The Skeireins Translation
by William H. Bennett (see bibliography for details)
Ia:
"There is none who understands or seeks God. All
have turned aside; together they have become useless," and
already
they had fallen under the judgment of death. For this reason a common
Saviour
of all - neither equal to nor like our righteousness, but being
righteousness
Himself - came to cleanse away the sins of all, giving Himself up for
us,
"an offering and a sacrifice to God," that
He might accomplish the redemption of the world. Now John perceiving
this,
the plan that was to be fulfilled by the
Ib:
Lord, said truly, "Behold, This is the Lamb of
God,
Who takes away the sin of the world." Though He would also have
been able without human form to free all from the Devil's tyrrany by
divine
authority alone, He was nevertheless aware that by such authority the
force
of His power would be shown, and thenceforth the plan of righteousness
would not be observed, but He should accomplish the salvation of men by
force. For inasmuch as the Devil from the beginning had not forced man
but had deceived him
Ic:
and with a lie he had enticed him to violate the commandment, it would
have been against propriety if the Lord, coming in divine power, bad
both
freed him by authority and had converted him to godliness by force. For
then would He not have seemed in the enforcement of righteousness to
violate
the plan already preordained from the beginning? Now for those who had
hearkened to the Devil of their own will so as to violate the
commandment
of God, it was more fitting to assent a second time of their own will
to
the teaching of the Savior
Id:
and to despise the wickedness of him who had formerly deceived them.
But
to establish a knowledge of truth for a revival of the way of life in
God,
He therefore also assumed human form, that for us He should become a
teacher
of the righteousness in accord with God; for to conform with His wisdom
He was thus obliged, both to invite men back with words and deeds and
to
become a proclaimer of the gospel's way of life. But because the
enforcement
of the law ... not only conversion ---
IIa:
--- [Nicodemus] becoming ... in ... faith, now dares in His
behalf,
namely in the Passiontide, together with Joseph openly burying His body
after the Passion, manifesting that he did not turn away at the tirade
of the leaders. Moreover, for this reason the Saviour, beginning even
then,
designated the way leading above into the kingdom of God with the words
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a man be born
from
above, he cannot behold the kingdom of God." "From
IIb:
above"
then expressed that holy and heavenly birth, a second to be undergone
through
washing. Nicodemus did not understand this then. Because of this, which
he had heard for the first time from the Master, he said accordingly, "How
is it possible for a man to be born when he is old? Can he go a second
time into his mother's womb and be born?" For, being still
ignorant
and unfamiliar with the practice, and thinking of the corporeal birth
from
the womb, he fell into doubt. Because of this he said, "How
IIc:
is it possible for a man to be born when he is old? Can he go a second
time into his mother's womb and be born?" But the Saviour,
perceiving
his future discernment, and perceiving that he was to thrive in faith,
explained to him as to one who was then ignorant, saying, "Amen,
amen, I say to you, unless a man be born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot
enter into the kingdom of God." For it was a necessity, and it
was
in keeping with nature to
IId:
receive the plan of baptism, man verily being composed of different
entities,
namely of soul and body, one of these being visible and the other
spiritual;
wherefore appropriately following these He designated two things as
well,
items proper to both in accord with the plan of baptism, namely the
visible
water and the envisioned Spirit, which verily ... the seen
---
IIIa:
"- there was much . . . there, and there they
came
and were baptized. John was not yet cast into prison." Saying
this
then, the evangelist revealed that the plan involving him was near an
end
through the beguiling of Herod. But before this, when both [Christ and
John] were baptizing, and each was recommending his baptism, some men,
not knowing which was to be the greater, disputed with each other. "Thence
a question then arose
IIIb:
between
some of John's disciples and the Jews concerning purification,"
because now the custom of bodily cleansings had been changed as well,
and
this cleanliness had been commanded by God. No more should they
endeavor
to use the Jewish sprinklings and daily ablutions but should hearken to
John, the precursor of the gospel. And at that time also the Lord was
recommending
spiritual baptism, so that a question about purification was properly
raised.
For the [Hebrew] Law prescribed for a certain unpremeditated misdeed
IIIc:
that the ash of a heifer burned outside the camp should be cast
afterward
into clean water and sprinkled with hyssop and red wool, as befitted
those
who were above deliberate intent. John, however, was preaching a
baptism
of repentance and promised forgiveness of misdeeds to those who simply
reformed, whereas with the Lord's forgiveness of sins he promised the
gift
of the Holy Spirit as well, granting them also that they should become
children of the Kingdom;
IIId:
so that John's baptism lies between the two, namely being superior to
the
cleansing of the Law but much less than the baptism of the gospel. For
this reason he teaches us clearly with the words "I
indeed baptize you in water, but He Who is to come after me is mightier
than I, of Whom I am not worthy that I should stoop and unbind the
lachet
of His sandal. He will baptize you then in the Holy Spirit." Now
concerning the plan ---
IVa:
[John... said,] "This my joy therefore is
fulfilled;
He must increase, but I must decrease," since now his disciples
had reasoned with the Jews about purification and had said to him, "Rabbi,
He Who was with you beyond the Jordan, to Whom you gave testimony,
behold,
He is baptizing, and all are going to Him." They being still
unaware
of these things concerning the Saviour, he
therefore
teaches them with the words "He must increase,
but
I must decrease." Indeed,
the
plan involving him was
IVb:
useful, namely for a little while, and preparing the souls of the
baptized,
it permitted the preaching of the gospel. But the Lord's teaching,
beginning
out of Judea, also expanded to the entire earth, thriving everywhere
until
now, increasing and drawing every man to the knowledge of God. And
therefore,
the greatness of the Lord's glory being clear indeed, he proclaimed the
words "He Who comes from above is above all."
He would not have proclaimed Him supreme without a reason, but declared
as well
IVc:
how vast the power of His greatness, saying Him to be born of heaven
and
come from above,´but himself born of the earth and speaking from
the earth because he was by nature a man; whether holy, whether being a
prophet and testifying to righteousness, he was nevertheless from the
earth
and was speaking with a natural logic. But "He
Who
has come from heaven," even if He seemed to be in the flesh,
nevertheless
"is above all, and what He has seen and heard,
that
He testifies, and no man receives His testimony." And even
though
He
IVd:
came from heaven to earth for the plan concerning men, yet He was by no
means earthly or speaking from the earth but born of heaven,
transmitting
the hidden things that He had seen and had heard from the Father. Now
these
matters were declared by John, not merely that he might proclaim the
Lord's
greatness, but to censure and rebuke that impious contention of
Sabellius
and Marcellus, who dared to say that the Father and the Son are one.
But
another priest ---
Va:
--- of honor to the Father, He expects a single command for each
deed.
But knowing the heresy of those to come, He then declared this: namely
that This One was loving, That Other loved, One showing, the Other
imitating
His deeds, that by this they should learn to acknowledge the two
Persons
of the Father and the Son and should then be in conformity. Employing a
clear statement as a
Vb:
sequel, He said, "For as the Father raises the
dead
and quickens them, so also the Son quickens those whom He will."
Professing that He was by His own will and His own power imitating Him
who had formerly quickened the dead, He reproved and rebuked the
contentiousness
of those unbelievers. "Neither does the Father
judge
any man but has committed all judgment to the Son." But now, if
He were One and the Same signified under different names, as according
to Sabellius' declaration, how could
Vc:
this same One Judge and not judge? For not only the change of names
signifies
the difference of the two Persons, but much more, the evidence of
function
signifies the One as verily judging no man but granting the authority
of
judgment to the Son. And He receives this honor from the Father and
performs
all judgment by That One's will, "that all may
honor
the Son, even as they honor the Father." Now at such a manifest
declaration, we all must render honor to the unborn God
Vd:
and recognize the Only Begotten One, the Son of God, to be God.
Believing,
therefore, we should now render honor to Each according to merit, for
the
remark "that all may honor the Son, even as they
honor the Father" teaches us to render similar but not equal
honor.
And the Saviour Himself, praying for the disciples, said to the Father,
"that You love them, even as You love Me."
Through this He designates similar but not equivalent love. In this
same
manner ---
VIa:
---ing, perforce his argument became more unknown, as he himself says:
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
Now
because for a little while they seemed to believe, to hearken to John,
but not long afterward committed to oblivion the things that concerned
him, He accordingly reminds them well with the words "He
was a burning and a shining light, and for a while you were willing to
rejoice in his light. But I have a greater testimony than that
VIb:
of
John, for the deeds that the Father has committed to Me that I should
perform
them, these deeds that I do, testify of Me that the Father has sent Me."
For that man, testifying in human words, seemed to cause doubt - being
truthful with those ignorant folk, he might - but through My deeds the
testimony of the Father, beyond all the human argument of John, can
provide
you with indisputable knowledge, because every statement derived from
men
can be changed to something different, but these holy deeds,
VIc:
being undisputed, manifest the distinction of the Doer, signifying
clearly
that He was sent from heaven by the Father. For this reason He says, "And
the Father Himself, Who has sent Me, gives testimony of Me." But
though the Father's testifying about Him was varied and came at various
times, partly through the words of prophets, partly by a voice from
heaven,
and partly through signs, when these things had thus come to pass,
because
the heart of those unbelieving men had nevertheless become
VId:
harder, He therefore properly added the words "Neither
have you ever heard His voice, nor have you seen His form, and you have
not His word abiding in you, for Him Whom He has sent, in Him you do
not
believe." Because amenable men must not be scorned along with
them,
however, some also have heard His voice; then others have seen His
form;
for then He said, "Blessed are the clean of
heart,
for they shall see God." And henceforth ... as a pledge...
through
---
VIIa:
--- [Philip ... no]one... of ... knowing the Lord's power
and
considering His dominion. Nor is he the only one, hut Andrew also, who
said, "There is a certain boy here who has five
barley
loaves and two fish," is in like manner reproved as well as
Philip.
Not thinking at all of the greatness or considering the sufficiency of
the Master, as a result he exclaimed, "But what
is
that for so many?" But the Lord, accommodating their
childishness,
VIIb:
said, " 'Make the men sit down.' And there being
much grass in the place, they made the crowd sit down" - five
thousand
men, not counting women and children - as if sitting down to a great
supper,
there being nothing but the five loaves and two fish, which He took,
offering
thanks, and blessed. And satisfying them with so much food, He gave
them
not only the required suf-
VIIc:
ficiency, but much more: "After the multitude had
eaten, there were found twelve baskets full of the loaves that had been
left over. Then likewise they also received of the fish as much as they
wished." Nor did He show the abundance of his power then in the
loaves alone, but also in the fish, for thence He caused them to become
as much as He gathered of them, so that He made everyone receive as
much
as he wished, and by this abundance He caused there to be no want at
all.
But
VIId:
much more still, by this He contented the disciples and reminded others
to observe that He was the Same Who had fed their fathers in the desert
for forty years. "And then when they were filled,
He said to His disciples, 'Gather up the remaining fragments that
nothing
may be lost.' And then they gathered up and filled twelve baskets with
bits of the five barley loaves and two fish that had been left over by
those who ---"
VIIIa:
--- [no]one
laid
hands upon Him," for invisibly His holy power still dispersed
their
wickedness and did not permit Him to be seized before the time. "Then
the officers went to the chief priests and Pharisees. And there they
said
to them, ‘Why have you not brought Him?' Then the officers answered
with
the words ‘Never did any man speak like this man'.".
This answer then
VIIIb:
became a rebuke, nay, a condemnation of those men's unbelief. For they
answered those men who reprimanded them because they had not brought
Him,
not fearing the wickedness of those who were reprimanding them, but
rather
marveling at the Lord's teaching: among all men they openly reckoned it
to be superior. But those men, because of their wickedness not
tolerating
their boldness, answered angrily at them with the words "Are
you also
VIIIc:
seduced?
Behold, has any one of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in Him?
But this multitude, who do not know the Law, are accursed." They
spoke these things then with the bitterness of anger. Herein they are
found
to be uttering a fallacy - that not one of the rulers or Pharisees
believed
in Him - because Nicodemus (who by God's plan had come to Him by night)
also argued boldly for the truth and said to them, "Does
our law judge a man --- ?" and so on.
VIIId:
When they said, "Not one
of the rulers and Pharisees has believed," they reasoned without
thinking that he was namely a Pharisee and a counselor of the Jews.
Moreover,
he was shown as one ruler among the "accursed"
who believed in the Lord, speaking in His behalf in rebuke of their
wickedness.
But they, not tolerating the rebuke, answered with the words "Are
you also from Galilee? Search and see that ---"
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