Miscellanies 4.8.61
Summary: Paul lists the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit; flesh means sinners and spirit the righteous; Christian courage is endurance, turning the other cheek; women are not trained for war, for even men should be peaceful.
Greek text · Stählin 2:276
ἵνα μὴ ἃ ἂν θέλητε ταῦτα ποιῆτε. φανερὰ δέ ἐστι τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός, ἅτινά ἐστι πορνεία, ἀκαθαρσία, ἀσέλγεια, εἰδωλολατρεία, φαρμακεῖαι, ἔχθραι, ἔρεις, ζῆλοι, θυμοί, ἐριθίαι, διχοστασίαι, αἱρέσεις, φθόνοι, μέθαι, κῶμοι, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια τούτοις, ἃ προλέγω ὑμῖν καθὼς καὶ προεῖπον, ὅτι οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντες βασιλείαν θεοῦ οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν. ὁ δὲ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, χρηστότης, ἐγκράτεια, ἀγαθωσύνη, πίστις, πραότης. σάρκα, οἶμαι, τοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς, ὡς πνεῦμα τοὺς δικαίους εἴρηκεν. ναὶ μὴν τὸ τῆς ἀνδρείας πρὸς τὸ εὐθαρσὲς καὶ τὸ ὑπομονητικὸν παραληπτέον, ὡς τῷ τύπτοντι τὴν σιαγόνα παραθεῖναι τὴν ἑτέραν καὶ τῷ τὸ ἱμάτιον αἴροντι καὶ τοῦ χιτῶνος παραχωρεῖν θυμοῦ κρατοῦντας ἐρρωμένως. οὐ γάρ τινας Ἀμαζόνας τὰ πολεμικὰ ἀνδρείας ἀσκοῦμεν τὰς γυναῖκας, ὅπου γε καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας εἰρηνικοὺς εἶναι βουλόμεθα.
English · Claude translation
“so that you may not do whatever you wish. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are sexual immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, carousing, and the like; of which I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, goodness, faith, gentleness.” By flesh, I think, he meant sinners, as by spirit the righteous. Indeed, courage must be taken up for boldness and endurance, so as to turn the other cheek to the one who strikes, and to give up the tunic too to the one who takes the cloak, mastering anger strongly. For we do not train women, like some Amazons, in the courage of war, since we wish even men to be peaceful.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations and allusions are Gal 5:17, 19–23 and Matt 5:39–40.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.8.61 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/8/61/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.8.61 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/8/61/).
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