ἐθνῶν προεστῶτες, Μωσῆς ἡμᾶς διδάσκει διὰ τῆς ᾧδής λέγων“ "Ὅτε διεμέριζεν ὁ Ὕψιστος ἔθνη, ὡς διέσπειρεν υἱοὺς Ἀδὰμ, ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων αὖτοῦ. Καὶ ὁ σοφὸς Δανιὴλ ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ὀπτασίᾳ ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ὅτι, Ἄρχων Περσῶν εἱστήκει ἐξεναντίας μου " καὶ ἰδοὺ εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν πρώτων βοηθῆσαί μοι, καὶ αὑτὸν κατέλιπον ἐκεῖ μετὰ τοῦ ἄρχοντος βασιλέως Περσῶν. Καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα φησὶν ὁ αὐτός" Καὶ ὁ ἄρχων τῶν ἤρχετο. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἀρχιστράτηγός τις τῆς δυνάμεως Κυρίου λέγεται, ὁ Ἰησοῦ τῷ τοῦ Ναυῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου φανερωθείς. Καὶ πάλιν τινὲς λέγονται λεγεῶνες τῶν ἀγγέλων, τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος τοῖς μαθηταῖς - Ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι οὐ δύναμαι τὸν Πατέρα μου, καὶ παραστήσει μοι ὧδε πλείους ἣ δώδεκα ἀγγέλων; Ὃ τοίνυν ἀρχιστράτηγος τῶν ἐν ταῖς λεγεῶσι κατατεταγμένων ἀγγέλων ἄρχων ἐστὶ δηλονότι. Πρὸς τί οὖν ὁ λόγος ἡμῖν φέρει; Ὅτι οὐ πάντως, εἴ τι τῇ τάξει καὶ τῷ ἀξιώματι δεύτερόν ἐστι καὶ τρίτον, τοῦτο καὶ τὴν φύσιν ἑτέραν ἔχει. Ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων ὁ μέν τις αὐτῶν ἄρχων, ὁ δὲ ἄγγελοι δὲ ὅμως τῇ φύσει πάντες" καὶ κατὰ ο μὲν τὸ ἀξίωμα ἡ διαφορὰ, κατὰ δὲ τὴν φύσιν ἡ κοινωνία (καὶ γὰρ ᾿Αστὴρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ" φύσις δὲ πάντων ἀστέρων μία " καὶ πολλαὶ μοναὶ παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ, τουτέστιν, ἀξιωμάτων διαφοραί " φύσις δὲ ὁμοία τῶν δοξαζομένων) " οὕτω δηλονότι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, εἰ καὶ ἀξιώματι καὶ τάξει ὑποβέβηκεν, ὡς λέγουσι (παρειλήφαμεν γὰρ αὐτὸ, φησὶ, τρίτον ἀπὸ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ ἀριθμούμενον" αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν τῇ παραδόσει τοῦ σωτηρίου βαπτίσματος παραδεδωκότος τὴν τάξιν ἐν οἷς εἶπε - Πορευθέντες, βαπτίζετε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος) " ἀλλ᾽ εἰς φύσιν τινὰ τρίτην ἀπὸ Υἱοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἐκβαλλόμενον, οὐδαμοῦ μεμαθήκαμεν. Δύο γὰρ λεγομένων πραγμάτων, θεότητός τε καὶ κτίσεως, καὶ δεσποτείας καὶ δουλείας, καὶ ἁγιαστικῆς δυνάμεως, καὶ τῆς ἀγιαζομένης, τῆς τε ἐκ φύσεως ἐχούσης τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ τῆς ἐκ προαιρέσεως κατορθούσης, ἐν ποίᾳ μερίδι τὸ Πνεῦμα τάξομεν; Ἔν τοῖς ἀγιαζομένοις; ἀλλ᾽ αὐτό ἔστιν ἁγιασμός. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ἐξ ἀνδραγαθημάτων τὴν ἀρετὴν κτωμένοις; ἀλλὰ φύσει ἐστὶν ἀγαθόν. ᾿Αλλ’ ἐν τοῖς λειτουργικοῖς; ἀλλ᾽ ἕτερά εἰσι λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα πρὸς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα. Οὐ τοίνυν ὁμόδουλον ἡμῖν λέγειν αὐτὸ θεμιτὸν, τὸ ἦγεμονικὸν τῇ φύσει, οὔτε τῇ κτίσει συναριθμεῖν, τὸ τῇ θείᾳ καὶ μακαρίᾳ Τριάδι συναριθμούμενον. Ἀρχαὶ μὲν γὰρ, καὶ ἐξουσίαι, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ τοιαύτη κτίσις, ἐκ προσοχῆς καὶ ἐπιμελείας τὸν ἁγιασμὸν ἔχουσαι, οὐχ ἂν εἰκότως φύσει ἅγιαι εἶναι λέγοιντο. Ἐπορεγόμεναι γὰρ τοῦ καλοῦ, κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀγάπης, καὶ τοῦ μέτρου τῆς ἁγιωσύνης μεταλαμβάνουσι. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ σίδηρος, ἐν μέσῳ τῷ πυρὶ κείμενος, τὸ μὲν σίδηρος εἶναι οὐχ ἀποβέβληκε, τῇ δὲ σφοδροτάτῃ πρὸς τὸ πὺρ ὁμιλίᾳ ἐκπυρακτωθεὶς, καὶ πᾶσαν εἰς ἑαυτὸν τὴν τοῦ πυρὸς φύσιν ὑποδεξάμενος, καὶ χρώματι καὶ ἐνεργίᾳ πρὸς τὸ πῦρ μεταβέβηκεν᾽ οὕτω καὶ αἱ ἅγιαι δυνάμεις ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὸ φύσει ἅγιον κοινωνίας δι᾽ ὅλης τῆς ἑαυτῶν τὸν ἀγιασμὸν ἔχουσι. Διαφορὰ δὲ αὐταῖς πρὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον αὕτη, ὅτι τῷ μὲν φύσις ἡ ἁγιωσύ(ὙΠ: ταῖς δὲ ἐκ μετουσίας ὑπάρχει τὸ ἁγιάζεσθαι. Οἷς δὲ ἐπισκευαστὸν καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ἐπιδεδομένον ὑπο ἄρχει τὸ ἀγαθὸν, τῆς μεταπτωτῆς εἶσι φύσεως, Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐξέπεσεν ὁ Ἑωσφόρος ὁ πρωΐ ἀνατέλλων, οὔτε συνετρίβη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἰ φύσει ὑπῆρχε τοῦ χείρονος ἀνεπίδεκτος. Πῶς οὖν εὐσεβὲς τῇ κτίσει αὐτὸ συντάττειν, τοσούτῳ μέτρῳ διωρισμένον τῆς κτίσεως; Ἡ μὲν γὰρ κτίσις πέφυκεν ἄθλον πρὸ κοπῆς καὶ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν εὐαρεστήσεως τὸν ἁγιᾶσμὸν ἔχουσα, φύσει δὲ χρωμένη αὐτεξουσίῳ, καὶ μεταῤῥέπειν ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα δυναμένη, πρὸς ἐκλογὴν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ τοῦ χείρονος τὸ δὲ τὸ ἅγιον πηγὴ ἁγιασμοῦ, Καὶ ὥσπερ φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Υἱὸς, οὕτω φύσει ἅγιον καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας " διὸ καὶ ἐξαιρέτου καὶ ἰδιαζούσης τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου προσηγορίας ἠξίωται. Εἰ οὖν φύσις αὑτῷ ὁ ἁγιασμός ἐστιν, ὥσπερ Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ, πῶς τρίτης ἐστὶ καὶ ἀλλοτρίας φύσεως; Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ, οἴμαι, καὶ παρὰ τῷ Ἡσαΐᾳ τὰ Σεραφὶμ τρίτον ἐκβοῶντα τὸ ἅγιος ἀναγέγραπται, ὅτι ἐν τρισὶ ταῖς ὑποστάσεσιν ὁ κατὰ φύσιν ἁγιασμὸς θεωρεῖται, Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον αὐτῷ κοινὸν πρὸς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν τὸ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης ὄνομα, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος προσηγορία. Πνεῦμα γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν. Καὶ ὁ προφήτης φησί" Πνεῦμα πρὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν Χριστὸς Κύριος, οὗ εἴπαμεν" '᾽Εν τῇ σκιᾷ τῶν πτερύγων αὐτοῦ ζησόμεθα. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος προσηγορίαν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον ἀναφέρει λέγων " δὲ Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν. Ἔκ δὲ τούτων παντὶ δῆλον, ὅτι οὐχὶ ἀλλοτρίωσιν τῆς φύσεως, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκείωσιν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν ἡ κοινωνία τῶν ὀνομάτων παρίστησι, Καὶ ἀγαθὸς ὁ Θεὸς εἴρηται, καὶ ἔστιν " ἀγαθὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, οὐκ ἐπισκευαστὴν ἔχον τὴν ἀγαθότητα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ φύσεως αὐτῷ συνυπάρχουσαν. Ἢ πάντων ἂν εἴη ἀλογώτατον τὸ φύσει ἅγιον μὴ φύσει λέγειν τὴν ἀγαθότητα ἔχειν, … -νην αὐτῷ. Ἐν ᾧ δὲ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος ὅτι, Ἐγὼ ἐρωτήσω τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ δώσει ὑμῖν, καὶ αὐτὸς εἶναι Παράκλητος ἡμῶν ἐνδείκνυται. Ὥστε καὶ ἡ τοῦ παρακλήτου προσηγορία οὐ μικρὸν πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν τῆς δόξης τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος συντελεῖ.

BAS. Molis pote korestheis tōn eis ton Monogenę̄ blasphēmiōn, epi to Pneuma to hagion metelēlythen, akoloutha tę̄ holę̄ autou proairesei kai peri toutou dialegomenos " graphei de houtōs" EUN. ᾿Arkountōn de hēmin tosoutōn peri tou Monogenous, akolouthon an eiē kai peri tou Paraklētou loipon eipein " ou tais anexetastois tōn pollōn akolouthountas doxais, tēn de tōn hagiōn en hapasi phylassontas didaskalian, par᾽ hōn triton hauto axiōmati kai taxei mathontes, triton einai kai tę̄ physei pepisteukamen. BAS. Hoti men gar ouch oietai dein tę̄ haplę̄ kai anepitēdeutǭ pistei tōn pollōn emmenein, alla technikois tisi kai sesophismenois logois palin pros po dokoun heautǭ parachrouesthai tēn alētheian, ikanōs ex hōn eipen edēlōsen. ᾿Atimazōn gar tēn tōn pollōn doxan, hē doxazousi to Pneuma to hagion, prospoieitai tēn tōn agiōn phylassein didaskalian, kai tous tautēn autǭ paradedōchotas aposiōpą, kai nyn, haper kan tois peri tou Monogenous logois poiōn apedeichthē. Eita phēsi para men tōn hagiōn memathēkenai to triton einai tę̄ taxei kai tǭ axiōmati, par᾽ heautou de pepisteukenai to kai triton einai tę̄ physei. Tines de hoi hagioi, kai en poiois logois tēn didaskalian pepoiēntai, eipein ouch echei. … gegonen houtō tolmēros anthrōpos, tas peri tōn theiōn dogmatōn kainotomias eisēgoumenos? Tis gar anankē, ei tǭ axiōmati kai tę̄ taxei triton … ᾿Axiōmati men gar deutereuein tou paradidōsin isōs ho tēs eusebeias logos " physei de tritę̄ chrēsthai, oute para tōn hagiōn Graphōn dedidagmetha, oute ek tōn proeirēmenōn kata to akolouthon dynaton syllogisasthai. Hōs gar ho Huios taxei men, deuteros tou Patros, hoti ap᾽ ekeinou " kai axiōmati, hoti archē kai aitia, tǭ einai autou patera, kai hoti di᾽ autou hē prosodos kai proagōgē pros ton theon kai Patera" physei de ouketi deuteros, dioti hē theotēs en hekaterǭ mia " houtō dēlonoti kai to Pneuma to hagion, ei kai hypobebēke ton Huion tę̄ te taxei kai tǭ axiōmati: (hina kai holōs synchōrēsōmen), ouket᾽ an eikotōs, hōs allotrias hyparchon physeōs, akolouthein, ekeithen dēlon. Angeloi pantes hōsper prosēgorias mias, houtō kai physeōs pantōs tēs autēs allēlois tynchanousin - all᾽ homōs hoi men autōn ethnōn proestēchasin, hoi de heni hekastǭ tōn pistōn eisi parepomenoi. “Hosǭ mentoi protimoteron ethnos holon Henos andros, tosoutǭ dēpou meizon hyparchein anankē axiōma tou ethnarchou angelou para to tou henos hekastou tēn prostasian To de syneinai hekastǭ tōn pistōn angelon, hoion paidagōgon tina kai nomea tēn zōēn dieuthynonta, oudeis anterei, memnēmenos tōn tou Kyriou logōn, eipontos " Mē kataphronēsēte henos tōn elachistōn toutōn", hoti hoi angeloi autōn dia pantos blepousi to prosōpon tou Patros mou tou en tois ouranois. Kai ho Psalmǭdos phēsi kai, angelos ho rhysamenos me ek neotētos mou" kai hosa toiauta. Hoti de palin eisi tines angeloi kai holōn ethnōn proestōtes, Mōsēs hēmas didaskei dia tēs hǭdēs legōn“ "Hote diemerizen ho Hypsistos ethnē, hōs diespeiren huious Adam, estēsen horia ethnōn kata arithmon angelōn autou. Kai ho sophos Daniēl en tę̄ tou angelou optasią ēkousen autou legontos hoti, Archōn Persōn heistēkei exenantias mou " kai idou heis tōn archontōn tōn prōtōn boēthēsai moi, kai hauton katelipon ekei meta tou archontos basileōs Persōn. Kai met᾽ oliga phēsin ho autos" Kai ho archōn tōn ērcheto. ᾿Alla kai archistratēgos tis tēs dynameōs Kyriou legetai, ho Iēsou tǭ tou Nauę̄ epi tou Iordanou phanerōtheis. Kai palin tines legontai legeōnes tōn angelōn, tou Kyriou eipontos tois mathētais - Ē dokeite hoti ou dynamai ton Patera mou, kai parastēsei moi hōde pleious hē dōdeka angelōn? Ho toinyn archistratēgos tōn en tais legeōsi katatetagmenōn angelōn archōn esti dēlonoti. Pros ti oun ho logos hēmin pherei? Hoti ou pantōs, ei ti tę̄ taxei kai tǭ axiōmati deuteron esti kai triton, touto kai tēn physin heteran echei. Hōs gar epi tōn angelōn ho men tis autōn archōn, ho de angeloi de homōs tę̄ physei pantes" kai kata o men to axiōma hē diaphora, kata de tēn physin hē koinōnia (kai gar ᾿Astēr asteros diapherei en doxę̄" physis de pantōn asterōn mia " kai pollai monai para tǭ Patri, toutestin, axiōmatōn diaphorai " physis de homoia tōn doxazomenōn) " houtō dēlonoti kai to Pneuma to hagion, ei kai axiōmati kai taxei hypobebēken, hōs legousi (pareilēphamen gar auto, phēsi, triton apo Patros kai Huiou arithmoumenon" autou tou Kyriou en tę̄ paradosei tou sōtēriou baptismatos paradedōkotos tēn taxin en hois eipe - Poreuthentes, baptizete eis to onoma tou Patros, kai tou Huiou, kai tou hagiou Pneumatos) " all᾽ eis physin tina tritēn apo Huiou kai Patros ekballomenon, oudamou memathēkamen. Dyo gar legomenōn pragmatōn, theotētos te kai ktiseōs, kai despoteias kai douleias, kai hagiastikēs dynameōs, kai tēs agiazomenēs, tēs te ek physeōs echousēs tēn aretēn kai tēs ek proaireseōs katorthousēs, en poią meridi to Pneuma taxomen? En tois agiazomenois? all᾽ auto estin hagiasmos. ᾿All᾽ en tois ex andragathēmatōn tēn aretēn ktōmenois? alla physei estin agathon. ᾿All’ en tois leitourgikois? all᾽ hetera eisi leitourgika pneumata pros diakonian apostellomena. Ou toinyn homodoulon hēmin legein auto themiton, to ēgemonikon tę̄ physei, oute tę̄ ktisei synarithmein, to tę̄ theią kai makarią Triadi synarithmoumenon. Archai men gar, kai exousiai, kai pasa hē toiautē ktisis, ek prosochēs kai epimeleias ton hagiasmon echousai, ouch an eikotōs physei hagiai einai legointo. Eporegomenai gar tou kalou, kata tēn analogian tēs pros ton Theon agapēs, kai tou metrou tēs hagiōsynēs metalambanousi. Kai hōsper ho sidēros, en mesǭ tǭ pyri keimenos, to men sidēros einai ouch apobeblēke, tę̄ de sphodrotatę̄ pros to pyr homilią ekpyraktōtheis, kai pasan eis heauton tēn tou pyros physin hypodexamenos, kai chrōmati kai energią pros to pyr metabebēken᾽ houtō kai hai hagiai dynameis ek tēs pros to physei hagion koinōnias di᾽ holēs tēs heautōn ton agiasmon echousi. Diaphora de autais pros to Pneuma to hagion hautē, hoti tǭ men physis hē hagiōsy(HyP: tais de ek metousias hyparchei to hagiazesthai. Hois de episkeuaston kai heterōthen epidedomenon hypo archei to agathon, tēs metaptōtēs eisi physeōs, Ou gar an exepesen ho Heōsphoros ho prōï anatellōn, oute synetribē epi tēs gēs, ei physei hypērche tou cheironos anepidektos. Pōs oun eusebes tę̄ ktisei auto syntattein, tosoutǭ metrǭ diōrismenon tēs ktiseōs? Hē men gar ktisis pephyken athlon pro kopēs kai tēs pros Theon euarestēseōs ton hagiasmon echousa, physei de chrōmenē autexousiǭ, kai metarrhepein eph᾽ hekatera dynamenē, pros eklogēn tou agathou kai tou cheironos to de to hagion pēgē hagiasmou, Kai hōsper physei hagios ho Patēr, kai physei hagios ho Huios, houtō physei hagion kai to Pneuma to tēs alētheias " dio kai exairetou kai idiazousēs tēs tou hagiou prosēgorias ēxiōtai. Ei oun physis hautǭ ho hagiasmos estin, hōsper Patri kai Huiǭ, pōs tritēs esti kai allotrias physeōs? Dia touto gar, oimai, kai para tǭ Hēsaïą ta Seraphim triton ekboōnta to hagios anagegraptai, hoti en trisi tais hypostasesin ho kata physin hagiasmos theōreitai, Ou touto de monon autǭ koinon pros Patera kai Huion to tēs hagiōsynēs onoma, alla kai autē hē tou pneumatos prosēgoria. Pneuma gar ho Theos, kai tous proskynountas auton en pneumati kai alētheią dei proskynein. Kai ho prophētēs phēsi" Pneuma pro prosōpou hēmōn Christos Kyrios, hou eipamen" '᾽En tę̄ skią tōn pterygōn autou zēsometha. Kai ho ᾿Apostolos tēn tou pneumatos prosēgorian epi ton Kyrion anapherei legōn " de Kyrios to pneuma estin. Ek de toutōn panti dēlon, hoti ouchi allotriōsin tēs physeōs, all᾽ oikeiōsin pros ton Patera kai Huion hē koinōnia tōn onomatōn paristēsi, Kai agathos ho Theos eirētai, kai estin " agathon de kai to Pneuma to hagion, ouk episkeuastēn echon tēn agathotēta, all᾽ ek physeōs autǭ synyparchousan. Ē pantōn an eiē alogōtaton to physei hagion mē physei legein tēn agathotēta echein, … -nēn autǭ. En hǭ de eipen ho Kyrios hoti, Egō erōtēsō ton Patera, kai dōsei hymin, kai autos einai Paraklētos hēmōn endeiknytai. Hōste kai hē tou paraklētou prosēgoria ou mikron pros apodeixin tēs doxēs tou hagiou Pneumatos syntelei.

[1] BASIL: Having at last had his fill of blasphemies against the Only-Begotten, he has passed on to the Holy Spirit, speaking about him too in keeping with his whole purpose. He writes thus:

EUNOMIUS: "Having said so much about the Only-Begotten, it would be fitting to speak next about the Paraclete as well, not following the unexamined opinions of the many, but keeping in all things the teaching of the saints, from whom we learned that he is third in dignity and order, and have believed that he is third in nature as well."

BASIL: That he does not think it right to abide by the simple and unaffected faith of the many, but by artful and sophistical arguments once again to twist the truth toward what seems good to him, he has shown well enough by what he said. For, dishonoring the opinion of the many, by which they glorify the Holy Spirit, he pretends to keep the teaching of the saints, and passes over in silence those who handed it down to him, doing now what he was shown to do in his arguments about the Only-Begotten too. Then he says that from the saints he learned that the Spirit is third in order and dignity, but that of himself he has believed that he is third in nature as well. Who the saints are, and in what writings they gave this teaching, he cannot say. … ever been so daring a man as to introduce innovations concerning the divine doctrines? For what necessity is there, if [the Spirit] is third in dignity and order, … Perhaps the word of piety hands down that he is second to the [Son] in dignity; but that he has a third nature we have neither been taught by the holy Scriptures, nor is it possible to infer it consistently from what has been said. For as the Son is second to the Father in order, because he is from him, and in dignity, because the Father is principle and cause by being his Father, and because through him is our approach and access to the God and Father, but no longer second in nature, because the Godhead in each is one; so plainly the Holy Spirit too, even if he is below the Son in order and dignity (to concede this entirely), would not on that account fittingly follow as being of a foreign nature. That is clear from this. All the angels, as they have one designation, so they are wholly of the same nature with one another; yet some of them preside over nations, while others accompany each one of the faithful. As much as a whole nation is more honorable than one man, so much greater, surely, must the dignity of the angel ruling a nation be than that of the one [entrusted with] the protection of each individual. That an angel is with each of the faithful, like a tutor and shepherd directing his life, no one will dispute who remembers the words of the Lord, who said, "Do not despise one of these least ones, for their angels continually behold the face of my Father who is in heaven." And the Psalmist says, "the angel who delivered me from my youth," and the like. That there are also angels who preside over whole nations, Moses teaches us in his song, saying, "When the Most High divided the nations, when he scattered the sons of Adam, he fixed the boundaries of the nations according to the number of his angels." And the wise Daniel, in the vision of the angel, heard him saying, "The prince of the Persians stood against me, and behold, one of the chief princes [came] to help me, and I left him there with the prince of the king of the Persians." And a little later the same says, "And the prince of the … was coming." Moreover, a certain chief captain of the Lord's host is spoken of, the one who appeared to Joshua son of Nun at the Jordan. And again certain legions of angels are mentioned, when the Lord said to his disciples, "Or do you think that I cannot [call upon] my Father, and he will provide me here with more than twelve [legions] of angels?" The chief captain, then, of the angels ranked in the legions is plainly a ruler.

[2] To what, then, does our argument lead? That it is not necessarily the case that, if something is second or third in order and dignity, it also has a different nature. For as among the angels one is a ruler and another … , yet all are angels by nature, and the difference is in dignity while the fellowship is in nature (for "star differs from star in glory," but the nature of all the stars is one; and there are "many dwelling places" with the Father, that is, differences of dignity, but the nature of those glorified is alike); so plainly the Holy Spirit too, even if he is below in dignity and order, as they say (for we have received him, he says, as numbered third after Father and Son, the Lord himself having handed down the order in the tradition of saving baptism when he said, "Go, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"), yet that he has been cast out into some third nature apart from the Son and the Father we have nowhere learned. For since two things are spoken of, Godhead and creation, lordship and servitude, sanctifying power and power that is sanctified, that which has virtue from nature and that which achieves it by choice: in which portion shall we rank the Spirit? Among the sanctified? But he is sanctification itself. Among those who acquire virtue by good deeds? But he is good by nature. Among the ministering? But the ministering spirits sent out for service are different. It is not lawful, then, to call him our fellow servant, who is sovereign by nature, nor to number him with creation, who is numbered with the divine and blessed Trinity. For principalities and powers and all such creation, having their sanctification from attention and diligence, could not fittingly be said to be holy by nature. For, reaching out for the good, they receive their measure of holiness in proportion to their love for God. And as iron placed in the midst of fire does not cast off being iron, but, set aglow by its most intense contact with the fire and receiving the whole nature of fire into itself, passes over to the fire in color and activity, so too the holy powers, from their fellowship with that which is holy by nature, have sanctification through their whole … . But this is their difference from the Holy Spirit: for him holiness is nature, while for them being sanctified comes from participation. Those to whom the good belongs as something acquired and given from elsewhere are of a nature that can fall. For the Morning Star that rose at dawn would not have fallen or been crushed upon the earth, if by nature he had been incapable of receiving what is worse. How then is it pious to rank him with creation, when he is set apart from creation by so great a measure? For creation is so constituted as to have sanctification as a prize for progress and for pleasing God, but it has a self-determining nature and can incline to either side, choosing the good or the worse; but the Holy [Spirit] is the spring of sanctification. And as the Father is holy by nature and the Son holy by nature, so the Spirit of truth too is holy by nature; therefore he has also been counted worthy of the special and distinctive designation 'holy.'

[3] If, then, sanctification is his nature, as it is for the Father and the Son, how is he of a third and foreign nature? For this reason, I think, Isaiah records the Seraphim crying out 'holy' three times: because holiness by nature is contemplated in three hypostases. And not only the name of holiness is common to him with the Father and the Son, but also the very designation 'spirit.' For "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." And the prophet says, "The Spirit before our face, Christ the Lord, of whom we said, 'In his shadow we shall live.'" And the Apostle refers the designation 'spirit' to the Lord, saying, "[Now] the Lord is the Spirit." From these it is plain to everyone that the fellowship of the names presents not an estrangement of nature but kinship with the Father and the Son. And God is said to be good, and is; and the Holy Spirit too is good, not having goodness as something acquired, but coexisting with him by nature. Otherwise the most irrational thing of all would be to say that what is holy by nature does not have goodness by nature, but … to him. And in that the Lord said, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you …," he shows that the Spirit too is our Paraclete. So the designation 'Paraclete' also contributes not a little to the demonstration of the glory of the Holy Spirit.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 18:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 48:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 32:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Dan 10:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Dan 10:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Josh 5:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 26:53 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:41 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 28:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 1:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 14:12 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 6:3 (allusion, high confidence) · John 4:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Lam 4:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:17 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:16 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil opens Book 3: Eunomius claims the saints taught that the Spirit is third in dignity and order and infers on his own that he is third in nature; Basil answers that rank does not imply a different nature, as the ranks of angels show.

  • Chapter 1 of Book 3, on the Holy Spirit. The quotation is Eunomius's Apology. Migne's running heads, Latin, and notes (among them a note that some doubted Basil's authorship of this book because of certain harsh expressions, and notes of variant readings) are removed by logged corrections. Lost lines are marked …: one before 'ever been so daring a man' (the question begins 'Who has…'), and one after 'third in dignity and order' (the question ends 'must he also be third in nature?'). After 'the protection of each individual' a participle ('entrusted with') is lost and supplied in brackets. In 'second to the [Son]' the word 'Son' is supplied from the sense.
  • Matt 18:10 (continued in the next passage).
  • End of chapter 1 and chapters 2 and 3 of Book 3 (chapter numbers in brackets; their openings fall inside this staged passage). Migne's Latin, notes, and chapter numerals are removed by logged corrections. Lost words are marked …: the people named in Dan 10:20 ('the Greeks'); 'a subordinate' (after 'one is a ruler and another'); 'subsistence' (after 'through their whole'); 'as something supervening from outside' (before 'to him'); and 'another Paraclete' (John 14:16). Words lost but certain from the quotations are supplied in brackets.
  • 'The Psalmist' is Basil's word; the quoted line is from Jacob's blessing, Gen 48:16. Deut 32:8 is quoted in the Septuagint form ('angels'). 'Three times': the scan reads τρίτον ('third'), an evident slip for τρίς. 'Hypostases' (ὑποστάσεις) is Basil's term for the three subsistences of the one Godhead.
  • The iron in the fire is Basil's image for participation in holiness; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

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Εἰ οὖν → Εἰ οὖν; πιοάο (εν. ἘλδΗΐπΊ δὶ ἴπ 1115 ΕΠ 18 δου !ρίμμ [08 φύσεως; → φύσεως;; Α ἰὰ επίΐπι, ορίπον, οἱ ἅρμα τὰ → τὰ; ἐχδοῶντα → ἐκβοῶντα; χατὰ φύσιν → κατὰ φύσιν; Πγεῦμα πρὸ → Πνεῦμα πρὸ; Ὁ δὲ Κύριος → δὲ Κύριος; Ἔχ δὲ τούτων → Ἔκ δὲ τούτων; οἰχείωσιν → οἰκείωσιν; χοινωνία τῶν → κοινωνία τῶν; ἐπισχευαστὴν → ἐπισκευαστὴν; ἐχ φύσεως αὐτῷ → ἐκ φύσεως αὐτῷ; ἀλογώξατον → ἀλογώτατον; νὴν αὐτῷ. → … -νην αὐτῷ.; ἄ,.1ο» Παράχιϊητον δώσει → δώσει; Παράχλητος → Παράκλητος; παραχλήτου → παρακλήτου.

Topics: Heresy, Trinity

Cite (SBL): Basil, Eun. 3.1 (PG 29:655; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-contra-eunomium/3-1/#p-3-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; chapters renumbered to Garnier's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 122 (Against Eunomius).

3.4PG 29:658

Καὶ τὰ μὲν ὀνόματα τοιαῦτα τοῦ μεγαλείου τῆς φύσεως ἐνδεικτικά " αἱ δὲ ἐνέργειαι τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος οἷαι; Τῷ τοῦ Κυρίου, φησὶν, οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν. Ὥς τοίνυν ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος δημιουργός ἐστι τῶν οὐρανῶν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸ στερεὸν καὶ πάγιον τῆς ἀρετῆς παρέχεται ταῖς οὐρανίαις δυνάμεσι. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Ἰώβ - Πνεῦμα Κυρίου τὸ ποιῆσάν με’ οὐχ ἐπὶ τῆς δημιουργίας, ὡς οἶμαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἀρετὴν τελειώσεως λέγων. Ὁ δὲ Ἡσαῖας ἐκ προσώπου Κυρίου διαλεγόμενος, κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον αὐτοῦ δηλονότι, Κύριος με, φησὶ, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα αὑτοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ ψαλμὸς, δι᾿ ὅλων κεχωρηκέναι δύναμιν τοῦ Πνεύματος παριστὰς, Ποῦ πορευθῶ, φησὶ, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου ποῦ φύγω; Αἱ δὲ εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ φθάνουσαι εὐεργεσίαι ὁποῖαί τινές εἰσι καὶ ἡλίχαι; “Ὥσπερ αὑτὸς ὁ Κύριος … γενέσθαι, οὕτω καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον Πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας ἐστέ. Καὶ ὥσπερ διδάσκαλός ἐστιν ἀληθινὸς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον - Ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ καλέσατε ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς " εἷς γὰρ καθηγητὴς ὑμῶν ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός - οὕτω καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον διδάσκειν πάντας τοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου πεπιστευκότας, ὑπ᾽ αὑτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου μεμαρτύρηται, εἰπόντος: Ὁ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὃ πέμψει ὁ Πατὴρ, ἐκεῖνος ὑμᾶς διδάξει πάντα. Καὶ ὥσπερ διαιρεῖν τὰ ἐνεργήματα εἰς τοὺς ἀξίους τῆς ὑποδοχῆς τῶν ἐνεργημάτων ὁ Πατὴρ λέγεται, καὶ διαιρεῖν τὰς δια κονίας ὁ Υἱὸς ἐν τοῖς τῆς διακονίας ἀξιώμασιν - οὕτω διαιρεῖν καὶ τὰ χαρίσματα τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον εἷς τοὺς ἀξίους τῆς τῶν χαρισμάτων ὑποδοχῆς μαρτυρεῖται. Διαιρέσεις γὰρ χαρισμάτων εἰσὶν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα" καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς Κύριος" καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσὶν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς Θεός ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν. Ὁρᾷς πῶς καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἣ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐνέργεια συντεταγμένη ἐστὶ τῇ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ ἐνεργείᾳ; Εἶτα καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐπαγομένου μειζόνως τὸ θεῖον τῆς φύσεως τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος φανεροῦται. Τί γάρ φησι; Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἕν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ, καθὼς βούλεται. Οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἣ αὐθεντικὴν καὶ δεσποτικὴν ἐξουσίαν αὐτῷ μαρτυρεῖ. Διόπερ ἐν τῇ Καινῇ Διαθήκη οἱ προφῆται ᾿ κεκράγασι" Τάδε λέγει τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Τὸ δὲ ἐρευνᾷν τὰ βάθη τοῦ Θεοῦ, πόθεν τῷ Πνεύματι πρόσεστιν; “Ὥσπερ, φησὶν, οὐδεὶς οἷδεν ἀνθρώπων τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ" οὕτω καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐδεὶς ἔγνωκεν εἰ μὴ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὥς γὰρ οὐθεὶς ἀλλότριος οὐδὲ ξένος τοὺς ἔνδον λογισμοὺς ἐποπτεύειν δύναται τῆς ψυχῆς, οὕτω δηλονότι, καὶ εἴ τι τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων κοινωνεῖ τῷ Θεῷ, οὐκ ἀλλότριον αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ξένον, διερευνᾷν τὰ βάθη τῶν κριμάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναται. Εἶτα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι χορηγεῖται. Ζωοποιεῖ μὲν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς, ὥς φησι Παῦλος: Παραγγέλλω σοι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζωοποιοῦντος τὰ πάντα" ζωὴν δὲ δίδωσιν ὁ Χριστός Τὰ πρόβατα γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούουσι, καὶ ἐγὼ ζωὴν αἰώνιον δίδωμι αὐτοῖς. Ζωοποιούμεθα δὲ διὰ Πνεύματος, ὥς φησι Παῦλος: Ὃ ἐγείρας Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν' ζωοποιήσει καὶ τὰ θνητὰ σώματα ὑμῶν διὰ τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος αὐτοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν ὑμῖν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ πάντα τολμηρὸς οὗτος, καὶ μὴ ὑποπτήσσων τὸν ἐπηρτημένον κίνδυνον τοῖς τολμῶσι βλάσφημόν τι ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἀποῤῥῖψαι, ἀμέτοχον αὐτὸ θεότητος ἀποφαίνεται, γράφων οὕτω περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος " ΕΥ̓͂Ν. Τρίτον τάξει καὶ φύσει, προστάγματι μὲν τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐνεργείᾳ δὲ τοῦ Υἱοῦ γενόμενον, τρίτῃ χώρᾳ τιμώμενον, ὡς πρῶτον καὶ μεῖζον ἀπάντων, καὶ μόνον τοιοῦτον τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ποίημα, θεότητος καὶ δημιουργικῆς δυνάμεως ἀπολειπόμενον. ΒΑΣ. Ὁ δὲ τοῦτο λέγων ἔοικε μηδὲ τὴν θεότητα πεπιστευκέναι ἐν ἡμῖν οἰκεῖν, τοῦ Ἰωάννου λέγοντος περὶ Θεοῦ᾽ Ἐκ τούτου γινώσκομεν, ὅτι ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν, ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος οὗ ἡμῖν ἔδωκε " καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου: Οὐχ οἵδατε, ὅτι ναὸς Θεοῦ ἐστε, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν; καὶ πάλιν' Ἐν ᾧ ἡ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Πνεύματι. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐν ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς ἐνοικεῖν λέγεται διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πῶς οὐχὶ φανερᾶς ἀσεβείας ἐστὶν αὐτὸ τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγειν ἀμέτοχον τῆς θεότητος; Καὶ, εἰ θεοὺς ὀνομάζομεν τοὺς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν τελείους, ἡ δὲ τελείωσις διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πῶς τὸ ἑτέρους θεος ποιοῦν αὐτὸ τῆς θεότητος ἀπολείπεται; ᾿Αλλὰ μὴν οὐδὲ εὐσεβὲς, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος, μεθεχτὴν λέγειν αὐτοῦ τὴν θεότητα τετιμῆσθαι, καὶ οὐχὶ φύσει αὐτῷ συνυπάρχειν. Ὁ γὰρ χάριτι θεοποιούμενος τῆς μεταπτωτῆς ἔστι φύσεως, ἐξ ἀπροσεξίας ποτὲ καὶ ἀποῤῥεούσης τοῦ κρείττονος. Τοῦτο δὲ σαφῶς μάχεται τῇ παραδόσει τοῦ σωτηρίου βαπτίσματος. Πορευθέντες, φησὶ, βαπτίζετε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Ἔστι γὰρ τὸ βάπτισμα σφραγὶς τῆς πίστεως, ἡ δὲ πίστις θεότητος συγκατάθεσις. Πιστεῦσαι γὰρ δεῖ πρότερον, εἶτα τῷ βαπτίσματι ἐπισφραγίσασθαι. Τὸ δὲ βάπτισμα ἡμῶν ἔστι χατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου παράδοσιν, εἰς ὄνομα Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ᾿ οὐδενὸς κτίσματος, οὐδὲ δούλου Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ συντεταγμένον, ὡς τῆς θεότητος ἐν Τριάδι συμπληρουμένης. Τὸ δὲ ἔξω τούτων ὁμόδουλον ἅπαν ἐστὶ, κἂν τὰ μάλιστα ὑπερβολαῖς ἀξιωμάτων ἄλλα ἄλλων προτετιμημένα τυγχάνῃ. ᾿

Kai ta men onomata toiauta tou megaleiou tēs physeōs endeiktika " hai de energeiai tou hagiou Pneumatos hoiai? Tǭ tou Kyriou, phēsin, hoi ouranoi estereōthēsan, kai tǭ Pneumati tou stomatos autou pasa hē dynamis autōn. Hōs toinyn ho Theos Logos dēmiourgos esti tōn ouranōn, houtō kai to Pneuma to hagion to stereon kai pagion tēs aretēs parechetai tais ouraniais dynamesi. Kai palin ho Iōb - Pneuma Kyriou to poiēsan me’ ouch epi tēs dēmiourgias, hōs oimai, all᾽ epi tēs kata tēn anthrōpeian aretēn teleiōseōs legōn. Ho de Hēsaias ek prosōpou Kyriou dialegomenos, kata to anthrōpinon autou dēlonoti, Kyrios me, phēsi, kai to Pneuma hautou. Kai palin ho psalmos, di᾿ holōn kechōrēkenai dynamin tou Pneumatos paristas, Pou poreuthō, phēsi, kai apo tou Pneumatos sou, kai apo tou prosōpou sou pou phygō? Hai de eis hēmas ap᾽ autou phthanousai euergesiai hopoiai tines eisi kai hēlichai? “Hōsper hautos ho Kyrios … genesthai, houtō kai to Pneuma hagion Pneuma huiothesias este. Kai hōsper didaskalos estin alēthinos ho Kyrios hēmōn kata to eirēmenon - Hymeis de mē kalesate hymōn epi tēs gēs " heis gar kathēgētēs hymōn estin ho Christos - houtō kai to Pneuma to hagion didaskein pantas tous eis to onoma tou Kyriou pepisteukotas, hyp᾽ hautou tou Kyriou memartyrētai, eipontos: Ho de to Pneuma to hagion ho pempsei ho Patēr, ekeinos hymas didaxei panta. Kai hōsper diairein ta energēmata eis tous axious tēs hypodochēs tōn energēmatōn ho Patēr legetai, kai diairein tas dia konias ho Huios en tois tēs diakonias axiōmasin - houtō diairein kai ta charismata to Pneuma to hagion heis tous axious tēs tōn charismatōn hypodochēs martyreitai. Diaireseis gar charismatōn eisin, to de auto Pneuma" kai diaireseis diakoniōn eisin, ho de autos Kyrios" kai diaireseis energēmatōn eisin, ho de autos Theos estin ho energōn ta panta en pasin. Horąs pōs kai entautha hē tou hagiou Pneumatos energeia syntetagmenē esti tę̄ Patros kai Huiou energeią? Eita kai ek tou epagomenou meizonōs to theion tēs physeōs tou hagiou Pneumatos phaneroutai. Ti gar phēsi? Tauta de panta energei to hen kai to auto Pneuma diairoun idią hekastǭ, kathōs bouletai. Ouden heteron hē authentikēn kai despotikēn exousian autǭ martyrei. Dioper en tę̄ Kainę̄ Diathēkē hoi prophētai ᾿ kekragasi" Tade legei to Pneuma to hagion. To de ereunąn ta bathē tou Theou, pothen tǭ Pneumati prosestin? “Hōsper, phēsin, oudeis hoiden anthrōpōn ta tou anthrōpou ei mē to pneuma tou anthrōpou to en autǭ" houtō kai ta tou Theou oudeis egnōken ei mē to Pneuma tou Theou. Hōs gar outheis allotrios oude xenos tous endon logismous epopteuein dynatai tēs psychēs, houtō dēlonoti, kai ei ti tōn aporrhētōn koinōnei tǭ Theǭ, ouk allotrion autou, oude xenon, diereunąn ta bathē tōn krimatōn tou Theou dynatai. Eita kai hē zōē hēmin apo tou Theou dia Christou en hagiǭ Pneumati chorēgeitai. Zōopoiei men gar ho theos, hōs phēsi Paulos: Parangellō soi enōpion tou Theou tou zōopoiountos ta panta" zōēn de didōsin ho Christos Ta probata gar, phēsi, ta ema tēs phōnēs mou akouousi, kai egō zōēn aiōnion didōmi autois. Zōopoioumetha de dia Pneumatos, hōs phēsi Paulos: Ho egeiras Christon ek nekrōn' zōopoiēsei kai ta thnēta sōmata hymōn dia tou enoikountos autou Pneumatos en hymin. ᾿All᾽ ho panta tolmēros houtos, kai mē hypoptēssōn ton epērtēmenon kindynon tois tolmōsi blasphēmon ti rhēma eis to Pneuma to hagion aporrhipsai, ametochon auto theotētos apophainetai, graphōn houtō peri tou Pneumatos " EUN. Triton taxei kai physei, prostagmati men tou Patros, energeią de tou Huiou genomenon, tritę̄ chōrą timōmenon, hōs prōton kai meizon apantōn, kai monon toiouton tou Monogenous poiēma, theotētos kai dēmiourgikēs dynameōs apoleipomenon. BAS. Ho de touto legōn eoike mēde tēn theotēta pepisteukenai en hēmin oikein, tou Iōannou legontos peri Theou᾽ Ek toutou ginōskomen, hoti en hēmin estin, ek tou Pneumatos hou hēmin edōke " kai tou ᾿Apostolou: Ouch hoidate, hoti naos Theou este, kai to Pneuma tou Theou oikei en hymin? kai palin' En hǭ hē pasa oikodomē synarmologoumenē auxei eis naon hagion en Kyriǭ, en hǭ kai hymeis synoikodomeisthe eis katoikētērion tou Theou en Pneumati. Ei toinyn en hēmin ho Theos enoikein legetai dia tou Pneumatos, pōs ouchi phaneras asebeias estin auto to Pneuma legein ametochon tēs theotētos? Kai, ei theous onomazomen tous kat᾽ aretēn teleious, hē de teleiōsis dia tou Pneumatos, pōs to heterous theos poioun auto tēs theotētos apoleipetai? ᾿Alla mēn oude eusebes, hōsper epi tōn anthrōpōn, houtō kai epi tou Pneumatos, methechtēn legein autou tēn theotēta tetimēsthai, kai ouchi physei autǭ synyparchein. Ho gar chariti theopoioumenos tēs metaptōtēs esti physeōs, ex aprosexias pote kai aporrheousēs tou kreittonos. Touto de saphōs machetai tę̄ paradosei tou sōtēriou baptismatos. Poreuthentes, phēsi, baptizete eis to onoma tou Patros, kai tou Huiou, kai tou hagiou Pneumatos. Esti gar to baptisma sphragis tēs pisteōs, hē de pistis theotētos synkatathesis. Pisteusai gar dei proteron, eita tǭ baptismati episphragisasthai. To de baptisma hēmōn esti chata tēn tou Kyriou paradosin, eis onoma Patros kai Huiou kai hagiou Pneumatos ᾿ oudenos ktismatos, oude doulou Patri kai Huiǭ syntetagmenon, hōs tēs theotētos en Triadi symplēroumenēs. To de exō toutōn homodoulon hapan esti, kan ta malista hyperbolais axiōmatōn alla allōn protetimēmena tynchanę̄. ᾿

[4] Such, then, are the names that indicate the greatness of his nature. But what are the activities of the Holy Spirit like? "By the [word] of the Lord," it says, "the heavens were made firm, and by the Spirit of his mouth all their power." As, then, God the Word is the maker of the heavens, so the Holy Spirit supplies the heavenly powers with the firmness and stability of virtue. And again Job: "The Spirit of the Lord, who made me," speaking, I think, not of creation but of perfection in human virtue. And Isaiah, speaking in the person of the Lord, plainly with reference to his humanity, says, "The Lord [has sent] me, and his Spirit." And again the psalm, showing that the power of the Spirit has passed through all things, says, "Where shall I go from your Spirit, and from your face where shall I flee?" And the benefits that reach us from him: what kind are they, and how great? As the Lord himself … … to become, so the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of adoption. And as our Lord is the true teacher, according to the saying, "Do not call anyone on earth your …, for one is your teacher, the Christ," so the Holy Spirit too is testified by the Lord himself to teach all who have believed in the name of the Lord, when he said, "But the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send, he will teach you all things." And as the Father is said to distribute the activities to those worthy to receive the activities, and the Son to distribute the services in the ranks of service, so the Holy Spirit is testified to distribute the gifts to those worthy to receive the gifts. For "there are distributions of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are distributions of services, but the same Lord; and there are distributions of activities, but it is the same God who works all things in all." Do you see how here too the activity of the Holy Spirit is ranked with the activity of the Father and the Son? Then, from what follows, the divinity of the Holy Spirit's nature is made still more manifest. For what does it say? "All these the one and the same Spirit works, distributing to each individually as he wills." This testifies to nothing else than his sovereign and lordly authority. That is why in the New Testament the prophets cried out, "Thus says the Holy Spirit." And searching the depths of God: from where does this belong to the Spirit? "As," it says, "no one among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him, so too no one has known the things of God except the Spirit of God." For as no outsider or stranger can look upon the inner thoughts of the soul, so plainly, if anything shares in God's secrets, it is not foreign or strange to him, and it can search out the depths of God's judgments. Then too life is supplied to us from God through Christ in the Holy Spirit. For God gives life, as Paul says: "I charge you before God, who gives life to all things"; and Christ gives life: "For my sheep," he says, "hear my voice, and I give them eternal life"; and we are made alive through the Spirit, as Paul says: "He who raised Christ from the dead will give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

[5] But this man, daring in everything, and not cowering before the danger that hangs over those who dare to hurl a blasphemous word against the Holy Spirit, declares him to have no share in Godhead, writing thus about the Spirit:

EUNOMIUS: "Third in order and in nature, having come to be at the command of the Father and by the activity of the Son, honored in the third place, as the first and greatest of all and the only such work of the Only-Begotten, falling short of Godhead and of creative power."

BASIL: The one who says this seems not even to have believed that the Godhead dwells in us, though John says about God, "By this we know that he is in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us," and the Apostle, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" and again, "In whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." If, then, God is said to dwell in us through the Spirit, how is it not manifest impiety to call the Spirit himself without share in the Godhead? And if we name "gods" those who are perfect in virtue, and perfection comes through the Spirit, how does he who makes others gods himself fall short of Godhead? Nor is it pious to say that the Spirit, as with human beings, has been honored with a Godhead that is participated, and not one that coexists with him by nature. For whoever is made god by grace is of a nature that can fall, sometimes flowing away from what is better through inattention. And this plainly conflicts with the tradition of saving baptism: "Go," it says, "baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." For baptism is the seal of faith, and faith is assent to Godhead; for one must first believe, and then be sealed with baptism. And our baptism, according to the Lord's tradition, is into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit, no creature and no servant being ranked with Father and Son, since the Godhead is completed in the Trinity. What is outside these is all fellow servant, even if some are honored above others by the greatest excesses of dignity.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 33:6 (32:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Job 33:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 48:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 139:7 (138:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 8:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 23:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 23:10 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:4 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 21:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:10 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:27 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 3:24 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 82:6 (81:6 LXX) (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 28:19 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil turns from the Spirit's names to his activities: the Spirit makes the heavenly powers firm, perfects human beings, sends the Lord, and fills all things.

  • Chapter 4 of Book 3; it continues in the next passage. Migne's Latin and notes are removed by logged corrections; the end of the scan page is lost (marked …). Words missing from the quotations ('word', 'has sent') are supplied in brackets.
  • Ps 33:6 (LXX 32:6); Job 33:4; Isa 48:16; Ps 139:7 (LXX 138:7).
  • Continuation of chapter 4 and chapter 5 of Book 3 (number in brackets). The opening is lost in the scan (marked …): the comparison begins with the Lord's giving those who received him power to become children of God (John 1:12). Migne's Latin, variant notes, and chapter numeral are removed by logged corrections; a garbled 'κτίσματος' is restored. In Matt 23 a word is lost after 'your' (…). The quotation is Eunomius's Apology.
  • 'Made god by grace' (θεοποιούμενος) and 'gods' for the perfect echo Ps 82:6 and John 10:34-35; translated as written.
  • 'Since the Godhead is completed in the Trinity' (ὡς τῆς θεότητος ἐν Τριάδι συμπληρουμένης) could also be read 'as though the Godhead were completed in a Trinity [including a creature]'; either way the point is that baptism ranks no creature with Father and Son.
  • John 1:12; Rom 8:15; Matt 23:9-10; John 14:26; 1 Cor 12:4-6, 11; Acts 21:11; 1 Cor 2:10-11; 1 Tim 6:13; John 10:27-28; Rom 8:11; 1 John 3:24; 1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:21-22; Matt 28:19.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); OCR misreading; word broken at a line end rejoined): ἐνδειχτικά → ἐνδεικτικά; δὲ᾽ ἐνέργειαι → δὲ ἐνέργειαι; ἁγίον Πνεύματος → ἁγίου Πνεύματος; «1όγῳ τοῦ → τοῦ; οὗοωνοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, → οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν,; Ἰώδ - Πνεῦμα → Ἰώβ - Πνεῦμα; χατὰ τὴν ἀ → κατὰ τὴν ἀ; ἐχ προσώπου → ἐκ προσώπου; ἀπέσταιϊχέ με, → με,; χεχωρηχέναι → κεχωρηκέναι; παρἱστὰς, → παριστὰς,; Πγνεύματός → Πνεύματός; νέην ὃ. Ουΐη οἱ Δροβίοϊυθ δρραὶ]διϊονθηι βρί τὶ {μ4 Βοπιϊπὶ, φιὶ {ἐοἰῖ πιο: ποη ἀδ ογθαιίοια, υἱ ῥϑδΐηνυϑ Θ μο ἰδο, ἰπηϊ!, α ρίγιμ [ἀο, εἰ φιο α ὁποῖαί → ὁποῖαί; Κύριος 35}... χυν!, 16. - 48 ἔξ, νι, ὅ. ἡμῶν Χριστὸς Κύριος, οὗ εἴπαμεν Ἐν τῇ σχιᾷ αὐ- Ναϊιὶ εἰς ἀπόδειξιν. Δι π|58. Δ 4] 0Γ65 πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν. τ ἀϊν!οτγα, ἰἰθιηααθ ἀϊνι ογα ΕἸ Π 8 δά! πἰϑ Γϑι 0 68 πιΐϊπῖδ διπι, πἰδὶ δρίτίιιι8 ποπιϊπὶα ημὶ 684 ἷπ 60 : εἰς → Κύριος; Ργβδίογθα δἱ υἱἱᾶ ποθ ἃ Π60 ροῦ (πγίβιυῃι Οοάεχ ὑηυ8 Πατήρ μου. Εά εἰ τῇ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ. Αἱ γενέσθαι, → … γενέσθαι,; διδάσχαλός → διδάσκαλός; χατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον → κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον; διδάσκαιϊον ὑμῶν → ὑμῶν; διδάσχειν → διδάσκειν; πεπιστευχότας, → πεπιστευκότας,; ὋὉ δὲ Παράκιϊητος τὸ → Ὁ δὲ τὸ; Πγεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὃ → Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὃ; ἐκχεῖγος → ἐκεῖνος; χονίας ὁ → κονίας ὁ; διαχονίας → διακονίας; διακογνιῶν → διακονιῶν; (Ἴ) ἐστιν → ἐστιν; πάγτα ἐν → πάντα ἐν; αὐθεντιχὴν → αὐθεντικὴν; δεσποτιχὴν → δεσποτικὴν; Διαθήχη οἱ → Διαθήκη οἱ; χεχράγασι" → κεκράγασι"; «“έγει τὸ → λέγει τὸ; Πγεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. → Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον.; πρόσἐστιν; → πρόσεστιν;; ἀγθρώπων → ἀνθρώπων; ἀγθρώπου → ἀνθρώπου; τὰρ οὐθεὶς → γὰρ οὐθεὶς; χοινωνεῖ → κοινωνεῖ; χριμάτων → κριμάτων; 21 ἰμὰ. 11. 335. ΔοΙ. χχι, 11. 51 Οογ. "ἱ Ἰοσυπν σοΓγυροτῖι, οὐ δὲ ἦν δὐΐι]5. εἰ ἰπ 40 (1 Βαϊ ἀλλότριον ὄν. οχ ὄν ἴν) 586ὲΧ 58. ἀδέδῖ, Ζωογονεῖ μὲν γὰρ ὁ θεός... θεοῦ τοῦ ζωογονουντος. γὰρ → γὰρ; ἐγ- Α Ολτίδινπι ε πιοτι μὲς, υἱυϊβεαδὶ! οἰἰαπι ἠιοτίαἰϊα οονὠπίον τοῦ → ἐνώπιον τοῦ; πρόδατα γὰρ, → πρόβατα γὰρ,; αἰώγιον δίδωμι → αἰώνιον δίδωμι; νεχρῶν' ζωοποιήσει → νεκρῶν' ζωοποιήσει; θγητὰ σώματα → θνητὰ σώματα; ἐγοιχοῦντος → ἐνοικοῦντος; ὅ. ᾿Αλλ᾽ → ᾿Αλλ᾽; χίνδυνον → κίνδυνον; (εἰς αἰπιεαὶ, Ἔχρθγίθηι δυπὶ ἀδί ται ργοπαμϊαὶ, δίς ἀε Βρί τὰ βογίθ6η8 : θεότητος → θεότητος; ὃ εἶτ, ἀδίται6 46 ΒΑΣ. → ΒΑΣ.; ἔοιχε μηδὲ → ἔοικε μηδὲ; πεπιστευχέναι → πεπιστευκέναι; οἰχεῖν, τοῦ → οἰκεῖν, τοῦ; λέγοντὺς → λέγοντος; γιγώσκομεν, → γινώσκομεν,; ἔδωχε " καὶ → ἔδωκε " καὶ; ποῦ ᾿Αποστόλου: → τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου:; οἰχεῖ ἐν → οἰκεῖ ἐν; γαὺν ἅγιον → ναὸν ἅγιον; ἐνοιχεῖν → ἐνοικεῖν; Ἠνεύματος, → Πνεύματος,; ἀσεθείας → ἀσεβείας; τῇς θεότητος; → τῆς θεότητος;; θεο- ς ποιοῦν → θεος ποιοῦν; εὐσεδὲς, → εὐσεβὲς,; τετιμῆσθα!, → τετιμῆσθαι,; ποῦ χρείττονος. → τοῦ κρείττονος.; ἐαπείζετε → βαπτίζετε; τἧς πίστεως, → τῆς πίστεως,; συγχατάθεσις. → συγκατάθεσις.; ([ Κυρίου → Κυρίου; Βα8. Ηοο αυΐ ἀΐοῖ!(, πος ἀδἰιδίοπι Πα ταΓα ἴῃ ποἡ ηῖυυ5, ἰτὰ οἱ ἴῃ ϑρί για δηΐπὶ υδρί θη 5β᾽ ρ 1} Πιοὶ, ἢ 65. εχ θοηνπὶ ἰγϑϑ ἴοι, ᾿η ποηλθη Ραιγίβ, οἱ 977 Ῥαιγὶ ὃς ΕἾ Ο οοη]υποίο, οὐπὶ ἀοἰτ85 ἴῃ Τα δῖα Πατρὸς → Πατρὸς; Ὁ οοηθογνιπι 65ΐ, Θι 1818] πιαχί μα Οὐ ἀἰφηϊ δία ρτατίσματος, → κτίσματος,; συντεταγμένου, → συντεταγμένον,; τῇ; θεότητος → τῆς θεότητος; χἂν τὰ μάλιστα → κἂν τὰ μάλιστα; ὑπερδολαῖς → ὑπερβολαῖς.

Topics: Baptism, Heresy, Trinity

Cite (SBL): Basil, Eun. 3.4 (PG 29:658; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-contra-eunomium/3-1/#p-3-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; chapters renumbered to Garnier's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 122 (Against Eunomius).

3.6PG 29:666

Καὶ μή μοι πάλιν τὰ σοφὰ ταῦτα " ΕΥ̓͂Ν. Ἐὰν μὴ κτίσμα ἐστὶν, οὐκοῦν γέννημα, ἣ ἀγέννητον. Εἷς δὲ ἄναρχος Θεὸς καὶ ἀγέννητος. Οὔτε μὴν γέννημα. Λείπεται οὖν κτίσμα καὶ ποίημα αὐτὸ ὀνομάζεσθαι. ΒΑΣ. Ἐγὼ δὲ, εἰ μὲν πάντα διωριζόμην καταληπτὰ ἡμῶν εἶναι τῇ γνώσει, ἠσχύνθην ἂν ἴσως ὁμολογῆσαι τὴν ἄγνοιαν" νῦν δὲ μυρία οὐ τῶν ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι ἀποκειμένων ἡ μῖν μόνον, οὔτε τῶν νῦν ὄντων ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀποκέκρυπται, ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ σώματι τρανὴ καὶ ἀναντἰῤῥητός ἐστιν ἡ κατάληψις. Οἷον ἀμέλει περὶ τῆς ὄψεως, πότερον εἰσδεχόμενοι τὰς εἰκόνας τῶν ὁρατῶν, οὕτω τὰς ἀντιλήψεις ποιούμεθα." καὶ πῶς ὁρῶν τε παμμεγεθῶν, γῆς τε ἀπλέτου, καὶ ἀπείρου θαλάσσης, τι δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἡ εἰκὼν τῷ βραχεῖ μέτρῳ τῆς κόρης ἡμῶν περιέχεται" ἣ ἐκπέμποντές τι παρ᾽ ἑαυτῶν, καὶ προσπελάζοντος τούτου τοῖς ὁρατοῖς, οὕτως αὐτῶν τὴν αἴσθησιν ἔχομεν, καὶ τί ἔστι τοῦτο καὶ πόσον, ὥστε γῇ καὶ θαλάσσῃ ἐξαρχεῖν ἐφαπλούμενον, καὶ περᾷν μὲν τὸν μεταξὺ γῆς καὶ οὐρανοῦ τόπον, αὐτῷ τε προσβάλλειν τῷ οὐρανῷ τοσούτῳ τάχει κινούμενον, ὥστε ἐν ἴσῳ χρόνῳ τό τε περικείμενον σῶμα, καὶ τοὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀστέρας καταμανθάνεσθαι. Καὶ τί δεῖ τἄλλα λέγειν; ᾿Αλλὰ αὐτὰ τὰ τοῦ νοῦ κινήματα, πότερον κτίζειν ἢ γεννᾷν πέφυκεν ἡ ψυχὴ, τίς ἂν ἀκριβῶς εἴποι; Τί οὖν θαυμαστὸν καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀνεπαισχύντως ἡμᾶς τὴν ἄγνοιαν ὁμολογεῖν; τὴν μέντοι ἀναντιῤῥήτως αὐτῷ προσμαρτυρουμένην δοξολογίαν ἀποδιδόναι; Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τὴν κτίσιν ἐστὶν, ( ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν παρίστησι τὰ διὰ τῶν Γραφῶν παραδιδόμενα, ἐπειδή γε ἀδύνατον τῆς αὐτῆς εἶναι φύσεως τό τε ἀγιάζον καὶ τὰ ἀγιαζόμενα, τὸ διδάσκον καὶ τὰ διδασκόμενα, τὸ ἀποκαλύπτον καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀποκαλύψεως προσδεόμενα. ᾿Αγέννητον δὲ οὐδεὶς οὕτως ἔξω παντελῶς ἐστι τοῦ φρονεῖν, ὥστε τολμησαι ἕτερον πλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων προσαγορεῦσαι, ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδὲ Υἱὸν, τῷ ἕνα εἶναι τὸν Μονογενῆ. Τί οὖν αὐτὸ χρὴ καλεῖν Πνεῦμα ἅγιον, καὶ Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ, καὶ Πνεῦμα ἀληθείας, ἀποστελλόμενον παρὰ Θεοῦ, διὰ Υἱοῦ χορηγούμενον, οὐ δοῦλον, ἀλλ' ἅγιόν, ἀγαθὸν, ἡγεμονικόν Πνεῦμα ζωοποιοῦν, Πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας, ἐπιστάμενον πάντα τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐν τῇ Τριάδι ὁ τῆς μονάδος διασωθήσεται λόγος, ἕνα μὲν Πατέρα ὁμολογούντων, καὶ ἕνα Υἱὸν, " καὶ ἐν Πνεῦμα ἅγιον. Κομίζουσι δὲ ἀποδείξεις, πρὸς τὸ κτίσμα εἰρῆσθαι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, μίαν μὲν ἐκ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος" στερεῶν βροντὴν, καὶ κτίζων πνεῦμα" ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ὅτι, Πάντα δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον οὐχ εἰς μὲν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν κοινὴν ταύτην πνοὴν, τὸ τοῦ ἀέρος πνεῦμα, πεπείσμεθα φέρειν. Δῆλον δὲ ἐκεῖθεν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, κτίσας πνεῦμα, ἀλλ᾽ κτίζων πνεῦμα. Ὡς γὰρ ἡ βροντὴ οὐχ ἐν ὑποστάσει τινί ἐστι σωματικῇ ἅπαξ χτισθεῖσα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ βούλημα ἐπὶ φόβῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐνεργουμένη γίνεσθαι καὶ διαλύεσθαι πέφυκεν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα νῦν μὲν γίνεται δίκην ποταμοῦ ῥέοντος τοῦ ἀέρος " πάλιν δὲ παύεται ἀτρεμοῦντος τοῦ πρότερον κινουμένου, κατὰ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ καὶ συστάσει τῶν ὅλων οἰκονομοῦντος ᾿ ὥστε διὰ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ἔκ τε βροντῶν καὶ ἀνέμων καὶ τῆς λοιπῆς δημιουργίας τὸν δημιουργὸν ἀναγγέλλεσθαι. Διόπερ μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν" Ὃ στερεῶν βροντὴν, καὶ κτίζων πνεῦμα, φησί Καὶ ἀπαγγέλλων τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτοῦ. Ὥς γὰρ οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ τοῖς δυναμένοις ἐξ αὐτῶν τὴν τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τέχνην ἀναλογίζεσθαι, οὕτω καὶ βροντῆς ἦχοι, καὶ πνευμάτων κινήσεις, τὸν δημιουργὸν αὐτῶν ἀνακηρύττουσι. Τάχα δ᾽ ἂν τοῦτο καὶ προφητεία εἴη, πρὸς τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν τοῦ Κυρίου φέρουσα " ὅτε ἡ μὲν φωνὴ, ἡ γενομένη ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, βροντὴ ἐδόκει τοῖς ἀκούσασιν εἶναι, ἥντινα ἀφῆκεν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ὥστε δι᾽ αὐτῆς ἀναγγεῖλαι τὸν Χριστὸν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις" τὰ δὲ πνεύματα τὰ κινούμενα, καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν συνταράσσοντα, εἶτα κοπάσαντα τῷ προστάγματι τοῦ Κυρίου, σαφῶς καὶ αὐτὰ ἀνήγγειλε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸν Χριστὸν αὑτοῦ. Τὸ δὲ, Πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, οὐδαμῶς ἡ μῖν κτιστὸν εἶναι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον παρίστησιν, ὡς συναριθμούμενον τοῖς πᾶσι τοῦ Πνεύματος. Εἰ γὰρ ἕν Πνεῦμα ἅγιον καὶ μόνον, πῶς ὃ τῆς μοναδικῆς ἔστι φύσεως, τοῖς πᾶσι συμπαραλαμβάνεσθαι δύναται; Καὶ μηδεὶς οἰέσθω ἀθέτησιν εἶναι τῆς ὑποστάσεως τὴν ἄρνησιν τοῦ κτίσμα εἶναι τὸ Πνεῦμα. Εὐσεβοῦς γάρ ἔστι διανοίας τὰ ἀποσιωπηθέντα ἐν ταῖς ἀγίαις Γραφαὶς εὐλαβεῖσθαι ἐπιφημίζειν τῷ ἀγίῳ Πνεύματι, πεπεῖσθαι δὲ τὴν ἐμπειρίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκριβῇ κατάληψιν εἰς τὸν ὕστερον ἡμῖν ἀποκεῖσθαι αἰῶνα, ὅταν, διαβάντες τὸ δι᾽ ἐσόπτρου καὶ αἰνίγματος ὁρᾷν τί τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τῆς πρὸς πρόσωπον θεωρίας ἀξιωθῶμεν.

Kai mē moi palin ta sopha tauta " EUN. Ean mē ktisma estin, oukoun gennēma, hē agennēton. Heis de anarchos Theos kai agennētos. Oute mēn gennēma. Leipetai oun ktisma kai poiēma auto onomazesthai. BAS. Egō de, ei men panta diōrizomēn katalēpta hēmōn einai tę̄ gnōsei, ēschynthēn an isōs homologēsai tēn agnoian" nyn de myria ou tōn en tǭ mellonti aiōni apokeimenōn hē min monon, oute tōn nyn ontōn en tois ouranois apokekryptai, all᾽ oute tōn hyparchontōn hēmin en tǭ sōmati tranē kai anantirrhētos estin hē katalēpsis. Hoion amelei peri tēs opseōs, poteron eisdechomenoi tas eikonas tōn horatōn, houtō tas antilēpseis poioumetha." kai pōs horōn te pammegethōn, gēs te apletou, kai apeirou thalassēs, ti de kai autou tou ouranou hē eikōn tǭ brachei metrǭ tēs korēs hēmōn periechetai" hē ekpempontes ti par᾽ heautōn, kai prospelazontos toutou tois horatois, houtōs autōn tēn aisthēsin echomen, kai ti esti touto kai poson, hōste gę̄ kai thalassę̄ exarchein ephaploumenon, kai perąn men ton metaxy gēs kai ouranou topon, autǭ te prosballein tǭ ouranǭ tosoutǭ tachei kinoumenon, hōste en isǭ chronǭ to te perikeimenon sōma, kai tous en ouranǭ asteras katamanthanesthai. Kai ti dei talla legein? ᾿Alla auta ta tou nou kinēmata, poteron ktizein ē gennąn pephyken hē psychē, tis an akribōs eipoi? Ti oun thaumaston kai peri tou hagiou Pneumatos anepaischyntōs hēmas tēn agnoian homologein? tēn mentoi anantirrhētōs autǭ prosmartyroumenēn doxologian apodidonai? Hoti men gar hyper tēn ktisin estin, ( hikanōs hēmin paristēsi ta dia tōn Graphōn paradidomena, epeidē ge adynaton tēs autēs einai physeōs to te agiazon kai ta agiazomena, to didaskon kai ta didaskomena, to apokalypton kai ta tēs apokalypseōs prosdeomena. ᾿Agennēton de oudeis houtōs exō pantelōs esti tou phronein, hōste tolmēsai heteron plēn tou Theou tōn holōn prosagoreusai, alla mēn oude Huion, tǭ hena einai ton Monogenē. Ti oun auto chrē kalein Pneuma hagion, kai Pneuma Theou, kai Pneuma alētheias, apostellomenon para Theou, dia Huiou chorēgoumenon, ou doulon, all' hagion, agathon, hēgemonikon Pneuma zōopoioun, Pneuma huiothesias, epistamenon panta ta tou Theou. Houtō dē kai en tę̄ Triadi ho tēs monados diasōthēsetai logos, hena men Patera homologountōn, kai hena Huion, " kai en Pneuma hagion. Komizousi de apodeixeis, pros to ktisma eirēsthai to Pneuma to hagion, mian men ek tou prophētou legontos" stereōn brontēn, kai ktizōn pneuma" heteran de tēn ek tou Euangeliou hoti, Panta di᾽ autou egeneto. Hēmeis de ton prophētikon logon ouch eis men to Pneuma to hagion, all᾽ eis tēn koinēn tautēn pnoēn, to tou aeros pneuma, pepeismetha pherein. Dēlon de ekeithen. Ou gar eipen, ktisas pneuma, all᾽ ktizōn pneuma. Hōs gar hē brontē ouch en hypostasei tini esti sōmatikę̄ hapax chtistheisa, all᾽ aei pros to tou Theou boulēma epi phobǭ tōn anthrōpōn energoumenē ginesthai kai dialyesthai pephyken, houtō kai to pneuma nyn men ginetai dikēn potamou rheontos tou aeros " palin de pauetai atremountos tou proteron kinoumenou, kata to boulēma tou ta panta epi sōtērią kai systasei tōn holōn oikonomountos ᾿ hōste dia pasēs tēs ktiseōs, ek te brontōn kai anemōn kai tēs loipēs dēmiourgias ton dēmiourgon anangellesthai. Dioper meta to eipein" Ho stereōn brontēn, kai ktizōn pneuma, phēsi Kai apangellōn tois anthrōpois ton Christon autou. Hōs gar hoi ouranoi diēgountai doxan Theou tois dynamenois ex autōn tēn tou dēmiourgou technēn analogizesthai, houtō kai brontēs ēchoi, kai pneumatōn kinēseis, ton dēmiourgon autōn anakēryttousi. Tacha d᾽ an touto kai prophēteia eiē, pros tēn enanthrōpēsin tou Kyriou pherousa " hote hē men phōnē, hē genomenē ex ouranou, brontē edokei tois akousasin einai, hēntina aphēken ho Theos kai Patēr, hōste di᾽ autēs anangeilai ton Christon tois anthrōpois" ta de pneumata ta kinoumena, kai tēn thalassan syntarassonta, eita kopasanta tǭ prostagmati tou Kyriou, saphōs kai auta anēngeile tois anthrōpois ton Christon hautou. To de, Panta di’ autou egeneto, oudamōs hē min ktiston einai to Pneuma to hagion paristēsin, hōs synarithmoumenon tois pasi tou Pneumatos. Ei gar hen Pneuma hagion kai monon, pōs ho tēs monadikēs esti physeōs, tois pasi symparalambanesthai dynatai? Kai mēdeis oiesthō athetēsin einai tēs hypostaseōs tēn arnēsin tou ktisma einai to Pneuma. Eusebous gar esti dianoias ta aposiōpēthenta en tais agiais Graphais eulabeisthai epiphēmizein tǭ agiǭ Pneumati, pepeisthai de tēn empeirian autou kai akribę̄ katalēpsin eis ton hysteron hēmin apokeisthai aiōna, hotan, diabantes to di᾽ esoptrou kai ainigmatos horąn ti tēn alētheian, tēs pros prosōpon theōrias axiōthōmen.

[6] And do not again [bring] me these wise sayings:

EUNOMIUS: "If he is not a creature, then he is offspring or unbegotten. But there is one God without beginning and unbegotten. Nor yet is he offspring. It remains, then, that he is named creature and thing made."

BASIL: For my part, if I declared that all things were comprehensible to our knowledge, I would perhaps be ashamed to confess ignorance. But as it is, countless things are hidden from us, not only of those laid up in the age to come, nor only of those now in the heavens; but not even of the things that belong to us in the body is the comprehension clear and indisputable. For instance, about sight: do we form our perceptions by receiving the images of visible things? And how is the image of things vast in size, of the boundless earth and the infinite sea, and even of heaven itself, contained in the small measure of our pupil? Or do we send out something from ourselves, and when this approaches visible things, do we so have perception of them? And what is this, and how great, that it suffices to spread over earth and sea, to cross the space between earth and heaven, and to strike heaven itself, moving with such speed that in an equal time both the body around us and the stars in heaven are discerned? And why speak of the rest? Even the very motions of the mind: whether the soul is such as to create them or to beget them, who could say exactly? What wonder, then, if about the Holy Spirit too we confess our ignorance without shame, while yet rendering the glory that is indisputably attested to him? For that he is above creation, the things handed down through the Scriptures sufficiently show us, since it is impossible that what sanctifies and what is sanctified, what teaches and what is taught, what reveals and what needs revelation, should be of the same nature. But no one is so utterly out of his mind as to dare to call anything unbegotten except the God of the universe; nor yet Son, since the Only-Begotten is one. What, then, must we call him? Holy Spirit, and Spirit of God, and Spirit of truth, sent from God, supplied through the Son; not a servant, but holy, good, sovereign Spirit, life-giving Spirit, Spirit of adoption, knowing all the things of God. So too in the Trinity the account of the unity will be preserved, as we confess one Father, and one Son, and one Holy Spirit.

[7] They bring proofs that the Holy Spirit is called a creature: one from the prophet, who says, "He who makes firm the thunder and creates wind"; another from the Gospel: "All things came to be through him." But we are convinced that the prophetic saying refers not to the Holy Spirit but to this common breath, the wind of the air. That is clear from this: he did not say "who created wind" but "who creates wind." For as thunder is not something created once for all in some bodily subsistence, but is such as always to come into being and dissolve at the will of God, produced to make human beings fear, so too wind now arises, as the air flows like a river, and again ceases, when what was moving before is still, according to the will of him who orders all things for the salvation and preservation of the universe; so that through the whole creation, from thunders and winds and the rest of creation, the Creator is proclaimed. That is why, after saying "who makes firm the thunder and creates wind," it says, "and proclaims to human beings his Christ." For as "the heavens declare the glory of God" to those who can reckon from them the art of the Creator, so the sounds of thunder and the motions of winds proclaim their Creator. Perhaps this would also be a prophecy pointing to the Lord's becoming man: when the voice that came from heaven seemed to its hearers to be thunder, the voice which the God and Father sent forth to proclaim the Christ to human beings through it; and the winds that moved and stirred up the sea, then dropped at the Lord's command, plainly also proclaimed his Christ to human beings. And "All things came to be through him" in no way shows us that the Holy Spirit is created, as though the Spirit were numbered among all things. For if there is one Holy Spirit, and only one, how can what is of a singular nature be included with all things? And let no one think that denying that the Spirit is a creature is a setting aside of his hypostasis. For it belongs to a pious mind to beware of applying to the Holy Spirit what is passed over in silence in the holy Scriptures, and to be convinced that the experience and exact comprehension of him is laid up for us in the age to come, when, passing beyond seeing the truth through a mirror and in a riddle, we are counted worthy of contemplation face to face.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

1 Cor 2:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 15:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 8:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Amos 4:13 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 19:1 (18:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 12:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 8:26 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:12 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil answers Eunomius's dilemma (creature, offspring, or unbegotten) by confessing that the manner of the Spirit's being is beyond our knowledge, while giving him the names Scripture gives; he then explains that Amos 4:13 speaks of wind and John 1:3 does not number the Spirit among created things.

  • Chapters 6 and 7 (numbers in brackets), the end of Book 3. Migne's Latin, notes, and chapter numeral are removed by logged corrections. In Eunomius's syllogism the scan also prints a variant ('But he is not unbegotten, for there is one'); it is removed as part of Migne's notes. At the end, Migne notes that the editions add a doxology ('in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and for ever'); this note, and the title of the following (spurious) Book 4, are removed. The quotation is Eunomius's Apology.
  • The two theories of sight (reception of images, emission from the eye) are those of the philosophical schools; translated as written.
  • 1 Cor 2:10-11; John 15:26; Rom 8:15; Amos 4:13 (Septuagint, 'his Christ'); John 1:3; Ps 19:1 (LXX 18:2); John 12:28-29; Matt 8:26; 1 Cor 13:12.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); OCR misreading): χτίσμα ἐστὶν, → κτίσμα ἐστὶν,; οὐχοῦν γέννημα, → οὐκοῦν γέννημα,; (ὦ Οοὐΐεοβ ποιμμ}} καὶ τάξει καί. Εμΐι προστά- Υοχ οἰκεῖν ποῦ ἰδρίλυν ἴῃ δαϊἴον εν. πα- «ὰς ἴῃ Δηι 418 56 χ Πρὶν : 86 ὁ81 ἴῃ οὐϊίοιε Ρὰ- 3 [(ὐτ. πὶ, 10. Πνεύματος. ᾿ Ἰηφθιίιιβ. ὕπι5 δυΐοπ θεοὺς οϑὶ ργϊποὶρί 9 οᾶγθιιβ Α ἀγένγητον. → ἀγέννητον.; ἀϊῖ, 85 οδύδιι δὰ} 5οηβιμ : οἱ αυϊὰ ἰὰ 511 οἱ οογῖο ἀἶοαι ἢ Ουἱά φίλα, πιϊγὶ [μοῦ ῖ, δὶ αυθαυθ ἐδ πηι Ῥαιγαῖι, ἀνα ΕἸ πὶ, ἀπππὶ ϑρ γί ἴσα 58}- Εὐδο Ραγῖ9. ἀγέννητον. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐχ ἀγέννητος. Εἷς γάρ. Βάϊιϊο Υδη. δἰ φυΐπαυδ πι88. 118, αἱ οὐ ἀϊ- Οὔτε → Οὔτε; χαταληπτὰ → καταληπτὰ; ἔσως ὁμολογῆσαι → ἴσως ὁμολογῆσαι; ἀποχειμένων → ἀποκειμένων; ἀποχέχρυπται, → ἀποκέκρυπται,; εἰχὼν τῷ → εἰκὼν τῷ; ἐχπέμποντές → ἐκπέμποντές; προσδάλλειν → προσβάλλειν; χινούμενον, → κινούμενον,; χαταμανθάνεσθαι. → καταμανθάνεσθαι.; χινήματα, → κινήματα,; χτίζειν ἢ → κτίζειν ἢ; πέφυχεν ἡ → πέφυκεν ἡ; ἀκριδῶς εἴποι; → ἀκριβῶς εἴποι;; ἀνεξπαισχύντως → ἀνεπαισχύντως; χτίσιν ἐστὶν, → κτίσιν ἐστὶν,; παραδυδόμενα, → παραδιδόμενα,; διδάσχον → διδάσκον; διδασχόμενα, → διδασκόμενα,; ἀποχαλύπτον → ἀποκαλύπτον; ἀποχαλύψεως → ἀποκαλύψεως; πρρσαγορεῦσαι, → προσαγορεῦσαι,; χαλεῖν ι24); Πνεῦμα → καλεῖν Πνεῦμα; ἡγεμονιχόν → ἡγεμονικόν; τὴς μονάδος → τῆς μονάδος; λόγας, ἕνα → λόγος, ἕνα; Ἴ. Κομίζουσι → Κομίζουσι; χτίσμα εἰρῆσθαι → κτίσμα εἰρῆσθαι; ἐχ τοῦ προφήτου → ἐκ τοῦ προφήτου; Ὁ στερεῶν → στερεῶν; αὖεἰν. τοῦ ἐγένετο. → αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο.; προφητιχὸν → προφητικὸν; Α 66]10 : Οπιπία μὲν → μὲν; χοινὴν ταύτην → κοινὴν ταύτην; ἐχεῖθεν. → ἐκεῖθεν.; Ὁ χτίσας πνεῦμα, → κτίσας πνεῦμα,; Ὁ κτίζων → κτίζων; πγεῦμωα. → πνεῦμα.; τινέ ἐστι → τινί ἐστι; σωματιχῇ → σωματικῇ; φόθῳ τῶν → φόβῳ τῶν; πέφυχεν, → πέφυκεν,; δίχην ποταμοῦ → δίκην ποταμοῦ; χινουμένου, → κινουμένου,; οἱχονομοῦντος → οἰκονομοῦντος; χτίσεως, → κτίσεως,; ἔχ τε βροντῶν → ἔκ τε βροντῶν; αἰχίι, Θυἱ ογθανῖι βρί γἰίυ τι, 564, Οὐ ογφαί Ὃ → Ὃ; χτίζων πνεῦμα, → κτίζων πνεῦμα,; φη- Β Ροδίφυλπι ἀἰχὶ! : Οἱ βγπιαί ἰοπίίτμαπι εἰ ἐτεαί ερὶσἰν: Καὶ → φησί Καὶ; ἀγθρώποις → ἀνθρώποις; χινήσεις, → κινήσεις,; ἀναχηρύττουσι. → ἀνακηρύττουσι.; ἐδόχει τοῖς → ἐδόκει τοῖς; ἀχούσασιν → ἀκούσασιν; ἀφῆχεν ὁ → ἀφῆκεν ὁ; χοπάσαντα → κοπάσαντα; Κυρίον, σαφῶς → Κυρίου, σαφῶς; χτι- ρ στὸν εἶναι → κτιστὸν εἶναι; συναριθμουμένου → συναριθμούμενον; μοναδιχῇς → μοναδικῆς; συμπαραλαμθάνεσθαι → συμπαραλαμβάνεσθαι; χτίσμα εἶναι → κτίσμα εἶναι; Εὐσεξοῦς → Εὐσεβοῦς; Τραφαὶς εὐλαδεῖσθαι → Γραφαὶς εὐλαβεῖσθαι; ἀχριδῇ χαπάληψιν → ἀκριβῇ κατάληψιν; ἀποχεῖσθαι → ἀποκεῖσθαι; διαθάντες → διαβάντες; τυ8. δυΐοπὶ αυΐ δχείιιϊ βυηῖ, δὲ πῆᾶγθ φυοπιοάο φαΐ 5ἰηρυ!ατίθ. οὐ) υδι απ ἠδίυΓα δῖ, 08 τὴν → τὴν; ἀξιω- [) ουἱὶ. θῶμεν. Εἀϊιϊ ἀξιωθῶμεν, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, μεθ᾽ οὗ δόξα τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰ; τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώἐν τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἱ 4 564 10 ΟΠιη 8, Καὶ κατὰ Εὐγομίου ἀπορίαι καὶ 1ύσεις ἐκ τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, εἰς τὰ ἀντιλεγόμενα περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐν τῇ Καιγῇ καὶ Παϊλαιᾷ Διαθήκῃ, → ἀξιωθῶμεν..

Topics: Trinity, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Basil, Eun. 3.6 (PG 29:666; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-contra-eunomium/3-1/#p-3-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; chapters renumbered to Garnier's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 122 (Against Eunomius).