Letters (first part: Migne letters 1-55) 17–18
Greek text: PG 77.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 17
17PG 77 77:105
Τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ καὶ θεοφιλεστάτῳ συλλειτουργῷ Νεστορίῳ, Κύριλλος καὶ ἡ συνελθοῦσα σύνοδος ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἐκ τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς διοικήσεως ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν λέγοντος ἐναργῶς· « Ὁ φιλῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος· καὶ ὁ φιλῶν υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος · · τί πάθωμεν ἡμεῖς, οἱ παρὰ τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας ἀπαιτούμενοι, τὸ ὑπεραγαπᾶν σε τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ; Τίς ἡμᾶς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως ὀνῆσαι δυνήσεται, ἢ ποίαν εὐρήσομεν ἀπολογίαν, σιωπὴν οὕτω τιμήσαντες τὴν μακρὰν, ἐπὶ ταῖς παρά σοῦ γενομέναις κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ δυσφημίαις; Καὶ εἰ μὲν σαυτὸν ἡδίκεις μόνον, τὰ τοιαῦτα φρονῶν καὶ διδάσκων, ἥττων ἂν ἦν ἡ φροντίς· ἐπειδὴ δὲ πᾶσαν ἐσκανδάλισας Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ζύμην αἱρέσεως ἀήθους καὶ ξένης ἐμβέβληκας τοῖς λαοῖς· καὶ οὐχὶ τοῖς ἐκεῖσε μόνον ε, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ἀπανταχοῦ (περιηνέχθη τῶν σῶν ἐξηγήσεων τὰ βιβλία) · ποῖος ἔτι τῶν παρ' ἡμῖν σιωπῆς ἱ ἀρκέσει λόγος, ἢ πῶς οὐκ ἀνάγκη μεμνῆσθαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος· « Μὴ νομίσητε, μόνοις. ὅτι ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν εἰρήνην, ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν· Ἦλθον γὰρ διχάσαι ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ θυγατέρα κατὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτῆς; Πίστεως γὰρ ἀδικουμένης, ἐῤῥέτω μὲν, ὡς ἕωλος καὶ ἐπισφαλής, ἡ πρὸς γονέας αἰδώς· ἠρεμείτω δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς εἰς τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοὺς φιλοστοργίας νόμος, καὶ τοῦ ζῆν ἀμείνων ἔστω ὁ λοιπὸν τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν ὁ θάνατος, « ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσι, » κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν ἅμα τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ, τῇ κατὰ τὴν μεγάλην Ῥώμην συνειλεγμένῃ, προεδρεύοντος τοῦ ὁσιωτάτου καὶ θεοσεβεστάτου ἀδελφοῦ καὶ συλλειτουργοῦ ἡμῶν Κελεστίνου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, καὶ τρίτῳ σοι τούτῳ διαμαρτυρόμεθα γράμματι, συμβουλεύοντες ἀποσχέσθαι μὲν τῶν οὕτω σκαιῶν καὶ διεστραμμένων δογμάτων, ἃ καὶ φρονεῖς καὶ διδάσκεις, ἀνθελέσθαι δὲ τὴν ὀρθὴν πίστιν, τὴν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις παραδοθεῖσαν ἐξ ἀρχῆς διὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν, οἳ καὶ αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται τοῦ λόγου γεγόνασι. Καὶ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο δράσειεν ἡ σὴ εὐλάβεια, κατὰ τὴν ὁρισθεῖσαν προθεσμίαν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασι τοῦ μνημονευθέντος ὁσιωτάτου καὶ θεοσεβεστάτου ἀδελφοῦ καὶ συλλειτουργοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ τῆς Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίας ἐπισκόπου Κελεστίνου, γίνωσκε σαυτὸν οὐδένα κλῆρον ἔχοντα μεθ' ἡμῶν, οὐδὲ τόπον ἢ λόγον ἐν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐπισκόποις. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδέχεται περιῖδεῖν ἡμᾶς Ἐκκλησίας οὕτω τεθορυβημένας, καὶ σκανδαλισθέντας λαοὺς, καὶ πίστιν ὀρθὴν ἀθετουμένην, καὶ διασπώμενα παρὰ σοῦ τὰ ποίμνια, τοῦ σώζειν ὀφείλοντος, εἴπερ ἦσθα καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ὀρθῆς δόξης ἐραστὴς, τὴν τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἰχνηλατῶν εὐσέβειαν. "Απασι δὲ τοῖς παρὰ σῆς εὐλαβείας κεχωρισμένοις διὰ τὴν πίστιν, ἢ καθαιρεθεῖσι λαϊκοῖς τε καὶ κληρικοῖς, κοινωνικοὶ πάντες ἐσμέν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐστι δίκαιον τοὺς ὀρθὰ φρονεῖν ἐγνωκότας σαῖς ἀδικεῖσθαι ψήφοις, ὅτι οἱ Η καλῶς ποιοῦντες ἀντειρήκασι. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸ καταμεμήνυκας ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ τῇ γραφείσῃ παρὰ σοῦ πρὸς τὸν τῆς μεγάλης Ῥώμης ἁγιώτατον καὶ συνεπίσκοπον ἡμῶν Κελεστίνον. Οὐκ ἀρκέσει δὲ τῇ σῇ εὐλαβείᾳ τὸ συνομολογῆσαι μόνον τὸ τῆς πίστεως σύμβολον, τὸ ἐκτεθὲν κατὰ καιροὺς ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας καὶ μεγάλης συνόδου, τῆς κατὰ καιροὺς συναχθείσης ἐν τῇ Νικαέων. Νενόηκας γὰρ καὶ ἡρμήνευσας οὐκ ὀρθῶς αὐτὸ, διεστραμμένως δὲ μᾶλλον, κἂν ὁμολογῆς τῇ φωνῇ τὴν λέξιν. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀκόλουθον ἐγγράφως καὶ ἐνωμότως ὁμολογῆσαι, ὅτι καὶ ἀναθεματίζεις μὲν τὰ μιαρὰ σαυτοῦ καὶ βέβηλα δόγματα· φρονήσεις δὲ καὶ διδάξεις, ἃ καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες, οἵ τε κατὰ τὴν Ἑσπέραν καὶ τὴν Ἑῴαν ἐπίσκοποι, καὶ διδάσκαλοι, καὶ λαῶν ἡγούμενοι. Συνέθετο δὲ καὶ ἡ κατὰ τὴν 'Ῥώμην ἁγία σύνοδος, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἅπαντες, ὡς ὀρθῶς ἐχούσαις καὶ ἀνεπιλήπτως, ταῖς γραφείσαις ἐπιστολαῖς πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν παρὰ τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρέων Ἐκκλησίας. Ὑπετάξαμεν δὲ τούτοις ἡμῶν τοῖς γράμμασιν, ἄ τε δεῖ φρονεῖν καὶ διδάσκειν, καὶ ὧν ἀπέχεσθαι προσήκει. Αὕτη γὰρ τῆς καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἡ πίστις, ᾗ συναινοῦσιν ἅπαντες, οἴτε κατὰ τὴν Ἑσπέραν, καὶ τὴν Ἑῴαν ὀρθόδοξοι ἐπίσκοποι. Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν, Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, πάντων ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητήν· καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἐχ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Πατρός· Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτὸς, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ· γεννηθέντα, οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί· δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο ἱ, τὰ τε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ· τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα, καὶ σαρκωθέντα, καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα· παθόντα καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ· ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς· καὶ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας· Ἦν ποτε, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, καὶ πρὶν γεννηθῆναι οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ὅτι ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐγένετο, ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρας τινὸς ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας φάσκοντας εἶναι, καὶ τρεπτὸν ἢ ἀλλοιωτὸν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τούτους ἀναθεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ Ἐκκλησία. » Ἑπόμενοι δὲ πανταχοῦ ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων όμολογίαις, αϊ πεποίηνται, λαλοῦντος ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, καὶ τὸν τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐννοιῶν ἰχνηλατοῦντες σκοπὸν, καὶ βασιλικὴν ὥσπερ ἐρχόμενοι τρίβον, φαμὲν ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ὁ ἐξ αὐτῆς γεννηθεὶς τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεὸς ἀληθινὸς, τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐκ φωτὸς, ὁ δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, τὰ τε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ, τῆς ἡμετέρας ἕνεκα σωτηρίας κατελθών, καὶ καθεὶς ἑαυτὸν εἰς κένωσιν, ἐσαρκώθη τε καὶ ἐνηνθρώπησε, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, σάρκα λαβὼν ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου, καὶ ἰδίαν αὐτὴν ποιησάμενος ἐκ μήτρας, τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ὑπέμεινε γέννησιν, καὶ προῆλθεν ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γυναικὸς, οὐχ ὅπερ ἦν ἀποβεβληκὼς, ἀλλ᾿ εἰ καὶ γέγονεν ἐν προσλήψει σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, καὶ οὕτω μεμενηκὼς ὅπερ ἦν, Θεὸς δηλονότι φύσει καὶ ἀληθείᾳ. Οὔτε δὲ τὴν σάρκα φαμὲν εἰς θεότητος τραπῆναι φύσιν, οὔτε μὴν σαρκὸς εἰς φύσιν τὴν ἀπόρῥητον Θεοῦ Λόγου παραχθῆναι ἡ φύσιν· ἄτρεπτος γάρ ἐστι καὶ ἀναλλοίωτος παντελῶς μὲν ὁ αὐτὸς ἀεὶ ὧν κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς. Ὁρώμενος δὲ καὶ βρέφος ἐν σπαργάνοις μένων 1 ἔτι, καὶ ἐν κόλποις τῆς τεκούσης Παρθένου, πᾶσαν ἐπλήρου τὴν κτίσιν, ὡς Θεὸς, καὶ σύνεδρος ἦν τῷ γεγεννηκότι. Τὸ γὰρ θεῖον, ἀποσόν τέ ἐστι καὶ ἀμέγεθες, καὶ περιορισμὸν οὐκ ἀνέχεται. Ἡνῶσθαί γε μὴν σαρκὶ καθ' ὑπόστασιν ὁμολογοῦντες τὸν Λόγον, ἕνα προσκυνοῦμεν Υἱὸν καὶ Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, οὔτε ἀνὰ μέρος τιθέντες καὶ διορίζοντες ἄνθρωπονκαὶ Θεὸν, οὔτε - συνημμένους · μᾶλλον ἀλλήλοις τῇ τῆς ἀξίας καὶ αὐθεντίας ἐνότητι (καινοφωνία γὰρ τοῦτο, καὶ ἕτερον οὐδὲν), οὔτε μὴν Χριστὸν ἰδικῶς ὀνομάζοντες τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγον, καὶ ὁμοίως ἰδικῶς Χριστὸν ἕτερον, τὸν ἐκ γυναικός· ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα μόνον εἰδότες Χριστὸν, τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον μετὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκός. Τότε γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνως κέχρισται μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, καίτοι τοῖς ἀξίοις τοῦ λαβεῖν τὸ Πνεῦμα διδοὺς αὐτὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ μέτρου, καθά φησιν ὁ μακάριος εὐαγγελιστής Ἰωάννης. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἐκεῖνό φαμεν, ὅτι κατώκησεν ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ὡς ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ κοινῷ, τῷ ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου γεγεννημένῳ· ἵνα μὴ θεοφόρος ἄνθρωπος νοοῖτο Χριστός. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν ὁ Λόγος, εἴρηται δὲ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ κατοικῆσαι πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν ἐννοοῦμεν, ὅτι γενόμενος σάρξ, οὐχ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις κατοικῆσαι λέγεται, κατὰ τὸν ἴσον καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τρόπον γενέσθαι διοριζόμεθα τὴν κατοίκησιν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἑνωθεὶς κατὰ φύσιν, καὶ οὐκ εἰς σάρκα τραπεὶς, τοιαύτην ἐποιήσατο τὴν κατοίκη - σιν, ἣν ἂν ἔχειν λέγοιτο καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ψυχή πρὸς τὸ ἴδιον ἑαυτῆς σῶμα. Εἷς οὖν ἄρα Χριστὸς καὶ Υἱὸς καὶ Κύριος, οὐχ ὡς συνάφειαν ἁπλῶς τὴν ὡς Θεὸν, ἑνότητι τῆς ἀξίας, ἤγουν αὐθεντίας, ἔχοντος ἀνθρώπου πρὸς Θεόν. Οὐ γὰρ ἑνοῖ τὰς φύσεις ἡ ἰσοτιμία· καὶ γοῦν Πέτρος τε καὶ Ἰωάννης, ἰσότιμοι μὲν ἀλλήλοις, καθὸ καὶ ἀπόστολοι καὶ ἅγιοι μαθηταί· πλὴν οὐχ εἷς οἱ δύο. Οὔτε μὴν κατὰ παράθεσιν τὸν τῆς συναφείας νοοῦμεν τρόπον· οὐκ ἀπόχρη γὰρ τοῦτο πρὸς ἕνωσιν φυσικήν· οὔτε μὴν ὡς κατὰ μέθεξιν σχετικὴν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς κολλώμενοι τῷ Κυρίῳ, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἓν πνεῦμα ἐσμεν πρὸς αὐτόν· μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ τῆς συναφείας ὄνομα παραιτούμεθα, ὡς οὐκ ἔχον ἱκανῶς σημῆναι τὴν ἕνωσιν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ Θεὸν ἢ Δεσπότην τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον ὀνομάζομεν· ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἀναφανδὸν τέμνωμεν εἰς δύο τὸν ἕνα Χριστὸν, τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ Κύριον, καὶ δυσφημίας ἐγκλήματι πετ ριπέσωμεν, Θεὸν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ δεσπότην ποιοῦντες αὐτόν. Ἑνωθεὶς γὰρ, ὡς ἤδη προείπομεν, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος σαρκὶ καθ' ὑπόστασιν, Θεὸς μὲν ἐστι τῶν ὅλων, δεσπόζει δὲ τοῦ παντός· οὔτε δὲ αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ δοῦλός ἐστιν, οὔτε δεσπότης. Εὔηθες γὰρ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἤδη καὶ δυσσεβὲς, τὸ οὕτω φρονεῖν καὶ λέγειν. Ἔφη μὲν γὰρ Θεὸν ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα καίτοι Θεὸς ὢν φύσει, καὶ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἠγνοήκαμεν ὅτι μετὰ τοῦ μεῖναι Θεὸς, καὶ ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν ὑπὸ Θεῷ, κατά γε τὸν πρέποντα νόμον τῇ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος φύσει. Αὐτὸς δὲ ἑαυτοῦ πῶς ἂν γένοιτο Θεὸς ἢ δεσπότης; Οὐκοῦν, ὡς ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ὅσον ἦκεν εἴς γε τὸ πρέπον τοῖς τῆς κενώσεως μέ τροις, ὑπὸ Θεῷ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἑαυτὸν εἶναί φησιν. Οὕτω γέγονε καὶ ὑπὸ νόμον, καίτοι λαλήσας αὐτὸς τὸν νόμον, καὶ νομοθέτης ὑπάρχων, ὡς Θεός. Παραιτούμεθα δὲ λέγειν ἐπὶ Χριστοῦ· Διὰ τὸν φοροῦντα, τὸν φορούμενον σέβω· διὰ τὸν ἀόρατον προσκυνῶ τὸν ὀρώμενον. Φρικτὸν δὲ πρὸς τούτῳ κἀκεῖνο εἰπεῖν· Ὁ ληφθεὶς τῷ λαβόντι συγχρηματίζει Θεός. Ὁ γὰρ ταῦτα λέγων διατέμνει πάλιν εἰς δύο Χριστοὺς, καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἴστησιν ἀνὰ μέρος ἰδικῶς, καὶ Θεὸν ὁμοίως. ᾿Αρνεῖται γὰρ ὁμολογουμένως τὴν ἕνωσιν, καθ᾿ ἣν οὐχ ὡς ἕτερος ἐν ἑτέρῳ συμπροσκυ νεῖταί τις, οὔτε μὴν συγχρηματίζει Θεός · ἀλλ' εἷς νοεῖται Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς, Υἱὸς μονογενής, μιᾷ προσκυνήσει τιμώμενος μετὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκός. Ὁμολογοῦμεν δὲ ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθεὶς Υἱὸς, καὶ Θεὸς μονογενὴς, καίτοι κατὰ φύσιν ἰδίαν ὑπάρχων ἀπαθής, σαρκὶ πέπονθεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, κατὰ τὰς Γραφὰς, καὶ ἦν τῷ σταυρωθέντι σώματι τὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκὸς ἀπαθῶς οἰκειούμενος πάθη· χάριτι δὲ Θεοῦ καὶ ὑπὲρ παντὸς ἐγεύσατο θανάτου, διδοὺς αὐτῷ τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα, καίτοι κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχων ζωή, καὶ αὐτὸς ὧν ἡ ἀνάστασις. Ἵνα γὰρ ἀῤῥήτῳ δυνάμει πατήσας τὸν θάνατον, ὡς ἔν γε δὴ πρώτῃ τῇ ἰδίᾳ σαρκὶ, γένηται πρωτότοκος ἐκ νεκρῶν, καὶ ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων· ὁδοποιήσῃ τε τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου φύσει τὴν εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ἀναδρομὴν χάριτι Θεοῦ, καθάπερ ἔφημεν ἀρτίως, ὑπὲρ παντὸς ἐγεύσατο θάνατον· τριήμερος δὲ ἀνεβίω σκυλεύσας τὸν ἅδην. Ὥστε κἂν λέγηται δι᾿ ἀνθρώπου γενέσθαι ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ νοοῦμεν ἄνθρωπον τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ γεγονότα Λόγον · καὶ λελύσθαι δι᾿ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θανάτου τὸ κράτος · ἥξει δὲ κατὰ καιροὺς, ὡς εἷς Υἱὸς καὶ Κύριος, ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἵνα κρίνῃ τὴν οἰκουμέ- α νην ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, καθὰ γέγραπται. ᾿Αναγκαίως δὲ κἀκεῖνο προσθήσομεν· καταγγέλη λοντες γὰρ τὸν κατὰ σάρκα θάνατον τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν τε ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναβίωσιν, καὶ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάληψιν ὁμολογοῦντες, τὴν ἀναίμακτον ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τελοῦμεν θυσίαν η·ο. πρόσιμέν τε οὕτω ταῖς μυστικαῖς εὐλογίαις καὶ ἁγιαζόμεθα, μέτοχοι γενόμενοι τῆς τε ἁγίας σαρκὸς, καὶ τοῦ τιμίου αἵματος τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ. Καὶ οὐχ ὡς σάρκα κοινὴν δεχόμενοι, μὴ γένοιτο · οὔτε μὴν ὡς ἀνδρὸς ἡγιασμέ νου, καὶ συναφθέντος τῷ Λόγῳ κατὰ τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς ἀξίας, ἤγουν ὡς θείαν ἐνοίκησιν ἐσχηκότος· ἀλλ' ὡς ζωοποιὸν ἀληθῶς, καὶ ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου. Ζωὴ γὰρ ἂν κατὰ φύσιν ὡς Θεὸς, ἐπειδὴ γέγονεν ἓν πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα, ζωοποιὸν ἀπέφηνεν αὐτήν. Ὥστε κἂν λέγῃ πρὸς ἡμᾶς· « Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ φάγητε τὴν σάρκα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ πίητε αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα· » οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώπου τῶν Ρ καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς ἑνὸς, καὶ αὐτὴν εἶναι λογιούμεθα (πῶς γὰρ ἡ ἀνθρώπου σάρξ ζωοποιὸς ἔσται, κατὰ φύσιν τὴν ἑαυτῆς), ἀλλ' ὡς ἰδίαν ἀληθῶς γενομένην τοῦ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπου γεγονότος τε καὶ χρηματίσαντος. ( φύσιν Θεὸς ὢν γέγονε σάρξ, ἤγουν ἄνθρωπος ἐμψυ Τὰς δὲ γε ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν· φωνὰς οὔτε ὑποστάσεσι δυσὶν, οὔτε μὴν προσώποις καταμερίζομεν· οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστι διπλοῦς ὁ εἷς καὶ μόνος Χριστὸς, κἂν ἐκ δύο νοῆται, καὶ διαφόρων. πραγμάτων, εἰς ἑνότητα τὴν ἀμέριστον συνενηνεγμέ νος, καθάπερ ἀμέλει καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ ψυχῆς νοεῖται καὶ σώματος, καὶ οὐ διπλοῦς μᾶλλον, ἀλλ᾽ εἷς ἐξ. ἀμφοῖν. ᾿Αλλὰ τὰς γε ἀνθρωπίνας, καὶ πρός γε τούτῳ τὰς θεϊκὰς, παρ' ἑνὸς εἰρῆσθαι, διακεισόμεθα φρο νοῦντες ὀρθῶς. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ θεοπρεπῶς λέγῃ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ· « Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ, ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα· καὶ, · Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν·· τὴν θείαν αὐτ τοῦ καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον ἐννοοῦμεν φύσιν, καθ᾽ ἣν καὶ ἕν ἐστι πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα διὰ τὴν ταυτότητα τῆς οὐσίας, εἰκών τε καὶ χαρακτήρ, καὶ ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. Ὅταν δὲ τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος μέτρον. οὐκ ἀτιμάζων, τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις προσλαλῇ· « Νῦν δὲ με ζητεῖτε ἀποκτεῖναι ἄνθρωπον, ὃς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ὑμῖν λελάληκα · · πάλιν οὐδὲν ἦττον, αὐτὸν τὸν ἐν ἰσότητί τε καὶ ὁμοιότητι τοῦ Πατρὸς Θεὸν Λόγον, καὶ ἐκ τῶν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος αὐτοῦ μέτρων, ἐπιγινώσκομεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐστιν ἀναγκαῖον τὸ πιστεύειν, ὅτι κατὰ χωμένος ψυχῇ λογικῇ· ποῖον ἂν ἔχοι λόγον τὸ ἐπαισχύνεσθαί τινα ταῖς παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ φωναῖς, εἰ γεγόνασιν ἀνθρωποπρεπῶς; Εἰ γὰρ παραιτοῖτο τοὺς ἀνθρώπῳ πρέποντας λόγους, τίς ὁ ἀναγκάσας γενέσθαι καθ' ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπον; ῾Ὁ δὲ καθεὶς ἑαυτὸν δι᾽ ἡμᾶς εἰς ἑκούσιον κένωσιν, διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν παραιτοῖτ᾽ ἂν τοὺς τῇ κενώσει πρέποντας λόγους; Ἑνὶ τοιγαροῦν προσώπῳ τὰς ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις πάσας ἀναθετέον φωνάς· ὑποστάσει μιᾷ, τῇ τοῦ Λόγου σεσαρκωμένῃ. Κύριος γὰρ Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἶς, κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς. Εἰ δὲ δὴ καλοῖτο καὶ ἀπόστολος καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν, ὡς ἱερουργῶν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ τὴν πρὸς ἡμῶν αὐτῷ τε καὶ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ προσκομιζομένην τῆς πίστεως ὁμολογίαν, καὶ μὴν καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα· πάλιν αὐτὸν εἶναί φαμεν τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν Υἱὸν μονογενῆ. Καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπῳ προσνέμομεν παρ' αὐτὸν ἑτέρῳ τὸ τε τῆς ἱερωσύνης ὄνομα, καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ χρῆμα 4· γέγονε γὰρ μεσίτης Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων, καὶ διαλλακτὴς εἰς εἰρήνην, ἑαυτὸν ἀναθεὶς εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Τοιγάρτοι καὶ ἔφασκε· « Θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας· σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι. Ολοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ εὐδόκησας. Τότε εἶπον· Ἰδοὺ ἤκω. Ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου, ὁ Θεός. » Προσκεκόμικε γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα, καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ. Ποίας γὰρ ἐδεήθη προσφορᾶς ἢ θυσίας ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ, κρείττων ἁπάσης ὑπάρχων ἁμαρτίας ὡς Θεός; Εἰ γὰρ πάντες ἥμαρτον, καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, καθὸ γεγόναμεν ἡμεῖς ἕτοιμοι πρὸς παραφορὰν, καὶ κατηῤρώστησεν ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις τὴν ἁμαρτίαν · αὐτὸς δὲ οὐχ οὕτω, καὶ ἡττώμεθα διὰ τοῦτο τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ · πῶς ἂν εἴη λοιπὸν ἀμφίβολον, ὅτι τέθυται δι᾽ ἡμᾶς καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὁ ᾿Αμνὸς ὁ ἀληθινός; Καὶ τὸ λέγειν δὲ, ὅτι προσκεκόμικεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπέρ γε ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἡμῶν, ἀμοιρήσειεν ἂν οὐδαμῶς τῶν εἰς δυσσέβειαν ἐγκλημάτων. Πεπλημμέληκε γὰρ κατ᾿ οὐδένα τρόπον, οὔτε μὴν ἐποίησεν ἁμαρτίαν. Ποίας · οὖν ἐδεήθη προσφορᾶς, ἁμαρτίας οὐκ οὔσης, ἐφ᾿ ἧπερ ἂν γένοιτο καὶ μάλα εἰκότως; Ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος· « Ἐκεῖνος ἐμὲ δοξάσει· · νοοῦντες ὀρθῶς, οὐχ ὡς δόξης ἐπιδεᾶ τῆς παρ' ἑτέρου φαμὲν τὸν ἕνα Χριστὸν καὶ Υἱὸν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος δόξαν ἑλεῖν· ὅτι μηδὲ κρεῖττον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ θεότητος ἐκέχρητο τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι», πρὸς μεγαλουργίαν, δεδοξάσθαι παρ' αὐτοῦ φησιν, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ καί τις λέγοι τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς, περὶ τῆς ἐνούσης ἰσχύος αὐτῷ τυχὸν ἤγουν ἐπιστήμης τῆς ἐφ᾿ ὁτῳοῦν, ὅτι Δοξάσουσί με. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἔστιν ἐν ὑποστάσει τὸ Πνεῦμα ἰδικῇ, καὶ δὴ καὶ νοεῖται καθ' ἑαυτὸ, καθὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι, καὶ οὐχ Υἱός· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν ἐστιν οὐκ ἀλλότριον αὐτοῦ · Πνεῦμα γὰρ ἀληθείας ὠνόμασται, καὶ ἔστι Χριστὸς ἡ ἀλήθεια· καὶ προχεῖται παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καθάπερ ἀμέλει καὶ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός· Ἐνεργῆσαν τοιγαροῦν τὸ Πνεῦμα καὶ διὰ χειρὸς τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων τὰ παράδοξα μετὰ τὸ ἀνελθεῖν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἐδόξασεν αὐτόν. Ἐπιστεύθη γὰρ, ὅτι Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶ, πάλιν αὐτὸς ἐνεργῶν διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου Πνεύματος. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔφασκεν. Ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἐμοῦ λήψεται, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν. Καὶ οὗ τί ποὺ φαμεν, ὡς ἐκ μετοχῆς τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι σοφόν τε καὶ δυνατόν· παντέλειον γὰρ καὶ ἀπροσδεές ἐστι παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς τοῦ Πα· τρὸς δυνάμεως καὶ σοφίας, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τοῦ Υἱοῦ, Πνεῦμα ἐστιν, αὐτόχρημά ἐστι σοφία καὶ δύναμις. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ Θεὸν ἑνωθέντα σαρκὶ καθ' ὑπόστασιν η ἁγία Παρθένος ἐκτέτοκε σαρκικῶς, ταύτῃ τοι καὶ Θεοτόκον εἶναί φαμεν αὐτὴν, οὐχ ὡς τῆς τοῦ Λόγου φύσεως τὴν τῆς ὑπάρξεως ἀρχὴν ἐχούσης ἀπὸ σαρκός· ὧν γὰρ ἐν ἀρχῇ, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· · καὶ αὐτός ἐστι τῶν αἰώ προσώπου. » Ταύτης γὰρ ἕνεκα τῆς αἰτίας, φαμέν, νων ὁ ποιητής, συναΐδιος τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῶν ὅλων. δημιουργός· ἀλλ᾽, ὡς ἤδη προείπομεν, ἐπειδὴ καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἑνώσας ἑαυτῷ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ ἐκ μήτρας αὐτῆς γέννησιν ὑπέμεινε σαρκικήν· οὐχ ὡς δεηθεὶς ἀναγκαίως, ἤτοι διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν, τῆς ἐν χρόνῳ καὶ ἐν ἐσχάτοις τοῦ αἰῶνος καιροῖς γεννήσεως - ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα καὶ αὐτὴν τῆς ὑπάρξεως ἡμῶν εὐλογήσῃ τὴν ἀρχὴν · καὶ τεκούσης γυναικὸς αὐτὸν ἑνωθέντα σαρκὶ, παύσηται λοιπὸν ἡ κατὰ παντὸς τοῦ γένους ἀρὰ πέμπουσα πρὸς θάνατον τὰ ἐκ γῆς ἡμῶν σώ-. ματα, καὶ τὸ, « Ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα, » δι' αὐτοῦ καταργούμενον, ἀληθὲς ἀποφήνῃ τὸ διὰ τῆς τοῦ προφήτου φωνῆς· « Κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας · · καὶ πάλιν · « Αφεῖλεν ὁ Θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς αὐτὸν οἰκονομικῶς, καὶ αὐτὸν εὐλογῆσαι τὸν γάμον, καὶ ἀπελθεῖν κεκλημένον ἐν Κανᾷ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ὁμοῦ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις. Ταῦτα φρονεῖν δεδιδάγμεθα παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν, καὶ πάσης δὲ τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς, καὶ ἐκ τῆς τῶν μακαρίων Πατέρων ἀληθοῦς ὁμολογίας. Τούτοις ἅπασι καὶ τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν συναινέσαι χρὴ, καὶ συνθέσθαι δίχα δόλου ἱ παντός. "Α δὲ ἐστιν ἀναγκαῖον, ἀναθεματίσαι τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν, ὑποτέτακται τῇδε ἡμῶν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ. Α΄. Εἴ τις οὐχ ὁμολογεῖ Θεὸν εἶναι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Θεοτόκον τὴν ἁγίαν, Παρθένον ( γεγέννηκε γὰρ σαρκικῶς σάρκα γεγονότα τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγον), ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Β΄. Εἴ τις οὐχ ὁμολογεῖ, σαρκὶ καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἡνῶσθαι τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον, ἕνα τε εἶναι, Χριστὸν μετὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκὸς, τὸν αὐτὸν δηλονότε Θεὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἄνθρωπον, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Γ΄. Εἴ τις ἐπὶ τοῦ ἑνὸς Χριστοῦ διαιρεῖ τὰς ὑπο - στάσεις μετὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν, μόνῃ συνάπτων αὐτὰς συναφείᾳ τῇ κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν, ἤγουν αὐθεντίᾳ ἢ δυναστείᾳ, καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον συνόδῳ τῇ καθ᾽ ἕνωσιν φυσικὴν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Δ΄. Εἴ τις προσώποις δυσὶν, ἤγουν ὑποστάσεσι, τὰς τε ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελικοῖς καὶ ἀποστολικοῖς Συγγράμμασι διανέμει φωνὰς, ἢ ἐπὶ Χριστῷ παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων λεγομένας, ἢ παρ' αὐτοῦ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ · καὶ τὰς μὲν ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ παρὰ τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγον ἰδικῶς νοουμένῳ προσάπτει, τὰς δὲ ὡς θεοπρεπεῖς μόνῳ τῷ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγῳ, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Ε΄. Εἴ τις τολμᾷ λέγειν, θεοφόρον ἄνθρωπον τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον Θεὸν εἶναι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, ὡς Υἱὸν ἕνα καὶ φύσει, καθὸ γέγονε σάρξ ὁ Λόγος, καὶ κεκοινώνηκε παραπλησίως ἡμῖν αἵματος καὶ σαρκὸς, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Τ΄. Εἴ τις τολμα λέγειν, Θὲὸν ἢ Δεσπότην εἶναι τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον, καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον τὸν αὐτὸν ὁμολογεῖ Θεὸν ὁμοῦ τε καὶ ἄνθρωπον, ὡς γεγονότος σαρκὸς τοῦ Λόγου, κατὰ τὰς Γραφὰς, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Ζ΄. Εἴ τις φησιν, ὡς ἄνθρωπον ἐνηργῆσθαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς εὐδοξίαν η περιῆφθαι, ὡς ἕτερον παρ᾿ αὐτὸν ὑπάρχοντα ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Η΄. Εἴ τις τολμήσει 5 λέγειν τὸν ἀναληφθέντα ἄνθρωπον συμπροσκυνεῖσθαι δεῖν τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ, καὶ συνδοξάζεσθαι, καὶ συγχρηματίζειν Θεὸν 2, ὡς ἕτερον ἐν ἑτέρῳ (τὸ γὰρ, σὺν, ἀεὶ προστιθέμενον, τοῦτο νοεῖν ἀναγκάζει), καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον μιᾷ προσκυνήσει τιμᾷ τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ, καὶ μίαν αὐτῷ τὴν δοξολογίαν ἀναπέμπει, καθὸ γέγονε σάρξ ὁ Λόγος, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Θ΄. Εἴ τίς φησι τὸν ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δεδοξάσθαι παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ὡς ἀλλοτρίᾳ δυνάμει τῇ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ χρώμενον, καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ λαβόντα τὸ ἐνεργεῖν δύνασθαι κατὰ πνευμάτων ἀκαθάρτων, καὶ τὸ πληροῦν εἰς ἀνθρώπους τὰς θεοσημείας, καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον ἴδιον αὐτοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμά φησι, δι' οὗ καὶ ἐνήργηκε τὰς θεοσημείας, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Ι. ᾿Αρχιερέα καὶ ἀπόστολον τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν γεγενῆσθαι Χριστὸν ἡ θεία λέγει Γραφή, προσκεκομικέναι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἑαυτὸν εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Εἴ τις τοίνυν ἀρχιερέα καὶ ἀπόστολον ἡμῶν γεγενῆσθαί φησιν, οὐκ αὐτὸν τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγον, ὅτε γέγονε σάρξ καὶ καθ' ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ' ὡς ἕτερον παρ᾿ αὐτὸν ἰδικῶς ἄνθρωπον ἐκ γυν ναικός ἢ εἴ τις λέγει, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ προσενεγκεῖν αὐτὸν τὴν προσφορὰν, καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ μόνων ἡμῶν (οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐδεήθη προσφορᾶς ὁ μὴ εἰδὼς ἁμαρτίαν), ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. ΙΑ΄. Εἴ τις οὐχ ὁμολογεῖ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου σάρκα ζωοποιὸν εἶναι, καὶ ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγου, ἀλλ' ὡς ἑτέρου τινὸς παρ᾿ αὐτὸν, συνημμένου μὲν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν, ἤγουν, ὡς μόνην θείαν ἐνοίκησιν· ἐσχηκότος · καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον ζωοποιὸν, ὡς ἔφημεν, ὅτι γέγονεν ἰδία τοῦ Λόγου τοῦ τὰ πάντα ζωογονεῖν ἰσχύοντος, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. ΙΒ΄. Εἴ τις οὐχ ὁμολογεῖ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον παθόντα σαρκὶ, καὶ ἐσταυρωμένον σαρκὶ, καὶ θανάτου γευσάμενον σαρκὶ, γεγονότα τε πρωτότοκον ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καθὸ ζωή τέ ἐστι καὶ ζωοποιὸς ὡς Θεὸς ἀνάθεμα ἔστω.
Tǭ eulabestatǭ kai theophilestatǭ sylleitourgǭ Nestoriǭ, Kyrillos kai hē synelthousa synodos en Alexandreią ek tēs Aigyptiakēs dioikēseōs en Kyriǭ chairein. Tou Sōtēros hēmōn legontos enargōs; « Ho philōn patera ē mētera hyper eme, ouk esti mou axios; kai ho philōn huion ē thygatera hyper eme, ouk esti mou axios ; ; ti pathōmen hēmeis, hoi para tēs sēs eulabeias apaitoumenoi, to hyperagapan se tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou? Tis hēmas en hēmerą kriseōs onēsai dynēsetai, ē poian eurēsomen apologian, siōpēn houtō timēsantes tēn makran, epi tais para sou genomenais kat᾿ autou dysphēmiais? Kai ei men sauton hēdikeis monon, ta toiauta phronōn kai didaskōn, hēttōn an ēn hē phrontis; epeidē de pasan eskandalisas Ekklēsian, kai zymēn haireseōs aēthous kai xenēs embeblēkas tois laois; kai ouchi tois ekeise monon e, alla gar kai tois apantachou (periēnechthē tōn sōn exēgēseōn ta biblia) ; poios eti tōn par' hēmin siōpēs hi arkesei logos, ē pōs ouk anankē memnēsthai tou Christou legontos; « Mē nomisēte, monois. hoti ēlthon balein epi tēn gēn eirēnēn, alla machairan; Ēlthon gar dichasai anthrōpon kata tou patros autou, kai thygatera kata tēs mētros autēs? Pisteōs gar adikoumenēs, errhetō men, hōs heōlos kai episphalēs, hē pros goneas aidōs; ēremeitō de kai ho tēs eis tekna kai adelphous philostorgias nomos, kai tou zēn ameinōn estō ho loipon tois eusebesin ho thanatos, « hina kreittonos anastaseōs tychōsi, » kata to gegrammenon. Idou toinyn hama tę̄ hagią synodǭ, tę̄ kata tēn megalēn Rhōmēn syneilegmenę̄, proedreuontos tou hosiōtatou kai theosebestatou adelphou kai sylleitourgou hēmōn Kelestinou tou episkopou, kai tritǭ soi toutǭ diamartyrometha grammati, symbouleuontes aposchesthai men tōn houtō skaiōn kai diestrammenōn dogmatōn, ha kai phroneis kai didaskeis, anthelesthai de tēn orthēn pistin, tēn tais Ekklēsiais paradotheisan ex archēs dia tōn hagiōn apostolōn kai euangelistōn, hoi kai autoptai kai hypēretai tou logou gegonasi. Kai ei mē touto draseien hē sē eulabeia, kata tēn horistheisan prothesmian en tois grammasi tou mnēmoneuthentos hosiōtatou kai theosebestatou adelphou kai sylleitourgou hēmōn tou tēs Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsias episkopou Kelestinou, ginōske sauton oudena klēron echonta meth' hēmōn, oude topon ē logon en tois hiereusi tou Theou kai episkopois. Oude gar endechetai periidein hēmas Ekklēsias houtō tethorybēmenas, kai skandalisthentas laous, kai pistin orthēn athetoumenēn, kai diaspōmena para sou ta poimnia, tou sōzein opheilontos, eiper ēstha kath᾽ hēmas orthēs doxēs erastēs, tēn tōn hagiōn Paterōn ichnēlatōn eusebeian. "Apasi de tois para sēs eulabeias kechōrismenois dia tēn pistin, ē kathairetheisi laïkois te kai klērikois, koinōnikoi pantes esmen. Ou gar esti dikaion tous ortha phronein egnōkotas sais adikeisthai psēphois, hoti hoi Ē kalōs poiountes anteirēkasi. Touto gar auto katamemēnykas en tę̄ epistolę̄ tę̄ grapheisę̄ para sou pros ton tēs megalēs Rhōmēs hagiōtaton kai synepiskopon hēmōn Kelestinon. Ouk arkesei de tę̄ sę̄ eulabeią to synomologēsai monon to tēs pisteōs symbolon, to ektethen kata kairous en hagiǭ Pneumati para tēs hagias kai megalēs synodou, tēs kata kairous synachtheisēs en tę̄ Nikaeōn. Nenoēkas gar kai hērmēneusas ouk orthōs auto, diestrammenōs de mallon, kan homologēs tę̄ phōnę̄ tēn lexin. Alla gar akolouthon engraphōs kai enōmotōs homologēsai, hoti kai anathematizeis men ta miara sautou kai bebēla dogmata; phronēseis de kai didaxeis, ha kai hēmeis pantes, hoi te kata tēn Hesperan kai tēn Heǭan episkopoi, kai didaskaloi, kai laōn hēgoumenoi. Synetheto de kai hē kata tēn 'Rhōmēn hagia synodos, kai hēmeis hapantes, hōs orthōs echousais kai anepilēptōs, tais grapheisais epistolais pros tēn sēn eulabeian para tēs ᾿Alexandreōn Ekklēsias. Hypetaxamen de toutois hēmōn tois grammasin, a te dei phronein kai didaskein, kai hōn apechesthai prosēkei. Hautē gar tēs katholikēs kai apostolikēs Ekklēsias hē pistis, hę̄ synainousin hapantes, oite kata tēn Hesperan, kai tēn Heǭan orthodoxoi episkopoi. Pisteuomen eis hena Theon, Patera pantokratora, pantōn horatōn te kai aoratōn poiētēn; kai eis hena Kyrion Iēsoun Christon, ton Huion tou Theou ton monogenē, gennēthenta ek tou Patros, tout᾽ estin, ech tēs ousias tou Patros; Theon ek Theou, phōs ek phōtos, Theon alēthinon ek Theou alēthinou; gennēthenta, ou poiēthenta, homoousion tǭ Patri; di' hou ta panta egeneto hi, ta te en tǭ ouranǭ, kai ta en tę̄ gę̄; ton di' hēmas tous anthrōpous, kai dia tēn hēmeteran sōtērian katelthonta, kai sarkōthenta, kai enanthrōpēsanta; pathonta kai anastanta tę̄ tritę̄ hēmerą; anelthonta eis tous ouranous, erchomenon krinai zōntas kai nekrous; kai eis to Pneuma to hagion. Tous de legontas; Ēn pote, hote ouk ēn, kai prin gennēthēnai ouk ēn, kai hoti ex ouk ontōn egeneto, ē ex heteras tinos hypostaseōs ē ousias phaskontas einai, kai trepton ē alloiōton ton Huion tou Theou, toutous anathematizei hē katholikē kai apostolikē Ekklēsia. » Hepomenoi de pantachou tais tōn hagiōn Paterōn omologiais, aï pepoiēntai, lalountos en autois tou hagiou Pneumatos, kai ton tōn en autois ennoiōn ichnēlatountes skopon, kai basilikēn hōsper erchomenoi tribon, phamen hoti autos ho monogenēs tou Theou Logos, ho ex autēs gennētheis tēs ousias tou Patros, ho ek Theou alēthinou Theos alēthinos, to phōs to ek phōtos, ho di' hou ta panta egeneto, ta te en tǭ ouranǭ kai ta en tę̄ gę̄, tēs hēmeteras heneka sōtērias katelthōn, kai katheis heauton eis kenōsin, esarkōthē te kai enēnthrōpēse, tout᾽ esti, sarka labōn ek tēs hagias Parthenou, kai idian autēn poiēsamenos ek mētras, tēn kath᾽ hēmas hypemeine gennēsin, kai proēlthen anthrōpos ek gynaikos, ouch hoper ēn apobeblēkōs, all᾿ ei kai gegonen en proslēpsei sarkos kai haimatos, kai houtō memenēkōs hoper ēn, Theos dēlonoti physei kai alētheią. Oute de tēn sarka phamen eis theotētos trapēnai physin, oute mēn sarkos eis physin tēn aporrhēton Theou Logou parachthēnai hē physin; atreptos gar esti kai analloiōtos pantelōs men ho autos aei hōn kata tas Graphas. Horōmenos de kai brephos en sparganois menōn 1 eti, kai en kolpois tēs tekousēs Parthenou, pasan eplērou tēn ktisin, hōs Theos, kai synedros ēn tǭ gegennēkoti. To gar theion, aposon te esti kai amegethes, kai periorismon ouk anechetai. Hēnōsthai ge mēn sarki kath' hypostasin homologountes ton Logon, hena proskynoumen Huion kai Kyrion Iēsoun Christon, oute ana meros tithentes kai diorizontes anthrōponkai Theon, oute - synēmmenous ; mallon allēlois tę̄ tēs axias kai authentias enotēti (kainophōnia gar touto, kai heteron ouden), oute mēn Christon idikōs onomazontes ton ek Theou Logon, kai homoiōs idikōs Christon heteron, ton ek gynaikos; all᾽ hena monon eidotes Christon, ton ek Theou Patros Logon meta tēs idias sarkos. Tote gar anthrōpinōs kechristai meth᾽ hēmōn, kaitoi tois axiois tou labein to Pneuma didous autos, kai ouk ek metrou, katha phēsin ho makarios euangelistēs Iōannēs. All᾽ oud᾽ ekeino phamen, hoti katōkēsen ho ek Theou Logos, hōs en anthrōpǭ koinǭ, tǭ ek tēs hagias Parthenou gegennēmenǭ; hina mē theophoros anthrōpos nooito Christos. Ei gar kai eskēnōsen en hēmin ho Logos, eirētai de kai en Christǭ katoikēsai pan to plērōma tēs theotētos sōmatikōs; all᾽ oun ennooumen, hoti genomenos sarx, ouch hōsper en tois hagiois katoikēsai legetai, kata ton ison kai en autǭ tropon genesthai diorizometha tēn katoikēsin. ᾿All᾽ henōtheis kata physin, kai ouk eis sarka trapeis, toiautēn epoiēsato tēn katoikē - sin, hēn an echein legoito kai hē tou anthrōpou psychē pros to idion heautēs sōma. Heis oun ara Christos kai Huios kai Kyrios, ouch hōs synapheian haplōs tēn hōs Theon, henotēti tēs axias, ēgoun authentias, echontos anthrōpou pros Theon. Ou gar henoi tas physeis hē isotimia; kai goun Petros te kai Iōannēs, isotimoi men allēlois, katho kai apostoloi kai hagioi mathētai; plēn ouch heis hoi dyo. Oute mēn kata parathesin ton tēs synapheias nooumen tropon; ouk apochrē gar touto pros henōsin physikēn; oute mēn hōs kata methexin schetikēn, hōs kai hēmeis kollōmenoi tǭ Kyriǭ, kata to gegrammenon, hen pneuma esmen pros auton; mallon de to tēs synapheias onoma paraitoumetha, hōs ouk echon hikanōs sēmēnai tēn henōsin. ᾿All᾽ oude Theon ē Despotēn tou Christou ton ek Theou Patros Logon onomazomen; hina mē palin anaphandon temnōmen eis dyo ton hena Christon, ton Huion kai Kyrion, kai dysphēmias enklēmati pet ripesōmen, Theon heautou kai despotēn poiountes auton. Henōtheis gar, hōs ēdē proeipomen, ho tou Theou Logos sarki kath' hypostasin, Theos men esti tōn holōn, despozei de tou pantos; oute de autos heautou doulos estin, oute despotēs. Euēthes gar, mallon de ēdē kai dyssebes, to houtō phronein kai legein. Ephē men gar Theon heautou ton Patera kaitoi Theos ōn physei, kai ek tēs ousias autou. All᾿ ouk ēgnoēkamen hoti meta tou meinai Theos, kai anthrōpos gegonen hypo Theǭ, kata ge ton preponta nomon tę̄ tēs anthrōpotētos physei. Autos de heautou pōs an genoito Theos ē despotēs? Oukoun, hōs anthrōpos, kai hoson ēken eis ge to prepon tois tēs kenōseōs me trois, hypo Theǭ meth᾽ hēmōn heauton einai phēsin. Houtō gegone kai hypo nomon, kaitoi lalēsas autos ton nomon, kai nomothetēs hyparchōn, hōs Theos. Paraitoumetha de legein epi Christou; Dia ton phorounta, ton phoroumenon sebō; dia ton aoraton proskynō ton orōmenon. Phrikton de pros toutǭ kakeino eipein; Ho lēphtheis tǭ labonti synchrēmatizei Theos. Ho gar tauta legōn diatemnei palin eis dyo Christous, kai anthrōpon istēsin ana meros idikōs, kai Theon homoiōs. ᾿Arneitai gar homologoumenōs tēn henōsin, kath᾿ hēn ouch hōs heteros en heterǭ symprosky neitai tis, oute mēn synchrēmatizei Theos ; all' heis noeitai Christos Iēsous, Huios monogenēs, mią proskynēsei timōmenos meta tēs idias sarkos. Homologoumen de hoti autos ho ek Theou Patros gennētheis Huios, kai Theos monogenēs, kaitoi kata physin idian hyparchōn apathēs, sarki peponthen hyper hēmōn, kata tas Graphas, kai ēn tǭ staurōthenti sōmati ta tēs idias sarkos apathōs oikeioumenos pathē; chariti de Theou kai hyper pantos egeusato thanatou, didous autǭ to idion sōma, kaitoi kata physin hyparchōn zōē, kai autos hōn hē anastasis. Hina gar arrhētǭ dynamei patēsas ton thanaton, hōs en ge dē prōtę̄ tę̄ idią sarki, genētai prōtotokos ek nekrōn, kai aparchē tōn kekoimēmenōn; hodopoiēsę̄ te tę̄ tou anthrōpou physei tēn eis aphtharsian anadromēn chariti Theou, kathaper ephēmen artiōs, hyper pantos egeusato thanaton; triēmeros de anebiō skyleusas ton hadēn. Hōste kan legētai di᾿ anthrōpou genesthai hē anastasis tōn nekrōn, alla nooumen anthrōpon ton ek Theou gegonota Logon ; kai lelysthai di᾿ autou tou thanatou to kratos ; hēxei de kata kairous, hōs heis Huios kai Kyrios, en tę̄ doxę̄ tou Patros, hina krinę̄ tēn oikoume- a nēn en dikaiosynę̄, katha gegraptai. ᾿Anankaiōs de kakeino prosthēsomen; katangelē lontes gar ton kata sarka thanaton tou monogenous Huiou tou Theou, tout᾽ estin, Iēsou Christou, tēn te ek nekrōn anabiōsin, kai tēn eis ouranous analēpsin homologountes, tēn anaimakton en tais Ekklēsiais teloumen thysian ē;o. prosimen te houtō tais mystikais eulogiais kai hagiazometha, metochoi genomenoi tēs te hagias sarkos, kai tou timiou haimatos tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou. Kai ouch hōs sarka koinēn dechomenoi, mē genoito ; oute mēn hōs andros hēgiasme nou, kai synaphthentos tǭ Logǭ kata tēn henotēta tēs axias, ēgoun hōs theian enoikēsin eschēkotos; all' hōs zōopoion alēthōs, kai idian autou tou Logou. Zōē gar an kata physin hōs Theos, epeidē gegonen hen pros tēn heautou sarka, zōopoion apephēnen autēn. Hōste kan legę̄ pros hēmas; « Amēn, amēn legō hymin, ean mē phagēte tēn sarka tou Huiou tou anthrōpou, kai piēte autou to haima; » ouch hōs anthrōpou tōn R kath᾿ hēmas henos, kai autēn einai logioumetha (pōs gar hē anthrōpou sarx zōopoios estai, kata physin tēn heautēs), all' hōs idian alēthōs genomenēn tou di᾽ hēmas kai Huiou kai anthrōpou gegonotos te kai chrēmatisantos. ( physin Theos ōn gegone sarx, ēgoun anthrōpos empsy Tas de ge en tois Euangeliois tou Sōtēros hēmōn; phōnas oute hypostasesi dysin, oute mēn prosōpois katamerizomen; oude gar esti diplous ho heis kai monos Christos, kan ek dyo noētai, kai diaphorōn. pragmatōn, eis henotēta tēn ameriston synenēnegme nos, kathaper amelei kai anthrōpos ek psychēs noeitai kai sōmatos, kai ou diplous mallon, all᾽ heis ex. amphoin. ᾿Alla tas ge anthrōpinas, kai pros ge toutǭ tas theïkas, par' henos eirēsthai, diakeisometha phro nountes orthōs. Hotan men gar theoprepōs legę̄ peri heautou; « Ho heōrakōs eme, heōrake ton Patera; kai, ; Egō kai ho Patēr hen esmen;; tēn theian aut tou kai aporrhēton ennooumen physin, kath᾽ hēn kai hen esti pros ton heautou Patera dia tēn tautotēta tēs ousias, eikōn te kai charaktēr, kai apaugasma tēs doxēs autou. Hotan de to tēs anthrōpotētos metron. ouk atimazōn, tois Ioudaiois proslalę̄; « Nyn de me zēteite apokteinai anthrōpon, hos tēn alētheian. hymin lelalēka ; ; palin ouden ētton, auton ton en isotēti te kai homoiotēti tou Patros Theon Logon, kai ek tōn tēs anthrōpotētos autou metrōn, epiginōskomen. Ei gar estin anankaion to pisteuein, hoti kata chōmenos psychę̄ logikę̄; poion an echoi logon to epaischynesthai tina tais par᾿ autou phōnais, ei gegonasin anthrōpoprepōs? Ei gar paraitoito tous anthrōpǭ prepontas logous, tis ho anankasas genesthai kath' hēmas anthrōpon? ῾Ho de katheis heauton di᾽ hēmas eis hekousion kenōsin, dia poian aitian paraitoit᾽ an tous tę̄ kenōsei prepontas logous? Heni toigaroun prosōpǭ tas en tois Euangeliois pasas anatheteon phōnas; hypostasei mią, tę̄ tou Logou sesarkōmenę̄. Kyrios gar Iēsous Christos eis, kata tas Graphas. Ei de dē kaloito kai apostolos kai archiereus tēs homologias hēmōn, hōs hierourgōn tǭ Theǭ kai Patri tēn pros hēmōn autǭ te kai di᾿ autou tǭ Theǭ kai Patri proskomizomenēn tēs pisteōs homologian, kai mēn kai eis to hagion Pneuma; palin auton einai phamen ton ek Theou kata physin Huion monogenē. Kai ouk anthrōpǭ prosnemomen par' auton heterǭ to te tēs hierōsynēs onoma, kai auto de chrēma 4; gegone gar mesitēs Theou kai anthrōpōn, kai diallaktēs eis eirēnēn, heauton anatheis eis osmēn euōdias tǭ Theǭ kai Patri. Toigartoi kai ephaske; « Thysian kai prosphoran ouk ēthelēsas; sōma de katērtisō moi. Olokautōmata kai peri hamartias ouk eudokēsas. Tote eipon; Idou ēkō. En kephalidi bibliou gegraptai peri emou, tou poiēsai to thelēma sou, ho Theos. » Proskekomike gar hyper hēmōn eis osmēn euōdias to idion sōma, kai ouch hyper heautou. Poias gar edeēthē prosphoras ē thysias hyper heautou, kreittōn hapasēs hyparchōn hamartias hōs Theos? Ei gar pantes hēmarton, kai hysterountai tēs doxēs tou Theou, katho gegonamen hēmeis hetoimoi pros paraphoran, kai katērrōstēsen hē anthrōpou physis tēn hamartian ; autos de ouch houtō, kai hēttōmetha dia touto tēs doxēs autou ; pōs an eiē loipon amphibolon, hoti tethytai di᾽ hēmas kai hyper hēmōn ho ᾿Amnos ho alēthinos? Kai to legein de, hoti proskekomiken heauton hyper ge heautou kai hēmōn, amoirēseien an oudamōs tōn eis dyssebeian enklēmatōn. Peplēmmelēke gar kat᾿ oudena tropon, oute mēn epoiēsen hamartian. Poias ; oun edeēthē prosphoras, hamartias ouk ousēs, eph᾿ hēper an genoito kai mala eikotōs? Hotan de legę̄ peri tou Pneumatos; « Ekeinos eme doxasei; ; noountes orthōs, ouch hōs doxēs epidea tēs par' heterou phamen ton hena Christon kai Huion tēn para tou hagiou Pneumatos doxan helein; hoti mēde kreitton autou, kai hyper auton to Pneuma autou. Epeidē de eis endeixin tēs heautou theotētos ekechrēto tǭ hagiǭ Pneumati», pros megalourgian, dedoxasthai par' autou phēsin, hōsper an ei kai tis legoi tōn kath' hēmas, peri tēs enousēs ischyos autǭ tychon ēgoun epistēmēs tēs eph᾿ hotǭoun, hoti Doxasousi me. Ei gar kai estin en hypostasei to Pneuma idikę̄, kai dē kai noeitai kath' heauto, katho Pneuma esti, kai ouch Huios; all᾽ oun estin ouk allotrion autou ; Pneuma gar alētheias ōnomastai, kai esti Christos hē alētheia; kai procheitai par᾿ autou, kathaper amelei kai ek tou Theou kai Patros; Energēsan toigaroun to Pneuma kai dia cheiros tōn hagiōn apostolōn ta paradoxa meta to anelthein ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon eis ton ouranon, edoxasen auton. Episteuthē gar, hoti Theos kata physin esti, palin autos energōn dia tou idiou Pneumatos. Dia touto kai ephasken. Hoti ek tou emou lēpsetai, kai anangelei hymin. Kai hou ti pou phamen, hōs ek metochēs to Pneuma esti sophon te kai dynaton; panteleion gar kai aprosdees esti pantos agathou. Epeidē de tēs tou Pa; tros dynameōs kai sophias, tout᾽ esti tou Huiou, Pneuma estin, autochrēma esti sophia kai dynamis. Kai epeidē Theon henōthenta sarki kath' hypostasin ē hagia Parthenos ektetoke sarkikōs, tautę̄ toi kai Theotokon einai phamen autēn, ouch hōs tēs tou Logou physeōs tēn tēs hyparxeōs archēn echousēs apo sarkos; hōn gar en archę̄, kai Theos ēn ho Logos, kai ho Logos ēn pros ton Theon; ; kai autos esti tōn aiō prosōpou. » Tautēs gar heneka tēs aitias, phamen, nōn ho poiētēs, synaïdios tǭ Patri, kai tōn holōn. dēmiourgos; all᾽, hōs ēdē proeipomen, epeidē kath' hypostasin henōsas heautǭ to anthrōpinon, kai ek mētras autēs gennēsin hypemeine sarkikēn; ouch hōs deētheis anankaiōs, ētoi dia tēn idian physin, tēs en chronǭ kai en eschatois tou aiōnos kairois gennēseōs - all᾽ hina kai autēn tēs hyparxeōs hēmōn eulogēsę̄ tēn archēn ; kai tekousēs gynaikos auton henōthenta sarki, pausētai loipon hē kata pantos tou genous ara pempousa pros thanaton ta ek gēs hēmōn sō-. mata, kai to, « En lypais texę̄ tekna, » di' autou katargoumenon, alēthes apophēnę̄ to dia tēs tou prophētou phōnēs; « Katepien ho thanatos ischysas ; ; kai palin ; « Apheilen ho Theos pan dakryon apo pantos auton oikonomikōs, kai auton eulogēsai ton gamon, kai apelthein keklēmenon en Kaną tēs Galilaias homou tois hagiois apostolois. Tauta phronein dedidagmetha para tōn hagiōn apostolōn kai euangelistōn, kai pasēs de tēs theopneustou Graphēs, kai ek tēs tōn makariōn Paterōn alēthous homologias. Toutois hapasi kai tēn sēn eulabeian synainesai chrē, kai synthesthai dicha dolou hi pantos. "A de estin anankaion, anathematisai tēn sēn eulabeian, hypotetaktai tę̄de hēmōn tę̄ epistolę̄. A΄. Ei tis ouch homologei Theon einai kata alētheian, ton Emmanouēl, kai dia touto Theotokon tēn hagian, Parthenon ( gegennēke gar sarkikōs sarka gegonota ton ek Theou Logon), anathema estō. B΄. Ei tis ouch homologei, sarki kath' hypostasin hēnōsthai ton ek Theou Patros Logon, hena te einai, Christon meta tēs idias sarkos, ton auton dēlonote Theon homou kai anthrōpon, anathema estō. G΄. Ei tis epi tou henos Christou diairei tas hypo - staseis meta tēn henōsin, monę̄ synaptōn autas synapheią tę̄ kata tēn axian, ēgoun authentią ē dynasteią, kai ouchi dē mallon synodǭ tę̄ kath᾽ henōsin physikēn, anathema estō. D΄. Ei tis prosōpois dysin, ēgoun hypostasesi, tas te en tois euangelikois kai apostolikois Syngrammasi dianemei phōnas, ē epi Christǭ para tōn hagiōn legomenas, ē par' autou peri heautou ; kai tas men hōs anthrōpǭ para ton ek Theou Logon idikōs nooumenǭ prosaptei, tas de hōs theoprepeis monǭ tǭ ek Theou Patros Logǭ, anathema estō. E΄. Ei tis tolmą legein, theophoron anthrōpon ton Christon, kai ouchi dē mallon Theon einai kata alētheian, hōs Huion hena kai physei, katho gegone sarx ho Logos, kai kekoinōnēke paraplēsiōs hēmin haimatos kai sarkos, anathema estō. T΄. Ei tis tolma legein, Theon ē Despotēn einai tou Christou ton ek Theou Patros Logon, kai ouchi dē mallon ton auton homologei Theon homou te kai anthrōpon, hōs gegonotos sarkos tou Logou, kata tas Graphas, anathema estō. Z΄. Ei tis phēsin, hōs anthrōpon enērgēsthai para tou Theou Logou ton Iēsoun, kai tēn tou Monogenous eudoxian ē periēphthai, hōs heteron par᾿ auton hyparchonta anathema estō. Ē΄. Ei tis tolmēsei 5 legein ton analēphthenta anthrōpon symproskyneisthai dein tǭ Theǭ Logǭ, kai syndoxazesthai, kai synchrēmatizein Theon 2, hōs heteron en heterǭ (to gar, syn, aei prostithemenon, touto noein anankazei), kai ouchi dē mallon mią proskynēsei timą ton Emmanouēl, kai mian autǭ tēn doxologian anapempei, katho gegone sarx ho Logos, anathema estō. Th΄. Ei tis phēsi ton hena Kyrion Iēsoun Christon dedoxasthai para tou Pneumatos hōs allotrią dynamei tę̄ di᾿ autou chrōmenon, kai par' autou labonta to energein dynasthai kata pneumatōn akathartōn, kai to plēroun eis anthrōpous tas theosēmeias, kai ouchi dē mallon idion autou to Pneuma phēsi, di' hou kai enērgēke tas theosēmeias, anathema estō. I. ᾿Archierea kai apostolon tēs homologias hēmōn gegenēsthai Christon hē theia legei Graphē, proskekomikenai hyper hēmōn heauton eis osmēn euōdias tǭ Theǭ kai Patri. Ei tis toinyn archierea kai apostolon hēmōn gegenēsthai phēsin, ouk auton ton ek Theou Logon, hote gegone sarx kai kath' hēmas anthrōpos, all' hōs heteron par᾿ auton idikōs anthrōpon ek gyn naikos ē ei tis legei, kai hyper heautou prosenenkein auton tēn prosphoran, kai ouchi dē mallon hyper monōn hēmōn (ou gar an edeēthē prosphoras ho mē eidōs hamartian), anathema estō. IA΄. Ei tis ouch homologei tēn tou Kyriou sarka zōopoion einai, kai idian autou tou ek Theou Patros Logou, all' hōs heterou tinos par᾿ auton, synēmmenou men autǭ kata tēn axian, ēgoun, hōs monēn theian enoikēsin; eschēkotos ; kai ouchi dē mallon zōopoion, hōs ephēmen, hoti gegonen idia tou Logou tou ta panta zōogonein ischyontos, anathema estō. IB΄. Ei tis ouch homologei ton tou Theou Logon pathonta sarki, kai estaurōmenon sarki, kai thanatou geusamenon sarki, gegonota te prōtotokon ek tōn nekrōn, katho zōē te esti kai zōopoios hōs Theos anathema estō.
To the most reverent and most God-beloved fellow minister Nestorius, Cyril and the synod assembled in Alexandria from the diocese of Egypt: greeting in the Lord.
Since our Saviour says plainly, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me,” what is to become of us, from whom your Reverence demands that we love you more than Christ, the Saviour of us all? Who will be able to help us on the day of judgement, or what defence shall we find, if we have honoured so long a silence about the blasphemies you have uttered against him? If you were wronging only yourself by thinking and teaching such things, the concern would be less. But since you have scandalized the whole church and thrown the leaven of an unaccustomed and foreign heresy among the people, and not only among those there but among those everywhere (for the books of your expositions have been carried about), what account of silence will any longer suffice for us? Or how is it not necessary to remember Christ, who says, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother”? For when the faith is being wronged, let reverence for parents go, as stale and unsafe; let the law of affection for children and brothers fall silent; and let death be better than life for the pious from now on, “so that they may obtain a better resurrection,” as it is written.
See, then: together with the holy synod assembled in great Rome under the presidency of our most holy and most God-fearing brother and fellow minister, bishop Celestine, we solemnly charge you by this third letter too, advising you to keep away from the crooked and perverse doctrines that you both hold and teach, and to choose instead the right faith, handed down to the churches from the beginning through the holy apostles and evangelists, who were “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.” And if your Reverence does not do this within the time fixed in the letter of our brother and fellow minister mentioned above, the most holy and most God-fearing Celestine, bishop of the church of the Romans, know that you have no lot with us, nor place or standing among the priests and bishops of God. For we cannot overlook churches so troubled, people scandalized, the right faith set aside, and the flocks torn apart by you, who ought to keep them safe if you were, like us, a lover of right belief, following in the steps of the piety of the holy fathers. With all who have been separated or deposed by your Reverence because of the faith, whether laymen or clergy, we are all in communion. For it is not just that those who have resolved to think rightly should be wronged by your sentences because they did well in contradicting you. You yourself have disclosed this very thing in the letter you wrote to our most holy fellow bishop of great Rome, Celestine.
It will not be enough for your Reverence merely to confess with us the symbol of faith set out in its time in the Holy Spirit by the holy and great synod assembled in its time at Nicaea. For you have not understood and interpreted it rightly, but rather perversely, even if you confess its wording with your voice. You must also confess in writing and under oath that you anathematize your own foul and profane doctrines, and that you will think and teach what all of us think, the bishops, teachers, and leaders of the people of West and East. The holy synod of Rome and all of us have agreed that the letters written to your Reverence by the church of Alexandria are right and blameless. We have appended to this letter of ours what you must think and teach, and what you must keep away from. For this is the faith of the catholic and apostolic church, to which all the orthodox bishops of West and East agree:
“We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father; God from God, light from light, true God from true God; begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through whom all things came to be, those in heaven and those on earth; who for us men and for our salvation came down, was made flesh, became man, suffered, and rose on the third day, ascended into the heavens, and is coming to judge the living and the dead; and in the Holy Spirit. But those who say, ‘There was once when he was not,’ and ‘Before he was begotten he was not,’ and that he came to be from nothing, or who say that the Son of God is of another hypostasis or substance, or changeable or alterable, these the catholic and apostolic church anathematizes.”
Following in all things the confessions of the holy fathers, which they made with the Holy Spirit speaking in them, tracing the aim of the thoughts in them, and going, as it were, along the royal road, we say that the only-begotten Word of God himself, who was begotten from the very substance of the Father, true God from true God, the light from the light, through whom all things came to be, those in heaven and those on earth, came down for our salvation, and, letting himself down into emptying, was made flesh and became man: that is, taking flesh from the holy Virgin and making it his own from the womb, he underwent a birth like ours and came forth a man from a woman, not having thrown off what he was, but, even though he came to be in the assumption of flesh and blood, remaining even so what he was, namely God in nature and in truth. We say neither that the flesh was changed into the nature of Godhead, nor that the ineffable nature of God the Word was turned into the nature of flesh; for he is unchangeable and wholly unalterable, always remaining the same, according to the Scriptures. While he was seen as a babe in swaddling clothes, and was still at the breast of the Virgin who bore him, he filled the whole creation as God and was enthroned with his begetter. For the divine is without quantity and without size and does not admit limitation.
Confessing that the Word was united to flesh according to hypostasis, we worship one Son and Lord Jesus Christ. We neither set apart and divide man and God, as though they were joined with each other by unity of dignity and authority (for this is a novelty of speech and nothing else), nor do we name the Word from God specially Christ, and likewise specially another Christ, the one from the woman; but we know only one Christ, the Word from God the Father with his own flesh. For then he was anointed humanly with us, although he himself gives the Spirit to those who are worthy to receive it, and not by measure, as the blessed evangelist John says. Nor do we say that the Word from God dwelt, as in an ordinary man, in the one born of the holy Virgin, lest Christ be thought a God-bearing man. For even though the Word “dwelt among us,” and it is said that in Christ “all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,” yet we understand that, having become flesh, he is not said to dwell in him as he is said to dwell in the saints; we do not define the indwelling in him as being of the same kind. Rather, united by nature and not changed into flesh, he made such an indwelling as the soul of a man may be said to have in its own body.
There is, then, one Christ and Son and Lord; not as though a man had simply a conjunction with God, as God, by unity of dignity or authority; for equality of honour does not unite natures. Peter and John, for instance, are equal in honour to each other, as both apostles and holy disciples; yet the two are not one. Nor do we understand the manner of the conjunction as one of juxtaposition, for this is not enough for a natural union; nor as a relative participation, as we too, “cleaving to the Lord,” as it is written, “are one spirit” with him. Rather, we reject the term “conjunction” as unable to signify the union adequately. Nor do we call the Word from God the Father the God or Master of Christ, lest we again openly cut the one Christ, the Son and Lord, into two, and fall under the charge of blasphemy by making him God and Master of himself. For the Word of God, united, as we have already said, to flesh according to hypostasis, is God of all and is master of the universe; but he is neither servant nor master of himself. To think and say so is silly, or rather already impious. He did call the Father his God, though he is God by nature and from his substance. But we have not failed to see that, while remaining God, he also became man, under God, according to the law that befits the nature of humanity. But how could he himself become God or master of himself? So, as man, and as far as befits the measures of the emptying, he says that he is under God with us. So too he came under the law, though he himself spoke the law and is lawgiver, as God.
We refuse to say of Christ, “Because of the one who bears, I revere the one borne; because of the invisible, I worship the visible.” And it is dreadful besides to say this: “The one assumed is called God together with the one who assumed.” For whoever says this again cuts him into two Christs and sets a man apart by himself, and God likewise. He plainly denies the union, according to which one is not worshipped together with another, as one in another, nor called God together with another; but one Christ Jesus is understood, the only-begotten Son, honoured with one worship together with his own flesh.
We confess that the very Son who was begotten of God the Father, the only-begotten God, though he is impassible in his own nature, suffered in the flesh for us, according to the Scriptures, and was in the crucified body, impassibly making his own the sufferings of his own flesh. “By the grace of God he tasted death for everyone,” giving his own body to it, although by nature he is life and is himself the resurrection. For in order that, having trodden down death by ineffable power, first in his own flesh, he might become “the firstborn from the dead” and “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” and might make a way for human nature to return to incorruption, “by the grace of God,” as we said just now, “he tasted death for everyone”; and on the third day he came back to life, having despoiled Hades. So, even if it is said that “the resurrection of the dead came through a man,” we understand the man to be the Word from God who became man, and that through him the power of death has been undone; and he will come in due time, as one Son and Lord, in the glory of the Father, to judge the world in righteousness, as it is written.
We must add this too. Proclaiming the death according to the flesh of the only-begotten Son of God, that is, of Jesus Christ, and confessing his return to life from the dead and his ascension into heaven, we celebrate the unbloody sacrifice in the churches; and so we approach the mystical blessings and are sanctified, becoming partakers of the holy flesh and the precious blood of Christ, the Saviour of us all. And we receive it not as ordinary flesh, God forbid, nor as the flesh of a man sanctified and conjoined to the Word by unity of dignity, or as having a divine indwelling, but as truly life-giving and the Word's very own. For being life by nature as God, since he became one with his own flesh, he made it life-giving. So even if he says to us, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,” we shall not reckon it to be the flesh of a man who is one of us (for how will the flesh of a man be life-giving by its own nature?), but as truly the own flesh of the one who for our sake became and was called the Son of Man.
The sayings of our Saviour in the Gospels we do not divide between two hypostases or persons. For the one and only Christ is not double, even if he is understood to be from two different realities brought together into an undivided unity; just as a man too is understood to be of soul and body, yet not double, but one from both. Thinking rightly, we shall hold that both the human sayings and the divine ones were spoken by one. When he speaks of himself in a manner befitting God, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” and “I and the Father are one,” we understand his divine and ineffable nature, according to which he is one with his own Father through the identity of substance, his image and stamp and the radiance of his glory. But when, not despising the measure of his humanity, he says to the Jews, “But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth,” we no less recognize the very God the Word, who is in the equality and likeness of the Father, from the measures of his humanity too. For if it is necessary to believe that, being God by nature, he became flesh, that is, a man animated with a rational soul, what reason could anyone have to be ashamed of the sayings that came from him in a manner befitting a man? For if he refused words befitting a man, who compelled him to become man like us? And he who let himself down for us into a voluntary emptying, for what reason would he refuse the words befitting the emptying? All the sayings in the Gospels, therefore, must be ascribed to one person, to the one incarnate hypostasis of the Word. For there is one Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Scriptures.
And if he is called “apostle and high priest of our confession,” as offering in priestly service to God the Father the confession of faith brought by us to him, and through him to God the Father, and indeed to the Holy Spirit also, we say again that he is the Son only-begotten by nature from God. We do not assign the name and the reality of priesthood to a man other than him. For he became “mediator between God and men” and reconciler for peace, offering himself up “as a fragrant odour” to God the Father. So he said, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me. In burnt offerings and sin offerings you took no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me, to do your will, O God.’” For he offered his own body as a fragrant odour for us, and not for himself. For what offering or sacrifice did he need for himself, being above all sin as God? For if “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” inasmuch as we have become prone to going astray and human nature has fallen sick with sin, but he is not so, and therefore we fall short of his glory, how can it any longer be doubtful that the true Lamb was sacrificed because of us and for us? And to say that he offered himself both for himself and for us could in no way escape the charge of impiety. For he did no wrong in any way, nor did he commit sin. What offering, then, did he need, when there was no sin for which it might quite reasonably have been made?
When he says of the Spirit, “He will glorify me,” we understand rightly and do not say that the one Christ and Son took glory from the Holy Spirit as though in need of glory from another; for his Spirit is not better than he or above him. But since he used his Holy Spirit to display his own Godhead in mighty works, he says that he was glorified by him; just as one of us might say of the strength that is in him, perhaps, or of his skill in something, “They will glorify me.” For even though the Spirit exists in his own hypostasis and is understood by himself, as being Spirit and not Son, yet he is not foreign to him. For he is named the Spirit of truth, and Christ is the truth, and he is poured forth from him, just as he is from God the Father. So the Spirit, working wonders also through the hands of the holy apostles after our Lord Jesus Christ went up into heaven, glorified him. For it was believed that he is God by nature, since again he was himself working through his own Spirit. For this reason he also said, “He will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” And we certainly do not say that the Spirit is wise and powerful by participation; for he is all-perfect and in need of no good. But since he is the Spirit of the power and wisdom of the Father, that is, of the Son, he is wisdom and power itself.
And since the holy Virgin bore according to the flesh God united to flesh according to hypostasis, for this reason we say that she is Mother of God: not as though the nature of the Word had the beginning of its existence from the flesh, for “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word was with God,” and he is the maker of the ages, co-eternal with the Father and creator of all things; but because, as we have already said, having united what is human to himself according to hypostasis, he underwent a birth according to the flesh from her womb: not as though he necessarily needed, for his own nature, a birth in time and in the last times of the age, but so that he might bless the very beginning of our existence, and so that, a woman having borne him united to flesh, the curse against the whole race, which sends our earthly bodies to death, might cease; and so that, “In pain you shall bear children” being abolished through him, he might show true the word spoken by the prophet, “Death prevailed and swallowed up,” and again, “God has taken away every tear from every face.” For this reason, we say, he by the dispensation himself also blessed marriage and went, when invited, to Cana of Galilee together with the holy apostles.
We have been taught to think these things by the holy apostles and evangelists, by all the divinely inspired Scripture, and by the true confession of the blessed fathers. Your Reverence too must agree with all of these and assent to them without any guile. What your Reverence must anathematize is appended to this letter of ours.
1. If anyone does not confess that Emmanuel is God in truth, and therefore that the holy Virgin is Mother of God (for she bore according to the flesh the Word from God made flesh), let him be anathema.
2. If anyone does not confess that the Word from God the Father was united to flesh according to hypostasis, and that Christ is one with his own flesh, that is, the same one God and man at once, let him be anathema.
3. If anyone in the one Christ divides the hypostases after the union, joining them only by a conjunction of dignity, that is, of authority or power, and not rather by a coming together in natural union, let him be anathema.
4. If anyone distributes between two persons or hypostases the sayings in the gospel and apostolic writings, whether spoken about Christ by the saints or by him about himself, and attaches some to a man understood specially apart from the Word from God, and others, as befitting God, to the Word from God the Father alone, let him be anathema.
5. If anyone dares to say that Christ is a God-bearing man, and not rather that he is God in truth, as the one Son, and Son by nature, inasmuch as the Word became flesh and shared in blood and flesh as we do, let him be anathema.
6. If anyone dares to say that the Word from God the Father is the God or Master of Christ, and does not rather confess the same one to be God and man at once, since the Word has become flesh according to the Scriptures, let him be anathema.
7. If anyone says that Jesus as a man was activated by God the Word, and that the glory of the Only-begotten was attached to him as to another existing apart from him, let him be anathema.
8. If anyone dares to say that the man assumed must be worshipped together with God the Word, glorified together with him, and called God together with him, as one in another (for the constantly added “together with” compels this meaning), and does not rather honour Emmanuel with one worship and send up to him one doxology, inasmuch as the Word has become flesh, let him be anathema.
9. If anyone says that the one Lord Jesus Christ was glorified by the Spirit, as making use of a power foreign to him that worked through him, and received from him the ability to act against unclean spirits and to perform divine signs among men, and does not rather say that the Spirit through whom he worked the divine signs is his own, let him be anathema.
10. The divine Scripture says that Christ became “high priest and apostle of our confession” and offered himself for us “as a fragrant odour” to God the Father. If anyone, then, says that it was not the very Word from God who became our high priest and apostle, when he became flesh and a man like us, but as it were another, a man from a woman, specially distinct from him; or if anyone says that he offered the sacrifice for himself too, and not rather for us alone (for the one who knew no sin would not have needed an offering), let him be anathema.
11. If anyone does not confess that the Lord's flesh is life-giving and the very own flesh of the Word from God the Father, but says it is the flesh of someone else besides him, conjoined to him by dignity, or as having only a divine indwelling; and does not rather confess it life-giving, as we have said, because it became the own flesh of the Word who is able to give life to all things, let him be anathema.
12. If anyone does not confess that the Word of God suffered in the flesh, was crucified in the flesh, tasted death in the flesh, and became the firstborn from the dead, inasmuch as he is life and life-giving as God, let him be anathema.
Matt 10:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:34–35 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 11:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 1:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 2:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Jer 23:24 (echo, low confidence) · John 3:34 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 6:17 (quotation, high confidence) · John 20:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 4:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 11:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:18 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 17:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 16:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 6:53 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 1:3 (allusion, high confidence) · John 8:40 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 8:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Heb 3:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 10:5–7 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 40:6–8 (39:7-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 3:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 2:22 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:21 (allusion, high confidence) · John 16:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:17 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:24 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 25:8 (quotation, high confidence) · John 2:1–2 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril and the Egyptian synod give Nestorius a final warning, set out at length the faith in the one incarnate Word, the Eucharist, and Mary as Mother of God, and append twelve anathemas he must accept.
- Cyril's third letter to Nestorius (November 430), sent with the authority of the Roman synod under Celestine; with it are the Twelve Anathemas (Twelve Chapters). Compared with the public-domain translation in NPNF² 14. The creed quoted is that of Nicaea (325), with its anathemas. The sayings Cyril refuses (“Because of the one who bears, I revere the one borne”; “The one assumed is called God together with the one who assumed”) are phrases from Nestorius's sermons. A Greek phrase from the notes (“through whom he made the ages”) printed in the middle of the paragraph on worship is removed by a logged correction. Two lines are out of place in the edition: “being God by nature, he became flesh, that is, a man animated” (printed earlier than its sentence) and “face. For this reason, we say,” (printed inside “maker of the ages”); both are translated where the sense requires. Cyril's phrase “the one incarnate hypostasis of the Word” is translated literally. Anathema 7: “activated” renders ἐνηργῆσθαι (“worked in”).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (a phrase from the notes (Heb 1:2) printed inside the text): δι' οὗ ἐποίησε τοὺς αἰῶνας. → .
Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Nic. 0 (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325); quotation)
Topics: Christology, Eucharist, Heresy, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 17 (PG 77 77:105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/17
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-17) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 18
18PG 77 77:123
Τοῦ αὐτοῦς Κυρίλλου ἐπιστολὴ γραφεῖσα πρὸς· τὸν κλῆρον καὶ τὸν λαὸν Κωνσταντινουπόλεως· ἐν ἡ γράφει, ὥστε μὴ προσέχειν αὐτοὺς τῇ δυσσεβεῖ διδασκαλίᾳ τοῦ αἰρετικοῦ Νεστορίου, μήτε μὴν κοινωνεῖν αὐτῷ, εἰ μένει λύκος ἀντὶ ποιμένος· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἀνδρίζεσθαι ἐν Κυρίῳ, καὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν πίστιν τηρεῖν ἀπαρακόμιστον, "Ετι τε γράφει καὶ κοινωνοὺς εἶναι τοὺς ἐκβληθέντας παρὰ Νεστορίου, ἀντειπόντας αὐτοῦ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ ποθεινοτάτοις ἀδελφοῖς πρεσβυτέροις, διακόνοις, καὶ λαῷ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, Κύριλλος ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ ἡ συνελθοῦσα σύνοδος ἐν ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ ἐκ τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς διοικήσεως, ἐν Κύρίῳ χαίρειν. Ὀψὲ μὲν, καὶ μόλις ἤλθομεν ἐφ' ὅπερ ἦν ἄμεινον ἐν ἀρχαῖς ἐλθεῖν, τὸ φροντίδα θέσθαι φαμὲν τῆς ἁπάντων ὑμῶν σωτηρίας, καὶ τοῦ μὴ χρῆναι παθεῖν τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει θόρυβον. Απολογούμεθα δὲ ταῖς ἁπάντων ὑμῶν διὰ τοῦτο λύπαις· διετελέσαμεν γὰρ οὐκ ἀδακρυτὶ τὸν παρωχηκότα καιρόν· προσεδοκῶμεν δὲ, ὅτι συμβουλαῖς καὶ παραινέσεσιν ἐκκλησιαστικαῖς, καὶ τοῖς παρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐλέγχοις μεταστήσεται μὲν τῶν ἀπηχεστάτων ἑαυτοῦ δογμάτων ὁ εὐλαβέστατος ἐπίσκοπος Νεστόριος, τιμήσει δὲ μεθ' ἡμῶν τὴν πίστιν, τὴν παραδοθεῖσαν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις παρά τε τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν, καὶ παρὰ παντὸς ἱερατικοῦ τάγματος, καὶ ταῖς διὰ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν φωναῖς εἰς τὸ ἔχειν ὀρθῶς κατεσφραγισμένην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐξ ὧν παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ἐπ᾿ ἐκκλησίας λαλῶν οὐ παύεται, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐγγράφως ἐξηγήσεων αὐτοῦ πεπλανημένον εὑρίσκομεν, καὶ οὐ τὴν ταχίστην τῶν ἑαυτοῦ καινοτομιῶν, καὶ κατὰ τὴν μετρίως δυσσεβοῦντα περὶ τὴν πίστιν· λοιπὸν ἀναγκαίως ἤλθομεν ἐπὶ τὸ χρῆναι διὰ συνοδικοῦ γράμ ματος αὐτῷ διαμαρτύρασθαι, ὡς εἰ μὴ ἀπόσχοιτο ὁρισθεῖσαν προθεσμίαν παρὰ τοῦ ὁσιωτάτου καὶ θεοσεβεστάτου τῆς Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίας ἐπισκόπου Κε λεστίνου, ἀναθεματίσει μὲν ἐγγράφως ἐκεῖνα, ἅπερ ἐντεθῆναι παρεσκεύασεν, αἳ καὶ παρ' ἡμῖν εἰσιν, ου δένα κοινωνίας ἔχει τόπον πρὸς τοὺς ἱερέας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔσται πάντων ἀλλότριος. εἴρηκέ τε παρ' ὑμῖν, καὶ βίβλοις ἐνέθηκεν, ἢ γοῦν Αἰτιάσθω δὲ μηδεὶς τὴν μέλλησιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐνυστάξαμεν θορυβουμένης οὕτω μεγάλης ἀγέλης, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀπανταχόσε λαῶν καὶ Ἐκκλησιῶν· ἐμιμησάμεθα δὲ τοὺς ἰατρικὴν ἔχοντας ἐμπειρίαν, οἱ τὰ ἐν τοῖς σώμασι γινόμενα τῶν παθῶν οὐκ εὐθὺς ταῖς διὰ σιδήρου καὶ πυρὸς ὑποφέρουσιν ἀνάγκαις, ἀλλ' ἠπίοις ἐν ἀρχαῖς φαρμάκοις καταμαλάσσουσι, περίπ μένοντες τὸν ταῖς τομαῖς πρέποντα καιρόν. ᾿Ανδρίζεσθε τοίνυν ἐν Κυρίῳ, καὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν πίστιν τη ροῦντες ἀπαρακόμιστον, εὐαρεστεῖν σπουδάζετε τῷ Χριστῷ, τῷ ἑνὶ καὶ μόνῳ καὶ ἀληθῶς Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ· μεμνημένοι καὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἡμῶν Πατέρων, τῶν ἱερατευσάντων ὀρθῶς καὶ ἁγίως παρ᾽ ὑμῖν, οἳ καὶ ἔτι περιόντες Θεοτόκον ὠνόμαζον τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον. Τέτοκε γὰρ τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ, ὅς ἐστι Θεὸς ἀληθῶς. Γέγονε δὲ σάρξ ὁ Λόγος, καὶ γεγέννηται σαρκικῶς ἐκ γυναικὸς, ἵν᾿ ἡμεῖς εὑρεθῶμεν ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν. Ἐκήρυσσον δὲ οὐ δύο παρ' ὑμῖν Χριστοὺς, ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα, τὸν αὐτὸν Θεὸν Λόγον καὶ ἄνθρωπον κατὰ σάρκα ἐκ γυναικός· οὐ συναφείᾳ ψιλῇ, καὶ ὡς ἐν ἰσότητι μόνῃ τῶν ἀξιωμάτων συνημμένον ἄνθρωπον Θεῷ· ταῦτα γὰρ ἐκείνου τὰ ψυχρὰ καὶ ἀνωφελῆ καὶ γραώδη δόγματα. Τὸν αὐτὸν δὲ καὶ παθεῖν ἔφασκον σαρκικῶς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὸν θάνατον, καὶ ἀναστῆναι θεϊκῶς πατήσαντα τὸ τοῦ θανάτου κράτος· ἤξειν τε ἔφασκον τῶν ὅλων κριτήν. Ταύτην ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀναζωπυροῦντες ἀεὶ τὴν πίστιν, ἀσπίλους καὶ ἀμώμους ἑαυτοὺς τηρήσατε, μήτε κοινωνοῦντες τῷ μνημονευθέντι, μήτε μὴν ὡς διδασκάλῳ προσέχοντες, εἰ μένει λύκος ἀντὶ ποιμένος, καὶ μετὰ ταύτην ἡμῶν τὴν ὑπόμνησιν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν γενομένην, φρονεῖν ἕλοιτο τὰ διεστραμμένα. Τοῖς δὲ γε τῶν κληρικῶν, ἤτοι λαϊκῶν διὰ τὴν ὀρθὴν πίστιν κεχωρισμένοις, ἢ καθαιρεθεῖσι παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, κοινωνοῦμεν ἡμεῖς, οὐ τὴν ἐκείνου κυροῦντες ἄδικον ψῆφον, ἐπαινοῦντες δὲ μᾶλλον τοὺς πεπονθότας, κἀκεῖνο λέγοντες αὐτοῖς· « Εἰ ὀνειδίζεσθε ἐν Κυρίῳ, μακάριοι· ὅτι τὸ τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Πνεῦμα εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀναπέπαυται. »
Tou autous Kyrillou epistolē grapheisa pros; ton klēron kai ton laon Kōnstantinoupoleōs; en hē graphei, hōste mē prosechein autous tę̄ dyssebei didaskalią tou airetikou Nestoriou, mēte mēn koinōnein autǭ, ei menei lykos anti poimenos; alla mallon andrizesthai en Kyriǭ, kai tēn heautōn pistin tērein aparakomiston, "Eti te graphei kai koinōnous einai tous ekblēthentas para Nestoriou, anteipontas autou tę̄ didaskalią. Tois agapētois kai potheinotatois adelphois presbyterois, diakonois, kai laǭ Kōnstantinoupoleōs, Kyrillos episkopos, kai hē synelthousa synodos en ᾿Alexandreią ek tēs Aigyptiakēs dioikēseōs, en Kyriǭ chairein. Opse men, kai molis ēlthomen eph' hoper ēn ameinon en archais elthein, to phrontida thesthai phamen tēs hapantōn hymōn sōtērias, kai tou mē chrēnai pathein ton epi tę̄ pistei thorybon. Apologoumetha de tais hapantōn hymōn dia touto lypais; dietelesamen gar ouk adakryti ton parōchēkota kairon; prosedokōmen de, hoti symboulais kai parainesesin ekklēsiastikais, kai tois para pantōn hymōn elenchois metastēsetai men tōn apēchestatōn heautou dogmatōn ho eulabestatos episkopos Nestorios, timēsei de meth' hēmōn tēn pistin, tēn paradotheisan tais Ekklēsiais para te tōn hagiōn apostolōn kai euangelistōn, kai para pantos hieratikou tagmatos, kai tais dia tōn hagiōn prophētōn phōnais eis to echein orthōs katesphragismenēn. Epeidē de kai ex hōn par᾽ hymin ep᾿ ekklēsias lalōn ou pauetai, kai ek tōn engraphōs exēgēseōn autou peplanēmenon heuriskomen, kai ou tēn tachistēn tōn heautou kainotomiōn, kai kata tēn metriōs dyssebounta peri tēn pistin; loipon anankaiōs ēlthomen epi to chrēnai dia synodikou gram matos autǭ diamartyrasthai, hōs ei mē aposchoito horistheisan prothesmian para tou hosiōtatou kai theosebestatou tēs Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsias episkopou Ke lestinou, anathematisei men engraphōs ekeina, haper entethēnai pareskeuasen, hai kai par' hēmin eisin, ou dena koinōnias echei topon pros tous hiereas tou Theou, all᾽ estai pantōn allotrios. eirēke te par' hymin, kai biblois enethēken, ē goun Aitiasthō de mēdeis tēn mellēsin. Ou gar enystaxamen thoryboumenēs houtō megalēs agelēs, mallon de kai tōn apantachose laōn kai Ekklēsiōn; emimēsametha de tous iatrikēn echontas empeirian, hoi ta en tois sōmasi ginomena tōn pathōn ouk euthys tais dia sidērou kai pyros hypopherousin anankais, all' ēpiois en archais pharmakois katamalassousi, perip menontes ton tais tomais preponta kairon. ᾿Andrizesthe toinyn en Kyriǭ, kai tēn heautōn pistin tē rountes aparakomiston, euarestein spoudazete tǭ Christǭ, tǭ heni kai monǭ kai alēthōs Huiǭ tou Theou; memnēmenoi kai tōn hagiōn hēmōn Paterōn, tōn hierateusantōn orthōs kai hagiōs par᾽ hymin, hoi kai eti periontes Theotokon ōnomazon tēn hagian Parthenon. Tetoke gar ton Emmanouēl, hos esti Theos alēthōs. Gegone de sarx ho Logos, kai gegennētai sarkikōs ek gynaikos, hin᾿ hēmeis heurethōmen adelphoi tou hyper pasan tēn ktisin. Ekērysson de ou dyo par' hymin Christous, all᾽ hena, ton auton Theon Logon kai anthrōpon kata sarka ek gynaikos; ou synapheią psilę̄, kai hōs en isotēti monę̄ tōn axiōmatōn synēmmenon anthrōpon Theǭ; tauta gar ekeinou ta psychra kai anōphelē kai graōdē dogmata. Ton auton de kai pathein ephaskon sarkikōs hyper hēmōn ton thanaton, kai anastēnai theïkōs patēsanta to tou thanatou kratos; ēxein te ephaskon tōn holōn kritēn. Tautēn en heautois anazōpyrountes aei tēn pistin, aspilous kai amōmous heautous tērēsate, mēte koinōnountes tǭ mnēmoneuthenti, mēte mēn hōs didaskalǭ prosechontes, ei menei lykos anti poimenos, kai meta tautēn hēmōn tēn hypomnēsin tēn pros auton genomenēn, phronein heloito ta diestrammena. Tois de ge tōn klērikōn, ētoi laïkōn dia tēn orthēn pistin kechōrismenois, ē kathairetheisi par᾿ autou, koinōnoumen hēmeis, ou tēn ekeinou kyrountes adikon psēphon, epainountes de mallon tous peponthotas, kakeino legontes autois; « Ei oneidizesthe en Kyriǭ, makarioi; hoti to tēs dynameōs kai to tou Theou Pneuma eis hymas anapepautai. »
Letter of the same Cyril written to the clergy and people of Constantinople, in which he writes that they should not attend to the impious teaching of the heretic Nestorius, nor be in communion with him if he remains a wolf instead of a shepherd, but rather play the man in the Lord and keep their faith unaltered. He also writes that those cast out by Nestorius for contradicting his teaching are in communion with him.
To the beloved and most dearly longed-for brothers, the presbyters, deacons, and people of Constantinople, Cyril, bishop, and the synod assembled in Alexandria from the diocese of Egypt: greeting in the Lord.
Late, and with difficulty, we have come to what it would have been better to come to at the start: I mean, taking thought for the salvation of all of you, so that you should not suffer the disturbance over the faith. We apologize to all of you for your griefs on this account. We did not pass the time gone by without tears; but we expected that by counsel and church exhortations, and by the reproofs of all of you, the most reverent bishop Nestorius would be turned from his most discordant doctrines, and would honour with us the faith handed down to the churches by the holy apostles and evangelists and by the whole priestly order, and sealed as right by the words of the holy prophets. But since, both from what he does not stop saying among you in church and from his written expositions, we find that he has gone astray, that he is not quick to turn from his own innovations, and that he is more than moderately impious about the faith, we have at last necessarily come to the point of solemnly warning him by a synodical letter that, unless he desists within the time fixed by the most holy and God-fearing bishop of the church of the Romans, Celestine, and anathematizes in writing what he has said among you and put into books, or at least arranged to have put into them, copies of which we also have, he has no place of communion with the priests of God, but will be a stranger to all.
Let no one blame the delay. We did not doze while so great a flock, or rather the peoples and churches everywhere, were being troubled; but we imitated those skilled in medicine, who do not at once subject the diseases that arise in bodies to the constraints of iron and fire, but first soften them with gentle remedies, waiting for the right moment for surgery. Play the man, then, in the Lord, and, keeping your faith unaltered, be eager to please Christ, the one and only and truly Son of God. Remember too our holy fathers who served as priests rightly and holily among you, who even while living named the holy Virgin Mother of God. For she bore Emmanuel, who is truly God. The Word became flesh and was born according to the flesh of a woman, so that we might be found brothers of the one who is above all creation. They did not preach two Christs among you, but one, the same God the Word and man according to the flesh from a woman; not a man joined to God by bare conjunction and as by mere equality of dignities, for these are his cold, useless, and old wives' doctrines. They said that the same one both suffered death according to the flesh for us and rose divinely, trampling down the power of death; and they said that he will come as judge of all. Always rekindling this faith in yourselves, keep yourselves spotless and blameless, neither communicating with the man in question nor attending to him as a teacher, if he remains a wolf instead of a shepherd and, after this admonition of ours to him, chooses to think perversely. With those of the clergy or laity who have been separated or deposed by him because of the right faith we are in communion, not ratifying his unjust sentence, but rather praising those who have suffered and saying to them, “If you are reproached in the Lord, you are blessed, because the Spirit of power and the Spirit of God rests upon you.”
Heb 2:11 (echo, low confidence) · John 10:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Pet 4:14 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril and the Egyptian synod tell the clergy and people of Constantinople that Nestorius has been warned, urge them to keep the faith of their former bishops, and declare communion with those he has deposed.
- Written in November 430 with the third letter to Nestorius. The heading is the editor's summary. Several lines are out of place in the edition (the phrases “from his own innovations, and within the”, and “what he has said among you and put into books, or at least”), and they are translated in the order the sense requires. The closing quotation follows 1 Pet 4:14 in Cyril's wording.
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 18 (PG 77 77:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/18
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-18) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.