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you only learned from the law to know sin, not to flee it. Then, lest they should say, "Even if we have sinned, yet not so as they did," he added: And fall short of the glory of God. So that even if you have not sinned the same things as the others, yet you are equally deprived of the glory; for you are of those who have offended; and he who has offended is not of those who are glorified, but of those who are put to shame. But do not be afraid; for I said these things for this reason, not to cast you into despair, but to show the Master's love for mankind. Wherefore he also added: Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness. See by how many things he establishes what has been said. First, from the dignity of the person; for it is not a man who does these things, that he should grow weak, but God who is all-powerful; for it is the righteousness of God, he says. Second, from the law and the prophets; for do not be afraid because you have heard, "Without the law"; for this seems good to the law itself. Third, from the sacrifices in the Old Covenant; for this is why he said, "In his blood," reminding them of those sheep and calves. For if the slaughter of irrational animals, he says, absolved sins, much more this blood. And he did not simply say, "Redemption," but, "Full redemption," so that we might no longer return again to the same slavery. And for this very reason he calls it a propitiation, showing that if the type had such strength, much more will the reality display the same. And showing again that this is not a newer thing, nor recent, he says, "He set forth." And having said, "God set forth," and having shown the Father's achievement, he shows that it is also the Son's; for the Father set forth, but Christ achieved everything in his own blood. To declare his righteousness. What is, "Declaration of righteousness"? Just as a declaration of wealth is not only to be wealthy oneself, but also to make others wealthy; and of life, not only to be alive oneself, but also to give life to the dead; and of power, not only to be powerful oneself, but also to strengthen the weak; so also a declaration of righteousness is not only to be righteous oneself, but also to suddenly make righteous others who were decaying in sins. Therefore, he himself also added this, explaining what a declaration is: That he might be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. 3. Therefore, do not doubt; for it is not of works, but from faith; nor flee the righteousness of God; for its good is twofold, because it is both easy and set before all; nor be ashamed and blush; for if he himself demonstrates this, and, as one might say, glories and prides himself in it, how can you shrink back and hide yourself, in a thing for which your Master is glorified? Therefore, having lifted up the hearer by saying that what is happening is a declaration of the righteousness of God, he again pushes with fear the one who is hesitant and reluctant to approach, saying thus: For the remission of sins that are past. Do you see how he continually reminds them of their trespasses, 60.445 above saying, "For by the law is the knowledge of sin," and after this, "For all have sinned," and here more forcefully. For he did not say, "Because of sins," but, "Because of the remission," that is, the state of death. For there was no longer hope of health, but just as a paralyzed body needed the hand from above, so also the soul, having been made dead. And what is indeed more grievous, which, having put in the order of a cause, he shows is a greater accusation. And what is this? That the remission happened in the forbearance of God. For you would not be able to say, he says, that you have not enjoyed much forbearance and goodness. But the phrase, "At this present time," is that of one showing the great forbearance and love for mankind. For when we were in despair, he says, and it was a time for decision, and evils had increased, and sins were fulfilled, then he demonstrated his own power, that you might learn how great is the abundance of his righteousness. For this would not have appeared so marvelous and strange had it happened at the beginning, as now, when of all healing

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μόνον ἔμαθες ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, τὸ εἰδέναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, οὐ τὸ φεύγειν αὐτήν. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ λέγωσιν, ὅτι Εἰ καὶ ἡμάρτομεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως ὡς ἐκεῖνοι, ἐπήγαγε· Καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὥστ' εἰ καὶ μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἥμαρτες, ἀλλὰ τῆς δόξης ὁμοίως ἀποστερῇ· τῶν γὰρ προσκεκρουκότων εἶ· ὁ δὲ προσκεκρουκὼς οὐ τῶν δοξαζομένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν κατῃσχυμμένων. Ἀλλὰ μὴ φοβηθῇς· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ταῦτα εἶπον, οὐχ ἵνα σε εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμβάλω, ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξω τοῦ ∆εσπότου τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε· ∆ικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι, διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃν προέθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι, εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ. Ὅρα διὰ πόσων κατασκευάζει τὸ εἰρημένον. Πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῆς ἀξίας τοῦ προσώπου· οὐ γὰρ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν ὁ ἐργαζόμενος ταῦτα, ἵνα ἀτονήσῃ, ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς ὁ πάντα δυνάμενος· Θεοῦ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δικαιοσύνη, φησί. ∆εύτερον ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν· μὴ γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ Χωρὶς νόμου ἤκουσας, φοβηθῇς· καὶ γὰρ αὐτῷ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦτο δοκεῖ. Τρίτον ἀπὸ τῶν θυσιῶν τῶν ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶπεν, Ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι, ἀναμιμνήσκων αὐτοὺς τῶν προβάτων ἐκείνων καὶ τῶν μόσχων. Εἰ γὰρ ἀλόγων σφαγαὶ, φησὶν, ἁμαρτίας ἔλυον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ αἷμα τοῦτο. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Λυτρώσεως, ἀλλ', Ἀπολυτρώσεως, ὡς μηκέτι ἡμᾶς ἐπανελθεῖν πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν δουλείαν. Καὶ ἱλαστήριον δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο καλεῖ, δεικνὺς, ὅτι εἰ ὁ τύπος τοσαύτην εἶχεν ἰσχὺν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡ ἀλήθεια τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπιδείξεται. ∆ηλῶν δὲ πάλιν οὐ νεώτερον τοῦτο ὂν, οὐδὲ καινὸν, φησὶ, Προέθετο. Καὶ εἰπὼν, Προέθετο ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ δείξας τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸ κατόρθωμα, τὸ αὐτὸ δείκνυσι καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ὄν· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πατὴρ προέθετο, ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι τὸ πᾶν κατώρθωσεν. Εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ. Τί ἐστιν, Ἔνδειξις τῆς δικαιοσύνης; Ὥσπερ ἔνδειξις πλούτου, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι πλούσιον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους πλουσίους ποιεῖν· καὶ ζωῆς, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι ζῶντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ νεκροὺς ζωοποιεῖν· καὶ δυνάμεως, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι δυνατὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς δυναμοῦν· οὕτω καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἔνδειξις, τὸ μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι δίκαιον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἑτέρους ἐν ἁμαρτίαις κατασαπέντας ἐξαίφνης δικαίους ποιεῖν. Τοῦτο οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς ἑρμηνεύων ἐπήγαγε, τίς ἐστιν ἔνδειξις· Εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον, καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ. γʹ. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀμφίβαλλε· οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ πίστεως· μηδὲ φεῦγε τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην· διπλοῦν γὰρ αὐτῆς τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ὅτι καὶ κοῦφόν ἐστι, καὶ πᾶσι προκείμενον· μηδὲ αἰσχύνου καὶ ἐρυθρία· εἰ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐνδείκνυται τοῦτο ποιῶν, καὶ ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐναβρύνεται καὶ ἐγκαλλωπίζεται, πῶς σὺ καταδύῃ καὶ ἐγκαλύπτῃ, ἐφ' ᾧ ὁ ∆εσπότης σου δοξάζεται; Ἐπάρας τοίνυν τὸν ἀκροατὴν διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἔνδειξις τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνης ἐστὶ τὰ γινόμενα, πάλιν τῷ φόβῳ ὠθεῖ τὸν ὀκνοῦντα καὶ ἀναδυόμενον προσελθεῖν, οὕτω λέγων· ∆ιὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων. Ὁρᾷς πῶς συνεχῶς ἀναμιμνήσκει τῶν πλημμελημάτων αὐτούς, 60.445 ἀνωτέρω μὲν λέγων, ∆ιὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ, ὅτι Πάντες ἥμαρτον, ἐνταῦθα δὲ σφοδρότερον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε, ∆ιὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, ἀλλὰ, ∆ιὰ τὴν πάρεσιν, τουτέστι τὴν νέκρωσιν. Οὐκέτι γὰρ ὑγείας ἐλπὶς ἦν, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ σῶμα παραλυθὲν τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐδεῖτο χειρός· οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ νεκρωθεῖσα. Καὶ τὸ δὴ χαλεπώτερον, ὅπερ ἐν τάξει θεὶς αἰτίας, δείκνυσι μεῖζον ὂν κατηγόρημα. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι; Τὸ ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πάρεσιν γεγενῆσθαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἔχοιτε εἰπεῖν, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπελαύσατε πολλῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ χρηστότητος. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, τὴν πολλὴν δεικνύντος ἐστὶν ἀνοχὴν καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν. Ὅτε γὰρ ἀπεγνώσθημεν, φησὶ, καὶ καιρὸς ἀποφάσεως ἦν, καὶ ηὐξήθη τὰ κακὰ, καὶ ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, τότε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἐπεδείξατο, ἵνα μάθῃς πόση παρ' αὐτῷ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡ περιουσία. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν ἀρχῇ γενόμενον τοῦτο οὕτω θαυμαστὸν ἂν ἐφάνη καὶ παράδοξον, ὡς νῦν, ὅτε πάσης ἰατρείας