# On the Witch of Endor (Homily on 1 Samuel 28)

- Author: [Origen](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/origen/)
- Latin title: *De engastrimytho*
- Date: ca. 240 (approximate)
- Source: Erich Klostermann, ed., Origenes Werke 3: Jeremiahomilien, Klageliederkommentar, Erklärung der Samuel- und Königsbücher, GCS 6 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1901) (Greek text: E. Klostermann, Origenes Werke 3 (GCS 6, 1901), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: Pierre Nautin and Marie-Thérèse Nautin, Origène: Homélies sur Samuel, SC 328 (Paris: Cerf, 1986)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/
- Passages: 10

## On the Witch of Endor 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-1
- Source: Klostermann 3:283
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Of the four passages read from 1 Samuel, the bishop asks Origen to preach on Saul and the woman who seemed to bring up Samuel.

### Greek text

Τὰ ἀναγνωσθέντα πλείονά ἐστιν, καὶ ἐπεὶ χρὴ ἐπιτεμνόμενον εἰπεῖν, δʼ εἰσὶν περικοπαί. ἀνεγνώσθη τὰ ἑξῆς τῶν περὶ Νάβαλ Καρμήλιον. εἶτα μετὰ τοῦτο ἡ ἱστορία ἡ περὶ τοῦ κεκρύφθαι τὸν Δαβὶδ παρὰ τοῖς Ζιφαίοις καὶ διαβεβλῆσθαι αὐτὸν ὑπʼ αὐτῶν, ἐληλυθέναι δὲ τὸν Σαοὺλ βουλόμενον λαβεῖν τὸν Δαβὶδ καὶ ἐληλυθότα ἐπιτηρῆσαι καιρόν, ἐπεληλυθέναι τε τῷ Σαοὺλ τὸν Δαβὶδ καὶ εἰληφέναι, κοιμωμένου αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν φρουρούντων αὐτόν, »τὸ δόρυ καὶ τὸν φακὸν τοῦ ὕδατος« καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγχον προσενηνοχέναι τοῖς πεπιστευμένοις μὲν φυλάττειν αὐτόν, ἀποκοιμηθεῖσιν δέ. εἶτα τὰ] ἑξῆς ἡ ἱστορία ἦν ἡ τρίτη, ὅτι κατέφυγε »πρὸς Ἀγχοὺς υἱὸν Ἀμμὰχ βασιλέα Γὲθ« ὁ Δαβίδ, καὶ ὅσην εὗρε χάριν παρʼ αὐτῷ μετὰ τά πολλὰ ἀνδραγαθήματα ὁ Δαβίδ, πρὸς ὃν »ἀρχισωματοφύλακα θήσομαί σε« φησίν. ἑξῆς τούτοις ἦν ἡ ἱστορία ἡ διαβόητος ἡ περὶ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σαμουήλ, ὅτι ἔδοξεν ἀνενηνοχέναι ἡ ἐγγαστρίμυθος τὸν Σαμουὴλ καὶ ὁ Σαμουὴλ προφητεύει τῷ Σαούλ. τεσσάρων οὐσῶν περικοπῶν, ὧν ἑκάστη πράγματα οὐκ ὀλίγα ἔχει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς δυναμένους ἐξετάζειν δυνάμενα ἀσχολῆσαι ὥρας οὐ μιᾶς συνάξεως ἀλλὰ καὶ πλειόνων, ὁτίποτε βούλεται ὁ ἐπίσκοπος προτεινάτω τῶν τεσσάρων, ἴνα περὶ τοῦτο ἀσχοληθῶμεν. τὰ περὶ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου, φησίν, ἐξεταζέσθω.

### English translation (Claude)

The passages read are rather many, and since I must speak briefly, there are four sections. The sequel of the story about Nabal the Carmelite was read. Then after this the story about David's hiding among the Ziphites and being informed on by them, and Saul's coming, wishing to take David, and having come, watching for an opportunity; and David's coming upon Saul and taking, while he and his guards slept, “the spear and the jar of water,” and after this bringing a reproach against those who had been entrusted with guarding him but had fallen asleep. Then the third story after these was that David fled “to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath,” and how much favor David found with him after his many brave deeds, to whom he says, “I will make you chief of my bodyguard.” Next to these was the celebrated story about the woman with a divining spirit and about Samuel: that the woman with a divining spirit seemed to have brought up Samuel, and Samuel prophesies to Saul. There being four sections, each of which contains many matters and can occupy those able to examine them for the hours not of one assembly but of several, let the bishop propose whichever of the four he wishes, so that we may occupy ourselves with it. “Let the matter of the woman with a divining spirit,” he says, “be examined.”

### Scripture references

- 1 Sam 25:2: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Sam 26:1: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Sam 26:12: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 27:2: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:2: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:7: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The passages are 1 Sam 25 (Nabal), 1 Sam 26 (the Ziphites; the spear and the jar, 26:11–16), 1 Sam 27:2 and 28:1–2 (Achish; the LXX calls him son of Ammach), and 1 Sam 28:3–25. The Greek ἐγγαστρίμυθος (literally “ventriloquist”) is the LXX term for a medium; it is rendered “woman with a divining spirit.” The bishop (probably Alexander of Jerusalem) chooses the subject.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 1 (Klostermann 3:283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/1).

## On the Witch of Endor 2

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-2
- Source: Klostermann 3:283–284
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Unlike some Old Testament stories, the account of Samuel and the medium concerns everyone, since it raises the question whether after death even a prophet's soul could fall under a demon's power.

### Greek text

Ἔνιαι μὲν ἱστορίαι οὐχ ἅπτονται ἡμῶν, ἔνιαι δὲ ἀναγκαῖαι πρὸς τὴν ἐλπίδα ἡμῶν· οὕτω δʼ εἶπον ἱστορίαι, ἐπεὶ οὐδέπω φθά- νομεν ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς, παντὶ τῷ εἰδότι ἀνάγειν ἢ ἀκούειν ἀναγομένων χρήσιμα. τῶν οὖν τῆς ἱστορίας τινὰ μὲν χρήσιμα πᾶσιν, τινὰ δὲ οὐ πᾶσιν. οἷον, ὡς ἐπὶ παραδείγματος, ἡ ἱστορία ἡ περὶ τοῦ Λὼτ καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ εἰ μέν τι κατὰ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν ἔχει χρήσιμον, θεὸς οἶδεν καὶ ᾧ ἂν χαρίσηται τοὺς λόγους ἐκείνους ἐξετάζειν· εἰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν, ζητήσαις ἄν· τί γὰρ ὄφελός μοι ἐκ τῆς ἱστορίας τῆς περὶ τοῦ Λὼτ καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ; ὁμοίως τί ὄφελός μοι ἁπλῶς λεχθεῖσα ἡ ἱστορία τοῦ Ἰούδα καὶ τῆς Θάμαρ καὶ τῶν κατʼ αὐτήν; ἐπεὶ μέντοιγε ἡ ἱστορία ἡ τὸν Σαοὺλ καὶ τὴν ἐγγαστρίμυθον πάντων ἅπτεται, ἀναγκαία ἀλήθεια κατὰ τὸν λόγον. τίς γὰρ ἀπαλλαγεὶς τούτου τοῦ βίου θέλει εἶναι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν δαιμονίου, ἵνα ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἀναγάγῃ οὐ τὸν τυχόντα τῶν πεπιστευκότων, ἀλλὰ Σαμουὴλ τὸν προφήτην; περὶ οὗ φησιν ὁ θεὸς διὰ τοῦ Ἱερεμίου· οὐδʼ ἂν Μωσῆς καὶ Σαμουὴλ πρὸ προσώπου μου, οὐδὲ τούτων εἰσακούσομαι<, περὶ οὑ φησιν ὕμνοις ὁ προφήτης· »Μωσῆς καὶ Ἀαρὼν ἐν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Σαμουὴλ ἐν τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ· ἐπεκαλοῦντο τὸν κύριον. καὶ αὐτὸς εἰσήκουεν αὐτῶν, ἐν στύλῳ νεφέλης ἐλάλει πρὸς αὐτούς«, καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· >ἐὰν στῇ Μωσῆς καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἆρʼ οὖν, εἰ ὁ τηλικοῦτος ὑπὸ τὴν γῆν ἦν ἀνήγαγεν αὐτὸν ἡ ἐγγαστρίμυθος, ἐξουσίαν ἔχει δαιμόνιον ψυχῆς προφητικῆς; τί εἴπωμεν; γέγραπται ταῦτα· ἀληθῆ έστιν ἢ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθῆ; τὸ μὲν μὴ εἶναι ἀληθῆ λέγειν εἰς ἀπιστίαν προτρέπει χωρήσει ἐπὶ κεφαλὰς τῶν λεγόντων)., τὸ δὲ εἶναι ἀληθῆ ζήτησιν καὶ ἐπαπόρησιν ἡμῖν παρέχει.

### English translation (Claude)

Some stories do not touch us, but some are necessary for our hope; I have said “stories” since we have not yet come to the higher sense, useful to everyone who knows how to interpret it or to hear it interpreted. Of the things in the history, then, some are useful to all, some not to all. For example, the story about Lot and his daughters: whether it has something useful in the higher sense, God knows, and whoever he grants to examine those words; but as to the history, you might ask: “What benefit is it to me, the story about Lot and his daughters?” Likewise, what benefit to me is the story of Judah and Tamar and what happened to her, told simply? But the story about Saul and the woman with a divining spirit touches everyone; it is a truth necessary according to the letter. For who, released from this life, wishes to be under the power of a demon, so that a woman with a divining spirit may bring up not just any believer, but Samuel the prophet? About him God says through Jeremiah, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, I would not listen even to them”; about him the prophet says in hymns, “Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he heard them; in the pillar of cloud he spoke to them”; and elsewhere, “If Moses and Samuel stand,” and the rest. If, then, so great a man was under the earth and the woman with a divining spirit brought him up, does a demon have power over a prophetic soul? What are we to say? These things are written: are they true or not true? To say that they are not true leads to unbelief (let it come on the heads of those who say it); but to say that they are true gives us inquiry and perplexity.

### Scripture references

- Gen 19:30: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 38:1: allusion, high confidence
- Jer 15:1: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 99:6 (98:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 99:7 (98:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:11: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations are Jer 15:1, Ps 99:6–7 (98:6–7 LXX); the stories mentioned are Gen 19:30–38 and Gen 38.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 2 (Klostermann 3:283–284; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/2).

## On the Witch of Endor 3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-3
- Source: Klostermann 3:284–285
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Some Christians deny that Samuel was really brought up, holding that the demon in the medium lied, since it is unthinkable that so holy a prophet, or any prophet, should be in Hades.

### Greek text

Καὶ μὴν γοῦν ἴσμεν τινὰς τῶν ἡμετέρων ἀδελφῶν ἀντιβλέψαντας τῇ γραφῇ καὶ λέγοντας· οὐ πιστεύω τῇ ἐγγαστριμύθῳ. λέγει ἡ ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἑωρακέναι τὸν Σαμουήλ, ψεύδεται. Σαμουὴλ οὐχ ἀνήχθη, Σαμουὴλ οὐ λαλεῖ. ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ εἰσί τινες ψευδοπροφῆται λέγοντες· »τάδε λέγει κύριος« καὶ »κύριος οὐκ ἐλάλησεν«, οὕτως καὶ τὸ δαιμόνιον τοῦτο ψεύδεται, ἐπαγγελλόμενον ἀνάγειν τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαοὺλ προστασσόμενον. »τίνα γὰρ ἀναγάγω;« φησίν· »Σαμουὴλ ἀνάγαγέ μοι«. καὶ ταῦτα λέγεται ὑπὸ τῶν φασκόντων τὴν ταύτην μὴ εἶναι ἀληθῆ· Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου; Σαμουὴλ ὑπὸ ἐγγαστριμύθου ἀνάγεται ὁ ἐξαίρετος τῶν προφητῶν, ὁ ἀπὸ τῆς γενέσεως ἀνακείμενος τῷ θεῷ, ὁ πρὸ γενέσεως ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ λεγόμενος ἔσεσθαι, ὁ ἅμα τῷ ἀπογαλακτισθῆναι ἐνδυσάμενος ἐφοὺδ καὶ διπλοΐδα καὶ ἱερεὺς γενόμενος τοῦ κυρίου, ᾡ παιδίῳ ἔτι ὄντι ἔχρημάτισεν ὁ κύριος λαλῶν; Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου; Σαμουὴλ ἐν τοῖς καταχθονίοις ὁ διαδεξάμενος Ἡλὶ διὰ τὰ τῶν τέκνων ἁμαρτήματα καὶ παρανομήματα καταδικασθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς προνοίας; Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου, οὗ ὁ θεὸς ἐπήκουσεν ἐν καιρῷ θερισμοῦ πυρῶν, καὶ ὑετὸν ἔδωκεν ἐλθεῖν ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ; Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου ὁ τοιαῦτα παρρησιασάμενος, εἰ ἐπιθύμημά τινος ἔλαβεν; οὐκ ἔλαβεν τὸν μόσχον, οὐκ ἔλαβεν τὸν βοῦν, ἔκρινεν καὶ κατεδίκασεν τὸν λαὸν μένων πένης· οὐδέποτε ἐπεθύμησεν λαβεῖν τι ἀπὸ τηλικούτου λαοῦ καὶ τοσούτου. Σαμουὴλ ἴνα τί ἐν ᾅδου; ὁρᾶτε τί ἀκολουθεῖ τῷ Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου; Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου; διὰ τί οὐχὶ καὶ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ ἐν ᾅδου; Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου; διὰ τί οὐχὶ καὶ Μωσῆς ὁ συνεζευγμένος τῷ Σαμουὴλ κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· οὐδὲ ἐὰν στῇ Μωσῆς καὶ Σαμουήλ, οὐδὲ ἐκείνων; Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου; ἵνα τί μὴ καὶ Ἱερεμίας έν ᾅδου, πρὸς ὃν εἰρηται· »πρὸ τοῦ με πλάσαι σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ ἐπίσταμαί σε, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ σε ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ μήτρας ἡγίακά σε«; ἐν ᾅδου καὶ Ἡσαΐας, ἐν ᾅδου καὶ Ἱερεμίας, ἐν ᾅδου πάντες οἱ προφῆται, ἐν ᾅδου.

### English translation (Claude)

And indeed we know some of our brothers who have faced up to Scripture and say: “I do not believe the woman with a divining spirit. The woman says she saw Samuel; she is lying. Samuel was not brought up; Samuel does not speak. But just as there are some false prophets who say, ‘Thus says the Lord,’ when ‘the Lord has not spoken,’ so this demon too lies, promising to bring up the one Saul ordered.” For “Whom shall I bring up?” she says; “Bring up Samuel for me.” And this is said by those who maintain that this story is not true: “Samuel in Hades? Samuel brought up by a woman with a divining spirit, the exceptional among the prophets, who was dedicated to God from his birth, who before his birth was said in the temple to be going to be, who as soon as he was weaned put on an ephod and a double robe and became a priest of the Lord, to whom the Lord gave oracles, speaking, while he was still a child? Samuel in Hades? Samuel among those under the earth, who succeeded Eli, who had been condemned by providence because of the sins and transgressions of his children? Samuel in Hades, whom God heard in the time of the wheat harvest, and let rain come from heaven? Samuel in Hades, who spoke so boldly, whether he had taken anything anyone desired? He did not take the calf, he did not take the ox; he judged and governed the people, remaining poor; never did he desire to take anything from so great and so large a people. Samuel, why in Hades? Do you see what follows from Samuel in Hades? Samuel in Hades? Why not Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in Hades too? Samuel in Hades? Why not Moses too, who is yoked with Samuel according to the saying, ‘Not even if Moses and Samuel stand, not even them’? Samuel in Hades? Why not Jeremiah too in Hades, to whom it was said, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I know you, and before you came out of the womb I have sanctified you’? Isaiah in Hades too, Jeremiah in Hades too, all the prophets in Hades, in Hades!”

### Scripture references

- Ezek 22:28: quotation, medium confidence
- 1 Sam 28:11: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 1:11: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Sam 2:18: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Sam 3:4: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Sam 12:17: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Sam 12:3: allusion, high confidence
- Jer 15:1: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 1:5: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations and allusions are Ezek 22:28 (compare Jer 23:21), 1 Sam 28:11, 1 Sam 1:11, 22, 1 Sam 2:18–19, 1 Sam 3:1–14, 1 Sam 12:17–18, 1 Sam 12:3–5, Jer 15:1, and Jer 1:5. The whole section reports the opponents' view, which Origen goes on to answer.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 3 (Klostermann 3:284–285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/3).

## On the Witch of Endor 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-4
- Source: Klostermann 3:285–287
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Origen answers that the narrator of Scripture, the Holy Spirit, says plainly that the woman saw Samuel, that Saul “knew” it was Samuel, and that Samuel spoke, foretelling truthfully God's transfer of the kingdom, which a demon could not do.

### Greek text

Ταῦτα μὲν ἐρεῖ ὀ μὴ βουλόμενος ἀγῶνα παραδέξασθαι, ὅτι Σαμουήλ ἐστιν ὄντως ὁ ἀναχθείς· ἐπεὶ δὲ δεῖ εὐγνώμονα εἶναι ἐν τῷ ἀκούειν τῶν γραφῶν, πιθανῶς καταβομβήσαντος ἡμῶν τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἀληθῶς δυναμένου ταράξαι καὶ κινῆσαι ἡμᾶς, ἴδωμεν πότερόν ποτε νενόηται ἡ γραφὴ τῷ τοῦτο μὴ παραδεξαμένῳ, ἢ ἀπὸ ἐνδόξων μὲν ἐπιχειρεῖ, ἐναντία δὲ λέγει τοῖς γεγραμμένοις. τίνα γάρ ἐστιν τὰ γεγραμμένα; »καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· τίνα ἀναγάγω σοι;‘ τίνος πρόσωπόν ἐστιν τὸ λέγον· »εἶπεν ἡ γυνή«; ἀρα τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, ἐξ οὗ πεπίστευται ἀναγεγράφθαι ἡ γραφή, ἢ ἄλλου τινός; τὸ γάρ διηγηματικὸν πρόσωπον πανταχοῦ ὡς ἴσασιν καὶ οἱ περὶ παντοδαποὺς γενόμενοι λόγους) ἐστὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ συγγραφέως· συγγραφεὺς δʼ ἐπὶ τούτων τῶν λόγων πεπίστευται εἶναι οὐκ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλὰ συγγραφεὺς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸ κινῆσαν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. οὐκοῦν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον λέγει· »καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· τίνα ἀναγάγω σοι; καὶ εἶπεν· Σαμουὴλ μοι«. τίς λέγει· »καὶ εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ τὸν Σαμουήλ, καὶ ἐβόησεν ἡ γυνὴ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγουσα«; ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον τὸν τοσαῦτα ἡμῶν καταβομβήσαντα καὶ μυρία εἰρηκότα ὡς ἄρα Σαμουὴλ οὐκ ἠν ἐν ᾅδου· »εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ τὸν Σαμουήλ«, ἡ διηγηματικὴ φωνὴ τοῦτο ἔφησεν, »καὶ ἐβόησεν ἡ γυνὴ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Σαούλ· ἵνα τί παρελογίσω με; καὶ σὺ εἶ Σαούλ. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ βασιλεύς· τί γάρ ἐστιν; μὴ φοβοῦ· τί ἑώρακας; καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς τὸν Σαούλ· θεοὺς εἶδον ἀναβαίνοντας ἐκ τῆς γῆς. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· τί τὸ εἶδος αὐτοῖς; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀνὴρ πρεσβύτερος ἀναβαίνων, καὶ αὐτὸς περιβεβλημένος διπλοΐδα ἐφούδ«. λέγει αὐτὴν ἑωρακέναι καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον τὸ ἱερατικόν. οἶδα δὲ ὅτι ὁ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου λόγου λέγει· »οὐ θαῦμα· αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ σατανᾶς μετασχηματίζεται εἰς ἄγγελον φωτός. οὐ μέγα οὖν, εἰ καὶ οἱ διάκονοι αὐτοῦ μετασχηματίζονται ὡς διάκονοι δικαιοσύνης«. ἀλλὰ τί ἐστιν ὅπερ »εἶδεν ἡ γυνή«; »τὸν Σαμουήλ«. καὶ διὰ τί οὐκ εἴρηται· εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ δαιμόνιον, ὃ προσεποιεῖτο εἶναι Σαμουήλ; ἀλλὰ γέγραπται ὅτι »ἔγνω Σαοὺλ ὅτι Σαμουήλ ἐστιν«. εἰ μὴ ἦν Σαμουήλ, ἔδει γεγράφθαι· ἐνόμιζεν Σαοὺλ εἶναι αὐτὸν Σαμουήλ. νῦν δὲ γέγραπται· »ἔγνω Σαούλ«, οὐδεὶς δὲ ἔγνω τὸ μὴ ὄν· »ἔγνω« οὐν »Σαοὺλ ὅτι Σαμουήλ ἐστιν« »καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ προσεκύνησεν‘. εἶτα πάλιν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γραφῆς· »καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουὴλ πρὸς Σαούλ· ἵνα τί παρώργισάς με τοῦ ἀναγαγεῖν με;« εἶπεν‘ φησὶν ἡ γραφὴ ᾗ δεῖ πιστεύειν) »εἶπεν Σαμουήλ· ἵνα τί παρώργισάς με τοῦ ἀναγαγεῖν με;« εἶτα πρὸς τοῦτο ἀποκρίνεται Σαούλ· »σφόδρα οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πολεμοῦσιν ἐν ἐμοί, καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἀπέστη ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη μοι ἔτι, καίγε ἐν χειρὶ τῶν προφητῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐνυπνίοις ἐκάλεσα τοῦ δηλῶσαί μοι τί ποιήσω«. πάλιν ἡ γραφὴ οὐκ ἄλλως εἶπεν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι αὐτὸς Σαμουὴλ ἔφη· »καὶ ἵνα τί ἐπηρώτησάς με; καὶ κύριος ἀπέστη ἀπὸ σοῦ((. ἀληθεύει ἢ ψεύδεται ταῦτα λέγων· κύριος ἀπέστη ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ ἐγενήθη κατὰ σοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν ἄλλον αὑτῷ, ὃν τρόπον ἐλάλησεν ἐν χειρί μου, καὶ διαρρήξει τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκ χειρός, καὶ δαιμόνιον προφητεύει περὶ βασιλείας Ἰσραηλιτικῆς; τί φησιν ὁ ἐναντίος λόγος; ὁρᾶτε ὅσος ἀγών ἐστιν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ θεοῦ, χρείαν ἔχων καὶ ἀκροατῶν δυναμένων ἁγίων ἀκούειν λόγων, μεγάλων καὶ ἀπορρήτων τῶν περὶ τῆς ἐξόδου, ἔτι ἐπαπορουμένων τε τῶν προτέρων οὐδὲ τῶν δευτέρων σαφῶν ὄντων.

### English translation (Claude)

These things the one who does not wish to take up the struggle, that it really is Samuel who was brought up, will say. But since one must be fair-minded in hearing the Scriptures, now that the argument has thundered at us persuasively and can truly disturb and move us, let us see whether Scripture has been understood by the one who does not accept this, or whether he argues from plausible opinions but says what is contrary to what is written. For what is written? “And the woman said: Whom shall I bring up for you?” Whose person is it that says, “the woman said”? Is it the person of the Holy Spirit, by whom Scripture is believed to have been written, or someone else's? For the narrative person everywhere (as even those versed in all kinds of literature know) is the person of the author; and the author of these words is believed to be not a man, but the author is the Holy Spirit, who moved the men. So the Holy Spirit says: “And the woman said: Whom shall I bring up for you? And he said: Samuel, for me.” Who says, “And the woman saw Samuel, and the woman cried out with a loud voice, saying”? We shall say to that man who thundered so much at us and said ten thousand things to the effect that Samuel was not in Hades: “The woman saw Samuel”: the narrative voice said this; “and the woman cried out with a loud voice and said to Saul: Why have you deceived me? You are Saul. And the king said to her: What is it? Do not fear; what have you seen? And the woman said to Saul: I saw gods coming up out of the earth. And he said to her: What is their appearance? And she said to him: An old man coming up, and he is wrapped in a double robe, an ephod.” It says she saw even the priestly garment. But I know that the one on the other side of the argument says: “No wonder; for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no great thing if his servants too disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” But what is it that “the woman saw”? “Samuel.” And why is it not said, “The woman saw a demon that pretended to be Samuel”? But it is written that “Saul knew that it was Samuel.” If it were not Samuel, it should have been written, “Saul thought it was Samuel.” But as it is, it is written, “Saul knew,” and no one knows what is not; “Saul,” then, “knew that it was Samuel,” “and he fell on his face to the ground and did obeisance.” Then again the person of Scripture: “And Samuel said to Saul: Why have you troubled me by bringing me up?” “Said,” says Scripture (which one must believe): “Samuel said: Why have you troubled me by bringing me up?” Then Saul answers this: “The Philistines are making war on me greatly, and God has departed from me and has not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets or in dreams; I have called you to show me what I shall do.” Again Scripture did not speak otherwise, but said that Samuel himself said: “And why do you ask me? The Lord has departed from you.” Is he speaking truly or falsely in saying this: “The Lord has departed from you, and has become against you, and has made for himself another, as he spoke by my hand, and he will tear the kingdom out of your hand”? And does a demon prophesy about the kingdom of Israel? What does the opposing argument say? You see how great a struggle there is in the word of God, needing also hearers able to hear holy words, great and secret words about the departure from this life, while the former things are still in doubt and the latter are not clear.

### Scripture references

- 1 Sam 28:11: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:12: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:13: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:14: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:15: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:16: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:17: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 11:14: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 11:15: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Pet 1:21: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations are 1 Sam 28:11–17 (1 Kgdms LXX) and 2 Cor 11:14–15; the idea of the Spirit moving the writers echoes 2 Pet 1:21. The digital text repeats words in the phrase “the one on the other side of the argument” and has lost the word “opposing” (ἐναντίου), restored from “the opposing argument” later in the section.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 4 (Klostermann 3:285–287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/4).

## On the Witch of Endor 5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-5
- Source: Klostermann 3:287–288
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The words spoken to Saul, foretelling David's kingship, Israel's defeat, and Saul's death the next day, are true prophecies of God that no demon could know.

### Greek text

ἀλλʼ ὁ λόγος ἔτι ἐξετάζεται. Λέγω δὲ ὅτι ἀναγκαία καὶ ἡ ἱστορία καὶ ἡ ἐξέτασις ἡ περὶ αὐτῆς, ἵνα ἴδωμεν τί ἡμᾶς ἔχει μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον. »λελάληκεν ἐν χειρί μου, καὶ διαρρήξει κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσει αὐτὴν τῷ πλησίον σου τῷ Δαβίδ«. δαιμόνιον δὲ οὐ δύναται εἰδέναι τὴν βασιλείαν Δαβὶδ τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου χειροτονηθεῖσαν. »καθότι οὐκ ἤκουσας τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ κυρίου, οὐκ ἐποίησας ὀργὴν θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἀμαλήκ«. ταῦτα οὐκ ἔστι ῥήματα θεοῦ; οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθῆ; ἀληθῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἐποίησεν τὸ θέλημα κυρίου Σαούλ, ἀλλὰ »περιεποιήσατο τὸν βασιλέα Ἀμαλὴκ ἐφʼ ᾡ καὶ πρὸ τῆς κοιμήσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐξόδου ὠνείδισεν Σαμουὴλ τῷ Σαούλ· »καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ἐποίησέν σοι κύριος ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ· καὶ δώσει κύριος καίγε τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐν χειρὶ ἀλλοφύλων«. περὶ ὅλου λαοῦ θεοῦ δύναται δαιμόνιον προφητεῦσαι ὅτι κύριος μέλλει παραδιδόναι τὸν Ἰσραήλ; »καίγε τὴν παρεμβολὴν Ἰσραὴλ παραδώσει κύριος αὐτὴν ἐν χειρὶ ἀλλοφύλων. τάχυνον δὲ Σαούλ· αὔριον καὶ σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου μετʼ ἐμοῦ«. καὶ τοῦτο δύναται εἰδέναι δαιμόνιον, περὶ βασιλέα χειροτονηθέντα μετὰ προφητικοῦ, ὅτι αὔριον ἔμελλεν ἐξελεύσεσθαι ὁ Σαοὺλ τὸν βίον καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτοῦ; »αὔριον σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου μετʼ ἐμοῦ«.

### English translation (Claude)

But the argument is still being examined. I say that both the story and the examination of it are necessary, so that we may see what awaits us after our departure. “He has spoken by my hand, and the Lord will tear the kingdom out of your hand and give it to your neighbor, to David.” A demon cannot know about the kingship of David, who was appointed by the Lord. “Because you did not listen to the voice of the Lord, you did not carry out the fury of his anger on Amalek.” Are these not words of God? Are they not true? For truly Saul did not do the will of the Lord, but “spared the king of Amalek,” for which Samuel reproached Saul both before his falling asleep and at his departure: “And for this reason the Lord has done this thing to you this day; and the Lord will give Israel too into the hands of the Philistines.” Can a demon prophesy about a whole people of God, that the Lord is going to hand Israel over? “And the Lord will give the camp of Israel too into the hands of the Philistines. Make haste, Saul: tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.” Can a demon know this too, about a king appointed with prophetic anointing, that tomorrow Saul was going to depart from life, and his sons with him? “Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.”

### Scripture references

- 1 Sam 28:17: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:18: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:19: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 15:9: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations are 1 Sam 28:17–19 (1 Kgdms LXX) and 1 Sam 15:9.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 5 (Klostermann 3:287–288; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/5).

## On the Witch of Endor 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-6
- Source: Klostermann 3:288–289
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Christ, greater than all prophets, himself went down to Hades to conquer death, as the Psalms and Acts say; so it is not absurd that the prophets, including Samuel, went there before him as physicians to proclaim his coming.

### Greek text

Ταῦτα μὲν οὐν δηλοῖ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ψευδῆ τὰ καὶ ὅτι Σαμουήλ ἐστιν ὁ ἀναβεβηκώς· τί οὖν ποιεῖ ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἐνθάδε; τί ποιεῖ ἐγγαστρίμυθος περὶ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ δικαίου; ἐκεῖνος ἔφυγεν ὁ τὸν πρῶτον λόγον εἰπών ἵνα γὰρ] μὴ ἀγῶνα ἔχειν δοκῇ κατὰ τοσαῦτα ἄλλα τὰ κατὰ τὸν τόπον ζητούμενα) καὶ λέγει· οὐκ ἔστι Σαμουήλ, ψεύδεται τὸ δαιμόνιον, ἐπεὶ οὐ δύναται ψεύδεσθαι ἡ γραφή. τὰ δὲ ῥήματα τῆς γραφῆς ἐστιν] οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ δαιμονίου αὐτοῦ], ἀλλʼ ἐκ προσώπου αὐτῆς· »καὶ εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ τὸν Σαμουήλ«, »εἶπεν Σαοὺλ« … τὰ λελαλημένα ἀπὸ τοῦ Σαμουήλ. πῶς οὖν λυόμενα τὰ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου φανεῖται τὰ κατὰ τὸν τόπον; πυνθάνομαι τοῦ προειρηκότος τὰ πρότερα Σαμουὴλ ἐν ᾅδου; καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς) καὶ ἀποκρινάσθω πρὸς τὸ ἐπηρωτημένον· τίς μείζων, Σαμουὴλ ἢ Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός; τίς μείζων, οἱ προφῆται ἢ Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός; τίς μείζων, Ἀβραὰμ ἢ Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός; ἐνθάδε μὲν οὐ τολμήσει τις τῶν ἅπαξ φθασάντων τὸν κύριον εἰδέναι Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν προκηρυχθέντα εἶναι] εἰπεῖν ὅτι μείζων οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστὸς τῶν προφητῶν. ὅταν οὖν ὁμολογήσῃς ὅτι Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς μείζων ἐστίν, Χριστὸς έν ᾅδου, ἢ οὐ γέγονεν ἐκεῖ; οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν Ψαλμοῖς, ἑρμηνευθὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν αὐτῶν περὶ τοῦ τὸν σωτῆρα εἰς ᾅδου καταβεβηκέναι; γέγραπται ὅτι ἐπʼ αὐτὸν φέρεται τὸ έν πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ Ψαλμῷ· »ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδου, οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν«. εἶτα Ἰησοῦς μὲν Χριστὸς ἐν ᾅδου. φοβῇ δὲ εἰπεῖν ὅτι ναὶ καὶ ἐκεῖ προφητεῦσαι καταβαίνει καὶ ἔρχεσθαι πρὸς τὰς ψυχὰς τὰς ἑτέρας; εἶτα μετὰ τοῦτο ἐὰν ἀποκρίνηται ὅτι Χριστὸς εἰς ᾅδου καταβέβηκεν, ἐρῶ· Χριστὸς εἰς ᾅδου καταβέβηκεν τί ποιήσων; νικήσων ἢ νικηθησόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου; καὶ κατελήλυθεν εἰς τὰ χωρία ἐκεῖνα οὐχ ὡς δοῦλος τῶν ἐκεῖ, ἀλλʼ ὡς δεσπότης παλαίσων, ὡς πρώην ἐλέγομεν ἐξηγούμενοι τὸν κα Ψαλμόν. »περιεκύκλωσάν με μόσχοι πολλοί, ταῦροι πίονες περιέσχον με· ἤνοιξαν ἐπ ἐμὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν, ὡς λέων ἁρπάζων καὶ ὠρυόμενος. διεσκορπίσθησαν τὰ ὀστᾶ μου«. μεμνήμεθα, εἴγε μεμνήμεθα τῶν ἱερῶν γραμμάτων· μέμνημαι γὰρ αὐτῶν εἰρημένων εἰς τὸν κα Ψαλμόν. οὐκοῦν ὁ σωτὴρ κατελήλυθεν σώσων· κατελήλυθεν ἐκεῖ προκηρυχθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν ἢ οὔ; ἀλλʼ ἐνθάδε μὲν προεκηρύχθη ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν, ἀλλαχοῦ δὲ κατέρχεται οὐ διὰ προφητῶν; καὶ Μωσῆς αὐτὸν κηρύσσει ἐπιδημήσοντα τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὥστε λέγεσθαι καλῶς ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν· »εἰ ἐπιστεύετε Μωσεῖ, ἐπιστεύετε ἂν ἐμοί· περὶ γὰρ ἐμοῦ ἐκεῖνος ἔγραψεν. εἰ δὲ τοῖς ἐκείνου γράμμασιν οὐ πιστεύετε, πῶς τοῖς ἐμοῖς ῥήμασι πιστεύσητε;« καὶ ἐπιδεδήμηκεν τούτῳ τῷ βίῳ Χριστὸς καὶ προκηρύσσεται Χριστὸς ἐπιδημῶν τούτῳ τῷ βίῳ. εἰ δὲ Μωσῆς προφητεύει αὐτὸν ἐνθάδε, οὐ θέλεις αὐτὸν κἀκεῖ καταβεβηκέναι, ἵνα προφητεύσῃ Χριστὸν ἐλεύσεσθαι; τί δέ; Μωσῆς μέν, οἱ δὲ ἑξῆς προφῆται οὐχί; Σαμουὴλ δὲ οὐχί; τί ἄτοπόν ἐστι τοὺς ἰατροὺς καταβαίνειν πρὸς τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας; τί δὲ ἄτοπόν ἐστιν ἵνα καὶ ὁ ἀρχίατρος καταβῇ πρὸς τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας; ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἰατροὶ ἦσαν πολλοί ὁ δὲ κύριός μου καὶ σωτὴρ ἀρχίατρός ἐστι· καὶ γὰρ τὴν ἔνδον ἐπιθυμίαν, ἣ οὐ δύναται ὑπὸ ἄλλων θεραπευθῆναι, αὐτὸς θεραπεύει· ἥτις »οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ὑπʼ οὐδενὸς θεραπευθῆναι(( τῶν ἰατρῶν, Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς αὐτὴν θεραπεύει. μὴ φοβοῦ, μὴ θαμβοῦ· Ἰησοῦς εἰς ᾅδου γέγονεν, καὶ οἱ προφῆται πρὸ αὐτοῦ, καὶ προκηρύσσουσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν ἐπιδημίαν.

### English translation (Claude)

These things, then, show that what is written is not false, and that it is Samuel who came up. What, then, is a woman with a divining spirit doing here? What is a woman with a divining spirit doing with the bringing up of the soul of a righteous man? The one who gave the first argument fled (so as not to seem to have a struggle over so many other questions raised about the passage) and says: “It is not Samuel; the demon lies,” since Scripture cannot lie. But the words of Scripture are not in the person of the demon itself, but in its own person: “And the woman saw Samuel,” “Saul said” … the things spoken by Samuel. How, then, will the matters of the woman with a divining spirit in this passage appear resolved? I ask the one who said the former things (“Samuel in Hades?” and the rest), and let him answer the question: Who is greater, Samuel or Jesus the Christ? Who is greater, the prophets or Jesus the Christ? Who is greater, Abraham or Jesus the Christ? Here none of those who have once come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed beforehand by the prophets, will dare to say that Christ is not greater than the prophets. When, then, you confess that Jesus Christ is greater: was Christ in Hades, or was he not there? Is what is said in the Psalms not true, interpreted by the apostles in their Acts, about the Savior's having gone down into Hades? It is written that what is in the fifteenth Psalm refers to him: “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let your holy one see corruption.” So Jesus Christ was in Hades. And are you afraid to say that a prophet too goes down there, yes, to prophesy and to come to the other souls? Then after this, if he answers that Christ went down to Hades, I will say: Christ went down to Hades to do what? To conquer, or to be conquered by death? And he went down into those regions not as a slave of those there, but as master, to wrestle, as we said recently in explaining the twenty-first Psalm: “Many young bulls surrounded me; fat bulls encircled me; they opened their mouth against me like a lion ravening and roaring; my bones were scattered.” We remember, if indeed we remember the sacred writings; for I remember them being spoken on the twenty-first Psalm. So the Savior went down to save. Did he go down there proclaimed beforehand by the prophets, or not? Was he proclaimed beforehand here by the prophets, but goes down elsewhere not through prophets? And Moses proclaims him as going to come to the human race, so that it is well said by our Lord and Savior: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” And Christ came to this life, and Christ is proclaimed beforehand as coming to this life. And if Moses prophesies him here, do you not wish that he went down there too, to prophesy that Christ would come? And what? Moses, but not the prophets after him? Not Samuel? What is absurd in physicians going down to the sick? And what is absurd in the chief physician too going down to the sick? Those were many physicians; but my Lord and Savior is the chief physician; for he heals even the inward desire which cannot be healed by others; which “could not be healed by any” of the physicians, Christ Jesus heals it. Do not fear, do not be amazed: Jesus was in Hades, and the prophets before him, and they proclaim beforehand the coming of Christ.

### Scripture references

- 1 Sam 28:12: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:14: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 16:10 (15:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Acts 2:27: allusion, high confidence
- Acts 2:31: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 22:12 (21:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 22:13 (21:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 22:14 (21:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 5:46: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:47: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 8:43: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations are 1 Sam 28:12–15, Ps 16:10 (15:10 LXX; Origen cites the “fifteenth Psalm,” the LXX number) with Acts 2:27, 31, Ps 22:12–14 (21:13–15 LXX; the “twenty-first Psalm,” on which Origen had recently preached), John 5:46–47, and Luke 8:43. The digital text has lost words after “what is written” and after “Saul said” (“…”).
- In “a prophet too goes down there” the Greek has no expressed subject; the argument (Christ, who is greater, went down to Hades) shows that a prophet such as Samuel is meant.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 6 (Klostermann 3:288–289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/6).

## On the Witch of Endor 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-7
- Source: Klostermann 3:289–291
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The medium saw “gods” coming up, perhaps other holy souls or angels with Samuel; the saints go wherever souls need salvation, and John the Baptist went to Hades before Christ to announce him, his question from prison meaning “Will you come even to Hades?”

### Greek text

Εἶτα καὶ ἄλλο τι θέλω εἰπεῖν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς γραφῆς. Σαμουὴλ ἀναβαίνει, καὶ τί τῷ Σαοὺλ λέγει ἑωρακέναι ἡ γυνή; οὐ λέγει ἑωρακέναι ἄνθρωπον· ἔπτηξεν τοῦτον ὃν εἰδεν. τίνα ὁρᾷ; θεοὺς ἐγὠ« φησιν »εἶδον, θεοὺς ἀναβαίνοντας ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς«. καὶ τάχα Σαμουὴλ οὐ μόνος ἀναβέβηκεν καὶ τότε προφητεύσων τῷ Σαούλ· ἀλλʼ εἰκός, ὥσπερ ἐνταῦθα μετὰ ὁσίου ὁσιωθήσῃ, καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρὸς ἀθῴου ἀθῷος ἔσῃ, καὶ μετὰ ἐκλεκτοῦ ἐκλεκτὸς ἔσῃ«, καὶ εἰσὶν ἐνταῦθα διατριβαὶ ἁγίων μετὰ ἁγίων, οὐχὶ δὲ ἁγίων μετὰ ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ εἰ ἄρα ποτέ, ἐστὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἡ διατριβὴ μετὰ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, οὕτω τάχα καὶ ἀναβαίνοντι τῷ Σαμουὴλ συναναβεβήκασιν ἤτοι ἅγιαι ψυχαὶ ἄλλων προφητῶν ἢ ἄγγελοι ἦσαν μετὰ τῶν πνευμάτων συναναβεβηκότες. τάχα ζητήσεις εἰ ἄγγελοι ἦσαν ἐπὶ τῶν πνευμάτων αὐτῶν; ὁ προφήτης λέγει· »ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοί«· καὶ πάντα πληροῦται τῶν δεομένων σωτηρίας καὶ »πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν«. τί φοβῇ εἰπεῖν ὅτι πᾶς τόπος χρῄζει Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ; χρῄζει τῶν προ- φητῶν ὁ χρῄζων Χριστοῦ· οὐδὲ γὰρ Χριστοῦ μὲν χρῄζει, τῶν δὲ εὐτρεπιζόντων Χριστοῦ παρουσίαν καὶ ἐπιδημίαν οὐ χρῄζει. καὶ Ἰωάννης, οὗ μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν οὐδεὶς ἠν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν μαρτυρίαν λέγοντος· »μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ οὐδείς ἐστιν‘, μὴ φοβοῦ λέγειν ὅτι εἰς ᾅδου καταβέβηκε προκηρύσσων μου τὸν κύριον, ἴνα προείπῃ αὐτὸν κατελευσόμενον. διὰ τοῦτο, ὅτε ἦν ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ καὶ ᾔδει τὴν ἔξοδον τὴν ἐπικειμένην αὐτῷ, πέμψας δύο τῶν μαθητῶν ἐπυνθάνετο, οὐχί· »σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος;« ᾔδει γάρ), ἀλλά· »σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν;« εἶδεν αὐτοῦ τὴν δόξαν, ἐλάλησεν πολλὰ περὶ τῆς θαυμασιότητος αὐτοῦ, ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτῷ πρῶτος· »ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν«, εἶδεν αὐτοῦ τὴν δόξαν, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρὸς πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας«. τηλικαῦτα ἰδὼν περὶ Χριστοῦ ὀκνεῖ πιστεῦσαι, ἀμφιβάλλει καὶ οὐ λέγει· εἴπατε αὐτῷ· σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός; νῦν μὴ νοήσαντες γάρ τινες τὰ εἰρημένα λέγουσιν· Ἰωάννης ὁ τηλικοῦτος οὐκ ᾔδει Χριστόν, ἀλλʼ ἀπέστη ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. καὶ ᾔδει τοῦτον, ᾡ ἐμαρτύρησεν πρὸ γενέσεως καὶ ἐφʼ ᾡ ἐσκίρτησεν, ἡνίκα ἠλθεν καὶ ἡ Μαρία πρὸς αὐτόν, ὡς ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτῷ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ λέγουσα· »ἰδοὺ γάρ, ὡς ἐγένετο ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ἀσπασμοῦ σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά μου, ἐσκίρτησεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου«. οὑτος οὐν ὁ σκιρτήσας πρὸ γενέσεως Ἰωάννης, ὁ εἰπών· »οὗτός ἐστι περὶ οὑ ἐγὼ εἶπον· ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν« καί· »ὁ πέμψας με εἶπέ μοι· ἐφʼ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς τὸ πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον καὶ μένον, οὑτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ«, οὑτος, φασίν, οὐκέτι ᾔδει Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν; ἐν κοιλίᾳ ᾔδει γὰρ αὐτόν. ἀλλὰ διʼ ὑπερβολὴν δόξης ὅμοιόν τι τῷ Πέτρῳ πεποίηκεν. τί ὅμοιον; οὑτος μέγα τι ᾔδει περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. τίς εἰμι; »τίνα με λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι«; ὁ δέ· τόδε καὶ τόδε. σὺ δὲ τί; »σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος«· ἐφʼ ᾡ καὶ μακαρίζεται, ὅτι »σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψεν« αὐτῷ, »ἀλλʼ ὁ πατὴρ ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς«. ἐπεὶ οὖν μεγάλα ἤκουσεν περὶ Χριστοῦ καὶ μεγάλα ὑπελάμβανεν καὶ οὐ παρεδέξατο τὴν Ε; θείαν τὴν πρὸς αὐτόν· »ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ τελειωθήσεται« καί· »δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλὰ παθεῖν καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ ἀποκταν- θῆναι, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστῆναι«, φησίν· »ἵλεώς σοι, κύριε«. μεγάλα ᾔδει περὶ Χριστοῦ, οὐκ ἠθέλησεν παραδέξασθαι τὸ ταπεινότερον περὶ αὐτοῦ. τοιοῦτόν τινά μοι νόει καὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην. έν φυλακῇ ἦν μεγάλα εἰδὼς περὶ Χριστοῦ, εἶδεν οὐρανοὺς ἀνεῳγότας, εἶδεν πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατερχόμενον ἐπὶ τὸν σωτῆρα καὶ μένον ἐπʼ αὐτόν· ἰδὼν τὴν τηλικαύτην δόξαν ἀμφέβαλλεν καὶ τάχα ἠπίστει, εἰ ὁ οὕτως ἔνδοξος καὶ μέχρις ᾅδου καὶ μέχρι τῆς ἀβύσσου κατελεύσεται· διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν· »σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν;«

### English translation (Claude)

Then I also wish to say something else from Scripture itself. Samuel comes up; and what does the woman say to Saul that she has seen? She does not say she has seen a man; she cowered before the one she saw. Whom does she see? “Gods,” she says, “I saw, gods coming up from the earth.” And perhaps Samuel did not come up alone then to prophesy to Saul; but it is likely that, just as here “with the holy you will be holy, and with the innocent man you will be innocent, and with the chosen you will be chosen,” and here there are dwellings of saints with saints, not of saints with sinners (and if ever the saints do dwell with sinners, it is in order to save the sinners too), so perhaps with Samuel as he came up there came up either holy souls of other prophets, or angels had come up with the spirits. Perhaps you will ask whether angels were over their spirits? The prophet says, “The angel who spoke in me”; and all things are full of those who need salvation, and “all are ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.” Why are you afraid to say that every place needs Jesus Christ? The one who needs Christ needs the prophets; for he does not need Christ and not need those who prepare the way for Christ's coming and sojourn. And John, than whom none among those born of women was greater, according to the testimony of our Savior, who says, “Among those born of women none is greater than John the Baptist”: do not fear to say that he went down to Hades proclaiming my Lord beforehand, to foretell that he would come down. That is why, when he was in prison and knew that his departure was at hand, he sent two of his disciples and asked, not “Are you the one who is to come?” (for he knew), but “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” He saw his glory; he said much about his wonderfulness; he testified to him first: “He who comes after me has become before me”; he saw his glory, “glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Having seen such great things about Christ, does he hesitate to believe, does he doubt, and not say, “Tell him: Are you the Christ?” For some, not understanding what is said, now say: “John, so great a man, did not know Christ, but the Holy Spirit had departed from him.” But he knew him, to whom he bore witness before his birth, and at whose coming he leaped, when Mary too came to him, as his mother testified of him, saying: “For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.” This John, then, who leaped before his birth, who said, “This is he of whom I said, He who comes after me has become before me,” and “He who sent me said to me: He on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is the Son of God”: did this man, they say, no longer know Jesus Christ? He knew him in the womb. But because of the surpassing greatness of his glory he did something like Peter. What? Peter knew something great about Christ. “Who am I? Who do men say that I am?” He said: this and that. “But you, what do you say?” “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” for which he is also called blessed, because “flesh and blood did not reveal it” to him, “but the Father who is in heaven.” Since, then, he had heard great things about Christ and conceived great things, he did not accept the … toward him: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and it will be accomplished,” and “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the chief priests and elders and be killed, and on the third day rise again,” but says, “God be merciful to you, Lord.” He knew great things about Christ; he would not accept the humbler thing about him. Understand for me that John too was of this kind. He was in prison knowing great things about Christ; he had seen the heavens opened, he had seen the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven upon the Savior and remaining on him; having seen such great glory, he doubted, and perhaps disbelieved, whether one so glorious would come down even to Hades and to the abyss; that is why he said, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

### Scripture references

- 1 Sam 28:13: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 18:25 (17:26 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 18:26 (17:27 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Zech 1:9: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 11:11: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 11:3: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:15: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:44: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:30: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:33: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 16:13: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 16:16: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 16:17: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 18:31: quotation, high confidence
- Mark 8:31: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 16:22: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 3:16: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations are 1 Sam 28:13, Ps 18:25–26 (17:26–27 LXX), Zech 1:9, Heb 1:14, Matt 11:11, Matt 11:3, John 1:15, 14, Luke 1:44, John 1:30, 33–34, Matt 16:13–17, Luke 18:31, Mark 8:31, Matt 16:22, and Matt 3:16. A word is garbled in the digital text in the sentence about Peter (“…”). Origen's view that John's question meant “will you descend to Hades too?” is his own interpretation.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 7 (Klostermann 3:289–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/7).

## On the Witch of Endor 8

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-8
- Source: Klostermann 3:291–292
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As Christ remained Christ when he descended to Hades, so the prophets and Samuel, going down there to help the souls, remained holy, below in place but above in purpose; a demon could not have prophesied David's kingship.

### Greek text

Οὐ παρεξέβην οὐδὲ ἐπελαθόμην τοῦ προκειμένου, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο θέλομεν κατασκευάσαι ὅτι, εἰ πάντες εἰς ᾅδου καταβεβήκασι πρὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρόδρομοι Χριστοῦ οἱ προφῆται Χριστοῦ, οὕτως καὶ Σαμουὴλ ἐκεῖ καταβέβηκεν· οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἅγιος. ὅπου ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἅγιος, ἅγιος. μήτι Χριστὸς οὐκέτι Χριστός ἐστιν, ἐπεὶ ἐν ᾅδου ποτὲ ἠν; οὐκέτι ἠν υἱὸς θεοῦ, ἐπεὶ έν τῷ καταχθονίῳ γεγένηται τόπῳ »ἵνα πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων«; οὕτως Χριστὸς Χριστὸς ἦν καὶ κάτω ὤν, καί, ἵνα οὕτως εἴπω, έν τῷ κάτω τόπῳ ὤν, τῇ προαιρέσει ἄνω ἠν. οὕτως καὶ οἱ προφῆται καὶ Σαμουήλ, κἂν καταβῶσιν ὅπου αἱ ψυχαὶ αἱ κάτω. κάτω μὲν δύνανται εἶναι τόπῳ. κάτω δέ εἰσιν τῇ προαιρέσει. πυνθάνομαι δέ· † ἐπροφήτευσαν τὰ ὑπερουράνια. ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ δύναμαι διδόναι δαιμονίῳ τηλικαύτην δύναμιν, ὅτι προφητεύει περὶ Σαοὺλ Σαμουὴλ] καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ προφητεύει περὶ βασιλείας Δαβὶδ ὅτι μέλλει βασιλεύειν. εἴσονται οἱ ταῦτα λέγοντες τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας τῆς κατὰ τὸν τόπον· οὐχ εὑρήσουσιν παραστῆσαι πῶς οὐκ ἂν καὶ ἅγιος γένοιτο ὑπὲρ τῶν κακῶς ἐχόντων εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν κακῶς ἐχόντων. ἰατροὶ γινέσθωσαν εἰς τοὺς τόπους τῶν καμνόντων στρατιωτῶν, καὶ εἰσίτωσαν ὅπου αἱ δυσωδίαι τῶν τραυμάτων αὐτῶν· τοῦτο ὑποβάλλει ἡ ἰατρικὴ φιλανθρωπία. οὕτω τοῦτο ὑποβέβληκεν τῷ σωτῆρι ὁ λόγος καὶ τοῖς προφήταις, καὶ ἐνθάδε ἐλθεῖν καὶ εἰς ᾅδου καταβῆναι.

### English translation (Claude)

I have not digressed nor forgotten the subject; but we wish to establish this: that if all the prophets of Christ, forerunners of Christ, went down to Hades before Christ, so Samuel too went down there; for not simply, but as a holy man. Wherever the holy man is, he is holy. Is Christ no longer Christ because he was once in Hades? Was he no longer the Son of God because he had been in the place under the earth, “so that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth”? So Christ was Christ even when he was below, and, so to speak, being in the place below, he was above in his purpose. So too the prophets and Samuel, even if they go down where the souls below are: they can be below in place, but they are not below in purpose. And I ask: † they prophesied the things above the heavens. But I cannot grant a demon such great power that it prophesies about Saul and the people of God, and prophesies about the kingdom of David, that he is going to reign. Those who say these things will learn the truth about the passage; they will not find how to show that a holy man should not come, for the sake of those who are in a bad state, to the place of those in a bad state. Let physicians go to the places of the sick soldiers, and enter where the stench of their wounds is; medical love of humankind suggests this. So the Word suggested this to the Savior and to the prophets, both to come here and to go down into Hades.

### Scripture references

- Phil 2:10: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Sam 28:17: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotation is Phil 2:10. A corrupt phrase is marked with a dagger in the digital text (“†”). The digital text reads “but they are below in purpose” (κάτω δέ εἰσιν), which contradicts the argument (Christ “was above in his purpose”); a negative or “above” has evidently been lost, and the translation gives the required sense “not below.”

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 8 (Klostermann 3:291–292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/8).

## On the Witch of Endor 9

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-9
- Source: Klostermann 3:292–294
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Samuel kept his prophetic gift after death and used it for the souls in Hades, who needed to hear of Christ's coming; before Christ no one, not even Abraham, could pass the flaming sword to paradise, so the saints waited for him who is the way.

### Greek text

Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ προσθετέον τῷ λόγῳ ὅτι εἰ Σαμουὴλ ἦν, καὶ ἐξελθόντος ἀπέστη ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ ἀπέστη ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἡ προφητεία, οὐκ ἄρα ἀληθεύει ὁ λέγων ἀπόστολος· »ἄρτι προφητεύω ἐκ μέρους, καὶ ἐκ μέρους γινώσκω· ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τότε τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται«. οὐκοῦν τὸ τέλειον μετὰ τὸν βίον ἐστίν. καὶ εἴ τι ἐπροφήτευσεν Ἡσαΐας, ἐκ μέρους προεφήτευσεν μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας· μεμαρτύρηται δὲ τὰ ἐνθάδε ὁ Δαβὶδ ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον τῆς προφητείας. οὐκ ἀπέβαλεν οὖν τὴν χάριν τὴν προφητικὴν Σαμουήλ. ὅτι δὲ οὐκ ἀπέβαλεν, οὕτως αὐτῇ ἐχρῆτο, ὡς οἱ γλώσσαις λαλοῦντες, ὥστε ἂν εἰπεῖν· »τὸ πνεῦμά μου προσεύχεται, ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ἄκαρπός ἐστιν«; καίτοι ἐκκλησίαν οὐκ οἰκοδομεῖ ὀ γλώσσῃ λαλῶν· καὶ γὰρ λέγει ὁ Παῦλος ὅτι ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ ὁ προφητεύων, αὐταῖς λέξεσι λέγων· »ὁ δὲ προφη- τεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ«. εἰ δὲ »ὁ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ«, εἶχεν δὲ χάριν προφητικήν οὐ γὰρ ἀπολωλέχει αὐτὴν μὴ ἁμαρτήσας· μόνος γὰρ ἀπόλλυσι χάριν προφητικήν, ὃς μετὰ τὸ προφητεῦσαι πεποίηκεν ἀνάξια τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, ὥστʼ ἐγκα- ταλιπεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ αὐτοῦ· ὅπερ ἐφοβεῖτο τότε μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ὁ Δαβίδ, καὶ ἔλεγεν· »καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιόν σου μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ«), εἰ τοίνυν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον προφητεύει, καὶ Σαμουὴλ προφήτης ἦν, »ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ«, τίνα οἰκοδομεῖ; εἰς οὐρανὸν προφητεύει; τίνι; ἀγγέλοις, τοῖς μὴ χρείαν ἔχουσιν; »οὐ χρείαν ἒχουσιν] οἱ ἀλλʼ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες«. δέονταί τινες τῆς προφητείας αὐτοῦ· οὐ γὰρ ἀργεῖ χάρις προφητική, οὐδὲν χάρισμα ἀργεῖ τῶν έν τῷ ἁγίῳ. τῆς οὖν χάριτος τῆς προφητικῆς αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν κοιμωμένων (ἳνα καὶ εἴπω) ἐδέοντο. ἀλλʼ ἐνθάδε μὲν χρείαν εἶχεν τοῦ προφήτου Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ὁ κοιμώμενος δέ, ὁ ἀπηλλαγμένος τοῦ βίου, χρείαν εἶχεν τῶν προφητῶν, ἵνα πάλιν οἱ προφῆται αὐτῷ κηρύξωσιν τὴν Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίαν. ἄλλως τε καὶ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίας ἀδύνατον ἦν τινα παρελθεῖν ὅπου τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, ἀδύνατον ἦν παρελθεῖν τὰ τεταγμένα φυλάσσειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς· »ἔταξεν τὰ Χερουβὶμ καὶ τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν τὴν στρεφομένην φυλάσσειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς«. τίς ἠδύνατο ὁδοποιῆσαι; τίς ἠδύνατο τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν ποιῆσαι διελθεῖν τινα; ὥσπερ θάλασσαν οὐκ ἦν οὐδενὸς ὁδοποιῆσαι ἢ τοῦ καὶ τοῦ στύλου τοῦ πυρίνου, τοῦ στύλου τοῦ φωτὸς τοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὥσπερ τὸν Ἰορδάνην οὐκ ἦν οὐδενὸς ὁδοποιῆσαι ἢ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ θεοῦ τύπος ἦν ἐκεῖνος ὁ Ἰησοῦς)· οὕτω διὰ τῆς φλογίνης ῥομφαίας Σαμουὴλ οὐκ ἠδύνατο διελθεῖν, οὐκ Ἀβραάμ. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἀβραὰμ βλέπεται ὑπὸ τοῦ κολαζομένου, καὶ ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις ὁ πλούσιος ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁρᾷ, εἰ καὶ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν, ἄλλʼ ὁρᾷ, καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις. περιέμενον οὖν τὴν τοῦ κυρίου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίαν καὶ πατριάρχαι καὶ προφῆται καὶ πάντες, ἵνʼ οὗτος τὴν ὁδὸν ἀνοίξῃ. »ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδός«, »ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα«. ὁδός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, ἵνα γένηται· »ἐὰν διέλθῃς διὰ πυρός, φλὸξ οὐ κατακαύσει σε«. ποίου δὲ πυρός; »ἔταξεν τὰ Χερουβὶμ καὶ τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν τὴν στρεφομένην φυλάσσειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς«· ὥστε διὰ τοῦτο περιέμενον οἱ μακάριοι ἐκεῖ, οἰκονομίαν ποιοῦντες καὶ μὴ δυνάμενοι ὅπου τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, ὅπου ὁ παράδεισος ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅπου θεὸς γεωργός, ὅπου οἱ μακάριοι καὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ καὶ ἅγιοι θεοῦ …

### English translation (Claude)

And this too must be added to the argument: if it was Samuel, and when he departed the Holy Spirit left him and prophecy left him, then the apostle is not speaking truly when he says: “Now I prophesy in part, and I know in part; but when the perfect comes, then what is in part will be done away.” So the perfect is after this life. And if Isaiah prophesied anything, he prophesied in part with all boldness; and David has borne witness here to the perfection of prophecy. So Samuel did not cast off the prophetic grace. And that he did not cast it off, did he then use it as those who speak in tongues, so as to say, “My spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful”? And yet the one who speaks in a tongue does not build up the church; for Paul says that the one who prophesies builds up the church, saying in these very words: “But the one who prophesies builds up the church.” And if “the one who prophesies builds up the church,” and he had the prophetic grace (for he had not lost it, not having sinned; for he alone loses the prophetic grace who, after prophesying, has done things unworthy of the Holy Spirit, so that it forsakes him and flees from his ruling faculty; which David too feared then, after his sin, and said, “And do not take your Holy Spirit from me”); if, then, the Holy Spirit prophesies, and Samuel was a prophet, and “the one who prophesies builds up the church,” whom does he build up? Does he prophesy to heaven? To whom? To angels, who have no need? “Those who are well have no need” [of a physician], “but those who are sick.” Some need his prophecy; for the prophetic grace is not idle; no gift in the Holy Spirit is idle. So the souls of those who had fallen asleep (if I may say so) needed the prophetic grace. Here Israel needed the prophet; and the one who had fallen asleep, released from life, also needed the prophets, so that the prophets might again proclaim to him the coming of Christ. Besides, before the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ it was impossible for anyone to pass to where the tree of life is; it was impossible to pass those appointed to guard the way to the tree of life: “He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword that turned, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Who could make a way? Who could make anyone pass through the flaming sword? Just as it was no one's to make a way through the sea but the pillar of fire, the pillar of light from God; just as it was no one's to make a way through the Jordan but Jesus (that Jesus was a type of the true God), so Samuel could not pass through the flaming sword, nor Abraham. That is why Abraham too is seen by the one being punished, and the rich man, being in torment, lifting up his eyes, sees, though far off, yet sees, Lazarus too in his bosom. So patriarchs and prophets and all awaited the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ, so that he might open the way. “I am the way,” “I am the door.” He is the way to the tree of life, so that it may come to pass: “If you pass through fire, the flame will not burn you.” But what fire? “He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword that turned, to guard the way to the tree of life.” So for this reason the blessed waited there, carrying out a dispensation and not able [to be] where the tree of life is, where the paradise of God is, where God is the gardener, where the blessed and chosen and holy ones of God …

### Scripture references

- 1 Cor 13:9: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 13:10: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 14:14: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 14:4: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 51:11 (50:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Matt 9:12: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 3:24: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 13:21: allusion, high confidence
- Exod 14:21: allusion, high confidence
- Josh 3:16: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 16:23: allusion, high confidence
- John 14:6: quotation, high confidence
- John 10:9: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 43:2: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations are 1 Cor 13:9–10, 1 Cor 14:14, 4, Ps 51:11 (50:13 LXX), Matt 9:12 (quoted incompletely in the digital text), Gen 3:24, Exod 13:21 and 14 (the sea), Josh 3 (the Jordan; Joshua is Ἰησοῦς in Greek), Luke 16:23, John 14:6, John 10:9, and Isa 43:2. The end of the section is badly garbled by the OCR; it has been restored from the evident reading by a logged correction, and the last word is unreadable (“…”).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 9 (Klostermann 3:292–294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/9).

## On the Witch of Endor 10

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-engastrimytho/1/#p-10
- Source: Klostermann 3:294
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Since Christ has opened the way, Christians who die well no longer go down to Hades to wait, as the ancients did, but pass through the flaming sword into paradise, receiving their wages first though they came last.

### Greek text

Οὐδὲν οὖν πρόσκομμα κατὰ τὸν τόπον ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ πάντα θαυμασίως γέγραπται καὶ νενόηται οἷς ἂν ὁ θεὸς ἀποκαλύψῃ. περισσὸν δέ τι ἔχομεν ἡμεῖς οἱ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων ἐληλυθότες. τί περισσόν; ἐὰν ἀπαλλαγῶμεν ἐντεῦθεν, γενόμενοι καλοὶ καὶ ἀγαθοί, μὴ ἐπαγόμενοι τὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας φορτία, διελευσόμεθα καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν καὶ οὐ κατελευσόμεθα εἰς τὴν χώραν ὅπου περιέμενον τὸν Χριστὸν οἱ πρὸ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ κοιμώμενοι· διελευσόμεθα δέ, μηδὲν βλαπτόμενοι ὑπὸ τῆς φλογίνης ῥομφαίας. »ἑκάστου δὲ τὸ ἔργον ὁποῖόν ἐστι, τὸ πῦρ αὐτὸ δοκιμάσει. εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον κατακαήσεται, ζημιωθήσεται, αὐτὸς δὲ σωθήσεται, οὕτως ὡς διὰ πυρός«. διελευσόμεθα οὖν· καὶ πλέον ἔχομέν τι, καὶ οὐχὶ δυνάμεθα καλῶς βιώσαντες κακῶς ἀπαλλάξαι. οὐκ ἔλεγον οἱ ἀρχαῖοι οὐδὲ οἱ πατριάρχαι οὐδὲ οἱ προφῆται, ὃ δυνάμεθα ἡμεῖς ἐὰν καλῶς βιώσωμεν· »κάλλιον γὰρ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι«. διόπερ οὕτως ἔχοντές τι πλέον καὶ πολὺ κέρδος ἐν τῷ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων ἐληλυθέναι, πρῶτοι τὸ δηνάριον λαμβάνομεν· ἄκουε γὰρ τῆς παραβολῆς, ὅτι ἀρξάμενος ἐδίδου τὸ δηνάριον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐσχάτων· οἱ δὲ πρῶτοι ᾤοντο ὅτι πλεῖόν τι λήψονται. σὺ οὖν πρῶτος, ὁ ἔσχατος ἐλθών, λαμβάνεις τοὺς μισθοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

### English translation (Claude)

So there is no stumbling block in the passage, but everything has been written wonderfully and is understood by those to whom God reveals it. And we who have come at the end of the ages have something more. What more? If we depart from here having become good and noble, not bringing with us the burdens of sin, we too shall pass through the flaming sword, and shall not go down into the region where those who had fallen asleep before his coming awaited Christ; we shall pass through, harmed in nothing by the flaming sword. “But the fire itself will test what sort of work each one's is. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” So we shall pass through; and we have something more: having lived well, we cannot depart badly. The ancients did not say, nor the patriarchs, nor the prophets, what we can say if we live well: “For it is better to depart and be with Christ.” So, having something more in this way, and great gain in having come at the end of the ages, we are the first to receive the denarius; for hear the parable, that beginning from the last he gave the denarius; and the first thought they would receive something more. So you are first, you who came last, receiving the wages from the master of the house in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory and the power for ages of ages. Amen.

### Scripture references

- 1 Cor 3:13: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 3:15: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 1:23: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 20:8: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 20:10: allusion, high confidence
- Heb 9:26: echo, low confidence
- Gen 3:24: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotations are 1 Cor 3:13–15, Phil 1:23, and Matt 20:8–10; “the end of the ages” echoes 1 Cor 10:11 and Heb 9:26. The digital text of this section is badly garbled by the OCR (misread letters and stray marks throughout); it has been restored from the evident reading by a single logged correction.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Engastr. 10 (Klostermann 3:294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/origen-engastrimytho/10).