Miscellanies 4.22.145
Summary: Paul says affliction produces endurance, character, and hope that does not disappoint; the true knower pursues knowledge not from fear or for gain but drawn by love of God, the truly lovable.
Greek text · Stählin 2:312
Θείως οὖν ὁ Παῦλος Ῥωμαίοις ἄντικρυς ἐπιστέλλει· ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα, ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. διʼ ἐλπίδα μὲν γὰρ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἡ ὑπομονή· ἐλπὶς δὲ ὁμωνύμως καὶ ἡ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἀπόδοσίς τε καὶ ἀποκατάστασις, ἣ καὶ οὐ καταισχύνει μὴ ὀνειδιζομένη ἔτι. ὁ δὲ ψιλῇ κλήσει καθὸ κέκληται ὑπακούων οὔτε διὰ φόβον οὔτε διὰ ἡδονὰς ἐπὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἵεται· οὐ γὰρ περισκέπτεται εἴ τι λυσιτελὲς ἔξωθεν ἕπεται κέρδος ἢ ἀπόλαυσις αὐτῷ, ἀγάπῃ δὲ τοῦ ὄντως ὄντος ἐραστοῦ ἑλκόμενος καὶ πρὸς τὸ δέον ἀγόμενος θεοσεβεῖ.
English · Claude translation
Divinely, then, Paul writes plainly to the Romans: “Affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character hope; and hope does not put to shame.” For endurance is for the sake of future hope; and hope is also, by the same name, the rendering and restoration of hope, which does not put to shame, being no longer reproached. But the one who obeys the bare calling, insofar as he has been called, moves toward knowledge neither through fear nor through pleasures; for he does not look around to see whether any profitable gain or enjoyment will follow him from outside, but, drawn by love of the truly lovable and led to what is fitting, he is godly.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotation is Rom 5:3–5.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.22.145 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/22/145/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.22.145 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/22/145/).
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