The Manifestation of Sins and Good Works
And this is the word presenting the thoughts. Since he said above: do not quickly lay hands on anyone, nor share in the sins of others (1 Tim 5:24-25), now he tells the reason for which he said that. Not all sins are manifest; for many indeed sin while hiding it. He says therefore: judge by time; for what is able to escape notice today is reproved tomorrow, and of the sins, some are manifest, leading to the judgment of men—for all will know that they sin and judge themselves unworthy—but after these things, some that are otherwise behaving seem unable to be hidden. Since therefore things are thus concerning men, do not quickly lay hands on anyone, lest you should ever be found sinning in what was hidden and be brought forward unworthily and share in that fall with him.
Likewise, good works are also manifest. Concerning good works he said this only, that they cannot be hidden—he did not say that they escape notice—but concerning evil works, some are manifest, and some escape notice. Why? Because no one quickly hides the good; for he who does the truth comes toward the light, but he who does evil hides, desiring to escape notice. The godly and faithful master has quickly stood to receive the benefits and goodwill of the slave, and being good, he becomes appreciative toward him. In order that those who receive the benefits do so, instead of those who are sensitive toward rewarding.
Just as fire is produced from the friction of stone and wood, so impiety is generated from the gathering of the wicked (1 Tim 6:5). It is not simply said of the one giving life, but so that he may remind us that the one giving life and giving revival to each, and who will give the reward to each worthily according to the time of the resurrection, since he was about to command the keeping according to the faith (1 Tim 6:13). And he did not simply set down the word; for if everything gives life, it is evident that he will make the godly men worthy also of the resurrection in the common giving of life, and of those denying bodies, giving the revival. Therefore, about to command that which is to keep the unspotted commandment, he reminds us of the one giving life, so that the hope of that life may urge toward godliness. And it is to be noted that he said 'the one giving life to all things,' not so that we should think him gives life even to the soulless. Such is also the case that all things came through him; for not all things in general, but the things about which the word is.
As the creatures remain in immortality and incorruption according to his grace and will, and desiring participation from him, even if they have a little nature of immortality like the angels, since this belongs principally to him alone (1 Tim 6:16), because he is self-life and the constitution and the supply of all good of the existing things.
Greek
λόγος δὲ ὁ τὰ νοήματα παριστῶν. 1 Tim 5,24®25 Ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν ἄνω· χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει, μηδὲ κοινώνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις, νῦν τὴν αἰτίαν λέγει δι' ἣν εἶπεν ἐκεῖνο. οὐ πάντων φανερά ἐστι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα· πολλοὶ γὰρ καὶ κρύπτοντες ἁμαρτάνουσιν. λέγει οὖν· δοκίμαζε τῷ χρόνῳ· τὸ γὰρ σήμερον λαθεῖν δυνηθὲν αὔριον ἐλέγχεται καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὰ μὲν φανερά ἐστιν εἰς κρίσιν προάγοντα τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων– πάντες γὰρ ἴσασιν ὅτι ἁμαρτάνουσιν καὶ κρίνουσιν αὐτοὺς ἀναξίους–, τινὰ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα φαίνεται καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύναται. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν οὕτως ἔχει τὰ κατὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει, μή ποτε εὑρεθῇ εἰς τὸ λεληθὸς ἁμαρτάνων καὶ ἀναξίως προαχθῇ καὶ κοινωνήσῃς αὐτῷ τοῦ πταίσματος. Ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ καλὰ ἔργα πρόδηλά ἐστιν. ἐπὶ τῶν καλῶν ἔργων τοῦτο μόνον εἶπεν, ὅτι κρυβῆναι οὐ δύναται– οὐκ εἶπεν ὅτι λανθάνει–, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν κακῶν ἔργων τινὰ μὲν πρόδηλά ἐστιν, τινὰ δὲ λανθάνει. διὰ τί; ὅτι τὸ καλὸν ταχέως τις οὐ κρύπτει· ὁ γὰρ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ὁ δὲ κακοποιῶν κρύπτει λανθάνειν βουλόμενος. 1 Tim 6,2 Ὁ εὐλαβὴς καὶ πιστὸς δεσπότης ταχέως ἔστησε λαμβάνειν τῆς τοῦ δούλου εὐεργεσίας καὶ εὐνοίας, καὶ ὢν χρηστός, εὐγνώμων πρὸς αὐτὸν γίνεται. 341 Εἰς τὸ οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι, ἀντὶ τοῦ οἱ εὐαισθητοῦντες πρὸς τὸ ἀμείψασθαι. 1 Tim 6,5 Ὥσπερ ἐκ τῶν παρατρίψεων τοῦ τε λίθου καὶ τοῦ ξύλου πῦρ τίκτεται, οὕτως ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τῶν φαύλων ἡ ἀσέβεια γεννᾶται. 1 Tim 6,13 Οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἴρηται τοῦ ζωοποιοῦντος, ἀλλ' ἵνα ὑπομνήσῃ ὅτι ὁ ζωοποιῶν καὶ διδοὺς τὴν ἀναβίωσιν ἑκάστῳ, καὶ τὸν μισθὸν ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ ἄξιον κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἀναστάσεως, ἐπειδὴ τηρήσεως ἔμελλε παραγγέλλειν τῆς κατὰ τὴν πίστιν. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ ἔθηκε τὴν λέξιν· εἰ γὰρ τὰ πάντα ζωογονεῖ, δηλονότι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς ἀξιώσει καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως πρὸς τῇ κοινῇ ζωογονήσει, καὶ τῶν ἀποθνησκόντων σωμάτων τὴν ἀναβίωσιν διδούς. μέλλων οὖν παραγγέλλειν ἐφ' ᾧ τε τηρῆσαι τὴν ἐντολὴν ἄσπιλον, μνημονεύει τοῦ ζωογονοῦντος, ἵνα ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς ζωώσεως ἐκείνης προτρέψηται πρὸς εὐσέβειαν. ἐπισημαντέον δὲ ὅτι ζωογονοῦντος τὰ πάντα εἶπεν, οὐχ ἵνα καὶ τὰ ἄψυχα ζωογονεῖν αὐτὸν οἰηθῶμεν. τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο· οὐ γὰρ πάντως τὰ πάντα, ἀλλὰ περὶ ὧν ὁ λόγος. 1 Tim 6,16 Ὡς τῶν κτισμάτων κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ χάριν καὶ βούλημα μενόντων ἐν ἀθανασίᾳ καὶ ἀφθαρσίᾳ καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτοῦ μεθέξεως δεομένων, κἂν ἀθάνατον ἔλαχον φύσιν ὥσπερ οἱ ἄγγελοι, μόνου δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦτο κυρίως ὑπάρχοντος, ἐπειδήπερ ἐστὶν αὐτοζωὴ καὶ τῶν ὄντων ἁπάντων σύστασις καὶ χορηγία παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ.
About this text
Severian on Paul's first letter to Timothy: sound teaching, church order, and godliness.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 65 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.