EPISTLE ONE

 1. Your sacred Kindness’s letter was delivered to me in the desert. Though the persecution directed against us was indeed bitter, and a great search m

 2. To the Arians indeed this way of thinking is not strange. Having once denied the Word of God, they naturally say the same evil things against his S

 3. Where then do you find excuse for such audacity, so that you do not fear that which was spoken by the Lord, ‘Whosoever shall blaspheme against the

 4. Tell us, then, is there any passage in the divine Scripture where the Holy Spirit is found simply referred to as ‘spirit’ without the addition of ‘

 5. But do you answer the question which has been put to you whether anywhere in the divine Scripture you have found the Holy Spirit called simply ‘spi

 6. But inquire also about the contents of the Gospels and the writings of the Apostles, and you will hear how there also, inasmuch as there is a great

 7. See how the Holy Spirit is denoted in all divine Scripture ! Did you, then, notice anything of this kind in the prophet? The ‘spirit’ of which the

 8. Read the sacred Scriptures, and you will find ‘spirit’ used of the meaning which is in the divine words, as Paul writes: ‘Who also made us sufficie

 9. ‘But’, say they, ‘since the text makes mention of Christ, to be consistent we must take the spirit it speaks of to be none other than the Holy Spir

 10. Accordingly, if created spirit bears this meaning, we can appropriately take the thunder which is established to be the sure word and unshakable l

 11. What is this mighty folly of theirs? Once again, where in the Scriptures have they found the Spirit referred to as an angel? I am obliged to repea

 12. Moses too knew that the angels are creatures and that the Holy Spirit is united with the Son and the Father. For when God said to him, ‘Depart, go

 13. ‘But granting this,’ they say, ‘why did the Apostle after Christ make mention not of the Holy Spirit but of the elect angels?’ In like manner we m

 14. What will they say if they hear also the Lord saying: ‘There was in a certain place a judge who feared not God and regarded not man’? Because, aft

 15. Such, it seems to me, is the meaning of the divine oracles and it refutes the evil which these irrational men speak against the Spirit. But they,

 16. We ought therefore, as I said before, to be silent on these matters and to disregard these people. But lest our silence should furnish an excuse f

 17. For this reason too, it is madness to call him a creature. If he were a creature, he would not be ranked with the Triad. For the whole Triad is on

 18. Let them presume to tell us, as they have a glib answer to everything, how the heavens were formed, and from what material, and what is their comp

 19. Since, therefore, such an attempt is futile madness, nay, more than madness !, let no one ask such questions any more, or else let him learn only

 20. But if there is such co-ordination and unity within the holy Triad, who can separate either the Son from the Father, or the Spirit from the Son or

 21. But if, in regard to order and nature, the Spirit bears the same relation to the Son as the Son to the Father, will not he who calls the Spirit a

 22. The creatures came from nothing, having a beginning from which they came into being. For, ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth’

 23. He, therefore, who is not sanctified by another, nor a partaker of sanctification, but who is himself partaken, and in whom all the creatures are

 24. Further it is through the Spirit that we are all said to be partakers of God. For it says: ‘Know ye not that ye are a temple of God and that the S

 25. The Spirit, therefore, is distinct from the creatures, and is shown rather to be proper to the Son and not alien from God. As for that wise questi

 26. That the Spirit is above the creation, distinct in nature from things originated, and proper to the Godhead, can be seen from the following consid

 27. From what follows, also, we may see how the Holy Spirit is partaken and does not partake. (We must not mind repeating ourselves.) For, ‘It is impo

 28. But, beyond these sayings, let us look at the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave,

 29. Since then the Church has this foundation of faith, let these men tell us once again and let them make answer, Is God triad or dyad? If he is dyad

 30. Such absurdities meet you if you say God is dyad. But if he is triad, as indeed he is and if the Triad has been shown to be indivisible and consi

 31. This consideration also shows that the activity of the Triad is one. The Apostle does not mean that the things which are given are given different

 32. The divine Scriptures, then, consistently show that the Holy Spirit is not a creature, but is proper to the Word and to the Godhead of the Father.

 33. Dwelling as I do in a desert place, yet, because of their effrontery who have turned away from the truth, I have not heeded those who will be glad

 EPISTLE TWO—THREE

 2. This opinion of the Arians is indeed mortal and corruptible. But the argument of truth, which even they ought to ponder, runs like this: If God is

 3. When these points are thus proved, he is impious who says that the Son is a creature. For he will be compelled also to give the name of creature to

 4. Again, all things originate were not and have come into being. For, ‘He made the earth as nothing’ and, ‘Who calleth the things that are not as th

 5. Since these things are true and are written in Scripture, who does not recognize that, inasmuch as the Son has no likeness to the creatures but has

 6. In this way too we can refute the impiety of those who say that the Word of God is a creature. Our faith is in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as the

 7. But as they plead the passage in Proverbs, ‘The Lord created me, a beginning of his ways, for his works’, adding, ‘See, “He created” He is a creatu

 8. This character [of our faith] is from the Apostles through the Fathers. It remains that he who reads Scripture should examine and judge when it spe

 9. Then too there is that other saying, which is indeed well said, but by them ill understood—I mean: ‘Of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not ev

 Letter III. 1. Perhaps you will wonder why, when I was charged to abridge and briefly to explain the letter I had written concerning the Holy Spirit,

 2. These considerations are sufficient to dissuade anyone, be he never so contentious, from continuing to call the Spirit of God a creature, who is in

 3. Again, the Holy Spirit is called, and is, unction and seal. For John writes: ‘And as for you, the unction which ye received of him abideth in you,

 4. This the Apostle knows when he says: ‘All these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally, even as he will’ and a little

 5. As it is thus written, it is clear that the Spirit is not a creature, but takes part in the act of creation. The Father creates all things through

 6. Assuredly, when he prayed for the Corinthians, he prayed in the Triad, saying: ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the comm

 7. In these terms the Catholic faith is expressed. But as for those who speak evil of the Spirit and call him a creature, if what we have said does no

 Epistle Four

 2. Who, when he hears these things, will still regard them as Christians, and not rather as pagans? For such things the pagans say against us in conve

 3. Once again, in the following way also, it is just for you to be questioned from the questions you ask. If the prophets speak in the Spirit of God,

 4. Thus the Spirit is not a creature but proper to the essence of the Word and proper to God in whom he is said to be. Once more, we must not shrink f

 5. These things being thus proved, he must be mad who asks, Is the Spirit also a son? But neither let any man, because this is not written, separate h

 6. For if you ask, Is the Spirit then a son?, since by our showing he is not a creature so must you ask, Is the Son then a father?, for you have

 7. These things are sufficient to refute your foolish speech. Mock no more at the Godhead. For it is the part of those who mock to ask the questions w

5. But do you answer the question which has been put to you whether anywhere in the divine Scripture you have found the Holy Spirit called simply ‘spirit’, without the above-mentioned addition and apart from the qualification we have recorded. You cannot answer it! For you will not find it so in Scripture. But it is written in Genesis, ‘And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.’ And a little later, ‘My Spirit shall not abide among these men, for they are flesh.’ In Numbers, Moses says to the son of Nun, ‘Be not jealous for me. Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, when the Lord bestows his Spirit upon them !’ In Judges it is said of Gothoniel: ‘And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel.’ And again: ‘The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah.’ And concerning Samson: ‘The child grew’, it says, ‘and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to accompany him,’ and, ‘The Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily.’ David sings: ‘Take not thy Holy Spirit from me’; and again, in the one hundred and forty-second Psalm: ‘Thy good Spirit shall lead me in a plain country, for thy name’s sake, O Lord.’ In Isaiah it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me.’ And before this it was said: ‘Woe to you, rebellious children ! Thus saith the Lord: You took counsel, but not from me, and made covenants, but not through my Spirit, to add sins to sins.’ And again: ‘Hear these things. From the beginning, I have not spoken in secret. When it was, I was there. And now the Lord hath sent me, and his Spirit.’ A little later he speaks thus: ‘And this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, My Spirit which is upon thee’; and again in what follows he adds: ‘Neither envoy nor angel, but the Lord himself saved them, because he loved them and had mercy on them; he himself redeemed them and took them up and exalted them all the days of the age. But they were disobedient and provoked his Holy Spirit, and he was turned to enmity toward them.’ And Ezekiel speaks thus: ‘And the Spirit took me up and brought me to the land of the Chaldaeans, to the Captivity, in a vision, by the Spirit of God.’ In Daniel: ‘God raised up the Holy Spirit of a young man whose name was Daniel, and he cried with a loud voice, I am clear from the blood of this woman.’ Micah says: ‘The house of Jacob provoked the Spirit of the Lord’; and by Joel, God says: ‘And it shall be after these things that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.’ Again, through Zechariah the voice of God says: ‘But receive my words and my commandments which I charge by my Spirit to my servants the prophets’; and when the prophet rebukes the people a little farther on, he says: ‘They make their hearts disobedient, lest they should hear my law and the words which the Lord of hosts has sent by his Spirit in the hands of the prophets of old.’ These few examples we have collected and set down from the Old Testament.

Ὑμεῖς δὲ εἴπατε τὸ προταθὲν ὑμῖν, εἰ εὑ ρήκατέ που τῆς θείας Γραφῆς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον λεγόμενον ἁπλῶς Πνεῦμα, χωρὶς τῆς προειρημένης ἐπ' αὐτῷ προσθήκης, καὶ πλὴν τῆς παρατηρήσεως ἧς γε ἐμνημονεύσαμεν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν εἴποιτε· οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσετε γεγραμμένον. Ἀλλ' ἐν μὲν τῇ Γενέσει γέ γραπται, «Καὶ Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος·» καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· «Οὐ μὴ καταμείνῃ τὸ Πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις, διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας·» ἐν δὲ τοῖς Ἀριθμοῖς λέγει Μωϋσῆς πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ, «Μὴ ζηλοῖς σὺ ἐμέ· καὶ τίς ἂν δῷ τὸν λαὸν Κυρίου προφήτας, ὅταν δῷ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ' αὐτούς,» Καὶ ἐν τοῖς Κριταῖς ἐπὶ μὲν Γοθονιήλ· «Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπ' αὐτὸν Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, καὶ ἔκρινε τὸν Ἰσραήλ.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Ἰεφθάε Πνεῦμα Κυρίου.» Περὶ δὲ Σαμψών· «Ἡδρύνθη, φησὶ, τὸ παιδάριον καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτὸ Κύριος·» Καὶ, «Ἤρξατο Πνεῦμα Κυρίου συνεκπορεύεσθαι αὐτῷ·» Καὶ, «Ἥλατο ἐπ' αὐτὸν Πνεῦμα Κυρίου.» Καὶ ὁ μὲν ∆αβὶδ ψάλλει· «Τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἅγιον μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ·» Καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ τετταρακοστῷ δευτέρῳ ψαλ μῷ· «Τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁδηγήσει με ἐν γῇ εὐθείᾳ, ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου, Κύριε, ζήσεις με.» Ἐν δὲ τῷ Ἡσαΐᾳ γέγραπται· «Πνεῦμα Κυρίου ἐπ' ἐμὲ, οὗ εἵνεκεν ἔχρισέ με.» Ἐλέγετο δὲ πρὸ τούτου· «Οὐαὶ, τέκνα ἀποστάται. Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Ἐποιήσατε βουλὴν οὐ δι' ἐμοῦ, καὶ συνθήκας οὐ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου, προσθεῖναι ἁμαρτίας ἐφ' ἁμαρτίαις·» καὶ πάλιν· «Ἀκούσατε ταῦτα· Οὐκ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ἐν κρυφῇ λελάληκα· ἡνίκα ἐγένετο, ἐκεῖ ἤμην· καὶ νῦν Κύριος ἀπέστειλέ με, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ.» Μετ' ὀλίγα δὲ οὕτω φησί· «Καὶ αὕτη αὐτοῖς ἡ παρ' ἐμοῦ διαθήκη, εἶπε Κύριος, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἐμὸν, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ σοί·» καὶ αὖθις ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς ἐπιφέρει λέγων· «Οὐ πρέσβυς, οὐδὲ ἄγγελος, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἔσωσεν αὐτοὺς, διὰ τὸ ἀγαπᾷν αὐτοὺς, καὶ φείδεσθαι αὐτῶν· αὐτὸς ἐλυτρώσατο αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀνέλαβεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ ὕψωσεν αὐτοὺς πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ αἰῶνος· αὐτοὶ δὲ ἠπείθησαν, καὶ παρώξυναν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐστράφη αὐτοῖς εἰς ἔχθραν.» Ἰεζεχιὴλ δὲ οὕτω λέγει· «Καὶ ἀνέλαβέ με Πνεῦμα, καὶ ἤγαγέ με εἰς γῆν Χαλδαίων εἰς τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἐν ὁράσει, ἐν Πνεύματι Θεοῦ.» Ἐν δὲ τῷ ∆ανιήλ· «Ἐξήγειρεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον παιδαρίου νεωτέρου, ᾧ ὄνομα ∆ανιὴλ, καὶ ἀν εβόησε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· Καθαρὸς ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος ταύτης.» Καὶ ὁ μὲν Μιχαίας φησίν· «Οἶκος Ἰακὼβ παρώξυνε Πνεῦμα Κυρίου.» Καὶ διὰ τοῦ Ἰωὴλ ὁ Θεός φησι· «Καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα, καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα.» Καὶ διὰ τοῦ Ζαχαρίου δὲ πάλιν, Θεοῦ φωνή ἐστι λέγοντος· «Πλὴν τοὺς λόγους μου καὶ τὰ νόμιμά μου δέχεσθε, ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ἐν Πνεύματί μου τοῖς δούλοις μου, τοῖς προφήταις.» Ὅτε καὶ αἰτιώμενος ὁ προ φήτης τὸν λαὸν, μετ' ὀλίγα ἔλεγε· «Καὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἔταξαν ἀπειθῆ τοῦ μὴ εἰσακούειν τοῦ νόμου μου, καὶ τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἐξαπέστειλε Κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἐν Πνεύματι αὐτοῦ ἐν χερσὶ τῶν προφητῶν τῶν ἔμπροσθεν.» Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐκ τῶν Παλαιῶν ἀναλέξαντες, εἰρήκαμεν ὀλίγα.