The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.23 I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:25 The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.27 When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:29 When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when be balanced the foundations of the earth;30 I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;31 Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
And now I shall again recite the words which I have spoken in proof of this point. When Scripture says, "The Lord rained fire from the Lord out of heaven," the prophetic word indicates that there were two in number: One upon the earth, who, it says, descended to behold the cry of Sodom; Another in heaven, who also is Lord of the Lord on earth, as He is Father and God; the cause of His power and of His being Lord and God. Again, when the Scripture records that God said in the beginning, "Behold, Adam has become like one of Us," this phrase, "like one of Us," is also indicative of number; and the words do not admit of a figurative meaning, as the sophists endeavour to affix on them, who are able neither to tell nor to understand the truth. And it is written in the book of Wisdom: "If I should tell you daily events, I would be mindful to enumerate them from the beginning. The Lord created me the beginning of His ways for His works. From everlasting He established me in the beginning, before He formed the earth, and before He made the depths, and before the springs of waters came forth, before the mountains were settled; He begets me before all the hills." When I repeated these words, I added: "You perceive, my hearers, if you bestow attention, that the Scripture has declared that this Offspring was begotten by the Father before all things created; and that which is begotten is numerically distinct from that which begets, any one will admit."
For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars which thou hast founded.5 What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest hi?6 Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour:7 And hast set him over the works of thy hands.8 Thou hast subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen: moreover the beasts also of the fields.9 The birds of the air, and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea.
But how shall I tell what God makes? Behold the whole universe; it is His work: and the heaven, and the sun, and angels, and men, are the works of His fingers. How great is the power of God! His bare volition was the creation of the universe. For God alone made it, because He alone is truly God. By the bare exercise of volition He creates; His mere willing was followed by the springing into being of what He willed. Consequently the choir of philosophers are in error, who indeed most nobly confess that man was made for the contemplation of the heavens, but who worship the objects that appear in the heavens and are apprehended by sight. For if the heavenly bodies are not the works of men, they were certainly created for man. Let none of you worship the sun, but set his desires on the Maker of the sun; nor deify the universe, but seek after the Creator of the universe.
Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ:†2 By whom also we have access through faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God.†3 And not only so; but we glory also in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience;4 And patience trial; and trial hope;5 And hope confoundeth not: because the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us.†
Divinely, therefore, Paul writes expressly, "Tribulation worketh, patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed." For the patience is on account of the hope in the future.
And viewing the hope as twofold-that which is expected, and that which has been received-he now teaches the end to be the restitution of the hope. "For patience," he says, "worketh experience, and experience hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is given to us." On account of which love and the restoration to hope, he says, in another place, "which rest is laid up for us."
Divinely, therefore, Paul writes expressly, "Tribulation worketh, patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed." For the patience is on account of the hope in the future. Now hope is synonymous with the recompense and restitution of hope; which maketh not ashamed, not being any more vilified.
I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now.13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak; and the things that are to come, he shall shew you.†14 He shall glorify me; because he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it to you.15 All things whatsoever the Father hath, are mine. Therefore I said, that he shall receive of mine, and shew it to you.
(viii. de Trin. ante med) Our Lord therefore hath not left it uncertain whether the Paraclete be from the Father, or from the Son; for He is sent by the Son, and proceedeth from the Father, both these He receiveth from the Son. You ask whether to receive from the Son and to proceed from the Father be the same thing. Certainly, to receive from the Son must be thought one and the same thing with receiving from the Father: for when He says, All things that the Father hath are Mine, therefore said I, that He shall receive of Mine, He sheweth herein that the things are received from Him, because all things which the Father hath are His, but that they are received from the Father also. This unity hath no diversity; nor doth it matter from whom the thing is received; since that which is given by the Father, is counted also as given by the Son.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)