Commentarii in epistulam ad Romanos (I.1-XII.21) (in catenis) i 1 set apart for the gospel of God. Thirdly, one must see set apart for the gospel of

 he should object to these things, whether it is possible for things not to happen which God foreknew would happen in such a way we will say that it i

 to God, so that he might not be under the 'woe,' he was not silent but preached the gospel. And these things he saw who set him apart from his mother'

 commanded Joab to number the people the second is represented by he sent upon them the fierceness of anger, wrath and indignation, a sending of evil

 similar to that and have made themselves worthy of nothing gloomy but of that in which one ought to rejoice. Therefore the gospel is theirs, along wit

 of God is not characterized by entrusting books and letters, but by knowing the mind within them and the mysteries stored therein. For according to so

 His mouth is full of bitterness and deceit. Then what follows is this: Their feet are swift to shed blood and you will seek this in Isaiah, or in the

 secondly to the spiritual. But if the same law is received according to some, if it is manifested without law it is not testified by the law, but if i

 to be justified or through faith, just as from a man is better understood insofar as it is from a man, <or> through a woman insofar as it is th

 owed by God eternal life, but His gift for he says, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, it should not be thought tha

 heirs of the law, faith is made void. In the list of the gifts given according to the proportion of faith, faith is also included for Paul says after

 kingdom of the heavens or kingdom of God. For these things, insofar as human nature is concerned, are beyond hope, but insofar as the power of God and

 belonging to God himself. (Of Origen) [For not only do we await immortal life, but also in the present life, having been reconciled to God, we glory,

 to death. As if someone for the sake of an example, being free, gives himself as a slave to the general of the enemies, so that by being with him he m

 to sin, just as apart from the law sin was dead, not coming from ever having been alive to the state of being dead. But the divine apostle also shows

 the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The distinction is good, 'wages' being applied to sin, but 'g

 of the epistle it is possible to take from the [phrase] Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that A

 of truth by the spirit in the prophets and by the word of Christ in the apostles, is in many places confused also by its phrasing and is not spoken as

 on the earth by the Word, but before the law and the coming of the commandment it lived, being dead. <And here someone has rendered the natural law, s

 of the law of sin and of death, he speaks thus: for just as virtue by its own nature is strong, so also is evil and the things from it weak and powerl

 I will pray with the spirit, he says, and I will pray with the mind also. 49 viii 31, 32 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,

 in which one dies to sin, and in some way by our life which is hidden with Christ in God. And angels too wish to separate us from the love of God whic

he should object to these things, whether it is possible for things not to happen which God foreknew would happen in such a way; we will say that it is possible for them not to happen; but, if it is possible for them not to happen, it is not necessary for them either not to happen or to happen; and it happens not entirely by necessity, but while it is also possible for the same things not to happen. The topic concerning possibilities belongs to logical activity and theory, so that the one who has cleansed the eye of his soul might be able, by following the subtlety of the proofs, to understand how, even down to chance events, the possibility for something to go many ways is not hindered, one of the many being what will happen, and not happening by necessity; and it being foreknown thus, that it will happen, but it will not happen by necessity, but while it is possible for it not to happen, that will come to be which was not spoken of stochastically but was truly foreknown. But let no one think that we have passed over in silence the matter of ‘according to purpose’ as if it puts pressure on our argument; since Paul says, ‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.’ But let him pay attention that the apostle has also immediately given the reason for their being called according to purpose, saying, ‘For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.’ And who was it more fitting to be included in the justifying call by the purpose of God than those who love him? And the phrase, ‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,’ very much establishes the cause of the purpose and of the foreknowledge as from what is in our power. For he almost said that all things work together for good for this reason, because those who love God are worthy of this working together. And at the same time let us also question those who say the opposite things, and let them answer us regarding these points. Let it be supposed that there is something in our power; and we will say this to those who do away with what is in our power, until from the given hypothesis their argument is proven to be unsound. Since, then, what is in our power exists, will God, having considered the chain of future events, foreknow the things that will be done from what is in our power by each of those who have what is in our power, or will he not foreknow them? To say, therefore, that he will not foreknow them, is characteristic of one who is ignorant of the mind over all and of the greatness of God. But if they grant that he will foreknow them, let us ask them again, is his having known it the cause of future things happening, given that what is in our power exists? Or did he foreknow it because it will happen, and is his foreknowledge in no way the cause of the future things that come from what is in our power for each person? It was possible, therefore, when certain things occurred, for the one created with free will to do not this but that. These and similar things being said, then, both the ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord,’ and all praise, are preserved. And the reasonableness of ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you ought to have put my money on the table,’ is also preserved. And only in this way will the things justly said be preserved, on the one hand to those on the right, ‘Come to me, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat,’ and the rest; and on the other hand to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you did not give me something to eat,’ and the rest. But also, if ‘set apart for the gospel of God’ and ‘he who set me apart from my mother’s womb’ contained some necessity, how could he reasonably say, ‘I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified,’ and, ‘for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel’? For from these things he clearly shows that if he had not disciplined his body and brought it into subjection, it was possible for him, having preached to others, to become disqualified, and that it was possible for woe to come upon him if he did not preach the gospel. Therefore, perhaps God set him apart from his mother’s womb, and set him apart for the gospel of God, along with these things: having seen the cause of his just setting apart, that he will discipline his body and bring it into subjection, being careful lest, having preached to others, he himself should become disqualified, and that, knowing woe would be his if he did not preach the gospel, by fear of the

ἀνθυποφέρῃ πρὸς ταῦτα, εἰ δυνατόν ἐστι μὴ γενέσθαι ἃ τοιάδε ἔσεσθαι προεγίνωσκεν ὁ θεός· φήσομεν ὅτι δυνατὸν μὲν μὴ γενέσθαι· οὐχὶ δέ, εἰ δυνατὸν μὴ γενέσθαι, ἀνάγκη μὴ γενέσθαι ἢ γενέσθαι· καὶ γίνεται οὐ πάντως ἐξ ἀνάγκης, ἀλλὰ δυνατοῦ ὄντος καὶ τοῦ αὐτὰ μὴ γενέσθαι. τῆς δὲ λογικῆς ἔχεται ἐντρεχείας τε καὶ θεωρίας ὁ περὶ τῶν δυνατῶν τόπος, ἵνα ὁ σμήξας ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ὄμμα τῆς ψυχῆς δυνηθῇ τῇ λεπτότητι τῶν ἀποδείξεων παρακολουθήσας κατανοῆσαι, πῶς καὶ μέχρι τῶν τυχόντων οὐκ ἐμποδίζεται τὸ εἶναί τι εἰς πολλὰ δυνατόν, ἑνὸς ἐκ τῶν πολλῶν ὄντος τοῦ ἐσομένου, καὶ οὐ κατὰ ἀνάγκην ἐσομένου· προεγνω σμένου τε οὑτωσί, ὅτι ἔσται μὲν οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης δὲ ἔσται, ἀλλ' ἐνδεχομένου τυγχάνοντος τοῦ μὴ γενέσθαι ἔσται τὸ οὐ στοχαστικῶς εἰρημένον ἀλλ' ἀληθῶς προεγνωσμένον. μὴ νομιζέτω δέ τις ἡμᾶς τὸ κατὰ πρόθειν σεσιωπηκέναι ὡς θλίβον ἡμῶν τὸν λόγον· ἐπεί φησιν ὁ Παῦλος οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖ ἀγαπῶι τὸν θεὸν πάντα υνεργεῖ εἰ ἀγαθόν, τοῖ κατὰ πρόθειν κλητοῖ οὖιν. ἀλλὰ προσεχέτω ὅτι τοῦ κατὰ πρόθεσιν εἶναι κλητοὺς τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἀποδέδωκεν εὐθέως, εἰπὼν ὅτι οὓ προέγνω, καὶ προώριεν υμμόρφου τῆ εἰκόνο τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. καὶ τίνα γε μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν ἐγκαταχωρισθῆναι εἰς τὴν δικαιοῦσαν κλῆσιν τῇ προθέσει τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν; πάνυ δὲ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν αἰτίαν παρίστησι τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τῆς προγνώσεως τὸ οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖ ἀγαπῶι τὸν θεὸν πάντα υνεργεῖ εἰ ἀγαθόν. σχεδὸν γὰρ εἶπεν ὅτι πάντα συνεργοῦντα εἰς ἀγαθὸν διὰ τοῦτο συνεργεῖ, ἐπεὶ ἄξιοί εἰσι συνεργίας οἱ ἀγαπῶντες τὸν θεόν. ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐρωτήσωμεν τοὺς τὰ ἐναντία λέγοντας, καὶ ἀποκρινάσθωσαν ἡμῖν πρὸς ταῦτα. ἔστω καθ' ὑπόθεσιν εἶναί τινα ἐφ' ἡμῖν· καὶ τοῦτο ἐροῦμεν αὐτοῖς ἀναιροῦσι τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν, ἕως ἐκ τῆς διδομένης ὑποθέσεως ἐλεγχθῇ αὐτῶν ὁ λόγος οὐχ ὑγιὴς ὤν. ὄντος δὴ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν, ἆρα ὁ θεὸς ἐπιβαλὼν τῷ εἱρμῷ τῶν ἐσομένων προγνώσεται τὰ πραχθησόμενα ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἐχόντων τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν, ἢ οὐ προγνώσεται; τὸ μὲν οὖν λέγειν οὐ προγνώσεται, ἀγνοοῦντός ἐστι τὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι νοῦν καὶ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην τοῦ θεοῦ. εἰ δὲ δώσουσιν ὅτι προγνώσεται, πάλιν ἐρωτήσωμεν αὐτούς, ἆρα τὸ ἐγνωκέναι αὐτὸν αἴτιόν ἐστι τοῦ ἔσεσθαι τὰ ἐσόμενα, διδομένου τοῦ εἶναι τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν; ἢ ἐπεὶ ἔσται προέγνω, καὶ οὐδαμῶς ἐστὶν αἰτία αὐτοῦ ἡ πρόγνωσις τῶν ἐσομένων ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἑκάστῳ; δυνατὸν οὖν ἦν τῶνδέ τινων ἀπαντησάντων μὴ τόδε ἀλλὰ τόδε ἐνεργῆσαι τὸν δημιουργηθέντα αὐτεξούσιον. τούτων οὖν καὶ τοιούτων ἂν λεχθησομένων, σώζεται καὶ τὸ εὖγε, ἀγαθὲ δοῦλε καὶ πιτέ· ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦ πιτό, ἐπὶ πολλῶν ε κατατήω· εἴελθε εἰ τὴν χάριν τοῦ κυρίου ου· καὶ πᾶς ἔπαινος. σώζεται δὲ καὶ τὸ εὔλογον τοῦ πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ, ἔδει ε βαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου εἰ τράπεζαν. οὕτω δὲ σωθήσεται μόνως τὰ δικαίως λεγόμενα πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἐκ δεξιῶν δεῦτε πρό με οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρό μου, κληρονομήατε τὴν ἡτοιμαμένην ὑμῖν βαιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆ κόμου· ὅτι ἐπείναα, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐξ εὐωνύμων πορεύεθε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ οἱ κατηραμένοι εἰ τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον, τὸ ἡτοιμαμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖ ἀγγέλοι αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἐπείνων, καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴπερ τὸ ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ καὶ τὸ ὁ ἀφορία με ἐκ κοιλία μητρό μου ἀνάγκην τινὰ περιεῖχε, πῶς ἂν εὐλόγως ἔφασκε τὸ ὑποπιάζω μου τὸ ῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μήπω ἄλλοι κηρύξα αὐτὸ ἀδό κιμο γένωμαι καὶ τὸ οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐτιν ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίζωμαι; σαφῶς γὰρ ἐκ τούτων παρίστησιν ὅτι εἰ μὴ ὑπεπίαζεν αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἐδουλαγώγει οἷόν τε ἦν αὐτὸν ἄλλοις κηρύξαντα ἀδόκιμον γενέσθαι, καὶ ὅτι δυνατὸν ἦν οὐαὶ αὐτῷ γενέσθαι εἰ μὴ εὐηγγελίζετο. μήποτε οὖν σὺν τούτοις ἀφώρισεν αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός, καὶ ἀφώρισεν αὐτὸν εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ, σὺν τῷ ἑωρακέναι τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ δικαίου ἀφορισμοῦ, ὅτι ὑποπιάσει τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγήσει εὐλαβούμενος μήπως ἄλλοις κηρύξας αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένηται, καὶ ὅτι, εἰδὼς οὐαὶ αὐτῷ ἔσεσθαι ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσηται, φόβῳ τῷ