Sermons to the People 56.1–56.19
Latin text: PL 38 (Latin text: Migne, PL 38, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: NPNF 1/6: Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (R. G. MacMullen, ed., 1888).
Chapter 56
56.1PL 38:265
Beatus Apostolus tempora ista, quando futurum erat ut omnes gentes in Deum crederent, prænuntiata ostendens fuisse a Prophetis, hoc testimonium posuit quod scriptum est, Et erit: omnis homo qui invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit. Antea enim apud solos Israelitas invocabatur nomen Domini, qui fecit cœlum et terram: ceteræ gentes idola muta et surda invocabant, a quibus non audiebantur; aut dæmones, a quibus malo suo audiebantur. At ubi venit plenitudo temporis, impletur quod prædictum est, Et erit: omnis qui invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit. Deinde quia invidebant ipsi Judæi Gentibus Evangelium, etiam illi qui crediderunt in Christum, et dicebant non debere annuntiari Evangelium Christi eis qui circumcisi non fuissent; quia contra istos posuit hoc testimonium apostolus Paulus, Et erit: omnis quicumque invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit: subjunxit statim ad illos convincendos, qui nolebant evangelizari Gentibus, et ait, Quomodo autem invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt? aut quomodo credent, quem non audierunt? Quomodo autem audient sine prædicante? aut quomodo prædicabunt, si non mittantur? Quia ergo dixit, Quomodo invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt: ideo non accepistis prius orationem, et postea symbolum; sed prius symbolum ubi sciretis quid crederetis, et postea orationem, ubi nossetis quem invocaretis. Symbolum ergo pertinet ad fidem, oratio ad precem: quia qui credit, ipse exauditur invocans.
The blessed Apostle, showing that these times, when all nations were to believe in God, had been foretold by the prophets, set down the testimony where it is written: “And it will be that every man who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” For formerly the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth was called upon only among the Israelites; the other nations called upon mute and deaf idols, by which they were not heard, or upon demons, by which they were heard to their own harm. But when the fullness of time came, what had been foretold was fulfilled: “And it will be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Then, because the Jews themselves, even those who believed in Christ, begrudged the Gospel to the Gentiles and said that the Gospel of Christ ought not to be proclaimed to those who had not been circumcised, and because it was against them that the apostle Paul set down this testimony, “And it will be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” he immediately added, to convince those who did not want the Gospel preached to the Gentiles: “But how will they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how will they believe him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without someone preaching? Or how will they preach unless they are sent?” Because, then, he said, “How will they call on him in whom they have not believed?”, you did not receive the Prayer first and the Creed afterwards, but the Creed first, where you would know what to believe, and the Prayer afterwards, where you would know whom to call upon. The Creed belongs to faith, the Prayer to petition; for it is the one who believes who is heard when he calls.
Joel 2:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 10:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 10:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 10:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 4:4 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Augustine explains to the candidates for baptism why they received the Creed before the Lord’s Prayer: one must believe before one can call on God.
- “Every man who calls …”: Joel 2:32 (Hebrew 3:5), quoted in Rom 10:13. “How will they call …”: Rom 10:14–15. “The fullness of time”: Gal 4:4. The Competentes were candidates enrolled for baptism at Easter, to whom the Creed and then the Lord’s Prayer were formally handed over and explained. The digital text’s clauditur (“is shut in”) at the end is a slip for exauditur (“is heard”). Statements about Jewish believers follow Acts and Galatians and are translated as written. A heading by Migne (“The Creed and the Prayer handed over to Christians”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6 (Sermon 6 there).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): crcderent → crederent; scriptum cst, → scriptum est,; Et crit: → Et erit:; homo qni invocaverit → homo qui invocaverit; Antra → Antea; c:cteræ → ceteræ; muta ct surda → muta et surda; iuvocahant → invocabant; nuL dæmones → aut dæmones; temporis. impletur → temporis, impletur; omnis qni invocaverit → omnis qui invocaverit; Dciude → Deinde; Juda i → Judæi; dicebant nou debere → dicebant non debere; annuniiiri → annuntiari; conlra → contra; salvus crit: → salvus erit:; suhjunxiL → subjunxit; nolcbant → nolebant; Gentibus, ct ait, → Gentibus, et ait,; uudierunt → audierunt; idco → ideo; orationem, ct postea → orationem, et postea; symhotum → symbolum; scirctis → sciretis; orationcm → orationem; invoearetis → invocaretis; clauditur → exauditur.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.1 (PL 38:265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.2PL 38:265
Multi autem petunt quod petere non deberent, ignorantes quid eis expediat. Duas ergo res, qui invocat, cavere debet: ne petat quod non debet, et ne ab illo petat a quo non debet. A diabolo, ab idolis, a dæmonibus non est petendum aliquid: a Domino Deo nostro Jesu Christo, Deo Patre Prophetarum, Apostolorum et martyrum, a Patre Domini nostri Jesu Christi, a Deo qui fecit coelum et terram, mare et omnia quæ in eis sunt, ab illo petendum est, si quid petendum est. Sed cavendum est, ne et ab illo petatur quod petere non debemus. Vitam humanam quia petere debemus, si petas ab idolis surdis et mutis, quid tibi prodest? Item a Deo Patre, qui est in cælis, si optas mortem inimicorum tuorum, quid tibi prodest? Non audisti vel legisti in Psalmo, in quo prædictus est damnabilis traditor Judas quomodo prophetia dixit de illo, Oratio ejus fiat illi in peccatum? Si ergo surgis et oras mala inimicis tuis, oratio tua fiet in peccatum.
But many ask for what they ought not to ask, not knowing what is good for them. So the one who calls on God must beware of two things: not to ask for what he ought not, and not to ask it from one from whom he ought not. Nothing is to be asked from the devil, from idols, from demons. From the Lord our God Jesus Christ, from God the Father of the prophets, the apostles, and the martyrs, from the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, from him we must ask, if anything is to be asked. But we must beware of asking even from him what we ought not to ask. Since we ought to ask for human life, if you ask it from deaf and mute idols, what good does it do you? Again, if you wish from God the Father who is in heaven for the death of your enemies, what good does it do you? Have you not heard or read in the psalm in which the damnable traitor Judas was foretold, how the prophecy said of him, “Let his prayer become sin”? If, then, you get up and pray for evils on your enemies, your prayer will become sin.
Acts 4:24 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 109:7 (108:7 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:26 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: In prayer one must ask from the right one, God, and ask for the right things, never for harm to enemies, for such prayer becomes sin.
- “Who made heaven and earth …”: Acts 4:24 (compare Ps 146:6). “Let his prayer become sin”: Ps 109:7 (Vulgate 108:7), which Augustine reads of Judas (compare Acts 1:20). A heading by Migne (“Two things to beware of in calling on God”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): pctunt qnod → petunt quod; quid cis expediat. → quid eis expediat.; dehct → debet; pclat → petat; non cst petendum → non est petendum; Christo, Dco Patre → Christo, Deo Patre; Apostolorum ct martyrum, → Apostolorum et martyrum,; Domnini → Domini; Jcsu Chriti → Jesu Christi; fccit → fecit; marc ct omnia → mare et omnia; in cis sunt, → in eis sunt,; mulis → mutis; libi → tibi; Itcm → Item; qui cst in → qui est in; inimicarum → inimicorum; faet → fiet.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.2 (PL 38:265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.3PL 38:265
In Psalmis sanctis legistis, veluti multa imprecari mala inimicis suis, eum qui loquitur in Psalmis. Et utique, ait aliquis, qui loquitur in Psalmis, justus est: quare tam mala optat inimicis suis? Non optat, sed prævidet: prophetia est prænuntiantis, non votum male dicentis. In spiritu enim illi noverant quibus habebat evenire male, quibus bene: et per prophetiam dicebant, tanquam optarent quod prævidebant. Tu autem unde scis, ne melior te futurus sit, cui hodie male petis? Sed scio illum malignum, dicis. Et te scis malignum. Quamvis forte audeas et de corde alterius judicare quod nescis: sed et te scis malignum. Non audis Apostolum dicentem, Qui prius fui blasphemus, et persecutor, et injuriosus; sed misericordiam consecutus sum, quia ignorans feci in incredulitate? Quando Paulus apostolus persequebatur Christianos, ligans ubi inveniebat, audiendos ad sacerdotes et puniendos attrahebat; quid putatis, fratres, Ecclesia contra illum orabat, an pro illo? Utique Ecclesia Dei, quæ didicerat a Domino suo, qui pendens in cruce dixit, Pater, ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt, talia precabatur pro Paulo, imo adhuc pro Saulo, ut hoc in illo fieret, quod et factum est. Nam quia dicit, Eram autem ignotus facie Ecclesiis Judææ quæ sunt in Christo; tantum autem audiebant quia ille qui aliquando nos persequebatur, nunc evangelizat fidem quam aliquando vastabat, et in me magnificabant Deum: quare magnificabant Deum, nisi quia antequam esset factum, rogabant Deum?
In the holy Psalms you have read that the one who speaks in the Psalms seems to call down many evils on his enemies. And surely, someone says, the one who speaks in the Psalms is righteous: why does he wish such evils on his enemies? He does not wish them; he foresees them. It is the prophecy of one foretelling, not the vow of one cursing. For in the Spirit they knew to whom evil was going to happen and to whom good; and through prophecy they spoke as if they wished what they foresaw. But you, how do you know that the one for whom you pray evil today will not be better than you? “But I know he is malicious,” you say. And you know that you are malicious. Perhaps you even dare to judge what you do not know about another’s heart; but you know that you yourself are malicious. Do you not hear the Apostle saying, “I, who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent; but I obtained mercy, because I acted in ignorance in unbelief”? When the apostle Paul was persecuting the Christians, binding them wherever he found them and dragging them to the priests to be tried and punished, what do you think, brothers: was the Church praying against him or for him? Surely the Church of God, which had learned from its Lord, who said as he hung on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do,” prayed for Paul, or rather still for Saul, that what was in fact done might be done in him. For when he says, “I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only heard that he who once persecuted us now preaches the faith he once ravaged; and they glorified God in me,” why did they glorify God, unless because before it happened they had been asking God for it?
1 Tim 1:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 9:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 23:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:24 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The curses in the Psalms are prophecies, not wishes; we must pray for our enemies, as the Church prayed for the persecutor Saul until he became Paul.
- “I, who was formerly a blasphemer …”: 1 Tim 1:13. Paul’s persecution: Acts 9:1–2. “Father, forgive them …”: Luke 23:34. “I was unknown by face …”: Gal 1:22–24. A heading by Migne (“Evil is not to be wished on the wicked, but prayer made that they become good”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): vcluti → veluti; cum qui loquitur → eum qui loquitur; loquitur iu Psalmis, → loquitur in Psalmis,; ist prænumtiantis → est prænuntiantis; cnim → enim; diccbant → dicebant; scis, nc melior → scis, ne melior; I'etis → petis; malignum 1. → malignum.; audeas ct de → audeas et de; Inalignum → malignum; miscricordiam → misericordiam; invenicbat → inveniebat; Utiquc → Utique; didiccrat → didicerat; ille qni aliquando → ille qui aliquando; magnilicabant → magnificabant.
Topics: Prayer, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.3 (PL 38:265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.4PL 38:265–266
Dominus ergo noster primo amputavit multiloquium, ne multa verba afferas ad Deum, quasi velis multis verbis docere Deum. Quando ergo rogas, pietate opus est, non verbositate. Scit enim Pater vester quid vobis necessarium sit, priusquam petatis ab eo. Nolite ergo multum loqui: quia novit quid vobis necessarium sit. Sed ne forte hic aliquis dicat: Si novit quid nobis sit necessarium, utquid vel pauca verba dicimus? utquid oramus? Ipse scit: det quod scit nobis necessarium. Sed ideo voluit ut ores, ut desideranti det, ne vilescat quod dederit; quia et ipsum desiderium ipse insinuavit. Verba ergo quae Dominus noster Jesus Christus in Oratione docuit, forma est desideriorum. Non tibi licet petere aliud, quam quod ibi scriptum est.
Our Lord, then, first cut off wordiness, so that you would not bring many words to God, as if you wanted to teach God with many words. So when you ask, what is needed is devotion, not verbosity. “For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Do not, then, speak at length, because he knows what you need. But lest someone here perhaps say, “If he knows what we need, why do we say even a few words? Why do we pray? He knows: let him give what he knows we need”: he willed that you should pray so that he might give to one who desires, so that what he gives might not be held cheap; for he himself has also instilled that very desire. So the words that our Lord Jesus Christ taught in the Prayer are the pattern of our desires. You are not permitted to ask for anything other than what is written there.
Matt 6:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:8 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Prayer needs devotion, not many words; God knows our needs, but wants us to pray so that we may desire his gifts, and the Lord’s Prayer is the pattern of our desires.
- “Your Father knows …”: Matt 6:8; compare 6:7. A heading by Migne (“Wordiness in prayer to be avoided. The purpose of our prayer. The pattern of desires in the Lord’s Prayer”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): pictatc → pietate; Pater v ster → Pater vester; ab co → ab eo; forlc hie aliquis → forte hic aliquis; panca → pauca; Ipsc → Ipse; del quod → det quod; nccessarium → necessarium; dederit v quia → dederit; quia; dcsideriorum → desideriorum; licct → licet.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.4 (PL 38:265–266; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.5PL 38:266
Vos ergo, inquit, dicite: Pater noster, qui es in cœlis. Ubi vos (videtis) Deum Patrem habere coepistis. Sed habebitis, cum nati fueritis. Quanquam et modo antequam nascamini, illius semine concepti estis, tanquam utero Ecclesiæ in fonte pariendi. Pater noster, qui es in coelis. Mementote, vos Patrem habere in cœlis. Mementote, vos de patre Adam natos in mortem, de Patre Deo regenerandos ad vitam. Quæ et dicitis, in cordibus vestris dicite. Sit orantis affectus, et erit exaudientis effectus. Sanctificetur nomen tuum. Quid rogas ut sanctificetur nomen Dei? Sanctum est. Quid rogas, quod jam sanctum est? Deinde cum rogas ut sanctificetur nomen ipsius, nonne quasi pro illo illum rogas, et non pro te? Intellige, et pro te rogas. Hoc enim rogas, ut quod semper sanctum est in se, sanctificetur in te. Quid est, sanctificetur? Sanctum habeatur, non contemnatur. Ergo vides quia cum optas, tibi bonum optas. Tibi enim malum est si contempseris nomen Dei, non Deo.
“You, then,” he says, “say: Our Father, who are in heaven.” Here you see that you have begun to have God as Father. But you will have him when you have been born. Although even now, before you are born, you have been conceived of his seed, as about to be brought forth in the font, the womb, as it were, of the Church. “Our Father, who are in heaven.” Remember that you have a Father in heaven. Remember that you were born of father Adam to death, and are to be reborn of God the Father to life. And what you say, say in your hearts. Let there be the affection of one who prays, and there will be the effect of one who hears. “Hallowed be your name.” Why do you ask that God’s name be hallowed? It is holy. Why do you ask for what is already holy? Again, when you ask that his name be hallowed, are you not as it were asking him for himself, and not for you? Understand: you are asking for yourself too. For what you ask is this: that what is always holy in itself may be hallowed in you. What does “be hallowed” mean? Be held holy, not despised. So you see that when you wish this, you are wishing good for yourself. For if you despise God’s name, it is bad for you, not for God.
Matt 6:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:5 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The candidates, already conceived in the Church’s womb, will be born of God the Father in baptism; asking that God’s name be hallowed means asking that it be held holy in us.
- “Our Father … hallowed be your name”: Matt 6:9. The font as the Church’s womb: baptism as new birth. A heading by Migne (“The first petition”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): cœlis. Uhi vos → cœlis. Ubi vos; fucritis → fueritis; nasCamini → nascamini; regcnerandos → regenerandos; Quae ct dicitis → Quæ et dicitis; cst'? → est?; Dcinde → Deinde; pro tc? → pro te?; Intellige, ct pro → Intellige, et pro; CUtim → enim; sanclificelur → sanctificetur; hahcatur → habeatur; conlempseris → contempseris.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.5 (PL 38:266; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.6PL 38:266
Veniat regnum tuum. Cui dicimus? Et si non petamus, non est venturum regnum Dei? De illo enim regno dicitur quod erit post finem sæculi. Nam regnum semper habet Deus; et nunquam est sine regno, cui servit universa creatura. Sed quod regnum optas? De quo scriptum est in Evangelio, Venite, benedicti Patris mei, percipite regnum quod vobis paratum est ab initio sæculi. Ecce de quo dicimus, Veniat regnum tuum. Ut in nobis veniat, optamus; ut in illo inveniamur, optamus. Nam ecce veniet: sed quid tibi prodest, si ad sinistram te inveniet? Ergo et hic tibi bene optas, pro te oras. Hoc desideras, hoc cupis orando, ut sic vivas, quomodo ad regnum Dei, quod est omnibus sanctis dandum, pertineas. Ergo, ut bene vivas, tibi oras cum dicis, Veniat regnum tuum. Pertineamus ad regnum tuum: veniat et nobis quod venturum est sanctis et justis tuis.
“Your kingdom come.” To whom do we say this? Even if we do not ask, will God’s kingdom not come? For it is of that kingdom that we speak which will be after the end of the world. For God always has a kingdom, and he is never without a kingdom, he whom the whole creation serves. But what kingdom do you wish for? That of which it is written in the Gospel: “Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.” See, this is the kingdom of which we say, “Your kingdom come.” We wish that it may come in us; we wish that we may be found in it. For see, it will come; but what good is it to you if it finds you on the left? So here too you wish well for yourself; you pray for yourself. This is what you desire, what you long for in praying: that you may live in such a way as to belong to the kingdom of God, which is to be given to all the saints. So when you say, “Your kingdom come,” you are praying for yourself, that you may live well. Let us belong to your kingdom; let what is to come to your saints and righteous ones come to us too.
Matt 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:33 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Praying “Your kingdom come” is asking that we may live so as to be found in God’s coming kingdom on the right hand.
- “Your kingdom come”: Matt 6:10. “Come, blessed of my Father …”: Matt 25:34. A heading by Migne (“The second petition”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Veniat I regnum → Veniat regnum; regnum Dci? → regnum Dei?; nunqnam → nunquam; paratum cat → paratum est; optamus Nam → optamus. Nam.
Topics: Prayer, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.6 (PL 38:266; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.7PL 38:266
Fiat voluntas tua. Si non illud tu dicas, non faciet Deus voluntatem suam? Memento quod in symbolo reddidisti: Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem. Si omnipotens est, cur oras ut fiat voluntas ejus? Quid est ergo, Fiat voluntas tua? Fiat in me, ut non resistam voluntati tuæ. Ergo et hic pro te oras, et non pro Deo. Fiet enim voluntas Dei in te, etsi non fit a te. Nam et quibus dicturus est, Venite, benedicti Patris mei, percipite regnum quod vobis paratum est ab origine mundi, fiet in illis voluntas Dei, ut justi et sancti accipiant regnum: et quibus dicturus est, Ite in ignem æternum, qui paratus est diabolo et angelis ejus; fiet in illis voluntas Dei, ut mali damnentur in ignem sempiternum. Aliud est, ut fiat a te. Ut ergo fiat in te, non sine causa oras, nisi ut bene sit tibi. Sive ergo bene sit tibi, sive male sit tibi, fiet in te: sed fiat et a te. Quare ergo dico, Fiat voluntas tua in cœlo et in terra: et non dico, Fiat voluntas tua a coelo et a terra? Quia quod fit a te, ipse facit in te. Nunquam fit a te, quod non ipse facit in te. Sed aliquando facit in te, quod non fit a te: nunquam autem aliquid fit a te, si non facit in te.
“Your will be done.” If you do not say it, will God not do his will? Remember what you recited in the Creed: “I believe in God the Father almighty.” If he is almighty, why do you pray that his will be done? What, then, does “Your will be done” mean? May it be done in me, so that I do not resist your will. So here too you are praying for yourself, and not for God. For God’s will will be done in you, even if it is not done by you. For both in those to whom he will say, “Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the origin of the world,” God’s will will be done, that the just and holy receive the kingdom; and in those to whom he will say, “Go into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels,” God’s will will be done, that the wicked be condemned to the everlasting fire. That it be done by you is another matter. So it is not without reason that you pray that it be done in you, but so that it may be well with you. For whether it goes well or badly with you, it will be done in you; but may it be done by you too. Why, then, do I say, “Your will be done in heaven and on earth,” and not, “Your will be done by heaven and by earth”? Because what is done by you, he himself does in you. Nothing is ever done by you that he does not himself do in you. Sometimes he does in you what is not done by you; but nothing is ever done by you unless he does it in you.
Matt 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:41 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:13 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God’s almighty will is done in everyone, in reward or condemnation; we pray that it may also be done by us, which he himself works in us.
- “Your will be done”: Matt 6:10. “Come, blessed …” and “Go into the eternal fire …”: Matt 25:34, 41. The candidates had already recited the Creed (“reddidisti”). Augustine’s statement that nothing good is done by us unless God does it in us is translated exactly. A heading by Migne (“The third petition”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): facict → faciet; reddidisti 3: → reddidisti:; esi. cur oras ut liat → est, cur oras ut fiat; in mc, ut non rcsistam → in me, ut non resistam; pro De '. → pro Deo.; mundi. fact in illis voluntas Dci, ut justi et sancti accipiaut → mundi, fiet in illis voluntas Dei, ut justi et sancti accipiant; dicturus cst, → dicturus est,; paratus eat → paratus est; ut liat a te → ut fiat a te; quod nou fit → quod non fit.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.7 (PL 38:266; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.8PL 38:266
Quid est autem, in cœlo et in terra, vel, sicut in coelo et in terra? Faciunt Angeli voluntatem tuam, faciamus et nos. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo et in terra. Mens cœlum est, caro terra est. Quando dicis, si tamen dicis, quod ait Apostolus, Mente servio legi Dei, carne autem legi peccati; fit voluntas Dei in cælo, sed nondum in terra. Cum vero caro menti consenserit, et absorpta fuerit mors in victoriam, ut nulla desideria carnalia remaneant cum quibus mens confligat; cum transierit rixa in terra, cum transierit bellum cordis, cum transierit quod dictum est, Caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, et spiritus adversus carnem; hæc enim invicem adversantur, ut non ea quæ vultis faciatis: cum ergo hoc bellum transierit, omnisque concupiscentia in charitatem fuerit commutata, nihil in corpore remanebit quod spiritui resistat, nihil quod dometur, nihil quod frenetur, nihil quod calcetur; sed totum per concordiam perget ad justitiam; fiet voluntas Dei in caelo et in terra. Fiat voluntas tua in cœlo et in terra. Perfectionem optamus, quando hoc oramus. Item, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cœlo, et in terra. In Ecclesia spirituales cœlum sunt, carnales terra sunt. Fiat ergo voluntas tua, sicut in cœlo et in terra: ut quomodo tibi serviunt spirituales, sic tibi mutati in melius serviant et carnales. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cœlo et in terra. Est et alius sensus pius valde. Moniti enim sumus orare pro inimicis nostris. Ecclesia, coelum est: inimici Ecclesiæ, terra sunt. Quid est ergo, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra? Credant inimici nostri, quomodo et nos in te credimus: fiant amici, finiant inimicitias. Terra sunt, ideo nobis adversantur: coelum fiant, et nobiscum erunt.
But what does “in heaven and on earth” mean, or “as in heaven, so on earth”? The angels do your will; let us do it too. “Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” The mind is heaven, the flesh is earth. When you say, if you do say it, what the Apostle says, “With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin,” God’s will is done in heaven, but not yet on earth. But when the flesh has come into agreement with the mind, and death has been swallowed up in victory, so that no carnal desires remain for the mind to struggle against; when the quarrel on earth has passed, when the war of the heart has passed, when what is said has passed, “The flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you will”; when, then, this war has passed and all concupiscence has been changed into love, nothing will remain in the body to resist the spirit, nothing to be tamed, nothing to be bridled, nothing to be trampled; but the whole will go forward in concord to justice; and God’s will will be done in heaven and on earth. “Your will be done in heaven and on earth.” We wish for perfection when we pray this. Again: “Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” In the Church the spiritual are heaven, the carnal are earth. “Your will be done, then, as in heaven, so on earth”: that as the spiritual serve you, so the carnal too, changed for the better, may serve you. “Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” There is also another very devout sense. For we have been told to pray for our enemies. The Church is heaven; the enemies of the Church are earth. What, then, does “Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth” mean? May our enemies believe, as we too believe in you; may they become friends, may they end their enmities. They are earth, and so they oppose us; may they become heaven, and they will be with us.
Matt 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:54 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:44 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: “As in heaven, so on earth” can mean the mind and the flesh, the spiritual and the carnal in the Church, or the Church and its enemies, for whom we pray.
- “Your will be done …”: Matt 6:10. “With the mind I serve …”: Rom 7:25. “Death swallowed up in victory”: 1 Cor 15:54. “The flesh lusts against the spirit …”: Gal 5:17. Praying for enemies: Matt 5:44. A heading by Migne (“On the same petition”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne’s Scripture reference printed in the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Quid cSt autem, → Quid est autem,; ( Rom. VII, 25) → ; tit voluntas → fit voluntas; tcrra → terra; des! - deria → desideria; ( Galat. v, 17) → ; commutala,nihil → commutata, nihil; carnalcs → carnales; mimicis → inimicis; Ecclesirr → Ecclesiæ.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.8 (PL 38:266; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.9PL 38:266–267
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Et hic jam manifestum est quod pro nobis oramus. Quando dicis, Sanctificetur nomen tuum; exponendum est tibi quia pro te oras, non pro Deo. Quando dicis, Fiat voluntas tua, et hoc exponendum tibi est, ne putes quod Deo bene optas, ut fiat voluntas ipsius, et non potius pro te oras. Quando dicis, Veniat regnum tuum; et hoc exponendum est, ne putes quia Deo bene optas, ut regnet. Ab isto autem loco et deinceps usque in finem Orationis, apparet quia pro nobis rogamus Deum. Quando dicis, Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, profiteris te mendicum Dei. Sed noli erubescere: quantumlibet quis sit dives in terra, mendicus Dei est. Stat mendicus ante domum divitis: sed et ipse dives stat ante domum magni divitis. Petitur ab illo, et petit. Si non egeret, aures Dei oratione non pulsaret. Et quid eget dives? Audeo dicere, ipso pane quotidiano eget dives. Quare enim abundant illi omnia? unde, nisi quia Deus dedit? Quid habebit, si Deus subtrahat manum suam? Nonne multi dormierunt divites, et surrexerunt pauperes? Et quod illi non deest, misericordiæ Dei est, non potentiae ipsius.
“Give us this day our daily bread.” Here it is now plain that we are praying for ourselves. When you say, “Hallowed be your name,” it has to be explained to you that you are praying for yourself, not for God. When you say, “Your will be done,” this too has to be explained, so that you do not think you are wishing God well, that his will be done, rather than praying for yourself. When you say, “Your kingdom come,” this too has to be explained, so that you do not think you are wishing God well, that he may reign. But from this point to the end of the Prayer it is clear that we are asking God for ourselves. When you say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” you profess yourself God’s beggar. But do not be ashamed: however rich anyone is on earth, he is God’s beggar. The beggar stands before the rich man’s house; but the rich man himself stands before the house of the great Rich One. He is asked, and he asks. If he were not in need, he would not knock at God’s ears in prayer. And what does the rich man need? I dare to say: the rich man needs daily bread itself. For why does he have abundance of everything? From where, except that God gave it? What will he have if God withdraws his hand? Have not many gone to sleep rich and woken up poor? And that he does not lack is due to God’s mercy, not to his own power.
Matt 6:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:10 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: From the fourth petition on we plainly pray for ourselves; asking for daily bread makes everyone, even the rich, God’s beggar.
- “Give us this day …”: Matt 6:11. A heading by Migne left at the start of the section in the digital text (“We are all God’s beggars”) is removed; another (“The fourth petition”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne’s marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Omnes sumus mendici Dei.- Panem → Panem; nohis → nobis; hicjam → hic jam; pro Dev. → pro Deo.; dicis. tiat → dicis, Fiat; pules → putes; domnm → domum; egcrel, aurcs → egeret, aures; Audco → Audeo.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.9 (PL 38:266–267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.10PL 38:267
Sed istum panem, charissimi, quo venter impletur, quo caro quotidie reficitur; istum ergo panem videtis Deum dare, non solum laudatoribus suis, sed etiam blasphematoribus: qui facit solem suum oriri super bonos et malos, et pluit super justos et injustos. Laudas, pascit te: blasphemas, pascit te. Ut pœnitentiam agas, exspectat te: sed si non te mutaveris, damnat te. Quia ergo panem istum accipiunt a Deo et boni et mali, putas non est aliquis panis quem petunt filii, de quo dicebat Dominus in Evangelio, Non est bonum tollere panem filiorum, et mittere canibus? Est plane. Quis est iste panis? et quare dicitur quotidianus? Et iste necessarius est: etenim sine illo vivere non possumus; sine pane non possumus. Impudentia est ut a Deo petas divitias: non est impudentia ut petas panem quotidianum. Aliud est unde superbias, aliud est unde vivas. Tamen quia iste panis visibilis et tractabilis datur et bonis et malis; est panis quotidianus quem petunt filii. Ipse est sermo Dei, qui nobis quotidie erogatur. Panis noster quotidianus est: inde vivunt non ventres, sed mentes. Necessarius est nobis etiam nunc operariis in vinea; cibus est, non merces. Operario enim duas res debet, qui illum conducit ad vineam, cibum, ne deficiat; et mercedem, unde gaudeat. Cibus noster quotidianus in hac terra, sermo Dei est, qui semper erogatur Ecclesiis: merces nostra post laborem vita æterna nominatur. Iterum in isto pane nostro quotidiano si intelligas quod fideles accipiunt, quod accepturi estis baptizati; bene rogamus et dicimus, Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie: ut sic vivamus, ne ab illo altari separemur.
But this bread, dearly beloved, by which the belly is filled and the flesh refreshed day by day: you see that God gives this bread not only to those who praise him but also to those who blaspheme, he “who makes his sun rise on the good and the bad, and rains on the just and the unjust.” You praise him, he feeds you; you blaspheme, he feeds you. He waits for you to repent; but if you do not change, he condemns you. Since, then, both the good and the bad receive this bread from God, do you think there is no bread that the children ask for, of which the Lord said in the Gospel, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs”? Certainly there is. What is this bread? And why is it called daily? This too is necessary; for without it we cannot live, just as we cannot live without bread. It is shameless to ask God for riches; it is not shameless to ask for daily bread. What you might be proud of is one thing; what you live on is another. Still, because this visible and tangible bread is given to the good and the bad, there is a daily bread that the children ask for. It is the word of God, which is dealt out to us daily. It is our daily bread: by it not bellies but minds live. It is necessary to us even now as laborers in the vineyard; it is food, not wages. For the one who hires a laborer for the vineyard owes him two things: food, so that he does not faint, and wages, in which he may rejoice. Our daily food in this land is the word of God, which is always being dealt out to the churches; our wages after the labor are called eternal life. Again, if by this daily bread of ours you understand what the faithful receive, what you will receive when you have been baptized, we rightly ask and say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” so that we may live in such a way as not to be separated from that altar.
Matt 5:45 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 15:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 20:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 6:11 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Bodily bread God gives to good and bad alike; the children’s daily bread is the word of God, and also the eucharist the baptized receive, from whose altar we pray not to be separated.
- “Who makes his sun rise …”: Matt 5:45. “It is not good to take the children’s bread …”: Matt 15:26. Laborers in the vineyard: Matt 20:1–2. “What the faithful receive” is the eucharist, which the candidates would receive after baptism; separation from the altar refers to exclusion from communion for grave sin. A heading by Migne (“Daily bread, the word of God. The eucharist”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Deuin → Deum; supcr bonos ei malus → super bonos et malos; eat bonum → est bonum; sinc → sine; a Dco petas → a Deo petas; uude → unde; quolidianus → quotidianus; venIres → ventres; illuin → illum; separcmur → separemur.
Topics: Eucharist, Prayer, Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.10 (PL 38:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.11PL 38:267
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ista petitio non est exponenda quia pro nobis petimus. Nobis enim debita dimitti postulamus. Debitores enim sumus, non pecuniarum, sed peccatorum. Dicis modo forte; Et vos? Respondemus: Et nos. Et vos, episcopi sancti, debitores estis? Et nos debitores sumus. Et vos? Absit, domine, noli tibi facere injuriam. Non injuriam mihi facio, sed verum dico: debitores sumus. Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Et baptizati sumus, et debitores sumus. Non quia aliquid remansit quod nobis in Baptismo non dimissum fuerit: sed quia vivendo contrahimus quod quotidie dimittatur. Qui baptizantur et exeunt, sine debito ascendunt, sine debito pergunt. Qui autem baptizantur et tenentur in hac vita, de fragilitate mortali contrahunt aliquid, unde etsi non naufragatur, tamen oportet ut sentinetur. Quia si non sentinamus, paulatim ingreditur unde tota navis mergatur. Et hoc orare, sentinare est. Non tantum autem debemus orare, sed et eleemosynam facere: quia quando sentinatur ne navis mergatur, et vocibus agitur et manibus. Vocibus agimus, cum dicimus, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Manibus autem agimus, cum facimus, Frange esurienti panem tuum, et egenum sine tecto induc in domum tuam. Include eleemosynam in corde pauperis, et ipsa pro te exorabit ad Dominum.
“And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” This petition needs no explanation that we are asking for ourselves. For we are asking that our debts be forgiven us. For we are debtors, not of money but of sins. Perhaps you say now: “And you too?” We answer: “We too.” “You too, holy bishops, are you debtors?” We too are debtors. “You too? Far be it, my lord; do not wrong yourself.” I do not wrong myself; I speak the truth: we are debtors. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” We have been baptized, and we are debtors. Not because anything remained that was not forgiven us in baptism, but because in living we contract what must be forgiven daily. Those who are baptized and depart this life go up without debt, go on without debt. But those who are baptized and are kept in this life contract something from mortal frailty, so that, even if there is no shipwreck, the bilge still has to be pumped. For if we do not pump it, little by little there seeps in enough to sink the whole ship. And to pray this is to pump the bilge. But we ought not only to pray but also to give alms; for when the bilge is pumped so that the ship does not sink, the work is done with voices and with hands. We work with our voices when we say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” We work with our hands when we do this: “Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house.” “Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it will pray for you to the Lord.”
Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 1:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:7 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Even the baptized, bishops included, incur daily sins; the Lord’s Prayer and almsgiving are like pumping the bilge, so that small sins do not sink the ship.
- “Forgive us our debts …”: Matt 6:12. “If we say that we have no sin …”: 1 John 1:8. “Break your bread …”: Isa 58:7. “Shut up alms …”: Sir 29:12 (Vulgate 29:15). Augustine’s teaching that baptism forgives all sins, while daily sins are forgiven through the Lord’s Prayer and alms, is translated exactly. A heading by Migne left at the start of the section in the digital text (“Here we are all debtors. The daily sins of the baptized”) is removed; another (“The fifth petition”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne’s marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Omnes hic sumus debitores. Peccata quotidiana baptizatorum. - Et dimitte → Et dimitte; demitli → dimitti; Dcbilores → Debitores; inodo → modo; Responde mus → Respondemus; sancii, debitorcs esti,? → sancti, debitores estis?; habemus, noa ipsos → habemus, nos ipsos; nobia → nobis; sumus, ct debitores → sumus, et debitores; mOl'tali → mortali; seminetur → sentinetur; Qnia si non sentimur → Quia si non sentinamus; orare 1, → orare,; autern → autem; cleemosynam → eleemosynam; elecmosynam → eleemosynam.
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 29:12 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.11 (PL 38:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-56-11) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.12PL 38:267–268
Dimissis ergo peccatis omnibus per lavacrum regenerationis, in magnas angustias contrusi fuerimus, si non nobis daretur quotidiana mundatio sanctæ orationis. Eleemosynæ et orationes mundant peccata; tantum ne talia committantur, unde necesse sit separari nos a pane quotidiano; vitantes debita, quibus debetur certa et severa damnatio. Nolite vos justos dicere, quasi non habeatis unde dicatis, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Abstinentes ab idololatria, a constellationibus mathematicorum, a remediis incantatorum; abstinentes a deceptionibus hæreticorum, a conscissionibus schismaticorum; abstinentes ab homicidiis, ab adulteriis et fornicationibus, a furtis et rapinis, a falsis testimoniis; et si qua forte alia, non dico quæ exitiales exitus habent, unde necesse sit præcidi ab altari, et ligari in terra ut ligetur in cælo, valde periculose et mortifere, nisi solvatur in terra quod solvatur in caelo: istis ergo exceptis, non deest unde homo peccet. Quod non oportet videndo libenter, peccat. Et quis teneat oculi velocitatem? Quandoquidem dicitur oculus inde accepisse nomen, a velocitate. Quis teneat aurem vel oculum? Oculi, cum volueris, claudi possunt, et cito clauduntur: aures cum conatu claudis, manum levas, pervenis ad illas: et si tibi aliquis manus teneat, patent; nec potes eas claudere adversus verba maledica, impura, blandientia et decipientia. Cum aliquid, quod non oportet, audieris, etsi non feceris, nonne aure peccas? Audis mali aliquid libenter. Lingua mortifera quanta peccata committit? Aliquando talia, quibus homo ab altari separetur. Ad illam pertinet materies blasphemiarum: et multa etiam inania dicuntur, quæ ad rem non pertinent. Nihil mali faciat manus; non currat pes ad aliquid mali; non dirigatur oculus in lasciviam; non auris libenter pateat turpitudini; non moveatur lingua ad id quod non decet: dic, cogitationes quis tenet? Fratres mei, plerumque oramus, et aliunde cogitamus, quasi obliti ante quem stemus, aut ante quem proni jaceamus. Ista omnia si colligantur contra nos, num ideo non premunt, quia minuta sunt? Quid interest, utrum te plumbum premat, an arena? Plumbum una massa est, arena minuta grana sunt, sed copia te premunt. Minuta sunt peccata: non vides de guttis minutis flumina impleri, et fundos trahi? Minuta sunt, sed multa sunt.
So, though all our sins have been forgiven through the bath of regeneration, we would be driven into great straits if the daily cleansing of the holy Prayer were not given us. Alms and prayers cleanse sins; only let such sins not be committed for which we must be separated from the daily bread: let us avoid the debts to which a certain and severe condemnation is due. Do not call yourselves righteous, as if you had no reason to say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” You may abstain from idolatry, from the star-readings of astrologers, from the remedies of enchanters; abstain from the deceptions of heretics, from the divisions of schismatics; abstain from murders, from adulteries and fornications, from thefts and robberies, from false testimonies; and from any others, if there are any, which I do not name, that have deadly outcomes, for which one must be cut off from the altar and bound on earth so as to be bound in heaven, very dangerously and to the point of death, unless he is loosed on earth so as to be loosed in heaven: even with these excepted, there is no lack of ways in which a man may sin. He sins by looking with pleasure at what he ought not. And who can hold back the swiftness of the eye? Indeed, the eye (oculus) is said to have got its name from swiftness. Who can hold back the ear or the eye? The eyes can be shut when you wish, and are shut quickly; the ears you shut with effort: you raise your hand and reach them; and if someone holds your hands, they stay open, and you cannot shut them against words that are abusive, impure, flattering, and deceiving. When you hear something you ought not to hear, even if you do not do it, do you not sin with the ear? You hear something bad with pleasure. How many sins does the deadly tongue commit! Sometimes such that a man is separated from the altar for them. To it belongs the whole matter of blasphemies; and many empty things too are said that are beside the point. Let the hand do nothing evil; let the foot not run to anything evil; let the eye not be turned to lewdness; let the ear not lie open with pleasure to filth; let the tongue not move to what is unfitting: tell me, who holds back the thoughts? My brothers, we often pray and think of something else, as if we had forgotten before whom we stand or before whom we lie prostrate. If all these are gathered against us, do they not crush us because they are small? What difference does it make whether lead crushes you or sand? Lead is one mass, sand is tiny grains, but in their quantity they crush you. Sins are small: do you not see rivers filled and lands swept away by tiny drops? They are small, but they are many.
Titus 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 16:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 18:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:11 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Besides grave sins that exclude from the altar, countless small sins of eye, ear, tongue, and thought accumulate like sand, so the daily cleansing of the Lord’s Prayer is needed by all.
- “The bath of regeneration”: Titus 3:5. Bound and loosed on earth and in heaven: Matt 16:19; 18:18. The grave sins listed are those for which a person was excluded from communion and placed under public penance. Augustine’s derivation of oculus from velocitas (“swiftness”) is a traditional etymology. The asterisk in the digital text after “astrologers” is a footnote mark, removed. A heading by Migne (“The cleansing of daily sins. Small sins not to be despised, because they are many”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Elecmosynæ et orationcs → Eleemosynæ et orationes; mathematicorum *, → mathematicorum,; quai → quæ; Iigari → ligari; periculose ct mortifere, → periculose et mortifere,; Quandoquidcm → Quandoquidem; possunt, ct cito → possunt, et cito; pen'eDis → pervenis; patent; nee potes → patent; nec potes; mortifcra → mortifera; commitit → committit; blasphemiarum: ct multa → blasphemiarum: et multa; inmia → inania; dirigntur → dirigatur; lascivinm → lasciviam; nonauris → non auris; tenct → tenet; oblui aute quem stemus, ani aute quem proni jaccainus → obliti ante quem stemus, aut ante quem proni jaceamus; idco → ideo; sant → sunt; massa csl, → massa est,; suif → sunt; peccata: uon vides → peccata: non vides; impleri, ct fundos → impleri, et fundos.
Topics: Prayer, Ethics, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.12 (PL 38:267–268; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.13PL 38:268
Quotidie ergo dicamus; et corde vero dicamus, et quod dicimus faciamus: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Sponsionem facimus cum Deo, pactum et placitum. Hoc tibi dicit Dominus Deus tuus: Dimitte, et dimitto. Non dimisisti: tu contra te tenes, non ego. Sane, charissimi filii mei, quoniam scio quid vobis expediat in oratione dominica, et maxime in tota oratione ista sententia, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; audite me. Baptizandi estis, omnia dimittite: quisque quod habet adversus aliquem in corde suo, dimittat ex corde. Sic intrate, et certi estote omnia prorsus vobis dimitti quae contraxistis, et ex parentibus nascendo secundum Adam cum originali peccato, propter quod peccatum cum parvulis curritis ad gratiam Salvatoris, et quidquid vivendo addidistis, dictis, factis, cogitationibus, omnia dimittuntur: et exibitis inde tanquam a conspectu Domini vestri, cum securitate omnium debitorum.
So let us say every day, and say with a true heart, and do what we say: “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” We make a pledge with God, a pact and an agreement. The Lord your God says this to you: “Forgive, and I forgive. You have not forgiven: you hold your sins against yourself, not I.” Truly, my dearest children, since I know what is good for you in the Lord’s Prayer, and above all in this sentence of the whole Prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,” listen to me. You are about to be baptized: forgive everything. Whatever anyone has in his heart against anyone, let him forgive it from the heart. Enter in this way, and be certain that absolutely everything you have contracted is forgiven you, both what you contracted by being born of your parents according to Adam, with original sin (because of which sin you run with the little ones to the grace of the Savior), and whatever you have added in living, by words, deeds, and thoughts: all are forgiven. And you will come out from there as if from the presence of your Lord, secure from all debts.
Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:35 (echo, medium confidence) · Rom 5:12 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The petition is a pact with God; the candidates must forgive everyone from the heart before baptism, in which all their sins, original and personal, will be forgiven.
- “Forgive us our debts …”: Matt 6:12. Augustine’s teaching on original sin and infant baptism (“you run with the little ones to the grace of the Savior”) is translated exactly. A heading by Migne (“The pact of forgiving debts”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): non cgo. → non ego.; habel → habet; elibitis → exibitis.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.13 (PL 38:268; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.14PL 38:268
Jam propter illa quotidiana peccata, de quibus locutus sum, quia necessarium est vobis dicere, velut quotidiana mundatione ista, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; quid facietis? Habetis inimicos: Quis enim vivat in hac terra non habens inimicum? Intendite vobis, diligite illos. Nullo modo tibi potest nocere sæviens inimicus, quantum tibi noces, si non diligis inimicum. Ille enim nocere potest aut villæ tuæ, aut pecori tuo, aut domui tuæ, aut servo tuo, aut ancillæ tuae, aut filio tuo, aut conjugi tuæ; aut, ut multum, si illi data fuerit potestas, carni tuæ? Numquid, quomodo tu, animæ tuæ? Extendite vos ad istam perfectionem, charissimi, exhortor vos. Sed numquid ego illud donavi vobis? Ille vobis donavit, cui dicitis, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cælo, ita et in terra. Tamen non vobis videatur impossibile: ego scio, ego novi, ego probavi esse homines christianos, qui diligunt inimicos suos. Si vobis impossibile visum fuerit, non faciatis. Primo credite posse fieri: et orate, ut fiat in vobis voluntas Dei. Quid enim tibi prodest malum inimici tui? Si malum nullum haberet, nec inimicus tuus esset. Bonum illi opta, finiat mala, et non erit tibi inimicus. Non enim inimica est tibi in illo natura humana, sed culpa. Numquid ideo tibi est inimicus, quod habet animam et carnem? Hoc est quod tu: animam habes, animam habet; carnem habes, carnem habet. Consubstantialis tuus est: simili de terra facti estis; a Domino animati estis. Hoc est ille quod tu: respice fratrem tuum. Primi duo parentes nostri erant, Adam et Eva; ille pater, illa mater: ergo nos fratres. Omittamus originem primam: Deus pater, Ecclesia mater: ergo nos fratres. Sed inimicus meus Paganus est, Judæus est, hæreticus est; et unde jamdudum dixi, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo, ita et in terra. O Ecclesia, inimicus tuus est Paganus, Judæus, hæreticus: terra est. Si cœlum es, invoca Patrem qui est in cœlis, et pro inimicis tuis ora: quia et Saulus inimicus erat Ecclesiæ; sic oratum est pro illo, factus est amicus. Non solum destitit esse persecutor, sed laboravit ut esset adjutor. Et si verum quæras, oratum est contra illum: sed contra ejus malitiam, non naturam. Ora et tu contra malitiam inimici tui: illa moriatur, et ille vivat. Si enim mortuus fuerit inimicus tuus, quasi inimico caruisti, sed nec amicum invenisti. Si autem mortua fuerit malitia ejus: et inimicum amisisti, et amicum invenisti.
Now, because of those daily sins of which I spoke, since you must say, as a kind of daily cleansing, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,” what will you do? You have enemies. For who lives on this earth without an enemy? Take heed to yourselves: love them. In no way can a raging enemy harm you as much as you harm yourself if you do not love your enemy. For he can harm your farm, or your flock, or your house, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your son, or your wife; or at most, if he is given the power, your flesh. Can he harm your soul, as you can? Stretch yourselves toward this perfection, dearly beloved, I urge you. But was it I who gave you this? He gave it to you to whom you say, “Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” Yet let it not seem impossible to you: I know, I have known, I have proved that there are Christian people who love their enemies. If it seems impossible to you, you will not do it. First believe that it can be done, and pray that God’s will may be done in you. For what good does your enemy’s evil do you? If he had no evil, he would not even be your enemy. Wish him good: let him end his evils, and he will not be your enemy. For it is not human nature in him that is your enemy, but his fault. Is he your enemy because he has a soul and a body? This is what you are: you have a soul, he has a soul; you have a body, he has a body. He is of one substance with you; you were made from the same earth, you were given life by the same Lord. This is what he is, what you are: look on your brother. Our first two parents were Adam and Eve, he father, she mother: so we are brothers. Let us leave aside our first origin: God is our Father, the Church our Mother: so we are brothers. “But my enemy is a pagan, a Jew, a heretic.” That is why I said a while ago: “Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” O Church, your enemy is the pagan, the Jew, the heretic: he is earth. If you are heaven, call on the Father who is in heaven, and pray for your enemies; for Saul too was an enemy of the Church; prayer was made for him in this way, and he became a friend. He not only ceased to be a persecutor but labored to be a helper. And to tell the truth, prayer was made against him, but against his malice, not his nature. You too pray against your enemy’s malice: may it die, and may he live. For if your enemy has died, you seem to be rid of an enemy, but you have not found a friend. But if his malice has died, you have both lost an enemy and found a friend.
Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:44 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 2:7 (echo, medium confidence) · Acts 9:1 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: We must love our enemies, who share our nature and are our brothers; pray, as the Church prayed for Saul, against their malice but for themselves, so that an enemy becomes a friend.
- “Your will be done …”: Matt 6:10. Loving enemies: Matt 5:44. Saul’s conversion: Acts 9. The mention of pagans, Jews, and heretics as the Church’s enemies is Augustine’s and is translated as written; his point is that Christians must pray for them. A heading by Migne left at the start of the section in the digital text (“He urges love of enemies”) is removed. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne’s marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Hortatur ad dilectionem inimicorum. Jam propter → Jam propter; noa dimittimus → nos dimittimus; diligi:e → diligite; libi noces → tibi noces; pecori luo → pecori tuo; conjugi tua;; → conjugi tuæ;; fucrit potestas, carui tuæ → fuerit potestas, carni tuæ; animæ tuac → animæ tuæ; doiavi vobis.? → donavi vobis?; cgo scio → ego scio; qni diligunt → qui diligunt; fucrit, non → fuerit, non; inimici lui → inimici tui; Mullum haberet, nee → nullum haberet, nec; Do. num illi opta, finiat mala, c! non crit tibi inimicos → Bonum illi opta, finiat mala, et non erit tibi inimicus; Non cnim → Non enim; natura human, → natura humana,; idco → ideo; Hoc cst quod → Hoc est quod; tuus cst: → tuus est:; estis 1; → estis;; Ecclesia Inter f ergo → Ecclesia mater: ergo; Judæus cst, → Judæus est,; dixi,. Fiat → dixi, Fiat; 0 Ecclesia → O Ecclesia; perscoutor → persecutor; qnæras → quæras; illum: scd contra → illum: sed contra; illo vivat → ille vivat; Si cnim → Si enim.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.14 (PL 38:268; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.15PL 38:268
Adhuc dicitis: Quis potest? quis illud fecit? Deus illud faciat in cordibus vestris. Et ego scio, pauci illud faciunt, magni sunt qui faciunt, spirituales faciunt. Numquid tales sunt omnes in Ecclesia fideles ad altare accedentes, corpus et sanguinem Christi sumentes? numquid tales sunt omnes? Et tamen omnes dicunt, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Si respondeat illis Deus: Quid a me petitis ut faciam quod promisi, quando vos non facitis quod præcepi? Quid promisi? Dimittere debita vestra. Quid præcepi? Ut et vos dimittatis debitoribus vestris. Quomodo potestis hoc facere, si non diligatis inimicos? Quid ergo facturi sumus, fratres? Ad tantam paucitatem redigitur grex Christi? Si soli illi debent dicere, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris, qui diligunt inimicos; nescio quid faciam, nescio quid dicam. Dicturus enim vobis sum: Si non diligitis inimicos vestros, nolite orare? Non audeo: imo ut diligatis, orate. Sed numquid vobis dicturus sum: Si non diligitis inimicos vestros, nolite in oratione dominica dicere, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris? Puta quia dico, Nolite dicere. Si non dixeritis, non dimittuntur: si dixeritis, et non feceritis, non dimittuntur. Ergo dicendum est et faciendum, ut dimittantur.
You still say: “Who can do it? Who has done it?” May God do it in your hearts. I know too: few do it; those who do it are great, the spiritual do it. Are all the faithful in the Church who come to the altar and receive the body and blood of Christ like that? Are they all like that? And yet they all say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” What if God answered them: “Why do you ask me to do what I promised, when you do not do what I commanded? What did I promise? To forgive your debts. What did I command? That you too forgive your debtors.” How can you do this if you do not love your enemies? What, then, shall we do, brothers? Is the flock of Christ reduced to such a small number? If only those who love their enemies ought to say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,” I do not know what to do, I do not know what to say. Am I to say to you: “If you do not love your enemies, do not pray”? I do not dare; rather, pray so that you may love them. But am I to say to you: “If you do not love your enemies, do not say in the Lord’s Prayer, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors”? Suppose I say, “Do not say it.” If you do not say it, they are not forgiven; if you say it and do not do it, they are not forgiven. So it must be both said and done, so that they may be forgiven.
Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:14 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Few love their enemies, yet all who receive the eucharist pray “as we forgive”; Augustine cannot tell them not to pray, so they must both say it and do it.
- “Forgive us our debts …”: Matt 6:12. Those who approach the altar and receive the body and blood of Christ: the faithful at the eucharist. A heading by Migne left at the start of the section in the digital text (“To love enemies belongs to few, but must be done by all”) is removed. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne’s marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip in the digital text): Inimicos diligere paucorum est, scd tamen ab omnibus id praestandum. Adhuc → Adhuc; altarc → altare; Dimille → Dimitte; inimicus? → inimicos?; qni diligunt → qui diligunt; nolitc orare? Non audce → nolite orare? Non audeo; numqu d → numquid; ve tros → vestros; dimittantur, → dimittantur..
Topics: Prayer, Eucharist, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.15 (PL 38:268; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.16PL 38:268–269
Video aliquid unde possum, non paucitatem christianam, sed multitudinem consolari: et scio quia hoc desideratis audire. Dimittite, ut dimittatur vobis, Christus dixit. Et vos in oratione quid dicitis? unde modo tractamus: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Sic dimitte, Domine, quomodo dimittimus. Hoc dicis: Sic dimitte, Pater, qui es in coelis, debita nostra, quomodo et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Hoc enim facere debetis: quod si non feceritis, peribitis. Quando inimicus veniam petit, continuo dimittatis. Et hoc multum ad vos? Multum ad te erat, inimicum diligere sævientem: multum est ad te, hominem diligere supplicantem? Quid dicis? Sæviebat, et oderas. Mallem nec tunc odisses: mallem tunc, cum sævientem patereris, Dominum recordareris dicentem, Pater, ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt. Hoc ergo magnopere vellem, ut etiam eo tempore, cum in te sæviebat inimicus, respiceres Dominum Deum tuum ista dicentem. Sed forte dicturus es: Fecit ille, sed ut Dominus, quia Christus, quia Dei Filius, quia Unigenitus, quia Verbum caro factum. Quid ego malus et invalidus homo? Si multum est ad te Dominus tuus, cogitetur a te conservus tuus. Stephanus sanctus lapidabatur: et inter lapides genu fixo pro inimicis orabat, et ait, Domine, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum. Illi lapides mittebant, non veniam postulabant: et ille pro eis orabat. Talem te esse volo: extende te. Quid trahis semper cor in terra? Audi, Sursum cor: extende, dilige inimicos. Si non potes diligere sævientem, dilige vel petentem. Dilige hominem qui tibi dicit: Frater, peccavi, ignosce mihi. Tunc si non ignoveris, non dico, deles orationem de corde tuo; sed deleberis de libro Dei.
I see something by which I can console, not a few Christians, but the multitude; and I know that you want to hear it. “Forgive, so that you may be forgiven,” Christ said. And what do you say in the Prayer, which we are now discussing? “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” “So forgive, Lord, as we forgive.” This is what you say: “So forgive our debts, Father who are in heaven, as we also forgive our debtors.” For this you must do; and if you do not do it, you will perish. When an enemy asks pardon, forgive at once. And is this too much for you? It was much for you to love an enemy who was raging; is it much for you to love a man who is pleading? What do you say? “He was raging, and I hated him.” I would rather you had not hated even then; I would rather that, while you suffered his raging, you had remembered the Lord saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” This, then, I would greatly have wished: that even at that time, when your enemy was raging against you, you had looked to the Lord your God saying this. But perhaps you will say: “He did it, but as Lord, because he is Christ, because he is the Son of God, because he is the Only-begotten, because he is the Word made flesh. What can I do, a bad and weak man?” If your Lord is too much for you, think of your fellow servant. Saint Stephen was being stoned; and among the stones he knelt and prayed for his enemies, and said, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” They were throwing stones, not asking pardon; and he prayed for them. I want you to be like that: stretch yourself. Why do you always drag your heart along the ground? Hear: “Lift up your heart”; stretch out, love your enemies. If you cannot love the one who rages, love at least the one who asks. Love the man who says to you, “Brother, I have sinned, forgive me.” Then, if you do not forgive, I do not say that you blot this prayer out of your heart, but you will be blotted out of God’s book.
Luke 6:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 23:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 7:60 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 69:28 (68:29 Vulg.) (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: At the very least, forgive an enemy who asks pardon; Christ on the cross and Stephen under the stones forgave even those who did not ask.
- “Forgive, so that you may be forgiven”: Luke 6:37. “Forgive us our debts …”: Matt 6:12. “Father, forgive them …”: Luke 23:34. “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”: Acts 7:60. “Lift up your heart”: the call before the eucharistic prayer. Blotted out of God’s book: compare Exod 32:33; Ps 69:28. A heading by Migne (“Let pardon at least be given to an enemy who asks”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): (hristianam → christianam; ct nos dimittimus dcbitoribus → et nos dimittimus debitoribus; lloc eoini → Hoc enim; pcribitis → peribitis; boc multum → hoc multum; inimicmn → inimicum; supplicanteem → supplicantem; diccutem → dicentem; etiamco tcu:pore → etiam eo tempore; sa:viebat → sæviebat; Doininum → Dominum; Scd furtc → Sed forte; Dci Filius → Dei Filius; mullum cst ad te Dominus tuus, cogitctur a tc conscrvus → multum est ad te Dominus tuus, cogitetur a te conservus; genu lixo → genu fixo; orabat, it ait → orabat, et ait; ilIis → illis; mittebam, non venaim → mittebant, non veniam; iu terra → in terra; dilagere → diligere; diligc vel petemem → dilige vel petentem; bominem → hominem; mibi → mihi.
Topics: Prayer, Ethics, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.16 (PL 38:268–269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.17PL 38:269
Si autem vel tunc ignoveris, vel tunc ex corde dimiseris odium: odium dico dimittas ex corde, non disciplinam. Quid si ille qui petit veniam, castigandus est a me? Fac quod vis: puto enim quod filium tuum diligis et quando caedis. Lacrymas vapulantis non curas; quia ei hæreditatem servas. Ego hoc dico, ut de corde dimittas odium, quando a te veniam petit inimicus. Sed forte dicis: Mentitur, fingit. O judex cordis alieni, dic mihi cogitationes patris tui, dic mihi hesternas tuas: Rogat, veniam petit: dimitte, prorsus dimitte. Si non dimiseris, non illi noces, sed tibi. Nam ille scit quid est facturus. Non vis tu dimittere conservus conservo tuo: ibit ad Dominum vestrum, et dicet ei, Domine, rogavi conservum meum, ut dimitteret mihi, et noluit dimittere; tu mihi dimitte. Numquid non licet Domino debita relaxare servi sui? Ille accepta venia a Domino recedit absolutus, tu remanes obligatus. Quomodo obligatus? Venturum est tempus orationis, venturum est ut dicas, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. respondebit tibi Dominus, Serve nequam, cum tanta mihi deberes, rogasti me, et dimisi tibi; nonne oportebat et te misereri conservi tui, sicut et ego tui misertus sum. De Evangelio sunt verba ista, non de corde meo. Si autem rogatos dimiseris veniam postulanti, jam potes dicere orationem istam. Et si nondum idoneus es diligere sævientem, tamen orationem istam potes dicere, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Transeamus ad reliqua.
But if then at least you forgive, if then at least you let go of hatred from your heart (it is hatred, I say, that you are to let go from the heart, not discipline)... “What if the one who asks pardon ought to be punished by me?” Do as you will; for I suppose you love your son even when you beat him. You do not mind the tears of the one being beaten, because you are keeping an inheritance for him. This I say: that you let go of hatred from the heart when an enemy asks pardon of you. But perhaps you say: “He is lying, he is pretending.” O judge of another’s heart, tell me your father’s thoughts; tell me your own thoughts of yesterday. He asks, he begs pardon: forgive, forgive completely. If you do not forgive, you harm not him but yourself. For he knows what he will do. You, a fellow servant, will not forgive your fellow servant: he will go to your common Lord and say to him, “Lord, I asked my fellow servant to forgive me, and he would not forgive; you forgive me.” Is the Lord not permitted to release his servant’s debts? He, having received pardon from the Lord, goes away released; you remain bound. How bound? The time of prayer will come; it will come that you say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,” and the Lord will answer you: “Wicked servant, when you owed me so much, you asked me, and I forgave you; should you not also have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?” These words are from the Gospel, not from my heart. But if, when asked, you grant pardon to one who begs it, you can now say this prayer. And even if you are not yet able to love one who rages, still you can say this prayer: “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” Let us pass on to the rest.
Matt 18:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 13:24 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Forgiving means letting go of hatred, not of discipline; whoever refuses pardon to one who asks harms himself, like the unforgiving servant of the Gospel.
- The unforgiving servant: Matt 18:32–33. “Forgive us our debts …”: Matt 6:12. The opening sentence is left incomplete in the Latin. A heading by Migne left at the start of the section in the digital text (“One who refuses pardon to an enemy harms not him but himself”) is removed; another (“Discipline without hatred”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne’s Scripture reference printed in the text removed; OCR slip; Migne’s marginal heading left at the start of the text; removed; OCR slip; OCR slip in the digital text): Inim co veniam uegans nihil ipsi nocet, sed sibi. Si autem vel tune iguoveris, vcl tunc cx cordc dimiseris odium: odi.. dico dimittas ex corde, non di ciplinam. → Si autem vel tunc ignoveris, vel tunc ex corde dimiseris odium: odium dico dimittas ex corde, non disciplinam.; iMe qui petil vcniam, castigandus cst a Ine → ille qui petit veniam, castigandus est a me; caim → enim; ct quando → et quando; huc dico, ut de cordc dimittasedium → hoc dico, ut de corde dimittas odium; lingit. 0 judex cordis alicui I, dic mihi engitationes → fingit. O judex cordis alieni, dic mihi cogitationes; dimiseris. non illi noces, sed libi → dimiseris, non illi noces, sed tibi; conservus couecvro tuo → conservus conservo tuo; dicet ci, Domine, rogevi → dicet ei, Domine, rogavi; mibi dimitte → mihi dimitte; licetDomino → licet Domino; aDomino → a Domino; obligatua → obligatus; cst tempus oratienis → est tempus orationis; debi a nostra,sicut → debita nostra, sicut; rcspandebit → respondebit; deberes,regasti → deberes, rogasti; oportebat ct te miserericonservi lui f sicut → oportebat et te misereri conservi tui, sicut; (Matth.XVIII, II. 33). Dc Evangelio sunt verba is a, → . De Evangelio sunt verba ista,; postulauti. jam → postulanti, jam; orate nem → orationem; Dimitie nobis debita nosin → Dimitte nobis debita nostra; Transeamu £ → Transeamus.
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.17 (PL 38:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.18PL 38:269
Et ne nos inferas in tentationem. Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris, propter præterita peccata dicimus, quæ non possumus facere, ut facta non sint. Potes agere, ut non facias quod fecisti: quid agis, ut non sit factum quod fecisti? Propter illa quæ jam facta sunt, ista tibi sententia orationis subvenit: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Propter illa in quæ potes incidere, quid facies? Ne nos inferas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo. Ne nos inferas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo; hoc est, ab ipsa tentatione.
“And lead us not into temptation.” “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,” we say because of past sins, which we cannot make not to have been done. You can act so as not to do what you have done; how will you act so that what you have done was not done? For the things that have already been done, this sentence of the Prayer comes to your help: “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” For the things into which you may fall, what will you do? “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” that is, from temptation itself.
Matt 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The petition for forgiveness covers past sins, which cannot be undone; the petitions against temptation and evil guard against future ones.
- Matt 6:12–13. A heading by Migne (“The sixth petition”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): dici- In liS, quæ non passumus → dicimus, quæ non possumus; Putes agere → Potes agere; quid ais. ut → quid agis, ut; illu quæ jam facta suut, Lta tibi → illa quæ jam facta sunt, ista tibi; facics → facies; Ae nos inferas in tentutionem; sed tibera → Ne nos inferas in tentationem; sed libera.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.18 (PL 38:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).
56.19PL 38:269
Et erunt petitiones illæ tres, Sanctificetur nomen tuum, Veniat regnum tuum, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo et in terra: tres istæ petitiones sunt propter vitam humanam. Semper enim sanctificatum in nobis debet esse nomen Dei, semper in regno ejus esse debemus, semper voluntatem ejus facere debemus. Hoc in æternum erit. Panis quotidianus modo est necessarius. Jam ab hoc articulo cætera quæ oramus, ad præsentis vitæ necessitatem pertinent. Panis quotidianus in hac vita necessarius est; dimitti debita nostra in hac vita necessarium est. Nam cum ad illam venerimus, debita finimus. In hac terra tentatio est, in hac terra periculose navigatur, in hac terra per rimas fragilitatum subintrat aliquid, quod debeat sentinari. Cum autem facti fuerimus æquales Angelis Dei, absit ut dicamus, absit ut rogemus Deum, ut dimittat debita nostra, quæ nulla erunt. Hic ergo panis quotidianus, hic ut debita dimittantur, hic ut non intremus in tentationem; quia in illa vita tentatio non intrat: hic ut liberentur a malo; quia in illa vita malum nullum, sed bonum sempiternum permanebit.
And those three petitions, “Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth”: these three petitions are for eternal life. For God’s name ought always to be hallowed in us; we ought always to be in his kingdom; we ought always to do his will. This will be for eternity. Daily bread is necessary now. From this article on, the rest of what we pray for concerns the needs of the present life. Daily bread is necessary in this life; that our debts be forgiven is necessary in this life. For when we come to that life, we are done with debts. In this land there is temptation; in this land the sailing is dangerous; in this land something slips in through the cracks of our frailties that has to be pumped out. But when we have been made equal to the angels of God, far be it that we should say, far be it that we should ask God to forgive our debts, for there will be none. Here, then, is the daily bread; here, that debts be forgiven; here, that we not enter into temptation, for in that life temptation does not enter; here, that we be delivered from evil, for in that life there will be no evil, but everlasting good will remain.
Matt 6:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 20:36 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The first three petitions concern eternal life; the last four the needs of this life, which will cease when we are equal to the angels.
- The petitions: Matt 6:9–13. Equal to the angels: Luke 20:36. The importer had removed the opening words (“And those three petitions …”) as a heading; they are restored, with the reading of the garbled first words (“Et Cru nt”) uncertain. The digital text reads “for human life” (propter vitam humanam) where the sense, Migne’s heading, and NPNF require “for eternal life”; translated by sense. Another heading by Migne (“Three petitions concern eternal life, and three the needs of this life”) was removed by the importer. Compared with NPNF¹ 6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; restored text removed as a heading): Veniat regnum tuum, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo → Et erunt petitiones illæ tres, Sanctificetur nomen tuum, Veniat regnum tuum, Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo; pctitiones → petitiones; snctificatum → sanctificatum; faccre doLemus → facere debemus; line ii æternum crit → Hoc in æternum erit; vitai → vitæ; pertiuent → pertinent; delii' nostra → debita nostra; neccssarium cst → necessarium est; veniciemus → venerimus; tentatio cst, → tentatio est,; pcriculosc → periculose; Angelis Det, → Angelis Dei,; regemus → rogemus; qua: nulla crunt → quæ nulla erunt; IIic ergo panis quotidiauus → Hic ergo panis quotidianus; dcbita → debita; intreimus → intremus; tcntatio → tentatio; quiu → quia; honum → bonum; sempiteruum → sempiternum.
Topics: Prayer, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 56.19 (PL 38:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/56-1/#p-56-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).