Fragments on John

Fragmenta in Joannem§1

1In this, the Savior himself refutes a lawless doctrine. For some thinking souls sinning for the sake of retribution from heaven to be sent into a body, and sometimes the body's soul existing beforehand, and sometimes for the sake of sins of the household to be knit with bodies, and then to be able to have the woman in the belly, when a soul sins, cutting off this error, the Christ being asked said: Neither this one sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God might be revealed.

The text is a fragment of a larger work, likely a homily or commentary on the Gospel of John, specifically addressing the question of why a person suffers or is born into a state of sin.

Greek · §1

Fragmenta in Joannem Jo , 3 Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ ἀνέτρεπεν αὐτὸς ὁ σωτὴρ δόγμα παράνομον. ὑπονοούντων γάρ τινων ψυχὰς ἁμαρτανούσας ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τιμωρίας ἕνεκεν εἰς σῶμα πέμπεσθαι καί ποτε μὲν καθ' ἑαυτὴν προϋπάρχουσαν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ σώματος <μένειν>, ποτὲ δὲ οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων χάριν σώμασι συμπλέκεσθαι καὶ τότε κατὰ γαστρὸς ἔχειν τὴν γυναῖκα δύνασθαι ὅτε τις ψυχὴ ἁμαρτάνῃ, ἀναιρῶν τὴν τοιαύτην πλάνην ἐρωτηθεὶς ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν· οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα θεοῦ. 1

Refutation of a Wrong Doctrine§2

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2In this, the Savior himself was overturning an unlawful doctrine, for certain people were supposing that sinning souls are sent from heaven for the sake of punishment into a body, and that the soul sometimes pre-existed the body…

Greek · §2

Fragmenta in Joannem Jo , 3 Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ ἀνέτρεπεν αὐτὸς ὁ σωτὴρ δόγμα παράνομον. ὑπονοούντων γάρ τινων ψυχὰς ἁμαρτανούσας ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τιμωρίας ἕνεκεν εἰς σῶμα πέμπεσθαι καί ποτε μὲν καθ' ἑαυτὴν προϋπάρχουσαν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ σώματος

Remaining in the Body§3

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3To remain in the body sometimes because of one's own sins, and to be entwined with bodies, and then to have a wife when the soul sins, destroying such a thing…

Greek · §3

<μένειν>, ποτὲ δὲ οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων χάριν σώμασι συμπλέκεσθαι καὶ τότε κατὰ γαστρὸς ἔχειν τὴν γυναῖκα δύνασθαι ὅτε τις ψυχὴ ἁμαρτάνῃ, ἀναιρῶν τὴν τοιαύτην

Christ's Answer§4

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4When asked about the blindness, Christ said that neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that it was so that God's works may be revealed.

Greek · §4

πλάνην ἐρωτηθεὶς ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν· οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα θεοῦ. 1