To Autolycus 2.11
Summary: The whole account of the six days of creation (Gen 1:3–2:3) is quoted from the Septuagint.
Greek text · Otto 8:82–88
Ἀρχὴ δὲ τῆς ποιήσεως φῶς ἐστιν, ἐπειδὴ τὰ κοσμούμενα τὸ φῶς φανεροῖ. Διὸ λέγει· Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Γενηθήτω φῶς. [Καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ φῶς ὅτι καλόν.] Δηλονότι καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γεγονός. Καὶ διεχώρισεν ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σκότους. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ φῶς ἡμέραν, καὶ τὸ σκότος ἐκάλεσε νύκτα. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα μία. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Γενηθήτω στερέωμα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἔστω διαχωρίζον ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα, καὶ διεχώρισεν ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος ὃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώματος, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ στερεώματος. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα οὐρανόν· καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα δευτέρα. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Συναχθήτω τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν, καὶ ὀφθήτω ἡ ξηρά. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ συνήχθη τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ὤφθη ἡ ξηρά. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν ξηρὰν γῆν, καὶ τὰ συστήματα τῶν ὑδάτων ἐκάλεσεν θαλάσσας. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶ καθʼ ὁμοιότητα, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπόν, οὗ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ὁμοιότητα. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπόν, οὗ τὸ σπέρμα ἐν αὐτῷ κατὰ γένος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα τρίτη. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Γενηθήτωσαν φωστῆρες ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, εἰς φαῦσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς νυκτός, καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεῖα καὶ εἰς καιροὺς καὶ εἰς ἡμέρας καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς, καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς φαῦσιν ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τοὺς δύο φωστῆρας τοὺς μεγάλους, τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν μέγαν εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν ἐλάσσω εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτός, καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας· καὶ ἔθετο αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὥστε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἄρχειν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῆς νυκτός, καὶ διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σκότους. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα τετάρτη. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν, καὶ πετεινὰ πετόμενα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ τὸ στερέωμα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ κήτη τὰ μεγάλα καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ζώων ἑρπετῶν, ἃ ἐξήγαγεν τὰ ὕδατα κατὰ γένη αὐτῶν, καὶ πᾶν πετεινὸν πτερωτὸν κατὰ γένος. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλά. Καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτὰ ὁ θεὸς λέγων· Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὰ ὕδατα τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ πληθυνέτω ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα πέμπτη. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Ἐξαγαγέτω ἡ γῆ ψυχὴν ζῶσαν κατὰ γένος, τετράποδα καὶ ἑρπετὰ καὶ θηρία τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος, καὶ τὰ κτήνη κατὰ γένος, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατʼ εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν, καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κατʼ εἰκόνα θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς. Καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς λέγων· Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν, καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς, καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός· Ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν πᾶν χόρτον σπόριμον σπεῖρον σπέρμα, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπάνω πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ πᾶν ξύλον, ὃ ἔχει ἐν αὐτῷ καρπὸν σπέρματος σπορίμου, ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς βρῶσιν, καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ παντὶ ἑρπετῷ ἕρποντι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὃ ἔχει ἐν αὐτῷ πνοὴν ζωῆς, πάντα χόρτον χλωρὸν εἰς βρῶσιν. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἰδοὺ καλὰ λίαν. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα ἕκτη. Καὶ συνετελέσθησαν ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν. Καὶ συνετέλεσεν ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐποίησεν, καὶ κατέπαυσεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἐποίησεν. Καὶ εὐλόγησεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην, καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ θεὸς ποιῆσαι.
English · Claude translation
The beginning of creation is light, since light reveals the things that are being set in order. That is why it says: “And God said, Let there be light. [And there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good,]” that is, good for the human being, for whom it was made. “And God divided between the light and the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and let it divide between water and water. And it was so. And God made the firmament, and God divided between the water that was under the firmament and the water above the firmament. And God called the firmament heaven; and God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. And God said, Let the water that is under the heaven be gathered into one gathering, and let the dry land appear. And it was so. And the water was gathered into its gatherings, and the dry land appeared. And God called the dry land earth, and the gatherings of the waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind and likeness, and fruit trees bearing fruit whose seed is in them, according to their likeness. And it was so. And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind, and fruit trees bearing fruit whose seed is in them, according to their kind, upon the earth. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth and to divide between the day and the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years; and let them be for light in the firmament of heaven, to shine upon the earth. And it was so. And God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars; and God set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth, and to rule over the day and the night, and to divide between the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. And God said, Let the waters bring forth creeping things with living souls, and birds flying over the earth across the firmament of heaven. And it was so. And God made the great sea creatures and every living soul of creeping things, which the waters brought forth according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that they were good. And God blessed them, saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds multiply upon the earth. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth living souls according to their kind, four-footed creatures and creeping things and wild beasts of the earth according to their kind. And it was so. And God made the wild beasts of the earth according to their kind, and the cattle according to their kind, and all the creeping things of the earth. And God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make the human being according to our image and likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of heaven and the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth. And God made the human being; according to the image of God he made him; male and female he made them. And God blessed them, saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of heaven and all the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth. And God said, See, I have given you every seed-bearing plant that yields seed, which is upon all the earth, and every tree that has in it the fruit of seed that is sown; it shall be food for you, and for all the wild beasts of the earth and all the birds of heaven and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, which has in it the breath of life, every green plant for food. And it was so. And God saw all that he had made, and see, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their array. And on the sixth day God finished his works that he had made, and on the seventh day he rested from all his works that he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it he rested from all his works that God had begun to make.”
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The words in square brackets are supplied by the editor where the manuscript omits them.
- “On the sixth day God finished his works” is the Septuagint reading of Gen 2:2 (the Hebrew has “the seventh day”).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misprint: κυκτός for νυκτός (“night”); stray raised point in the digital text; wrong breathing and accent: ἥμερα for ἡμέρα): ἐκάλεσεν ὁ θεὸς· τὸ στερέωμα → ἐκάλεσεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα; ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς κυκτός, καὶ ἔστωσαν → ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς νυκτός, καὶ ἔστωσαν; εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς κυκτός → εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτός; ἥμερα ἕκτη → ἡμέρα ἕκτη.
Cite this passage
Theophilus, Autol. 2.11 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/2/11/).
Plain text
Theophilus, Autol. 2.11 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/2/11/).
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