On Baptism 1.2.6–1.2.16 (On Baptism)

Basil of Caesarea

On Baptism 1.2.6–1.2.16

Basil of Caesarea · On Baptism · ca. 360-380 · Caesarea · 11 passages

Authorship disputed: Printed by the Maurists among the doubtful works; generally thought to be by Basil or a close follower, but the authorship is contested.

Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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On 1, chapter 2

1.2.6PG 31:1533

Εἰπὼν τοίνυν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός· Ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, οὐ δύναται ἰδεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ·· καὶ πάλιν·· Ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ·· μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν (πληρουμένης εἰς αὐτὸν τῆς διὰ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς προφητείας, εἰπόντος· « Υἱός μου εἶ σὺ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε· αἴτησαι παρ' ἐμοῦ, καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, καὶ την κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, ὅπερ καὶ γέγονε, καὶ ἔστιν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων,) λοιπὸν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς, ὥσπερ ἀντιδιαστελλόμενος τῇ πρώτῃ ἐντολῇ κωλυούσῃ εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν ἀπελθεῖν, ἐντέλλεται, εἰπών Πορευθέντες, μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. » ᾿Αναγκαῖον δὲ εἶναι λογίζομαι ἑκάστου ῥητοῦ τὴν δύναμιν διὰ τῆς πίστεως συνιέναι τε καὶ κατανοῆσαι, καὶ εἰπεῖν καθόσον ἂν κατ᾿ εὐχὰς κοινὰς δοθῆναι ἡμῖν λόγον ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματος ἡμῶν. Γέγραπται γὰρ, ὅτι Ἐὰν μὴ πιστεύσητε, οὐδ᾽ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε·, και πάλιν· « Ἐπίστευσα, δι᾽ ὅ ἐλάλησα.· Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῶν τε ὀνομάτων καὶ τῶν ῥημάτων, καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐν τῇ συνηθείᾳ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε, κατὰ τὸ συμβὰν τὴν χρῆσιν παραλαμβάνεσθαι δοκῶ ἐν τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ Γραφῇ παρά τε Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν τε καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν, καὶ ἀποστόλων, ἀλλὰ δεδοκιμασμένως ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς εὐσεβοῦς φρονήσεως, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὁλοκλήρου, ἐν μέρει δὲ καὶ καθόσον ἂν ἕκαστον συμβάλληται τῷ προκειμένῳ ὑγιεῖ λόγῳ, φρονεῖν τε εὐσεβῶς καὶ ὁδηγεῖν τὸν νοῦν εἰς κατανόησιν τῶν τε κριμάτων καὶ δογμάτων τῆς εὐσεβείας· ἀναγκαῖον καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐξητασμένως καὶ ἐπιτετηρημένως προσέχειν ἑκάστῳ ῥητῷ, καὶ κατὰ σκοπὸν τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως ἐκλέγεσθαι τὴν διάνοιαν. Καὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦμεν, ἐὰν κατ᾿ εὐχὰς κοινὰς ἐνδυναμώσῃ ἡμᾶς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὁ μονογενής Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, ἵνα γένηται καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν, καθὼς εἶπεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος· «Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τω ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ.

Eipōn toinyn ho Kyrios hēmōn Iēsous Christos; Ean mē tis gennēthę̄ anōthen, ou dynatai idein tēn basileian tou Theou;; kai palin;; Ean mē tis gennēthę̄ ex hydatos kai pneumatos, ou dynatai eiselthein eis tēn basileian tou Theou;; meta de tēn ek nekrōn anastasin (plēroumenēs eis auton tēs dia tou Dabid ek prosōpou tou Theou kai Patros prophēteias, eipontos; « Huios mou ei sy, egō sēmeron gegennēka se; aitēsai par' emou, kai dōsō soi ethnē tēn klēronomian sou, kai tēn kataschesin sou ta perata tēs gēs, hoper kai gegone, kai estin en ophthalmois pantōn,) loipon tois heautou mathētais, hōsper antidiastellomenos tę̄ prōtę̄ entolę̄ kōlyousę̄ eis hodon ethnōn apelthein, entelletai, eipōn Poreuthentes, mathēteusate panta ta ethnē, baptizontes autous eis to onoma tou Patros, kai tou Huiou, kai tou hagiou Pneumatos. » ᾿Anankaion de einai logizomai hekastou rhētou tēn dynamin dia tēs pisteōs synienai te kai katanoēsai, kai eipein kathoson an kat᾿ euchas koinas dothēnai hēmin logon en anoixei tou stomatos hēmōn. Gegraptai gar, hoti Ean mē pisteusēte, oud᾽ ou mē synēte;, kai palin; « Episteusa, di᾽ ho elalēsa.; Epeidē de tōn te onomatōn kai tōn rhēmatōn, kai tōn pragmatōn en tę̄ synētheią ouch haplōs, kai hōs etyche, kata to symban tēn chrēsin paralambanesthai dokō en tę̄ theopneustǭ Graphę̄ para te Theou kai tou Christou autou, kai tōn hagiōn prophētōn te kai euangelistōn, kai apostolōn, alla dedokimasmenōs en hagiǭ Pneumati, pros ton skopon tēs eusebous phronēseōs, kai touto ouk ex holoklērou, en merei de kai kathoson an hekaston symballētai tǭ prokeimenǭ hygiei logǭ, phronein te eusebōs kai hodēgein ton noun eis katanoēsin tōn te krimatōn kai dogmatōn tēs eusebeias; anankaion kai hēmas exētasmenōs kai epitetērēmenōs prosechein hekastǭ rhētǭ, kai kata skopon tēs anō klēseōs eklegesthai tēn dianoian. Kai touto poioumen, ean kat᾿ euchas koinas endynamōsę̄ hēmas Iēsous Christos ho monogenēs Huios tou Theou tou zōntos, hina genētai kai en hēmin, kathōs eipen ho Apostolos; «Panta ischyō en tō endynamounti me Christǭ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, then, said, “Unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” and again, “Unless one is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” After the resurrection from the dead, when the prophecy spoken through David in the person of God the Father was being fulfilled in him (“You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as your possession,” which has indeed come to pass and is before the eyes of all), he then gives his disciples a command, as if setting it against the first command, which forbade them to go into the way of the Gentiles, saying, “Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” I reckon it necessary to grasp and understand through faith the force of each saying, and to speak, so far as speech may be given us at our common prayers in the opening of our mouth. For it is written, “If you do not believe, neither will you understand”; and again, “I believed, therefore I spoke.” In the divinely inspired Scripture, I think, the names, words, and things of ordinary usage are not taken up by God and his Christ, and by the holy prophets, evangelists, and apostles, simply and at random, as it happened, but with discernment in the Holy Spirit, toward the goal of godly understanding; and this not wholly, but in part, so far as each contributes to the sound teaching at hand, to thinking godly thoughts, and to guiding the mind to an understanding of the judgments and doctrines of godliness. So we too must attend to each saying with examination and care, and choose its sense according to the goal of the upward calling. And we do this if, at our common prayers, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of the living God, strengthens us, so that it may come about in us as the Apostle said, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.”

John 3:3 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 2:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 2:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 28:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 7:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:10 (115:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:13 (quotation, medium confidence) · Phil 3:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Phil 4:13 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil sets out Christ's sayings on new birth and the command to baptize all nations, and explains that each word of Scripture must be weighed carefully.

“If you do not believe, neither will you understand” is Isa 7:9 in the Greek Old Testament.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misread; margin letter; split word): πί στεως → πίστεως; πραγμάτων Β ἐν → πραγμάτων ἐν; εὐαγγελι στῶν → εὐαγγελιστῶν; Κριστὸς → Χριστὸς.

Topics: Baptism, Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.6 (PG 31:1533; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-6

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.7PG 31:1535

Τὸ μὲν οὖν ε ἄνωθεν » εἰπεῖν δηλοῦν δοκῶ την ἐπανόρθωσιν τῆς προλαβούσης ἐν ῥυπαρίᾳ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων γενέσεως τοῦ μὲν Ἰὼβ εἰπόντος, ὅτι « Οὐδεὶς καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ῥύπου, οὐδ᾽ ἂν μία ἡμέρα ὁ βίος αὐτοῦ·· καὶ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ὀδυρομένου, καὶ λέγοντος, ὅτι « Ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήφθην, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου·» τοῦ δὲ ᾿Αποστόλου διαμαρτυρομένου, ὅτι « Πάντες γὰρ ἦμαρτον. καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης Θεοῦ· δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃν προέθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ πίστεως ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ. • Διὸ καὶ ἡ ἄφεσις τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων δίδοται τοῖς πιστεύουσιν, αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· « Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ αἷμά μου, τὸ τῆς Καινῆς Διαθήκης, τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυνόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν·· καθὼς μαρτυρεῖ πάλιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, λέγων· « Κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἔπαινον δόξης τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾗ ἐχαρίτωσεν ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἡγαπημένῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν παραπτωμάτων κατὰ τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, ἧς ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς ἡμᾶς·» ἵνα, ὥσπερ ἀνδριὰς συντριβεὶς συνθλασθείς τε, καὶ ἀφανίσας τὴν ἔνδοξον μορφὴν τοῦ βασιλέως, ἄνωθεν μορφοῦται ὑπὸ τοῦ σοφοῦ τεχνίτου καὶ ἀγαθοῦ δημιουργοῦ ἀντιποιουμένου τῆς δόξης τοῦ ἰδίου πλάσματος, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν δόξαν ἀποκαθίσταται· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς παθόντες διὰ τὴν παρακοὴν τῆς ἐντολῆς, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, « ῎Ανθρωπος, ἐν τιμῇ ὢν, οὐ συνῆκε, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς,· ἀνακληθῶμεν εἰς τὴν πρώτην δόξαν τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Κατ' εἰκόνα γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ὁμοίωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Πῶς δὲ τοῦτο γεγένηται, Παῦλος ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐδίδαξεν, εἰπών· «Χάρις τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι ἦτε δοῦλοι τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὑπηκούσατε δὲ ἐκ καρδίας εἰς ὧν παρεδόθητε τύπον διδαχῆς·· ἵνα, ὥσπερ ὁ κηρὸς, παραδιδόμενος τῷ τύπῳ τῆς γλυφῆς, μορφοῦται πρὸς ἀκρίβειαν τὴν ἐγκειμένην τῇ γλυφῇ μορφήν, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, παραδόντες ἑαυτοὺς τῷ τύπῳ τῆς κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον διδασκαλίας, μορφωθῶμεν τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, πληροῦντες τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰρημένον προστακτικῶς. Φησὶ γὰρ· • Απεκδυσάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν νέον, τὸν ἀνακαινούμενον εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν·· καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα.

To men oun e anōthen » eipein dēloun dokō tēn epanorthōsin tēs prolabousēs en rhyparią tōn hamartēmatōn geneseōs tou men Iōb eipontos, hoti « Oudeis katharos apo rhypou, oud᾽ an mia hēmera ho bios autou;; kai tou Dabid odyromenou, kai legontos, hoti « En anomiais synelēphthēn, kai en hamartiais ekissēse me hē mētēr mou;» tou de ᾿Apostolou diamartyromenou, hoti « Pantes gar ēmarton. kai hysterountai tēs doxēs Theou; dikaioumenoi dōrean tę̄ autou chariti dia tēs apolytrōseōs tēs en Christǭ Iēsou, hon proetheto ho Theos hilastērion dia pisteōs en tǭ haimati autou. • Dio kai hē aphesis tōn hamartēmatōn didotai tois pisteuousin, autou tou Kyriou eipontos; « Touto esti to haima mou, to tēs Kainēs Diathēkēs, to peri pollōn ekchynomenon eis aphesin hamartiōn;; kathōs martyrei palin ho Apostolos, legōn; « Kata tēn eudokian tou thelēmatos autou, eis epainon doxēs tēs charitos autou, en hę̄ echaritōsen hēmas en tǭ hēgapēmenǭ, en hǭ echomen tēn apolytrōsin dia tou haimatos autou, tēn aphesin tōn paraptōmatōn kata ton plouton tēs charitos autou, hēs eperisseusen eis hēmas;» hina, hōsper andrias syntribeis synthlastheis te, kai aphanisas tēn endoxon morphēn tou basileōs, anōthen morphoutai hypo tou sophou technitou kai agathou dēmiourgou antipoioumenou tēs doxēs tou idiou plasmatos, kai eis tēn archaian doxan apokathistatai; houtō kai hēmeis pathontes dia tēn parakoēn tēs entolēs, kata to gegrammenon, « ᾿Anthrōpos, en timę̄ ōn, ou synēke, parasyneblēthē tois ktēnesi tois anoētois, kai hōmoiōthē autois,; anaklēthōmen eis tēn prōtēn doxan tēs eikonos tou Theou. Kat' eikona gar, phēsi, kai homoiōsin tou Theou epoiēsen ho Theos ton anthrōpon. Pōs de touto gegenētai, Paulos ho apostolos edidaxen, eipōn; «Charis tǭ Theǭ, hoti ēte douloi tēs hamartias, hypēkousate de ek kardias eis hōn paredothēte typon didachēs;; hina, hōsper ho kēros, paradidomenos tǭ typǭ tēs glyphēs, morphoutai pros akribeian tēn enkeimenēn tę̄ glyphę̄ morphēn, houtō kai hēmeis, paradontes heautous tǭ typǭ tēs kata to Euangelion didaskalias, morphōthōmen ton esō anthrōpon, plērountes to hypo tou autou eirēmenon prostaktikōs. Phēsi gar; • Apekdysamenoi ton palaion anthrōpon syn tais praxesin autou, kai endysamenoi ton neon, ton anakainoumenon eis epignōsin kat' eikona tou ktisantos auton;; kai polla toiauta.

The words “from above,” then, show, I think, the correction of the earlier birth in the filth of sins. For Job said, “No one is clean from filth, not even if his life is one day long”; and David laments, saying, “In iniquities I was conceived, and in sins my mother conceived me”; and the Apostle solemnly testifies, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation through faith in his blood.” Therefore the forgiveness of sins is given to those who believe, since the Lord himself said, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”; as the Apostle again testifies, saying, “according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he favored us in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us.” This is so that, just as a statue that has been broken and shattered and has lost the glorious form of the king is formed anew by the wise craftsman and good maker, who claims back the glory of his own handiwork, and is restored to its ancient glory, so we too, who suffered through disobedience to the commandment, as it is written, “Man, being in honor, did not understand; he was compared to the senseless beasts and became like them,” may be called back to the first glory of the image of God. For “God made man,” it says, “according to the image and likeness of God.” How this comes about Paul the apostle taught, saying, “Thanks be to God that you, who were slaves of sin, have obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching to which you were handed over”; so that, as wax handed over to the pattern of an engraving is formed exactly to the form cut in the engraving, so we too, having handed ourselves over to the pattern of the teaching according to the Gospel, may be formed in the inner man, fulfilling what he said by way of command: “Having put off the old man with his deeds, and having put on the new, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created him”; and many such things.

Job 14:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 14:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:5 (50:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 3:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 3:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 3:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 26:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 1:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 1:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 1:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 49:12 (48:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 6:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Birth “from above” repairs the birth in sin, restoring the image of God as a broken statue is remade or wax takes the shape of a seal.

ἄνωθεν means both “from above” and “anew”; Basil takes it here as renewal, and uses the same word for the statue “formed anew”.
Job 14:4–5 is cited from the Greek Old Testament.
Several lines were displaced in the scan (parts of Rom 3:24 and Eph 1:5–7); they are restored by logged corrections. In Rom 6:17 the scan’s “succession” (διαδοχῆς) is corrected to “teaching” (διδαχῆς), as Basil’s explanation requires.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misread; OCR misread (Rom 6:17; Basil explains it as teaching); a displaced line moved back to its place; displaced line restored; hyphenation and margin letter; interleaved lines put back in order): τῶν ρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν ἁμαρτημάτων → τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων; δωΧριστῷ → δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ; εἰς στολος, λέγων· « Κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ θελήματος ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν·· καθὼς μαρτυρεῖ πάλιν ὁ Ἀπό αὐτοῦ → εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν·· καθὼς μαρτυρεῖ πάλιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, λέγων· « Κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ; διαδοχῆς → διδαχῆς; σὕτω → οὕτω; ἄνθρω- Β πον → ἄνθρωπον.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.7 (PG 31:1535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-7

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-baptismo-1-2-7) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.8PG 31:1537

Τοῦ μὲν οὖν ἐξ ὕδατος γεννηθῆναι τὸν λόγον Παῦλος, ὁ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλῶν, δογματικῶς παραδίδωσι λέγων • « Ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι ὅσοι έβαπτίσθημεν εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθημεν; Συνετάφημεν οὖν αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος εἰς τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα, ὥσπερ ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ἐκ νεκρῶν διὰ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Πατρός, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς περιπατήσωμεν. Εἰ γὰρ σύμφυτοι γεγόναμεν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα· τοῦτο γινώσκοντες, ὅτι ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος συνεσταυρώθη, ἵνα καταργηθῇ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τοῦ μηκέτι δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. Ὁ γαρ ἀποθανὼν δεδικαίωται ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Εἰ δὲ ἀπεθάνομεν σὺν Χριστῷ, πιστεύομεν, ὅτι καὶ συζήσομεν αὐτῷ· εἰδότες, ὅτι Χριστὸς, ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν, οὐκέτι ἀποθνήσκει· θάνατος αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύει. Ο γὰρ ἀπέθανε, τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ· ὁ δὲ ζῇ, ζῇ τῷ Θεῷ. Οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε, ἑαυτοὺς νεκροὺς μὲν εἶναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ζῶντας δὲ τῷ Θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.» Ἐξ ὧν ἀπάντων καὶ ὁ λόγος τῆς ἄνωθεν γεννήσεως καθ' όμοιότητα θεωρεῖται. ᾿Αδύνατον δὲ ἦν ἄνωθεν γεννηθῆναι, μὴ προλαβούσης χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὡς ἔκ τε τῶν προτεταγμένων καὶ τῶν ἐπιφερομένων περὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος κεφαλαίων ὁ αὐτὸς Ἀπόστολος δηλοῖ. ᾿Αρξάμενος γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ, « Συνίστησι δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἡμᾶς, ὅτι, ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ἡμῶν ὄντων Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανε· πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον δικαιωθέντες νῦν ἐν τῷ αἴματι αὐτοῦ, σωθησόμεθα δι' αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ ὄντες κατηλλάγημεν τῷ Θεῷ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ· πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον καταλλαγέντες σωθησόμεθα ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ.»

Tou men oun ex hydatos gennēthēnai ton logon Paulos, ho en Christǭ lalōn, dogmatikōs paradidōsi legōn • « Ē agnoeite, adelphoi, hoti hosoi ebaptisthēmen eis Christon Iēsoun, eis ton thanaton autou ebaptisthēmen? Synetaphēmen oun autǭ dia tou baptismatos eis ton thanaton, hina, hōsper ēgerthē Christos ek nekrōn dia tēs doxēs tou Patros, houtō kai hēmeis en kainotēti zōēs peripatēsōmen. Ei gar symphytoi gegonamen tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou autou, alla kai tēs anastaseōs esometha; touto ginōskontes, hoti ho palaios hēmōn anthrōpos synestaurōthē, hina katargēthę̄ to sōma tēs hamartias, tou mēketi douleuein hēmas tę̄ hamartią. Ho gar apothanōn dedikaiōtai apo tēs hamartias. Ei de apethanomen syn Christǭ, pisteuomen, hoti kai syzēsomen autǭ; eidotes, hoti Christos, egertheis ek nekrōn, ouketi apothnēskei; thanatos autou ouketi kyrieuei. O gar apethane, tę̄ hamartią apethanen ephapax; ho de zę̄, zę̄ tǭ Theǭ. Houtō kai hymeis logizesthe, heautous nekrous men einai tę̄ hamartią, zōntas de tǭ Theǭ en Christǭ Iēsou.» Ex hōn apantōn kai ho logos tēs anōthen gennēseōs kath' omoiotēta theōreitai. ᾿Adynaton de ēn anōthen gennēthēnai, mē prolabousēs charitos tou Theou; hōs ek te tōn protetagmenōn kai tōn epipheromenōn peri tou baptismatos kephalaiōn ho autos Apostolos dēloi. ᾿Arxamenos gar apo tou, « Synistēsi de tēn heautou agapēn ho Theos eis hēmas, hoti, eti hamartōlōn hēmōn ontōn Christos hyper hēmōn apethane; pollǭ oun mallon dikaiōthentes nyn en tǭ aimati autou, sōthēsometha di' autou apo tēs orgēs. Ei gar echthroi ontes katēllagēmen tǭ Theǭ dia tou thanatou tou Huiou autou; pollǭ oun mallon katallagentes sōthēsometha en tę̄ zōę̄ autou.»

The teaching about being born of water Paul, who speaks in Christ, hands down as doctrine, saying, “Or do you not know, brothers, that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be in that of his resurrection also, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For one who has died has been justified from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, no longer dies; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” From all these the teaching about birth from above is also seen by likeness. But it was impossible to be born from above without the grace of God going before, as the same Apostle shows from what he sets before the chief points about baptism and from what he adds after them. For he begins from: “But God shows his own love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved through him from the wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

Rom 6:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul's teaching that baptism is burial with Christ into death explains birth of water, and this new birth depends on God's prior grace.

Part of Rom 5:8–9 was displaced in the scan; it is restored by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (a displaced line moved back to its place; displaced line restored; stray letters and margin letter): γεννηθῆναι, νι, Α μὴ → γεννηθῆναι, μὴ; περὶ τοῦ ὄντων Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανε· πολλῷ ὖν βαπτίσματος → περὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος; ἁμαρτωλῶν ἡμῶν μᾶλλον → ἁμαρτωλῶν ἡμῶν ὄντων Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανε· πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.8 (PG 31:1537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-8

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.9PG 31:1539

Καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα, σαφῶς καὶ μεγαλοπρεπῶς παριστῶντα τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἀνεκδιήγητον φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐν τῇ δωρεᾷ τῆς ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας καὶ δυνάμεως τῶν εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ κατορθουμένων ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ζωῆς αἰωνίου διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν. Δι' οὗ, « "Ωσπερ δι' ἑνὸς, φησὶ, παραπτώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς κατάκριμα, οὕτω καὶ δι᾽ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς δικαίωσιν ζωῆς. » Καὶ τὰ ἐφεξῆς δογματικῶς ἐκθέμενος, τότε λέγει· « Ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι ὅσοι ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθημεν Διὰ τί; Ἵνα, τῆς χάριτος προλαβούσης, τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν ὀφειλόμενα κατὰ πίστιν δι' ἀγάπης ἐνεργούμενα συνεισενεγκώμεθα, καὶ οὕτω τελειωθῇ εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡ εὐδοκία τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγάπης. Ἀγῶνος οὖν χρεία μεγάλου, καὶ τούτου νομίμου, ἵνα τὴν τοιαύτην καὶ τοσαύτην χάριν τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγάπης τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ εἰς κενὸν δεξώμεθα, τοῦ αὐτοῦ Αποστόλου λέγοντος· « Τὸν γὰρ μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς γενώμεθα δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. Συνεργοῦντες δὲ καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν, μὴ εἰς κενὸν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ δέξασθαι ὑμᾶς. » "Ὅτι δὲ « Ω παρέθεντο πολύ, περισσότερον ἀπαιτήσουσιν αὐτὸν, » ἐστηριγμένως ἀπεφήνατο ὁ Κύριος. Ὅπερ γίνεται καὶ ἀνεγκλήτως, ἐὰν τὰ τε ἐπενεχθέντα τοῖς προειρημένοις καὶ τὰ εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ὑπόθεσιν τοῦ βαπτίσματος συνημμένως εἰρημένα, ταῦτα ἀκριβῶς φυλαχθῇ, καὶ τὰ τούτοις συναφθέντα ἐν δυνάμει τῆς αὐτῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ πιστῶς δεξώμεθα, ἵνα πιστεύσαντες συνῶμεν χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ·' καὶ ἅπερ συνεῖναι κατηξιώθημαρτυρεῖ ὁ προφήτης· αὐτοῦ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος φοβερὸν καὶ ἀπαράβατον κρῖμα ἐκθεμένου ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν· « Ὁ γνοὺς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Κυρίου αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ποιήσας, δαρήσεται πολλάς·· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὸν ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ πλημμελήσαντα ἀτιμώρητον ἀφέντος.

Kai polla toiauta, saphōs kai megaloprepōs paristōnta tēn megalēn kai anekdiēgēton philanthrōpian tou Theou, en tę̄ dōreą tēs apheseōs tōn hamartēmatōn, kai tēs exousias kai dynameōs tōn eis doxan tou Theou kai tou Christou autou katorthoumenōn ep' elpidi zōēs aiōniou dia Iēsou Christou tou Kyriou hēmōn. Di' hou, « "Ōsper di' henos, phēsi, paraptōmatos eis pantas anthrōpous eis katakrima, houtō kai di᾽ henos dikaiōmatos eis pantas anthrōpous eis dikaiōsin zōēs. » Kai ta ephexēs dogmatikōs ekthemenos, tote legei; « Ē agnoeite, adelphoi, hoti hosoi ebaptisthēmen eis Christon Iēsoun, eis ton thanaton autou ebaptisthēmen Dia ti? Hina, tēs charitos prolabousēs, ta par' hēmōn opheilomena kata pistin di' agapēs energoumena syneisenenkōmetha, kai houtō teleiōthę̄ eis hēmas hē eudokia tou Theou tēs en Christǭ agapēs. Agōnos oun chreia megalou, kai toutou nomimou, hina tēn toiautēn kai tosautēn charin tēs en Christǭ agapēs tou Theou mē eis kenon dexōmetha, tou autou Apostolou legontos; « Ton gar mē gnonta hamartian hyper hēmōn hamartian epoiēsen, hina hēmeis genōmetha dikaiosynē Theou en autǭ. Synergountes de kai parakaloumen, mē eis kenon tēn charin tou Theou dexasthai hymas. » "Hoti de « Ō parethento poly, perissoteron apaitēsousin auton, » estērigmenōs apephēnato ho Kyrios. Hoper ginetai kai anenklētōs, ean ta te epenechthenta tois proeirēmenois kai ta eis tēn autēn hypothesin tou baptismatos synēmmenōs eirēmena, tauta akribōs phylachthę̄, kai ta toutois synaphthenta en dynamei tēs autēs charitos tou Theou dia Iēsou Christou tou Kyriou hēmōn en Pneumati hagiǭ pistōs dexōmetha, hina pisteusantes synōmen chariti tou Theou;' kai haper syneinai katēxiōthēmartyrei ho prophētēs; autou tou monogenous Huiou tou Theou tou zōntos phoberon kai aparabaton krima ekthemenou en tǭ eipein; « Ho gnous to thelēma tou Kyriou autou, kai mē poiēsas, darēsetai pollas;; all᾽ oude ton en agnoią plēmmelēsanta atimōrēton aphentos.

And many such passages clearly and magnificently set forth the great and indescribable love of God for humankind, in the gift of the forgiveness of sins and of authority and power for the deeds achieved to the glory of God and of his Christ, in hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him, he says, “As through one trespass condemnation came to all people, so also through one act of righteousness justification of life came to all people.” Having set out what follows as doctrine, he then says, “Or do you not know, brothers, that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” Why? So that, with grace going before, we may contribute what we owe, our works done in faith working through love, and in this way the good pleasure of God’s love in Christ may be brought to completion in us. There is need, then, of a great contest, and a lawful one, so that we may not receive in vain such and so great a grace of the love of God in Christ, as the same Apostle says: “For him who knew no sin he made sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Working together with him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” And the Lord declared firmly that “from the one to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” This is done blamelessly if the things added to what was said before, and those said in connection with them on the same subject of baptism, are exactly kept, and if we faithfully receive what is joined to them, in the power of the same grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord in the Holy Spirit, so that by believing we may understand, by the grace of God; and what we have been counted worthy to understand … the prophet testifies. For the only-begotten Son of the living God himself set out a fearful and inviolable judgment, saying, “The one who knew his master’s will and did not do it will receive many blows”; yet he did not leave unpunished even the one who did wrong in ignorance.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Rom 5:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 5:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:48 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:47 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 111:10 (110:10 LXX) (allusion, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Grace comes first in baptism, but the baptized must contribute works of faith and love, since much is required of those given much.

Words are lost in the scan after “what we have been counted worthy to understand” (the printed word runs into “testifies”). The lost words probably urged doing what is understood, and the prophet’s testimony is probably Ps 111:10 (“a good understanding to all who do it”).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (margin letter; split word): τῶν Β εἰς → τῶν εἰς; ἀνθρώ πους → ἀνθρώπους.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.9 (PG 31:1539; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-9

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-baptismo-1-2-9) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.10PG 31:1541

Καὶ ἵνα, ὡς προείρηται, διὰ τῶν γνωριμωτέρων ῥητῶν τε καὶ πραγμάτων ὁδηγηθῶμεν εἰς κατανόησιν τοῦ σωτηρίου καὶ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι δόγματος· ἐν πληροφορίᾳ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσπουδασμένως προσέχωμεν τοῖς σημαινομένοις, καὶ πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας πᾶν νόημα λαμβάνωμεν. Ἐβαπτίσθημεν, φησὶν, ἵν᾽ ἐκ τούτου ἐκεῖνο παιδευθῶμεν, ὅτι, ὥσπερ τὸ ἔριον, βαπτισθὲν ἐν βάμματι, μεταποιεῖται κατὰ τὸ χρῶμα· μᾶλλον δὲ, ἵνα τῷ Βαπτιστῇ Ἰωάννῃ προφητεύσαντι περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, ὅτι « Αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρὶ, › ὁδηγῷ χρησάμενοι, φωτισθῶμεν τὸ φῶς τῆς γνώσεως πρὸς κατανόησιν τοῦ μεγάλου φωτὸς, τοῦτο εἶπωμεν· ὅτι, ὥσπερ ὁ σίδηρος, βαπτιζόμενος ἐν τῷ πυρὶ ἀναζωπυρουμένῳ ὑπὸ πνεύματος, εὐγνωστότερος μὲν γίνεται, εἴ τινα ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ κακίαν, ἑτοιμότερος δὲ πρὸς τὸ καθαρισθῆναι· ἀλλοιοῦται δὲ οὐ μόνον τὸ χρῶμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σκληρὸν καὶ δύσεικτον μεταβαλὼν πρὸς τὸ ἁπαλώτερον, ἐπιτηδειότερος μὲν γίνεται καὶ τῇ τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ τεχνίτου ἐνεργείᾳ, ῥυθμίζεται δὲ ἀξιολόγως πρὸς τὸ βούλημα τοῦ δεσπότου· ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς μελανίας λαμπρότερος ἑαυτοῦ γενόμενος, οὐ μόνον αὐτὸς πυρακτοῦται καὶ ἀπαστράπτει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐγγίζοντα φωτίζει καὶ θερμαίνει· οὕτως ἀκόλουθον καὶ ἀναγκαῖον τὸν βαπτισθέντα ἐν τῷ πυρὶ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας, ἐλέγχοντι μὲν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν κακίαν, φανεροῦντι δὲ τῶν δικαιωμάτων τὴν χάριν, μισῆσαι μὲν καὶ βδελύξασθαι τὴν ἀδικίαν, καθὼς γέγραπται, εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν δὲ ἐλθεῖν τοῦ καθαρισθῆναι διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν δυνάμει τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, αὐτοῦ εἰπόντος· « Τοῦτό μου ἐστὶ τὸ αἷμα, τὸ τῆς Καινῆς Διαθήκης, τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυνόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν, » καὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου μαρτυροῦντος· «Ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν παραπτωμάτων·· καὶ οὐ μόνον ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας καθαρισθῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύματος· καὶ τότε, βαπτισθέντα εἰς τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Κυρίου, συνδιατεθῆναι τῷ θανάτῳ, ὅπερ ἐστὶ νεκρωθῆναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἑαυτῷ τε καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ, ἵνα, κατὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν βιῶν, κατά τε καρδίαν, καὶ λόγον, καὶ πρᾶξιν ἐντυπωθεὶς καὶ ἐμμορφωθεὶς, ὥσπερ ὁ κηρὸς τῇ γλυφῇ, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πληρώσῃ τὸ γεγραμμένον· « Χάρις τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι ἦτε δοῦλοι τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὑπηκούσατε δὲ ἐκ καρδίας εἰς ὃν παρεδόθητε τύπον διδαχῆς·· καὶ οὕτω τὸ συνημμένως ἐπενεχθὲν φυλάξαι καταξιωθῇ, τό· « Συνετάφημεν οὖν αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος εἰς τὸν θάνατον. » Διὰ τί; Ἵνα, ὥσπερ ἡγέρθη Χριστὸς ἐκ νεκρῶν διὰ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς περιπατήσωμεν. Ανάγκη γὰρ τὸν ἀποθανόντα ταφῆναι, καὶ τὸν ταφέντα ἐν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου ἀναστῆναι διὰ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτος, καὶ μηκέτι διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἔσω ἀνθρώπου ὡς πρόσκαυμα χύτρας ἔχειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ πυρὶ φανερωθέντων τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν ἄφεσιν λαβόντα, λοιπὸν διὰ τῆς ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς ἀπαστράπτειν τὰ ἐν Χριστῷ δικαιώματα ὑπὲρ πάντα λίθον τίμιον πολύν. Ἀποθέμενοι οὖν τὴν σκληρότητα τῆς ἀπειθείας, ἐπιδειξώμεθα μὲν εὐπείθειαν καὶ ὑπακοὴν ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασι, τῷ δὲ πνεύματι ζέοντες, ἀναλάμψωμεν, καὶ τῆς μὲν τοῦ σκότους ἐξουσίας καθελκούσης εἰς θάνατον ῥυσθῶμεν· « Τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος·· ἵνα καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν γένηται τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου· « Κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νίκος· ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; ποῦ σου, ᾅδη, τὸ νίκος; › τῷ δὲ Κυρίῳ, τῷ ἡλίῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης, πειθόμενοι, φωτισθῶμεν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ καὶ καταξιωθείημεν συνέσεως καὶ δυνάμεως, ὥστε ἐν αὐτῷ δικαιωθῆναι· καὶ μὴ μόνον αὐτοὶ λαμπρυνθῶμεν ὑπὲρ τὴν χιόνα (ἀψευδής γὰρ ὁ ἐπαγγειλάμενος Θεὸς, ὅτι « Ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ »), ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας ἡμῖν φωτίζωμεν·

Kai hina, hōs proeirētai, dia tōn gnōrimōterōn rhētōn te kai pragmatōn hodēgēthōmen eis katanoēsin tou sōtēriou kai en tǭ baptismati dogmatos; en plērophorią tēs alētheias espoudasmenōs prosechōmen tois sēmainomenois, kai pros ton skopon tēs eusebeias pan noēma lambanōmen. Ebaptisthēmen, phēsin, hin᾽ ek toutou ekeino paideuthōmen, hoti, hōsper to erion, baptisthen en bammati, metapoieitai kata to chrōma; mallon de, hina tǭ Baptistę̄ Iōannę̄ prophēteusanti peri tou Kyriou, hoti « Autos hymas baptisei en Pneumati hagiǭ kai pyri, › hodēgǭ chrēsamenoi, phōtisthōmen to phōs tēs gnōseōs pros katanoēsin tou megalou phōtos, touto eipōmen; hoti, hōsper ho sidēros, baptizomenos en tǭ pyri anazōpyroumenǭ hypo pneumatos, eugnōstoteros men ginetai, ei tina echei en heautǭ kakian, hetoimoteros de pros to katharisthēnai; alloioutai de ou monon to chrōma, alla kai to sklēron kai dyseikton metabalōn pros to hapalōteron, epitēdeioteros men ginetai kai tę̄ tōn cheirōn tou technitou energeią, rhythmizetai de axiologōs pros to boulēma tou despotou; apo de tēs melanias lamproteros heautou genomenos, ou monon autos pyraktoutai kai apastraptei, alla kai ta engizonta phōtizei kai thermainei; houtōs akolouthon kai anankaion ton baptisthenta en tǭ pyri, toutestin en tǭ logǭ tēs didaskalias, elenchonti men tōn hamartēmatōn tēn kakian, phanerounti de tōn dikaiōmatōn tēn charin, misēsai men kai bdelyxasthai tēn adikian, kathōs gegraptai, eis epithymian de elthein tou katharisthēnai dia tēs pisteōs en dynamei tou haimatos tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, autou eipontos; « Touto mou esti to haima, to tēs Kainēs Diathēkēs, to peri pollōn ekchynomenon eis aphesin hamartiōn, » kai tou Apostolou martyrountos; «En hǭ echomen tēn apolytrōsin dia tou haimatos autou, tēn aphesin tōn paraptōmatōn;; kai ou monon apo pasēs anomias kai hamartias katharisthēnai, alla kai apo pantos molysmou sarkos kai pneumatos; kai tote, baptisthenta eis ton thanaton tou Kyriou, syndiatethēnai tǭ thanatǭ, hoper esti nekrōthēnai tę̄ hamartią, heautǭ te kai tǭ kosmǭ, hina, kata tēn enanthrōpēsin biōn, kata te kardian, kai logon, kai praxin entypōtheis kai emmorphōtheis, hōsper ho kēros tę̄ glyphę̄, tę̄ didaskalią tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, plērōsę̄ to gegrammenon; « Charis tǭ Theǭ, hoti ēte douloi tēs hamartias, hypēkousate de ek kardias eis hon paredothēte typon didachēs;; kai houtō to synēmmenōs epenechthen phylaxai kataxiōthę̄, to; « Synetaphēmen oun autǭ dia tou baptismatos eis ton thanaton. » Dia ti? Hina, hōsper hēgerthē Christos ek nekrōn dia tēs doxēs tou Patros, houtō kai hēmeis en kainotēti zōēs peripatēsōmen. Anankē gar ton apothanonta taphēnai, kai ton taphenta en tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou anastēnai dia tēs en Christǭ tou Theou charitos, kai mēketi dia tas hamartias to prosōpon tou esō anthrōpou hōs proskauma chytras echein, all᾽ en tǭ pyri phanerōthentōn tōn hamartēmatōn, kai dia tou haimatos tou Christou tēn aphesin labonta, loipon dia tēs en kainotēti zōēs apastraptein ta en Christǭ dikaiōmata hyper panta lithon timion polyn. Apothemenoi oun tēn sklērotēta tēs apeitheias, epideixōmetha men eupeitheian kai hypakoēn en tois prostagmasi, tǭ de pneumati zeontes, analampsōmen, kai tēs men tou skotous exousias kathelkousēs eis thanaton rhysthōmen; « Ta gar opsōnia tēs hamartias thanatos;; hina kai en hēmin genētai to eirēmenon hypo tou ᾿Apostolou; « Katepothē ho thanatos eis nikos; pou sou, thanate, to kentron? pou sou, hądē, to nikos? › tǭ de Kyriǭ, tǭ hēliǭ tēs dikaiosynēs, peithomenoi, phōtisthōmen hyp' autou kai kataxiōtheiēmen syneseōs kai dynameōs, hōste en autǭ dikaiōthēnai; kai mē monon autoi lamprynthōmen hyper tēn chiona (apseudēs gar ho epangeilamenos Theos, hoti « Ean ōsin hai hamartiai hymōn hōs phoinikoun, hōs chiona leukanō »), alla kai tous engizontas hēmin phōtizōmen;

And so that, as was said before, we may be led through more familiar sayings and things to an understanding of the saving doctrine in baptism as well, let us attend earnestly, in full assurance of the truth, to what is signified, and take every thought toward the goal of godliness. “We were baptized,” he says, so that from this we may learn that, just as wool dipped in dye is changed in color… or rather, let us take as our guide John the Baptist, who prophesied of the Lord, “He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,” so that we may be enlightened with the light of knowledge for the understanding of the great light, and let us say this. Iron dipped in fire that is fanned by the wind shows more plainly whether it has any flaw in itself, and becomes readier to be cleansed. It is changed not only in color; its hardness and stubbornness are turned to softness, so that it becomes better suited to the working of the craftsman’s hands and is shaped remarkably to the will of its master; and, becoming brighter than itself after its blackness, it not only glows and flashes itself, but also lights and warms what comes near it. So it follows, and is necessary, that the one baptized in fire, that is, in the word of teaching, which exposes the wickedness of sins and makes plain the grace of righteous deeds, should hate and abhor unrighteousness, as it is written, and come to desire to be cleansed through faith in the power of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,” as the Apostle also testifies: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of trespasses.” He must be cleansed not only from all lawlessness and sin, but also from every defilement of flesh and spirit; and then, baptized into the Lord’s death, he must be conformed to that death, which is to be dead to sin, to himself, and to the world; so that, living according to the pattern of the incarnation, imprinted and formed in heart, word, and deed by the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, as wax by an engraving, he may fulfil what is written: “Thanks be to God that you, who were slaves of sin, have obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching to which you were handed over”; and so may be counted worthy to keep what is added in connection with it: “We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death.” Why? “So that, as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” For one who has died must be buried, and one who has been buried in the likeness of death must rise through the grace of God in Christ, and no longer have the face of the inner man like the scorched bottom of a pot because of sins; but, his sins having been exposed in the fire and forgiveness having been received through the blood of Christ, he must from then on make the righteous deeds in Christ flash out, through newness of life, beyond any precious stone, however large. Having put away, then, the hardness of disobedience, let us show ready obedience to the commands, and, fervent in spirit, let us shine; let us be rescued from the power of darkness that drags us down to death (“for the wages of sin is death”), so that in us too may come about what the Apostle said: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” And obeying the Lord, the sun of righteousness, let us be enlightened by him and be counted worthy of understanding and power, so as to be justified in him; and let us not only be made bright ourselves, beyond snow (for God who made the promise does not lie: “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow”), but also give light to those near us.

Matt 3:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:163 (118:163 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 26:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 1:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 7:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 6:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Joel 2:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 19:10 (18:11 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 12:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 6:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:54 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:55 (quotation, high confidence) · Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Titus 1:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 1:18 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Baptism in fire, the word of teaching, works like fire on iron: it exposes flaws, softens, purifies, and makes the baptized shine and give light to others.

βαπτίζω means “dip”; Basil begins an image from wool dipped in dye and breaks it off for the image of iron in fire.
The scan had split the end of this section and the start of the next (“having put away the hardness of disobedience”, “those near us let us give light”); restored by logged corrections.
“Like the scorched bottom of a pot” echoes the Greek of Joel 2:6 and Nah 2:10.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (margin letter inside a word; quotation mark misread as a letter; split word; the end of the word and sentence, displaced to the start of 1.2.11, restored; the first words of the sentence were displaced by the OCR to the start of 1.2.11; restored): και τανόησιν → κατανόησιν; ὅτιε Αὐτὸς → ὅτι « Αὐτὸς; ἐγγί ζοντα → ἐγγίζοντα; γεΑ γραμμένον → γεγραμμένον; παρεδό θητε → παρεδόθητε; πρόσ ωπον → πρόσωπον; πολύν. θείας, ἐπιδειξώμεθα → πολύν. Ἀποθέμενοι οὖν τὴν σκληρότητα τῆς ἀπειθείας, ἐπιδειξώμεθα; ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐγ- → ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας ἡμῖν φωτίζωμεν·.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.10 (PG 31:1541; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-10

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.11PG 31:1543

ποτὲ μὲν ἀκούοντες τοῦ Κυρίου, « Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· ποτὲ δὲ ἀκούοντες καὶ ποιοῦντες τὸ, « Οὕτως λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. » Τότε πάντως καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος μαρτυρήσει ἡμῖν λέγων· « Ἐν οἷς φαίνεσθε ὡς φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ, λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες εἰς καύχημα ἐμοὶ εἰς ἡμέραν Χριστοῦ. » Πῶς δὲ οὐ περισσοτέρως ἐπιφανὲς τὸ καινότερον τῆς ζωῆς, οὐκ ἐν συγκρίσει τῶν Ἑλλήνων καὶ κοσμικῶν ἀνθρώπων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν συγκρίσει καθ' ὑπερβολὴν τῶν κατὰ νόμον δικαιουμένων; ὅταν μὴ μόνον προσθήκης καὶ τοῦ πλείονος μὴ ὀρεγώμεθα, ὡς καὶ οἱ τοῦ κόσμου ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλὰ μήτε τῶν προσόντων τε καὶ ἰδίων ἀντιποιούμεθα· φιλοτιμώμεθα δὲ ἐπ᾿ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῶν δεομένων ὑπὲρ τὸν νόμον. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ εἰς τοὺς πλησίον φέρομεν τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς καὶ πονηροὺς ἐκτείνομεν τὸ χρηστὸν, ποιοῦντες κατ' ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὸ, « Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος οἰκτίρμων ἐστί. » Πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς περιπατοῦμεν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοὺς γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαίους τὴν δικαιοσύνην τελειοῦμεν, ὅταν ἀνασχώμεθα τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος· Ἐῤῥήθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις· Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὁδόντος. Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ· ἀλλ᾽ ὅστις σε ῥαπίσει ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην. Καὶ τῶ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι, καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἀφήσεις αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον. Καὶ ὃς ἐὰν σε ἀγγαρεύσῃ μίλιον ἓν, ὕπαγε μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ δύο. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ οὐκ ἐκδικοῦμεν τὰ προγεγονότα ἁμαρτήματα εἰς ἡμᾶς, ὡς παρακελεύονται οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ἐπιτρέποντος τοῦ διὰ Μωϋσέως νόμου, ἀλλὰ καὶ μείζονα ἀνεξικακίαν ἐπιδεικνύμεθα, προθυμίαν ὑπομονῆς τῶν ἴσων ἢ καὶ δεινατέρων προβαλλόμενοι. Καὶ οὕτως ἀμφότερα ἡμῖν συγκατορθοῦται· θάνατος μὲν, ἐν τῷ μὴ κινεῖσθαι εἰς ἀγανάκτησιν κατὰ τοῦ τὴν πρώτην ἡμῖν ἐπενεγκόντος πληγήν· καινότης δὲ ζωῆς ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἐν τῷ παρατιθέναι καὶ τὴν ἄλλην.

pote men akouontes tou Kyriou, « Hymeis este to phōs tou kosmou; pote de akouontes kai poiountes to, « Houtōs lampsatō to phōs hymōn emprosthen tōn anthrōpōn, hopōs idōsin hymōn ta kala erga, kai doxasōsi ton Patera hymōn ton en tois ouranois. » Tote pantōs kai ho ᾿Apostolos martyrēsei hēmin legōn; « En hois phainesthe hōs phōstēres en kosmǭ, logon zōēs epechontes eis kauchēma emoi eis hēmeran Christou. » Pōs de ou perissoterōs epiphanes to kainoteron tēs zōēs, ouk en synkrisei tōn Hellēnōn kai kosmikōn anthrōpōn monon, alla kai en synkrisei kath' hyperbolēn tōn kata nomon dikaioumenōn? hotan mē monon prosthēkēs kai tou pleionos mē oregōmetha, hōs kai hoi tou kosmou anthrōpoi, alla mēte tōn prosontōn te kai idiōn antipoioumetha; philotimōmetha de ep᾿ euergesią tōn deomenōn hyper ton nomon. Ou monon gar eis tous plēsion pheromen to agathon, alla kai epi tous echthrous kai ponērous ekteinomen to chrēston, poiountes kat' entolēn tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, to, « Ginesthe oiktirmones, kathōs kai ho Patēr hymōn ho ouranios oiktirmōn esti. » Pōs de ouk en kainotēti zōēs peripatoumen, kai hyper tous grammateis kai Pharisaious tēn dikaiosynēn teleioumen, hotan anaschōmetha tou Kyriou legontos; Errhēthē tois archaiois; Ophthalmon anti ophthalmou, kai odonta anti hodontos. Egō de legō hymin, mē antistēnai tǭ ponērǭ; all᾽ hostis se rhapisei epi tēn dexian siagona, strepson autǭ kai tēn allēn. Kai tō thelonti soi krithēnai, kai ton chitōna sou labein, aphēseis autǭ kai to himation. Kai hos ean se angareusę̄ milion hen, hypage met᾿ autou dyo. Ou monon gar ouk ekdikoumen ta progegonota hamartēmata eis hēmas, hōs parakeleuontai hoi grammateis kai Pharisaioi, epitrepontos tou dia Mōÿseōs nomou, alla kai meizona anexikakian epideiknymetha, prothymian hypomonēs tōn isōn ē kai deinaterōn proballomenoi. Kai houtōs amphotera hēmin synkatorthoutai; thanatos men, en tǭ mē kineisthai eis aganaktēsin kata tou tēn prōtēn hēmin epenenkontos plēgēn; kainotēs de zōēs en Kyriǭ, en tǭ paratithenai kai tēn allēn.

At one time we hear the Lord say, “You are the light of the world”; at another we hear and do, “Let your light so shine before people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Then the Apostle too will surely testify of us, saying, “Among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, as a boast for me in the day of Christ.” And how is the newness of life not more strikingly evident, not only in comparison with Greeks and worldly people, but also, far beyond them, in comparison with those justified by the law, when we not only do not reach for increase and for more, as the people of the world do, but do not even lay claim to what we have and own, and are eager, beyond what the law asks, to do good to those in need? For we not only do good to our neighbors, but extend kindness even to enemies and the wicked, doing according to the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Be merciful, as your heavenly Father also is merciful.” And how do we not walk in newness of life, and fulfil a righteousness beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees, when we keep to the Lord’s words: “It was said to those of old, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the evil one; but whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone wishes to go to law with you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” For we not only do not avenge the wrongs already done to us, as the scribes and Pharisees urge, since the law given through Moses permits it, but we show still greater forbearance, holding out our readiness to endure the same or even worse. And so both are achieved in us together: death, in not being moved to anger against the one who dealt us the first blow; and newness of life in the Lord, in offering him the other cheek also.

Matt 5:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 6:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:44 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:38 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:39 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:40 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:41 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 21:24 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The baptized show newness of life by shining with good works, giving up claims to property, doing good to enemies, and turning the other cheek.

The section begins in the middle of the sentence that closes 1.2.10 (“let us also give light to those near us”). Debris in the scan (“ἀκούοντες καί”, repeated syllables) is removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (debris inside a split word; repeated syllables; split word; words belonging to the end of 1.2.10, displaced here by the OCR; restored there): Ἀποθέμενοι οὖν τὴν σκληρότητα τῆς ἀπειγίζοντας ἡμῖν φωτίζωμεν· ποτὲ → ποτὲ; ἀνθρώ πων → ἀνθρώπων; τεἀκούοντες καί. λειοῦμεν → τελειοῦμεν; ἁμαρτήματα ματα εἰς εἰ ἡμᾶ μᾶς → ἁμαρτήματα εἰς ἡμᾶς.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.11 (PG 31:1543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-11

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.12PG 31:1545

Πῶς δὲ οὐ νεκρός τίς ἐστι καὶ τῷ νόμῳ, ὁ μὴ ἀντιποιούμενος τοῦ αἰρομένου; ζῇ δὲ ἐν Χριστῷ, ὁ προσαφιεὶς καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον; Καὶ πάσης δὲ τῆς κατὰ τὸν νόμον δικαιοσύνης τὴν περισσείαν φυλάσσειν ομοίως διδασκόμεθα. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ μόνον τῷ κόσμῳ ἐσταυρῶσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ νόμῳ ἀποθανεῖν ἡμᾶς χρή, παρὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου ἐστὶ δογματικῶς μαθεῖν. Ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ λέγει· « Ἐγὼ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐσταύρωμαι, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμοί. Ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός·, ποτὲ δὲ μετὰ πολλὴν καύχησιν τῶν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ἀνωτάτω εὐδοκιμήσεων, φησίν·· ᾿Αλλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἡγοῦμαι τὰ πάντα σκύβαλα εἶναι, ἵνα Χριστὸν κερδήσω, καὶ εὑρεθῶ ἐν αὐτῷ μὴ ἔχων ἐμὴν δικαιοσύνην τὴν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου, ἀλλὰ τὴν διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει, τοῦ γνῶναι αὐτὸν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς ἀναστάσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῶν παθημάτων αὐτοῦ, συμμορφούμενος τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτοῦ· εἴ πως καταντήσω εἰς τὴν ἐξανάστασιν τῶν νεκρῶν. » Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα, διδάσκων ἡμᾶς τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν αὐτῷ, ἀποφαντικώτερόν φησιν· « Ὅσοι οὖν τέλειοι, τοῦτο φρονῶμεν.

Pōs de ou nekros tis esti kai tǭ nomǭ, ho mē antipoioumenos tou airomenou? zę̄ de en Christǭ, ho prosaphieis kai to himation? Kai pasēs de tēs kata ton nomon dikaiosynēs tēn perisseian phylassein omoiōs didaskometha. Hoti de ou monon tǭ kosmǭ estaurōsthai, alla kai tǭ nomǭ apothanein hēmas chrē, para tou autou ᾿Apostolou esti dogmatikōs mathein. Pote men gar legei; « Egō tǭ kosmǭ estaurōmai, kai ho kosmos emoi. Zō de ouketi egō, zę̄ de en emoi Christos;, pote de meta pollēn kauchēsin tōn en tǭ nomǭ anōtatō eudokimēseōn, phēsin;; ᾿Alla men oun kai hēgoumai ta panta skybala einai, hina Christon kerdēsō, kai heurethō en autǭ mē echōn emēn dikaiosynēn tēn ek tou nomou, alla tēn dia pisteōs Iēsou Christou, tēn ek Theou dikaiosynēn epi tę̄ pistei, tou gnōnai auton, kai tēn dynamin tēs anastaseōs autou, kai tēn koinōnian tōn pathēmatōn autou, symmorphoumenos tǭ thanatǭ autou; ei pōs katantēsō eis tēn exanastasin tōn nekrōn. » Kai met' oliga, didaskōn hēmas to auto phronein autǭ, apophantikōteron phēsin; « Hosoi oun teleioi, touto phronōmen.

And how is a person not dead to the law as well, when he does not lay claim to what is taken from him, and alive in Christ, when he gives up his cloak too? So we are taught likewise to keep a righteousness that goes beyond all righteousness according to the law. That we must not only be crucified to the world but also die to the law we can learn as doctrine from the same Apostle. At one time he says, “I have been crucified to the world, and the world to me. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”; at another, after much boasting of the highest distinctions under the law, he says, “But indeed I count all things to be rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Jesus Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” And a little later, teaching us to think the same as he does, he says more explicitly, “Let those of us, then, who are mature think this way.”

Matt 5:40 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 2:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Phil 3:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:15 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: One who gives up what is taken from him has died to the law and lives in Christ, as Paul teaches by renouncing his own righteousness under the law.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.12 (PG 31:1545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-12

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-baptismo-1-2-12) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.13PG 31:1545

Καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ σφοδρότερον, ὥσπερ δόγμα ἀναγκαῖον ἐκτιθέμενος, λέγει·· Ὥστε καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ, τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι, ἵνα καρποφορήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ. Ὅτε γὰρ ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ, τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐνηργεῖτο ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν, εἰς τὸ καρποφορῆσαι τῷ θανάτῳ· νυνὶ δὲ κατηργήθημεν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἀποθανόντες ἐν ᾧ κατειχόμεθα, ὥστε δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος, καὶ οὐ παλαιότητι γράμματος. Τὸ γὰρ γράμμα, » τουτέστιν ὁ νόμος, « ἀποκτείνει· τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα, » τουτέστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦ Κυρίου, • ζωοποιεῖ. » Καθὼς αὐτός φησιν, ὅτι « Ἡ σάρξ οὐκ ὠφελεῖ οὐδέν· τὸ πνεῦμα ἐστι τὸ ζωοποιοῦν. Τὰ ῥήματά μου πνεῦμα ἐστι, καὶ ζωή ἐστι. » Μαρτυρεῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ ἔγκριτος τῶν ἀποστόλων, εἰπών· « Πρὸς τίνα ἀπελευσόμεθα; Ῥήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις. Καὶ ἡμεῖς πεπιστεύκαμεν, καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. » Ὅπερ ἐν πληροφορίᾳ ἀληθείας δι' ἐπιμελείας σπουδαιοτέρας φυλάσσοντες, φυγεῖν δυνάμεθα τὸ φοβερὸν ἐκεῖνο κρίμα τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Μωϋσέως μὲν μετὰ ἀπειλῆς προφητικῶς γεγραμμένον· Προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν ὡς ἐμέ. Αὐτοῦ ἀκούσεσθε κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἂν ἐντείληται ὑμῖν Ἔσται δὲ, Πᾶσα ψυχὴ, ἥτις ἂν μὴ ἀκούσῃ τοῦ προφήτου ἐκείνου, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ· ὑπὸ δὲ Ἰωάννου τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ, οὗ μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν οὐδεὶς, φοβερώτερον ἀποφαντικῶς εἰρημένον, ὅτι « Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον· ὁ δὲ ἀπειθῶν τῷ Υἱῷ οὐκ ὄψεται τὴν ζωήν, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. » Ἵνα δε ὁ μὲν ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι τοιοῦτος θάνατος, καὶ ἡ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τοιαύτη ταφὴ μὴ ἐν προσδοκίᾳ φθορᾶς καὶ ἀπωλείας παράσχῃ λύπην· ἡ δὲ καινότης τῆς ζωῆς σπέρματος καταβολὴν ὑπερβάλῃ, τῆς ἐνδόξου ἀναστάσεως τὴν ἐλπίδα βεβαιουμένη, ἐπιφέρει λέγων· Εἰ γὰρ σύμφυτοι γεγόναμεν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα.» Ἐὰν γὰρ ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου ἀποθανόντες καὶ συνταφέντες τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς περιπατήσωμεν, οὐ νεκρότητος φθοράν ἐκδεχόμεθα, ταφὴν δὲ καὶ ὥσπερ φυτείαν σπερμάτων μιμούμεθα· νεκροῦντες μὲν ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς ἀπηγορευμένοις, καὶ τὴν πίστιν δι᾽ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένην ἐπιδεικνύμενοι, γινόμεθα ἄξιοι τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ ᾿Αποστόλῳ εἰπεῖν μετ᾿ ἐλπίδος τῶν αὐτῶν· « Ἡμῶν γὰρ τὸ πολίτευμα ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑπάρχει, ἐξ οὗ καὶ Σωτῆρα ἀπεκδεχόμεθα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, ὃς μετασχηματίσει τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸ σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ, κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ δύνασθαι αὐτὸν καὶ ὑποτάξαι ἑαυτῷ τὰ πάντα. Καὶ οὕτω πάντοτε σὺν Κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα·· αὐτοῦ μὲν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ αἰτοῦντος μὲν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ λέγοντος· « Δὸς, Πάτερ, ἵνα ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, καὶ τοῦ γράψαι ταῦτα· • Τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου, ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες, οἱ περιλειπόμενοι ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου, οὐ μὴ φθάσομεν τοὺς κοιμηθέντας. Ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐν κελεύσματι, ἐν φωνῇ ἀρχαγγέλου, καὶ ἐν σάλπιγγι Θεοῦ καταβήσεται ἀπ᾿ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἐγερθήσονται πρῶτοι. Ἔπειτα ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες, οἱ περιλειπόμενοι, ἅμα σὺν αὐτοῖς ἁρπαγησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἀέρα, καὶ οὕτω πάντοτε σὺν Κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα.

Kai allachou sphodroteron, hōsper dogma anankaion ektithemenos, legei;; Hōste kai hymeis ethanatōthēte tǭ nomǭ dia tou sōmatos tou Christou, eis to genesthai hymas heterǭ, tǭ ek nekrōn egerthenti, hina karpophorēsōmen tǭ Theǭ. Hote gar ēmen en tę̄ sarki, ta pathēmata tōn hamartiōn ta dia tou nomou enērgeito en tois melesin hēmōn, eis to karpophorēsai tǭ thanatǭ; nyni de katērgēthēmen apo tou nomou, apothanontes en hǭ kateichometha, hōste douleuein hēmas en kainotēti pneumatos, kai ou palaiotēti grammatos. To gar gramma, » toutestin ho nomos, « apokteinei; to de pneuma, » toutesti to rhēma tou Kyriou, • zōopoiei. » Kathōs autos phēsin, hoti « Hē sarx ouk ōphelei ouden; to pneuma esti to zōopoioun. Ta rhēmata mou pneuma esti, kai zōē esti. » Martyrei de kai ho enkritos tōn apostolōn, eipōn; « Pros tina apeleusometha? Rhēmata zōēs aiōniou echeis. Kai hēmeis pepisteukamen, kai egnōkamen, hoti sy ei ho Christos ho Huios tou Theou tou zōntos. » Hoper en plērophorią alētheias di' epimeleias spoudaioteras phylassontes, phygein dynametha to phoberon ekeino krima to hypo tou Mōÿseōs men meta apeilēs prophētikōs gegrammenon; Prophētēn hymin anastēsei Kyrios ho Theos hymōn hōs eme. Autou akousesthe kata panta hosa an enteilētai hymin Estai de, Pasa psychē, hētis an mē akousę̄ tou prophētou ekeinou, exolothreuthēsetai ek tou laou; hypo de Iōannou tou Baptistou, hou meizōn en gennētois gynaikōn oudeis, phoberōteron apophantikōs eirēmenon, hoti « Ho pisteuōn eis ton Huion echei zōēn aiōnion; ho de apeithōn tǭ Huiǭ ouk opsetai tēn zōēn, all᾿ hē orgē tou Theou menei ep᾿ auton. » Hina de ho men en tǭ baptismati toioutos thanatos, kai hē en tǭ autǭ toiautē taphē mē en prosdokią phthoras kai apōleias paraschę̄ lypēn; hē de kainotēs tēs zōēs spermatos katabolēn hyperbalę̄, tēs endoxou anastaseōs tēn elpida bebaioumenē, epipherei legōn; Ei gar symphytoi gegonamen tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou autou, alla kai tēs anastaseōs esometha.» Ean gar en tǭ toioutǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou apothanontes kai syntaphentes tǭ Christǭ en kainotēti zōēs peripatēsōmen, ou nekrotētos phthoran ekdechometha, taphēn de kai hōsper phyteian spermatōn mimoumetha; nekrountes men heautous tois apēgoreumenois, kai tēn pistin di᾽ agapēs energoumenēn epideiknymenoi, ginometha axioi ta auta tǭ ᾿Apostolǭ eipein met᾿ elpidos tōn autōn; « Hēmōn gar to politeuma en ouranois hyparchei, ex hou kai Sōtēra apekdechometha Kyrion Iēsoun Christon, hos metaschēmatisei to sōma tēs tapeinōseōs hēmōn, eis to genesthai auto symmorphon tǭ sōmati tēs doxēs autou, kata tēn energeian tou dynasthai auton kai hypotaxai heautǭ ta panta. Kai houtō pantote syn Kyriǭ esometha;; autou men tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou aitountos men para tou Patros, kai legontos; « Dos, Pater, hina hopou eimi egō, kai tou grapsai tauta; • Touto gar hymin legomen en logǭ Kyriou, hoti hēmeis hoi zōntes, hoi perileipomenoi en tę̄ parousią tou Kyriou, ou mē phthasomen tous koimēthentas. Hoti autos ho Kyrios en keleusmati, en phōnę̄ archangelou, kai en salpingi Theou katabēsetai ap᾿ ouranou, kai hoi nekroi en Christǭ egerthēsontai prōtoi. Epeita hēmeis hoi zōntes, hoi perileipomenoi, hama syn autois harpagēsometha en nephelais eis apantēsin tou Kyriou eis aera, kai houtō pantote syn Kyriǭ esometha.

And elsewhere, more forcefully, as if setting out a necessary doctrine, he says, “So you too were put to death to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter.” “For the letter,” that is, the law, “kills; but the spirit,” that is, the word of the Lord, “gives life.” As he himself says, “The flesh profits nothing; it is the spirit that gives life. My words are spirit and are life.” And the foremost of the apostles testifies, saying, “To whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” If we keep this in full assurance of the truth with more earnest care, we can escape that fearful judgment written by Moses prophetically and with a threat: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me. You shall listen to him in everything he commands you. And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from the people”; and spoken still more fearfully and explicitly by John the Baptist, than whom none is greater among those born of women: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; but whoever disobeys the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” And so that such a death in baptism, and such a burial in it, may not cause grief by an expectation of corruption and destruction, but the newness of life may go beyond the sowing of a seed and confirm the hope of the glorious resurrection, he adds, “For if we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be in that of the resurrection also.” For if, having died and been buried with Christ in such a likeness of death, we walk in newness of life, we do not await the corruption of deadness, but imitate a burial that is like a planting of seeds. Putting ourselves to death to things forbidden and showing the faith that works through love, we become worthy to say the same words as the Apostle, with hope of the same things: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, by the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself. And so we shall always be with the Lord.” For our Lord Jesus Christ himself asks of the Father, saying, “Grant, Father, that where I am …”; and … to write these things: “For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Rom 7:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:63 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:68 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:69 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 18:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 18:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 3:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 3:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 11:11 (allusion, high confidence) · John 3:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 5:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 3:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:21 (quotation, high confidence) · John 17:24 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:17 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Through Christ's body the baptized die to the law, and their burial with him is like the sowing of seed that leads to the resurrection and being forever with the Lord.

Basil’s wording of the prophet saying (“shall be utterly destroyed from the people”) is that of Acts 3:23 rather than Deut 18:19.
The quotation “And so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess 4:17) is joined to Phil 3:20–21.
Lines are lost in the scan after “where I am” (John 17:24) and before “to write these things”; the full printed text continues the saying, adds a further promise of the Lord (John 12:26), and names Paul as the writer of 1 Thess 4:15–17.
“Planted together” renders σύμφυτοι (Rom 6:5), which Basil develops as an image of sowing.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misread; margin letter; margin letter inside a word; repeated syllable; split word; stray mark inside a word): ὁ Α νόμος → ὁ νόμος; ἐγνώ καμεν → ἐγνώκαμεν; προΒ φήτου → προφήτου; μιμού ούμεθα → μιμούμεθα; ἀπηγο|ρευμένοις → ἀπηγορευμένοις; δύνασθα: → δύνασθαι.

Topics: Baptism, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.13 (PG 31:1545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-13

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.14PG 31:1549

Καὶ οὕτως εἰς τοὺς φυλάξαντας νῦν τὸ, Εἰ γὰρ σύμφυτοι γεγόναμεν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ, τότε πληροῦται ἡ ἐπαγγελία· ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα, » καθὼς καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν· « Εἰ γὰρ συναπεθάνομεν, καὶ συζήσομεν· εἰ ὑπομένομεν, καὶ συμβασιλεύσομεν. » Εἰδὼς δὲ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, ὅτι ἡ ταυτολογία ὠφελιμωτέρα ἐστὶ τοῖς ἀκούουσι πρὸς τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, καὶ βεβαιοτέραν ἐμποιεῖ διὰ τῆς ἐπαναλήψεως τῶν αὐτῶν τὴν πληροφορίαν τῆς ἀληθείας. Παρ' αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἀκούομεν λέγοντος· « Τὰ αὐτὰ γράφειν ὑμῖν ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ὀκνηρὸν, ὑμῖν δὲ ἀσφαλές. : Καθὼς καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ μεμαθήκαμεν, δὶς ἐπικρίναντος τὸ ἐνύπνιον τῷ βασιλεῖ Φαραώ· οὕτω καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν τοῦ ἐνυπνίου μιμούμενος, τὸ αὐτὸ δόγμα τοῦ βαπτίσματος ὁμοίως τοῖς πρώτοις θεωρήμασι παραδίδωσιν εἰπών Τοῦτο γινώσκοντες, ὅτι ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος συνεσταυρώθη, ἵνα καταργηθῇ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τοῦ μηκέτι δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. » "Αρα οὖν καὶ διὰ τούτων τῶν ῥημάτων διδασκόμεθα, ὅτι ὁ βαπτισθεὶς ἐν Χριστῷ εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ βαπτίζεται· καὶ οὐ μόνον συνθάπτεται τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ συμφυτεύεται, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον συσταυροῦται, ἵνα καὶ ἐν τούτῳ παιδευθῶμεν, ὅτι, ὥσπερ ὁ σταυρούμενος ἀπαλλοτριοῦται τῶν ζώντων, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου συσταυρωθεὶς τῷ Χριστῷ ἀπαλλοτριοῦται παντάπασι τῶν κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ζώντων· τοῦ μὲν Κυρίου ἐντελλομένου προσέχειν ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, τοῦ δὲ ᾿Αποστόλου λέγοντος· « Στέλλεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδελφοῦ ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντος, καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν, ἣν παρελάβοσαν παρ' ἡμῶν. » Ὁ γὰρ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος ὀνομασθεὶς, πάντα ὁμοῦ τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἁμαρτήματά τε καὶ μολύσματα, ὥσπερ μέλη ἑαυτοῦ, δηλοῖ.

Kai houtōs eis tous phylaxantas nyn to, Ei gar symphytoi gegonamen tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou autou, tote plēroutai hē epangelia; ᾿Alla kai tēs anastaseōs esometha, » kathōs kai allachou phēsin; « Ei gar synapethanomen, kai syzēsomen; ei hypomenomen, kai symbasileusomen. » Eidōs de ho ᾿Apostolos, hoti hē tautologia ōphelimōtera esti tois akouousi pros tēn asphaleian, kai bebaioteran empoiei dia tēs epanalēpseōs tōn autōn tēn plērophorian tēs alētheias. Par' autou gar akouomen legontos; « Ta auta graphein hymin emoi men ouk oknēron, hymin de asphales. : Kathōs kai para tou Iōsēph memathēkamen, dis epikrinantos to enypnion tǭ basilei Pharaō; houtō kai tēn historian tou enypniou mimoumenos, to auto dogma tou baptismatos homoiōs tois prōtois theōrēmasi paradidōsin eipōn Touto ginōskontes, hoti ho palaios hēmōn anthrōpos synestaurōthē, hina katargēthę̄ to sōma tēs hamartias, tou mēketi douleuein hēmas tę̄ hamartią. » "Ara oun kai dia toutōn tōn rhēmatōn didaskometha, hoti ho baptistheis en Christǭ eis ton thanaton autou baptizetai; kai ou monon synthaptetai tǭ Christǭ, kai symphyteuetai, alla prōton systauroutai, hina kai en toutǭ paideuthōmen, hoti, hōsper ho stauroumenos apallotrioutai tōn zōntōn, houtō kai ho en tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou systaurōtheis tǭ Christǭ apallotrioutai pantapasi tōn kata ton palaion anthrōpon zōntōn; tou men Kyriou entellomenou prosechein apo tōn pseudoprophētōn, tou de ᾿Apostolou legontos; « Stellesthai hymas apo pantos adelphou ataktōs peripatountos, kai mē kata tēn paradosin, hēn parelabosan par' hēmōn. » Ho gar palaios anthrōpos onomastheis, panta homou ta kata meros hamartēmata te kai molysmata, hōsper melē heautou, dēloi.

And so in those who now keep the words, “For if we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death,” the promise is then fulfilled: “we shall be in that of the resurrection also”; as he says elsewhere too, “For if we died with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him.” The Apostle knows that saying the same things again is more profitable to the hearers for their safety, and that repetition produces a firmer full assurance of the truth; for we hear him say, “To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, and for you it is safe.” As we have also learned from Joseph, who judged that the dream had been given to King Pharaoh twice, so the Apostle too, imitating the account of the dream, hands down the same doctrine of baptism in the same way as his first points, saying, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” So through these words too we are taught that the one baptized in Christ is baptized into his death, and is not only buried with Christ and planted with him, but first crucified with him; so that in this too we may learn that, just as one who is crucified is cut off from the living, so too the one crucified with Christ in the likeness of death is wholly cut off from those who live according to the old man. For the Lord commands us to beware of the false prophets, and the Apostle says, “that you keep away from every brother who walks in disorder and not according to the tradition that they received from us.” For the name “old man” signifies all the individual sins and defilements together, as if they were its members.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Rom 6:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 41:32 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 6:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 6:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:9 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul repeats the doctrine of baptism for safety: the baptized are crucified with Christ and cut off from the old man and from those who live by it.

“They received” (παρελάβοσαν) in 2 Thess 3:6 is a reading found in some manuscripts.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (margin letter): Εἰδὼς Β δὲ → Εἰδὼς δὲ.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.14 (PG 31:1549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-14

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-baptismo-1-2-14) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.15PG 31:1549

Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ ἐσταυρωμένος, κρίμα θανάτου ὑποδεξάμενος, τῶν πάλαι συζώντων αὐτῷ ἀφέστηκεν, ὑψηλότερος τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἑρπόντων γενόμενος, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τῷ Χριστῷ συσταυρωθεὶς διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον ζώντων ἀπήλλακται, ὑψώσας ἑαυτοῦ τὸ φρόνημα πρὸς τὴν ἐπουράνιον πολιτείαν, ὥστε δύνασθαι εἰπεῖν μετὰ ἀληθείας καὶ παῤῥησίας τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ·· Ἡμῶν γὰρ τὸ πολίτευμα ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑπάρχει» Καὶ πάλιν ἐπιφέρει·· Ὁ γὰρ ἀποθανὼν δεδικαίωται ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, » τουτέστιν ἀπῆλλακται, ἠλευθέρωται, κεκαθάρισται πάσης ἁμαρτίας τῆς οὐκ ἐν ἔργοις καὶ λόγοις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσπαθοῦς ἐνθυμήσεως. Καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ τόπῳ ἀπεφήνατο γράψας· « Οἱ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, τὴν σάρκα ἐσταύρωσαν σὺν τοῖς παθήμασι καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις. Σταυροῦμεν δὲ δηλονότι, οἱ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι βαπτιζόμενοι· ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁμοίωμα τοῦ σταυροῦ καὶ τοῦ θανάτου, τῆς τε ταφῆς καὶ τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως, καθὼς γέγραπται. Καὶ πάλιν· « Νεκρώσατε, φησὶ, τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν, τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς (πάντως τὰς ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι συνθήκας καὶ ὕστερον φυλάξαντες), πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακὴν, καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία δι' ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ·· οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καθολικώτερον ἐπήγαγεν· « Ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας·· ὡς μηκέτι μηδὲ τῆς προσκαίρου ἡδονῆς τῆς καταῤῥυπούσης τὴν διάνοιαν παρενοχλούσης τῷ συμφυτευθέντι τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου· διὰ δὲ τὸ μισεῖν καὶ βδελύσσεσθαι πᾶσαν κακίαν ἄχρι καὶ τῆς προσπαθοῦς ἐνθυμήσεως, τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς καρδίας ἐνδεικνυμένῳ, καθώς φησιν ὁ Δαβίδ • Οὐκ ἐκολλήθη μοι καρδία σκαμβή· ἐκκλίνοντος ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ τοῦ πονηροῦ, οὐκ ἐγίνωσκον·· ἐπειδὴ πάντως οὐδὲ ἐγγίζοντος αὐτοῦ ἐπεστράφη. Συμφυτευθέντες δὲ ἐν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου, πάντως συνεγειρόμεθα τῷ Χριστῷ (τῆς γὰρ φυτείας τὸ ἀκολούθως σημαινόμενον τοιοῦτο)· νῦν μὲν κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως συμμορφούμενοι τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον ἐν τῇ καινότητι τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ τῇ μέχρι θανάτου ὑπακοῇ ἐν πληροφορίᾳ τῆς ἀληθείας τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ· ἵνα ἄξιοι γενώμεθα μετὰ ἀληθείας εἰπεῖν· « Ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός·· εἰς δὲ τὸ μέλλον, καθὼς διεβεβαιώσατο ὁ αὐτὸς Ἀπόστολος εἰπὼν, ὅτι « Εἰ γὰρ συναπεθάνομεν, καὶ συζήσομεν· εἱ ὑπομένομεν, καὶ συμβασιλεύσομεν. • Ἐπίσης δὲ τούτοις πληροφορεῖ ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν· « Εἰ γὰρ σύμφυτοι γεγόναμεν τῷ ὁμοιώματι τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα. » Καὶ πάλιν τὸ αὐτὸ δόγμα τοῦ τοιούτου βαπτίσματος, δυσωπητικώτερον καὶ ἀναγκαστικώτερον παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, ἐπιφέρει λέγων, ὅτι « Χριστὸς, ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν, οὐκέτι ἀποθνήσκει· θάνατος αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύει. "Ὁ γὰρ ἀπέθανε, τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ· ὁ δὲ ζῇ, ζῇ τῷ Θεῷ. Οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε ἑαυτοὺς νεκροὺς μὲν εἶναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ζῶντας δὲ τῷ Θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

Kai hōsper ho estaurōmenos, krima thanatou hypodexamenos, tōn palai syzōntōn autǭ aphestēken, hypsēloteros tōn epi tēs gēs herpontōn genomenos, houtō kai ho tǭ Christǭ systaurōtheis dia tou baptismatos pantōn homou tōn kata ton aiōna touton zōntōn apēllaktai, hypsōsas heautou to phronēma pros tēn epouranion politeian, hōste dynasthai eipein meta alētheias kai parrhēsias tēs en Christǭ;; Hēmōn gar to politeuma en ouranois hyparchei» Kai palin epipherei;; Ho gar apothanōn dedikaiōtai apo tēs hamartias, » toutestin apēllaktai, ēleutherōtai, kekatharistai pasēs hamartias tēs ouk en ergois kai logois monon, alla kai prospathous enthymēseōs. Kai en heterǭ topǭ apephēnato grapsas; « Hoi de tou Christou Iēsou, tēn sarka estaurōsan syn tois pathēmasi kai tais epithymiais. Stauroumen de dēlonoti, hoi en tǭ hydati baptizomenoi; hoper estin homoiōma tou staurou kai tou thanatou, tēs te taphēs kai tēs ek nekrōn anastaseōs, kathōs gegraptai. Kai palin; « Nekrōsate, phēsi, ta melē hymōn, ta epi tēs gēs (pantōs tas en tǭ baptismati synthēkas kai hysteron phylaxantes), porneian, akatharsian, pathos, epithymian kakēn, kai tēn pleonexian, hētis estin eidōlolatreia di' ha erchetai hē orgē tou Theou;; ou monon de, alla katholikōteron epēgagen; « Epi tous huious tēs apeitheias;; hōs mēketi mēde tēs proskairou hēdonēs tēs katarrhypousēs tēn dianoian parenochlousēs tǭ symphyteuthenti tǭ Christǭ en tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou; dia de to misein kai bdelyssesthai pasan kakian achri kai tēs prospathous enthymēseōs, to katharon tēs kardias endeiknymenǭ, kathōs phēsin ho Dabid • Ouk ekollēthē moi kardia skambē; ekklinontos ap᾿ emou tou ponērou, ouk eginōskon;; epeidē pantōs oude engizontos autou epestraphē. Symphyteuthentes de en tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou, pantōs synegeirometha tǭ Christǭ (tēs gar phyteias to akolouthōs sēmainomenon toiouto); nyn men kata to metron tēs enanthrōpēseōs symmorphoumenoi ton esō anthrōpon en tę̄ kainotēti tēs zōēs, kai tę̄ mechri thanatou hypakoę̄ en plērophorią tēs alētheias tōn rhēmatōn autou; hina axioi genōmetha meta alētheias eipein; « Zō de ouketi egō, zę̄ de en emoi Christos;; eis de to mellon, kathōs diebebaiōsato ho autos Apostolos eipōn, hoti « Ei gar synapethanomen, kai syzēsomen; hei hypomenomen, kai symbasileusomen. • Episēs de toutois plērophorei hēmas en tǭ eipein; « Ei gar symphytoi gegonamen tǭ homoiōmati tou thanatou autou, alla kai tēs anastaseōs esometha. » Kai palin to auto dogma tou toioutou baptismatos, dysōpētikōteron kai anankastikōteron paideuōn hēmas, epipherei legōn, hoti « Christos, egertheis ek nekrōn, ouketi apothnēskei; thanatos autou ouketi kyrieuei. "Ho gar apethane, tę̄ hamartią apethanen ephapax; ho de zę̄, zę̄ tǭ Theǭ. Houtō kai hymeis logizesthe heautous nekrous men einai tę̄ hamartią, zōntas de tǭ Theǭ en Christǭ Iēsou.

And just as one who has been crucified, having received the sentence of death, has parted from those who once lived with him, being raised higher than those who creep on the earth, so too the one crucified with Christ through baptism is set free from all who live according to this age, having lifted up his mind to the heavenly way of life, so that he can say with truth and with the boldness that is in Christ, “For our citizenship is in heaven.” And again he adds, “For one who has died has been justified from sin,” that is, set free, liberated, and cleansed of every sin, not only in deeds and words, but even in the thought that clings with passion. And in another place he declared in writing, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” We crucify it, plainly, we who are baptized in the water, which is a likeness of the cross and of death, of burial and of resurrection from the dead, as it is written. And again: “Put to death,” he says, “your members that are on the earth” (meaning, by all means, that we keep the covenants made in baptism afterward as well), “sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry, on account of which the wrath of God comes”; and not only that, but he added more generally, “upon the sons of disobedience.” So not even transient pleasure, which soils the mind, should any longer trouble the one who has been planted together with Christ in the likeness of his death, and who, by hating and abhorring every wickedness, even to the thought that clings with passion, shows purity of heart; as David says, “A crooked heart did not cleave to me; when the wicked one turned aside from me, I did not know him,” since surely he did not even turn toward him when he drew near. Having been planted together in the likeness of his death, we are surely raised with Christ as well (for that is what the planting signifies in consequence). Now we are conformed in the inner man, after the measure of the incarnation, in newness of life and in obedience unto death, in full assurance of the truth of his words, so that we may become worthy to say with truth, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”; and in the future, as the same Apostle affirmed, saying, “For if we died with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him.” Equally with these he gives us assurance in saying, “For if we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be in that of the resurrection also.” And again, teaching us the same doctrine of such a baptism in a way that shames and compels us more, he adds, “Christ, being raised from the dead, no longer dies; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Phil 3:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 101:4 (100:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 2:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:11 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Baptism, a likeness of the cross, death, burial and resurrection, crucifies the flesh and its desires and raises the baptized to live to God now and to reign with Christ hereafter.

Ps 101:4 is cited from the Greek Old Testament (Ps 100:4).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misread; margin letter; margin letter inside a word; split word): γεν νόμενος → γενόμενος; φρόΑ νημα → φρόνημα; τὰς Β ἐν → τὰς ἐν; φυλάξαν τες → φυλάξαντες; ἐπιθυμίαν και κὴν → ἐπιθυμίαν κακὴν; ἀλη θείας → ἀληθείας; συναπεθάνο μεν → συναπεθάνομεν.

Topics: Baptism, Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.15 (PG 31:1549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-15

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).

1.2.16PG 31:1553

Τὴν τοίνυν αυτου τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περὶ τῆς ἀφέσεως τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτημάτων οἰκονομίαν διὰ τῆς μέχρι θανάτου ἐνανθρωπήσεως προσθεὶς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, δυσωπητικώτερον καὶ ἀναγκαστικώτερον ἡμᾶς παιδεύει κεκριμένως νεκροὺς μὲν εἶναι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ζῶντας δὲ τῷ Θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα, ὥσπερ ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀποθανὼν δι᾿ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, οὐκέτι ἀποθνήσκει, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, βαπτισθέντες εἰς τὸν θάνατον ἐν τῷ ὁμοιώματι, ἀποθάνωμεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐκ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀνόδου, ὥσπερ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντες, ζήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ μηκέτι ἀποθάνωμεν, τουτέστι, μηκέτι ἁμαρτήσωμεν· διότι « Ψυχὴ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα, αὕτη ἀποθανεῖται. » Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκείνου ὁ θάνατος οὐ κυριεύει, οὕτω καὶ ἡμῶν μηκέτι κυριεύσῃ ἡ ἁμαρτία· τουτέστι, μηκέτι αὐτὴν ποιῶμεν. Καὶ ὅτι • Ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δοῦλός ἐστι τῆς ἁμαρτίας· » ἀπαλλοτριωθέντες δὲ τῆς τοιαύτης δουλείας κατὰ πάντα τρόπον, ὡς ἐδήλωσεν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος εἰπών· « Οἱ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, τὴν σάρκα ἐσταύρωσαν σὺν τοῖς παθήμασι καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις, » ζήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ ἐλευθερώσαντι ἡμᾶς, καθὼς γέγραπται· « Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς ἐξηγόρασεν ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ νόμου, γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα. Πολὺ δὲ πρότερον τῆς ἁμαρτίας, δηλονότι χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καθὼς γέγραπται· "Ωσπερ γὰρ διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ἁμαρτωλοὶ κατεστάθησαν οἱ πολλοί· οὕτω διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς δίκαιοι κατασταθήσονται οἱ πολλοί. Στήκετε οὖν, φησὶ, καὶ μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε. › Καὶ ὥσπερ αὐτὸς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ, ὁ δὲ ζῇ, ζῇ τῷ Θεῷ· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τῷ τοῦ ὕδατος βαπτισμῷ, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁμοίωμα τοῦ σταυροῦ καὶ τοῦ θανάτου, ἀποθανόντες τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἐφάπαξ, φυλάξωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ μηκέτι ἐπανέλθωμεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Διαμείνωμεν δὲ ζῶντες τῷ Θεῷ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰπόντι· « Ὁ ἐμοὶ διακονῶν ἐμοὶ ἀκολουθήτω, » ἐν τῷ φυλάσσειν πρῶτον μὲν τὸ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου πρόσταγμα, εἰπόντος· « Οὕτω λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς·· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου παράγγελμα, γράψαντος· « Εἴτε ἐσθίετε, εἴτε πίνετε, εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε. »• Κατορθοῦται δὲ τούτων ἕκαστον, ἐὰν, ἄξια τῆς ἐπουρανιου κλήσεως φρονοῦντες, ἀξίως τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τοῦ Χριστοῦ πολιτευώμεθα, καὶ δυνηθῶμεν ἀληθεύοντες εἰπεῖν· « Ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνέχει ἡμᾶς, κρίναντες τοῦτο, ὅτι, εἰ εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἄρα οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον· καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ υπερ αυτῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι. » Καὶ οὕτω κατορθοῦται τὸ, « Μείνατε ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ μου. Ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολάς μου τηρήσητε, μενεῖτε ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ μου, καθὼς ἐγὼ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Πατρός μου τετήρηκα, καὶ μένω αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀγάπη

Tēn toinyn autou tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou peri tēs apheseōs tōn hēmeterōn hamartēmatōn oikonomian dia tēs mechri thanatou enanthrōpēseōs prostheis ho ᾿Apostolos, dysōpētikōteron kai anankastikōteron hēmas paideuei kekrimenōs nekrous men einai tę̄ hamartią, zōntas de tǭ Theǭ en Christǭ Iēsou, hina, hōsper ho Christos, apothanōn di᾿ hēmas kai egertheis ek nekrōn hyper hēmōn, ouketi apothnēskei, houtō kai hēmeis, baptisthentes eis ton thanaton en tǭ homoiōmati, apothanōmen tę̄ hamartią; kai dia tēs ek tou baptismatos anodou, hōsper ek nekrōn egerthentes, zēsōmen tǭ Theǭ en Christǭ Iēsou, kai mēketi apothanōmen, toutesti, mēketi hamartēsōmen; dioti « Psychē hē hamartanousa, hautē apothaneitai. » Kai hōsper ekeinou ho thanatos ou kyrieuei, houtō kai hēmōn mēketi kyrieusę̄ hē hamartia; toutesti, mēketi autēn poiōmen. Kai hoti • Ho poiōn tēn hamartian doulos esti tēs hamartias; » apallotriōthentes de tēs toiautēs douleias kata panta tropon, hōs edēlōsen ho ᾿Apostolos eipōn; « Hoi de tou Christou Iēsou, tēn sarka estaurōsan syn tois pathēmasi kai tais epithymiais, » zēsōmen tǭ Theǭ en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ eleutherōsanti hēmas, kathōs gegraptai; « Christos hēmas exēgorasen ek tēs kataras tou nomou, genomenos hyper hēmōn katara. Poly de proteron tēs hamartias, dēlonoti chariti tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, kathōs gegraptai; "Ōsper gar dia tēs parakoēs tou henos anthrōpou hamartōloi katestathēsan hoi polloi; houtō dia tēs hypakoēs tou henos dikaioi katastathēsontai hoi polloi. Stēkete oun, phēsi, kai mē palin zygǭ douleias enechesthe. › Kai hōsper autos tę̄ hamartią apethanen ephapax, ho de zę̄, zę̄ tǭ Theǭ; houtō kai hēmeis en tǭ tou hydatos baptismǭ, hoper estin homoiōma tou staurou kai tou thanatou, apothanontes tę̄ hamartią ephapax, phylaxōmen heautous, kai mēketi epanelthōmen epi tēn hamartian. Diameinōmen de zōntes tǭ Theǭ en Christǭ Iēsou eiponti; « Ho emoi diakonōn emoi akolouthētō, » en tǭ phylassein prōton men to autou tou Kyriou prostagma, eipontos; « Houtō lampsatō to phōs hymōn emprosthen tōn anthrōpōn, hopōs idōsin hymōn ta kala erga, kai doxasōsi ton Patera hymōn ton en tois ouranois;; epeita de kai to tou Apostolou parangelma, grapsantos; « Eite esthiete, eite pinete, eite ti poieite, panta eis doxan Theou poieite. »• Katorthoutai de toutōn hekaston, ean, axia tēs epouraniou klēseōs phronountes, axiōs tou Euangeliou tou Christou politeuōmetha, kai dynēthōmen alētheuontes eipein; « Hē gar agapē tou Christou synechei hēmas, krinantes touto, hoti, ei heis hyper pantōn apethanen, ara hoi pantes apethanon; kai hyper pantōn apethanen, hina hoi zōntes mēketi heautois zōsin, alla tǭ yper autōn apothanonti kai egerthenti. » Kai houtō katorthoutai to, « Meinate en tę̄ agapę̄ mou. Ean tas entolas mou tērēsēte, meneite en tę̄ agapę̄ mou, kathōs egō tas entolas tou Patros mou tetērēka, kai menō autou en tę̄ agapē

The Apostle, then, having added the dispensation of our Lord Jesus Christ himself for the forgiveness of our sins, through his incarnation even unto death, teaches us, in a way that shames and compels us more, decisively to be dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus; so that, just as Christ, having died for us and been raised from the dead on our behalf, no longer dies, so we too, baptized into death in the likeness, may die to sin, and, through the coming up out of the baptism, as if raised from the dead, may live to God in Christ Jesus and no longer die, that is, no longer sin; for “the soul that sins, it shall die.” And just as death has no dominion over him, so let sin no longer have dominion over us, that is, let us no longer commit it. And since “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin,” let us, having been cut off from such slavery in every way, as the Apostle showed when he said, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires,” live to God in Christ Jesus, who set us free, as it is written: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us”; and, plainly, far earlier from sin, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written: “For as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one the many will be made righteous.” “Stand firm, then,” he says, “and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” And just as he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God, so let us too, having died to sin once for all in the baptism of water, which is a likeness of the cross and of death, guard ourselves and no longer return to sin. Let us continue living to God in Christ Jesus, who said, “Whoever serves me, let him follow me,” by keeping, first, the command of the Lord himself, who said, “Let your light so shine before people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven,” and then the instruction of the Apostle, who wrote, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Each of these is achieved if, with thoughts worthy of the heavenly calling, we live worthily of the Gospel of Christ and can say truthfully, “For the love of Christ constrains us, because we have judged this, that if one died for all, then all died; and he died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.” And so this is achieved: “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”

Rom 6:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezek 18:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:14 (allusion, high confidence) · John 8:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · John 12:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 1:27 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 3:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 5:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 15:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 15:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: As Christ died once and lives to God, the baptized die to sin once in the water and must never return to it, living to God's glory in Christ's love.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (margin letter; stray mark and OCR accent slip): Ἰησοῦ Α Χριστοῦ → Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ; εἰ/ εἰς → εἰ εἷς; μηκέτι Α ἑαυτοῖς → μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Bapt. 1.2.16 (PG 31:1553; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-baptismo/1-2-16

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).