Commentarii in romanos (iii.5-v.7) (p. cair. 88748 cod. vat. gr. 762) of origen, on the [epistle] to the ṛọṃạns, book 5. [rom. 3, 5-8] «but if our

 Had not so many and plausible falsehoods crept in for this reason [is it asked?] how 130 the truth of god in human falsehood <abounded> *** and under

 136 how they would have come to be under sin, when paul says: but sin is not counted where there is no law. but to this we will say other ‖ ... just

 Destruction and all misery *** and it is the same thing to have the fear of god before one's eyes as to have knowledge about the fear of god, which th

 Examining the things commanded by it | and observing the things forbidden, one knows sin existing in the one who neglects what should be done and in t

 It will become manifest, then after this the hidden and deceitful thing of the adversaries will be revealed and, as it were, refuted *** and those who

 Of the commandments of the lord which should not be done, and they transgress, and the sin which they have committed in it becomes known to them, then

 Boasting, such as was paul's when he said: but far be it from me to boast except | in the cross of my lord jesus, through whom the world has been cru

 Especially that which the apostle says is in secret so that it is better to be justified out of faith than through faith, just as from a man, insof

 Of god *** but we say that .h..[...]...s men the one justified by works has a boast [...] every rational nature which is outside 180 of such bodies [.

 And all who are shown kindness are not shown kindness because kindness is owed to them, but because god wills by his own grace to show kindness to who

 Of the eighth day beginning from isaac *** and after the justification from faith he receives a sign of circumcision as if it were a seal, enclosing a

 Christ faith to be reckoned the righteousness *** [rom. 4, 13] for if no promise had been spoken to him or to his seed | before he believed god and i

 No one was in transgression before moses but if no one was, neither is anyone blameworthy therefore, neither cain nor all those who on account of th

 Gave him favor in the sight of the chief keeper of the prison.” for “joseph found favor in the sight of his master” is not the same as “and the lord g

 Paul says: for in hope we were saved but hope that is seen is [not] hope for what a man sees, why does he hope for it? but if we hope for what we d

 By his own faith he considered his own body already dead, being about a hundred years old,” and he will say that abraham was not about a hundred years

 He was justified with righteousness beginning to be in him from the ····· faith which was reckoned to him as righteousness *** how each one must do th

 For we know that tribulation produces endurance, as would be agreed by all that endurance creates a tested character in the one who has endured *** an

136 how they would have come to be under sin, when Paul says: "But sin is not counted where there is no law." But to this we will say other ‖ ... just as the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature do the things of the law and show the work of the law written on their hearts *** that this law of nature is the law of God, but the written law in the cities is not by nature but by enactment, a law, and especially when in some things it is contrary | to the law of nature *** if it is understood that the law of Moses is that about which Paul's argument is concerned, clearly sin will not be counted before Moses, neither to Cain who murdered his brother, nor to those who suffered the flood because of their sins, nor to those in Sodom, who were reckoned wicked and exceedingly sinful before God | and for these reasons were condemned to fire and brimstone according to what is written *** And some of the Greeks not badly declared that it is necessary in the rational and mortal race, at the same time as the completion of reason, for wickedness to first arise, then in time, out of diligence and attention, for this to be undone, and for virtue to arise *** | 138 but they are righteous in the sight of their inferiors and often, indeed, by comparison with worse men, even the unrighteous is called righteous. Thus, at any rate, it was said to Jerusalem concerning Sodom: "Sodom was justified by you" *** Therefore, when the scriptures testify to some as being righteous and again say "No one living will be justified in your sight," do not think that they contradict themselves, nor | that Paul had not heard of those praised for righteousness when he says "There is no one righteous, not even one." For you will say that the same man is righteous in relation to these men, but in relation to God he is not righteous *** Therefore Aaron is not justified in the sight of Moses, being overcome by the righteousness in Moses. But Mary is justified in the sight of many, but not in the sight of | Aaron and Moses *** how there is no one righteous, not even one, whether a Jew, even if he is a prophet, or a Greek, even if he is someone of apostolic stature, such as Titus happened to be, who was discipled by Paul *** But what things are laid up, or when is it fulfilled: "The Lord said to my Lord: sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? *** For how is there one who understands, | since if anyone thinks he has known, he has not yet known as he ought to know? For the one who understands sees face to face, but the one not yet seeing face to face but still through a mirror and in a riddle does not yet understand *** 140 Perhaps, then, all have turned aside when going they ‖ went and wept, carrying their seeds, and they did the things that were the cause of the captivity in Babylon, and it would not be beside the point to take "they have turned aside" on account of wickedness being contrary to nature *** those who have done only what was commanded are useless servants, since at the same time we then also became | useless; and perhaps it is no boast to say, " That which we were obligated to do, we have done." At any rate, the one in the gospel who received the talent, along with his fellow servant who had received five talents, gave back what he was obligated to give, saying to the master: "See, you have what is yours," and nonetheless, having given back what he was obligated, he is called a useless servant by the master who says: "And | cast the useless servant into the outer darkness, and there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." Therefore all have turned aside and at the same time have become useless *** the Savior to the one who said, "What good thing shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life?" said: "Why do you ask me about what is good? One is good, God" *** we have observed that goodness is the same thing as | kindness in "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is kind, for his mercy endures forever," whereas in the others "for he is good, for his... endures forever" *** And if someone were to pay attention to each of mankind, even to the one thought to be most righteous, he would not quickly find him pure from all deceit *** Therefore the feet of those who shed blood are sharp swords, just as | on the contrary, beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news; and feet 142 instead of their ways, and in the paths of such people there is nothing sound, but

136 ἂν πῶς γεγόνασιν ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν, λέγοντος Παύλου· «Ἁμαρτία δὲ οὐκ ἐλλογεῖται μὴ ὄντος νόμου». Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοῦτο φήσομεν ἀλλα ‖ ··οσ· [···········]·σ̣περ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποι[ο]ῦσι[ν καὶ ἐνδείκνυ]νται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν *** τ̣ο`̣ν̣ φ̣ύσε̣[ι νό]μον τοῦτον εἶναι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμον, τὸν δὲ κατὰ τὰς πόλεις γραπτὸν μὴ εἶναι φύσει ἀλλὰ θέσει νόμον καὶ μάλιστα ὅτ̣ε ἔν τισιν ἐναντιοῦται | τῷ τῆς φύσεως νόμῳ *** εἴπερ τὸν Μωσέως νόμον ὑπολαμβάνεται εἶναι περὶ οὗ τῷ Παύλῳ ἐστὶν ὁ λόγος, δηλονότι ἡ ἁμαρτία οὐκ ἐλλογηθήσεται πρὸ Μωσέως οὔτε τῷ Κάϊν ἀδελφοκτονήσαντι, οὔτε τοῖς διὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τὸν κατακλυσμὸν πεπονθόσιν ἀλλ' οὔτε τοῖς ἐν Σοδόμοις πονηροῖς καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς σφόδρα ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καταλελο γισμένοις | καὶ διὰ ταῦτα καταδικασθεῖσιν πυρὶ καὶ θείῳ κατὰ [τὰ] α᾿̣ ναγεγραμμένα *** Καὶ Ἑλλήνων δέ τινες οὐ κακῶς · ἀπεφ̣ήναντο ὅτι ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ λογικῷ καὶ θνητῷ γένει ἅμα τῇ συμπληρώσει τοῦ λόγου πρότερον ὑποστῆναι τὴν κακίαν, εἶτα χρονῳ ἐξ ἐπιμελείας καὶ προσοχῆς ταύτην μὲν ἀνασκευάζεσθαι, τὴν δὲ α᾿̣ρ[ετὴ]ν ὑφίστασθαι *** | 138 δίκαιοι δὲ κατ' ἐνώπιόν εἰσιν τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων καὶ π[ολλ]άκις γε συγκρίσει χειρόνων καὶ ὁ ἄδικος δίκαιος εἴρηται. Οὕτω γοῦν τῇ Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἴρηται περὶ Σοδόμων· «Ἐδικαιώθη Σόδομα ἐκ σοῦ» *** Ἐπὰν οὖν αἱ γραφαὶ μαρτυρῶσιν τισὶν ὡς δικαίοις καὶ πάλιν λέγωσιν «Οὐ δικαιωθήσεται κατ' ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν», μὴ νομίσῃς αὐτὰς ἑαυταῖς ἐναντιοῦσθαι μηδὲ | τὸν Παῦλον μὴ ἀκηκοέναι τῶν ἐπαινουμένων ἐπὶ δικαιοσύνῃ λέγοντα «Οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς». Ἐρεῖς γὰρ ὅτι ὁ αὐτὸς ὡς μὲν πρὸς τούσδε δίκαιός ἐστιν, ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος *** Οὐ δικαιοῦται οὖν Ἀαρὼν ἐνώπιον Μωσέως νικώμενος ὑπὸ τῆς ἐν Μωϋσεῖ δικαιοσύνης. Ἡ δὲ Μαρία δικαιοῦται μὲν ἐνώπιον πολλῶν, οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ ἐνώπιον | Ἀαρὼν καὶ Μωσέως *** πῶς οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς, Ἰουδαῖος μὲν κἂν προφήτης ᾖ, Ἕλλην δὲ κἂν ἀποστολικός τις ᾖ, ὁποῖος ὁ μαθητευθεὶς Παύλῳ Τίτος ἐτύγχανεν *** Ποῖα δὲ ἀποκείμενα ἢ ὅτε πληροῦται τὸ «Εἶπεν Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου»; *** Πῶς γὰρ ἔστιν ὁ συνίων | ἐπείπερ εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἐγνωκέναι οὔπω ἔγνω καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι; Ὁ μὲν γὰρ συνίων βλέπει πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον, ὁ δὲ μὴ βλέπων πω πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον ἀλλὰ δι' ἐσόπτρου ἔτι καὶ ἐν αἰνίγματι οὐδέπω συνίησιν *** 140 Τάχα μὲν οὖν πάντες ἐξέκλιναν ὅτε πορευόμενοι ‖ ἐπορεύοντο καὶ ἔκλαιον αἴροντες τὰ σπέρματα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐποίησαν ἃ αἴτια τῆς εἰς Βαβυλῶνα αἰχμαλωσίας, οὐκ ἀπὸ σκοποῦ δ' ἂν εἴη τὸ «ἐξέκλιναν» λαμβάνειν διὰ τὴν κακίαν οὖσαν παρὰ φύσιν *** οἱ ποιήσαντες μόνα τὰ διαταχθέντα δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοί εἰσιν, ἐπεὶ ἅμα καὶ τότε ἠ|χρεώθημεν· καὶ μήποτε οὐκ ἔστιν καύχημα τὸ «<Ὃ> ὠφείλομεν ποιῆσαι πεποιήκαμεν». Ὁ γοῦν κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον λαβὼν τὸ τάλαντον μετὰ τοῦ συνδούλου ἑαυτοῦ τοῦ εἰληφότος πέντε τάλαντα ὃ μὲν ὤφειλεν ἀποδοῦναι ἔδωκεν λέγων τῷ κυρίῳ· «Ἴδε ἔχεις τὸ σόν», οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀποδοὺς ὃ ὤφειλεν, ἀχρεῖος ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου λέγεται εἶναι δοῦλος φάσκοντος· «Καὶ | τὸν ἀχρεῖον δοῦλον ἐκβάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον καὶ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων». Οὐκοῦν πάντες ἐξέκλιναν καὶ ἅ[μα ἠχρ]εώθησαν *** ὁ Σωτὴρ πρὸς τὸν εἰπόντα «Τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω»; εἶπεν· «Τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; Ε̣ἷς̣ ἐστιν ἀγαθός, ὁ Θεός» *** ταὐτὸν εἶναι χρηστότη|τα ἀγαθότητι τετηρήκαμεν ἐν τῷ «Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι χρηστός, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ <ἔλεος> αὐτοῦ», παρὰ τοῖς λοιποῖς ὅτι ἀγαθός, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τό *** Καὶ εἴ τίς γε ἐπιστήσαι ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τῷ νομιζομένῳ εἶναι δικαιοτάτῳ, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν ταχέως εὕροι καθαρὸν ἀπὸ παντὸς δόλου *** Ξίφη οὖν εἰσιν οἱ πόδες ὀξέα τῶν ἐκχεόντων αἷμα, ὥς|περ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων τὰ ἀγαθά· πόδες δὲ 142 ἀντὶ τοῦ αἱ πορεῖαι καὶ ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς γε τῶν τοιούτων οὐδὲν ὑγιές ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ