§22#1« Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, Θεὸς ζηλωτὴς, ἀποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα, ἐπὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην γενεὰν τοῖς μισοῦσί με, καὶ ποιῶν ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας τοῖς ἀγαπῶσί με, καὶ τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὰ προστάγματά μου. » Τίνα τοῦτο τὸ ῥητὸν οὐκ ἐτάραξεν;
«For I am the Lord your God, a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation to them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands to them that love me and keep my commandments.» Whom did this saying not disturb?
Εἰ ἥμαρτε μὲν ὁ πατὴρ, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς, καὶ ἡ τρίτη, καὶ ἡ τετάρτη γενεὰ ἀπολαμβάνει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ὡς τοὺς μὲν κατηγορῆσαι καὶ τοῦ δεδωκότος τοὺς νόμους Θεοῦ· τοὺς δὲ μὴ κατηγορῆσαι μὲν, ἀληθῶς δὲ ἐλπίζειν τοιαῦτά τινα, καὶ προσδοκᾷν, ὅτι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῶν οἱ υἱοὶ ἀπολαμβάνουσιν.
If the father sinned, and the son, and the third, and the fourth generation receive the sin, it results that some even accuse God who gave the laws, while others, though not accusing Him, truly hope and expect such things, namely that their children will receive their sins.
Ἰουδαῖοι ταῦτα νομίζουσιν, οὐκ ἀπαλλάττοντες ἄλλον θεόν.
The Jews think these things, not exempting another god.
Σαμαρεῖς ταῦτα ὑπολαμβάνουσιν, ὡς καὶ αὐτοὶ δοξάζοντες μετεσχηκέναι τοῦ ἑνὸς Θεοῦ.
The Samaritans suppose these things, as they themselves also boast of having partaken of the one God.
Οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων οὐκ ἀρεσκόμενοι τῷ ἀγαθὸν ἢ δίκαιον εἷναι Θεὸν δύνασθαι, τὸν ἀποδιδόντα ἁμαρτίας πατέρων εἰς κόλπον τέκνων αὐτῶν, λέγουσιν, ὅτι ὁ τοῦ νόμου Θεὸς οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιος, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαθὸς, ἀποδιδοὺς τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν πατέρων ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱούς· ἀλλά τις ἐστὶν ἐκείνου μείζων θεός.
Those from the heresies, not pleased with the possibility of God being good or just, who visits the sins of the fathers into the bosom of their children, say that the God of the law is not just, nor is He good, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the sons; but that there is some other god greater than He.
Ὁ δὲ ἐκκλησιαστικὸς, οὕτε ὡς Ἰουδαῖος σωματικῶς ἀκούει τῶν λεγομένων, οὕτε ὡς αἱρετικὸς ἀναπλάσσει ἄλλον, ἀλλʼ ἕστηκεν ἀμφοτέρων μέσος, καὶ λέγει καλῶς μὲν ταῦτα γεγράφθαι· οὐκ οἶδα δὲ τῶν γεγραμμένων τὸν νοῦν. Ἀνατείνατε οὖν τὰς διανοίας πάντες, καὶ αἰτήσασθε, ἵνα ὑμῖν ἀποκαλύψῃ ὡς ἀγαθός ἐστιν, ὁ ἀποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα.
But the churchman neither hears what is said carnally like a Jew, nor fashions another god like a heretic, but stands in the middle of both, and says: "These things are indeed well written; but I do not know the meaning of what is written." Elevate therefore your minds, all of you, and ask that He who visits the sins of the fathers upon the children may reveal to you how He is good.
Τίνες οἱ πατέρες;
Who are the fathers?
φέρε τὰς Γραφὰς μάρτυρας· ἐξετασθήτωσαν τὰ λόγια τὰ ἱερὰ.
Bring the Scriptures as witnesses; let the sacred words be examined.
Λέγει ὁ Σωτὴρ καὶ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν, ὅτι « ῾ Υμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὲ, καὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν θέλετε ποιῆσαι.
The Savior and Lord Jesus Christ says to those who sin: «You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will to do.
Ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἐστὶν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οὐχ ἔστηκεν. » Οὐκοῦν εἴ τις ἁμαρτάνει, ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὶ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ἁμάρτημα τοῦ διαβόλου ἀποδίδοται ἐπὶ τὸν υἱόν.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and stood not in the truth.» Therefore, if anyone sins, he is of his father the devil, and because of this the sin of the devil is visited upon the son.
Πλὴν ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν ὁ πρῶτος ἁμαρτωλὸς, ὁ ὑποβαλών μοι τὸ ἁμάρτημα· ἐγὼ δέ εἰμι ὁ δεύτερος ἁμαρτωλὸς, ὁ μὴ ἐκβαλὼν τὸ βούλημα αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ παραδεξάμενος αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνέργειαν· δέο. με στῆναι καθωπλισμένον τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἕχοντα τὸν θυρεὸν τῆς πίστεως, ἵνα πάντα τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ τὰ πεπυρωμένα σβεσθῇ ἐν τῷ θυρεῷ τῆς πίστεώς μου.
However, he is the first sinner, who suggested the sin to me; and I am the second sinner, who did not cast out his will, but accepted his working; I must stand armed with the whole armor of God, and having the shield of faith, so that all the fiery darts of the evil one may be quenched in the shield of my faith.
Ἐὰν οὗν ἁμαρτάνω, ποιῶ τὰ τοῦ διαβόλου βεβληκότος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν, ἵνα τόδε τὸ ἁμάρτημα, ἢ τόδε ποιήσω.
If therefore I sin, I do what the devil has cast into my heart, so that I may commit this or that sin.
Πρῶτον παραδέχομαι αὐτοῦ τὸ βέλος, καὶ ὅταν παραδέ ξωμαι αὐτὸ, τότε καὶ αὐτὸν παραδέχομαι.
First I accept his dart, and when I have accepted it, then I also accept him.
Καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα οὕτω γέγραπται, ὅτι οὐ πρῶτον εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Σατανᾶς εἰς αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον τοῦ διαβόλου βεβληκότος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ἵνα παραδῷ αὐτὸν Ἰούδας Σίμων ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης, εἶτα μετὰ τὸ ψωμίον εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτὸν ὁ Σατανᾶς.
For indeed concerning Judas it is written thus, that Satan did not first enter into him, but first, the devil having cast into the heart that Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, should betray Him, then after the piece of bread Satan entered into him.