- Source
- Augustine. Sancti Aureli Augustini Opera, Sectio V, Pars III (Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, Volume 41). Zycha, Joseph, editor. Prague; Vienna; Leipzig: F. Tempsky; G. Freytag, 1900.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:stoa0040.stoa006.humanitext-lat1:23
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-26
The text explains the definitions and natural order of the spirit, soul, and body in human constitution, and demonstrates from scriptural passages that the resurrection of the flesh refers to the literal resurrection of the visible body rather than a merely figurative renewal of the soul.
Et quoniam tria sunt, quibus homo constat: spiritus. anima et corpus, quae rursus duo dicuntur, quia saepe anima simul cum spiritu nominatur — pars enim quaedam eiusdem rationalis,1 qua carent bestiae, spiritus dicitur — principale nostrum spiritus est; deinde uita, qua coniungimur corpori, anima dicitur; postremo ipsum corpus, quoniam uisibile est, ultimum nostrum est. haec autem omnis creatura ingemescit et parturit usque nunc; dedit tamen primitias spiritus, quia credidit deo et bonae iam uoluntatis est. hic enim spiritus etiam mens uocatur, de quo dicit apostolus: mente seruio legi dei, qui item alio loco dicit: testis est enim mihi deus, cui seruio in spiritu meo. anima uero, cum carnalia bona adhuc adpetit, caro nominatur et resistit spiritui non natura, sed consuetudine peccatorum. unde dicitur: mente seruio legi dei, carne autem legi peccati. quae consuetudo in naturam uersa est secundum generationem mortalem peccato primi hominis. ideoque scriptum est: et nos aliquando fuimus natura filii irae, id est uindictae, per quam factum est, ut seruiamus legi peccati. est autem animae natura perfecta, cum spiritui suo subditur et cum sequitur sequentem deum.2 ideo animalis homo non percipit quae sunt spiritus dei. sed non tam cito anima subiugatur spiritui ad bonam operationem, quam cito spiritus deo ad ueram fidem et bonam uoluntatem, sed aliquando tardius eius inpetus, quo in carnalia et temporalia diffluit, refrenatur. sed quoniam et ipsa mundatur, recipiens stabilitatem naturae suae dominante spiritu, quod sibi caput est, cuius capitis caput est Christus. non est desperandum etiam corpus restitui naturae propriae; sed utique non tam cito quam anima, sicut neque. anima tam cito quam spiritus, sed tempore oportuno in nouissima tuba, cum mortui resurgent incorrupti et nos inmutabimur. et ideo credimus et in carnis resurrectionem, non tantum quia reparatur anima, quae nunc propter carnales affectiones caro nominatur, sed haec etiam uisibilis caro, quae naturaliter est caro, cuius nomen anima non propter naturam, sed propter affectiones carnales accepit,3 haec ergo uisibilis quae proprie dicitur caro sine dubitatione credenda est resurgere. uidetur enim Paulus apostolus eam tamquam digito ostendere, cum dicit: oportet corruptibile hoc induere incorruptionem. cum enim dicit \'hoc\', in eam quasi digitum intendit. quod autem uisibile est, id potest digito ostendi, quoniam potest etiam anima corruptibilis dici; nam. uitiis morum ipsa corrumpitur. et mortale hoc induere inmortalitatem cum legitur, eadem significatur uisibilis caro, quia in eam identidem uelut digitus intenditur. potest enim et anima sicut corruptibilis propter morum uitia, ita etiam mortalis dici. mors quippe animae est apostatare a deo: quod primum eius peccatum in paradiso sacris litteris continetur.
And since there are three things of which man consists: spirit, soul, and body, which again are said to be two, because often the soul is named together with the spirit—for a certain rational part of the same, which beasts lack, is called spirit—our principal part is the spirit; next, the life by which we are joined to the body is called the soul; finally, the body itself, since it is visible, is our last part. And this whole creation groans and travails until now; yet it has given the firstfruits of the spirit, because it has believed God and is already of a good will. For this spirit is also called mind, concerning which the apostle says: “With the mind I serve the law of God,” who likewise in another place says: “For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit.” But the soul, when it still desires carnal goods, is named flesh and resists the spirit, not by nature, but by the habit of sins. Whence it is said: “With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Which habit has been turned into nature according to mortal generation by the sin of the first man. And therefore it is written: “And we were once by nature children of wrath,” that is, of vengeance, through which it was brought about that we serve the law of sin. But the nature of the soul is perfect when it is subjected to its spirit and when it follows the spirit which follows God. Therefore “the natural man does not perceive the things which are of the spirit of God.” But the soul is not so quickly subjugated to the spirit for good operation as the spirit is to God for true faith and good will, but sometimes its impulse, by which it flows away into carnal and temporal things, is restrained more slowly. But since it also is cleansed, receiving the stability of its nature under the dominance of the spirit, which is its head, of which head the head is Christ, it is not to be despaired of that even the body is restored to its proper nature; yet surely not so quickly as the soul, just as the soul is not so quickly as the spirit, but in due time, at the last trumpet, when the dead shall rise incorruptible and we shall be changed. And therefore we believe also in the resurrection of the flesh, not only because the soul is repaired, which now on account of carnal affections is named flesh, but this visible flesh also, which is flesh by nature, whose name the soul received not on account of nature but on account of carnal affections—this visible flesh, therefore, which is properly called flesh, must without doubt be believed to rise again. For the apostle Paul seems to point to it as if with a finger, when he says: “This corruptible must put on incorruption.” For when he says “this,” he directs his finger as it were toward it. But that which is visible can be pointed to with a finger, since even the soul can be called corruptible; for it is corrupted by the vices of manners. And when it is read, “and this mortal must put on immortality,” the same visible flesh is signified, because in like manner a finger is directed as it were toward it. For the soul also, just as it can be called corruptible on account of the vices of manners, so also can it be called mortal. For indeed the death of the soul is to apostatize from God: which first sin of its in paradise is contained in the holy scriptures.
- 23eiusdem rationalis
The pronoun "eiusdem" is a genitive referring back to the preceding feminine noun "anima", and the adjective "rationalis" agrees with it in gender and case. Thus, it is interpreted as "a certain rational part of the same [soul], which beasts lack."
- 23cum sequitur sequentem deum
The present participle "sequentem" takes "deum" as its object. The phrase expresses a hierarchical order of obedience (God → spirit → soul): "when [the soul] follows [the spirit] which follows God."
- 23cuius nomen anima non propter naturam, sed propter affectiones carnales accepit
The relative pronoun "cuius" has "caro" (flesh) as its antecedent. "nomen" is the direct object of "accepit", and "anima" is the subject. Thus, the clause means "whose name [of flesh] the soul received, not on account of nature, but on account of carnal affections," explaining why the soul is sometimes called "flesh."