Homily Delivered in the Church of Cyrinus
God's will for humanity and the adversary's plot§1
Cyril is opening his homily by stating the lemma from Isaiah and then beginning his narrative about God's intention for humanity and the adversary's opposition.
1The God of all things, since he is life and life-giving, willed that humanity be an incorruptible living creature on earth, even though its nature is corruptible. But the adversary, because he was wicked and envious, plotted against the human race. He was opposing the will of the Creator. He cunningly brought humanity down into disobedience, knowing that through it humanity would fall into death.
Greek · §1
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Heading and lemma of the homily§2
This is the title and opening lemma of Cyril's homily, introducing the Isaiah text he will interpret.
2Of the same, from a homily delivered in the church of Cyrinus on the thirteenth of the month Phamenoth according to the Egyptians, in which he interprets the saying of Isaiah which says: "Death swallowed, having prevailed, and again" (Isaiah 25:8).
Greek · §2
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God's will for an incorruptible humanity§3
Cyril has just quoted Isaiah 25:8 and now begins to explain it by describing God's original intention for the human race.
3God removed every tear from every face (Isaiah 25:8). For the God of all things, inasmuch as he is life and life-giving, willed that the human being should be an incorruptible living creature on earth, even if he is of a corruptible nature.
Greek · §3
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The adversary's plot against humanity§4
The homilist has just stated God's will that humanity be incorruptible, and now turns to the unnamed adversary who opposed that will.
4But he, since he was wicked and envious, plotted against the race, was opposing the will of the Creator, and cunningly brought it down into disobedience, knowing that through it it would fall into death.
Greek · §4
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