Pelagius

“ If any of you appear to be wise in this age, let him become foolish, so that he may be wise. This wisdom belonging to the world he censures, which is the human prudence that does not permit one to know the divine. ”

“ These Jews and gentiles who believed, come to see that it is the power of God, which conquered death and called men back to life, and the wisdom, which freed us from the dominion of the devil, which before through unbelief they were not able to understand. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than man. Because this foolishness of God precedes all human wisdom, which wisdom did not enable them to be saved through the mystery of the cross. And because His weakness is stronger than man. ”

“ Because those who do not have confidence in themselves are quick to believe. For the glory of the wise and the rich and the strong is always reproved, just as the prophet says: 'Let not the wise glory in their wisdom, nor the strong in their strength, nor the rich in their riches,' but the Lord Himself said this through the prophet, in the prophet himself giving us an example. ”

“ In temporal human wisdom you show little, but in the power of God, which is eternal, there is no little profit. 6 But a wisdom we speak before the perfect. Do not think we do not have wisdom, for we have the divine, but you were at that time able to take only the least of it, which now is revealed through faith. ”

“ If they pay back injury in kind, if they likewise should make themselves to be clean and wise, they become foolish: for in this world it is foolishness to wish to fill up the precepts of the good news: for the one who allows another to strike his jaw, is choosing foolishness, not by nature. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. No one is as foolish as the one who wishes, which he cannot do, to vindicate himself, and not reserving his injuries for God, and in this way destroying the vindication of his injuries before God and being open to punishment. ”

“ For the Spirit searches all things, even the high things of God. Now they rest in the things God consigned to be secret. 11 For who knows the things which are in a man, except the spirit who is in him? ”

“ For each one is that which is before God, not what is said or reckoned. 5 Thus you should not wish to judge before the time, till the Lord comes, who will bring to be visible in the light what is in darkness and manifest the intentions of the heart. 'For man sees the appearance, but God the heart.' And then each will receive his praise from God. ”

“ For some, born of poor mothers, refuse riches, while others who do not know their letters refute the wisdom of this age, with true surrender not resisting, but patiently upholding the cross, refusing to glory in human courage. Therefore, if they choose this form of humility, God gives them the various freedoms. That which is not, to destroy that which is. Those who are not wise, strong, or famous [noble] , to disperse those of such type. 27 So that no flesh might glory in the presence of God. All flesh, not spirit, whose glory is such of the flesh. ”

“ The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. They confer nothing of use for salvation [or wellness] . 21 That no one might glory in [a] man. Of course [not] in false apostles and much human wisdom, but not even in us, but in Whom we are and belong to, let there be glory. For all are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas. We are yours, but you are Christ's. Or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all things are yours,23 But you are Christ's. All things are created for those who are holy, who having nothing, have all. ”

“ That is truly to be praised which is praised by the testimony of God, before which all visible and invisible things are known. 6 But these things, brothers, I have transfigured in myself and Apollos for you, so that in us you may learn in us not to go beyond what is written, to be inflated one against another. So that by our humility you may take up the example, not to venture beyond the teachings of the scriptures, each one turned against the other by another inflating teacher, plundered by evil contentions. ”

“ We are workers in another's field, using another's tools: we have nothing of our own except the wages of our labours. 9 We are God's helpers: you are God's husbandry, God's building. Not potentially, but in truth we help tend God's field. ”

“ And the blessed one affirms: 'Therefore put from yourself all malice and hypocrisy, and in the manner of newborn infants, rational, and without guile, desire mil, so that you may grow in health.' Therefore if they are children who have put from themselves all malice, who are not yet perfect in virtue, how will he be rated who is dominated by all malice? For you are carnal. 3 For while you are in emulations and contentions and dissensions, are you not carnal? See in what the life of the carnal is judged to be, not being made common by the flesh, but descending to a carnal mind! ”

“ It is good for children to imitate their parents in all good things. 17 Therefore I sent Timothy to you, who is my dearest child and faithful in the Lord. He is as much more faithful than the others as he is dear. Who will recall to you my ways which are in Christ. Which recall to you both my letters and their example: for one without the other is not able to make progress [prodesse] . Just as in all places in all the churches I teach. In this way always and everywhere my example and doctrine agree. ”

“ That which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered the heart of man, that God has prepared for those who serve Him. Certainly it is a celebrated principle of the mind, that they not able to see, who are not willing to believe. Someone said well: Eyes did not see a virgin bear, nor did ears hear: 'Then will the righteous shine out as the sun: who has,' he says, 'ears to hear, let him ear,' and neither in the heart of man did it come that men would share the inheritance of Christ in the future. 10 But these things God has revealed to us through His Spirit. ”

“ He gave examples from these who had believed, so that he could show that there was no benefit in carnal boasting, but in fact injury, while prideful wisdom and fame [or nobility; lit. nobilitatis] inflamed men, they were not willing to be under the wisdom of God. How not many wise after the flesh, not many to strong, not many famous [or noble] . This is obliquely against those who claim to be more learned in the law and braver than the apostles, and more noble than those descended through the priesthood. ”

“ For we are foolish in that we uphold Christ in all things; but you wish in this way to be Christ's where you hold to the prudence of the age: we are infirm, because we do not want to be given a recompense; but you consider a great return to be your glory: we have nothing, voluntarily thrown down to poverty; you now vindicate earthly nobility. 11 All to this hour we are hungry and thirsty and we are naked and buffeted. From the start of our proclamation to the present time. And we are unstable. We do not stand on a firm foundation, but wherever the evangel requires to take us. ”

“ It may be asked from where this wisdom which God rejects comes: in Scripture it says that all wisdom is from the Lord God, that is, it comes in its beginning from good nature. For human faculties have the property, that wherever they are aimed they will then by practice little by little advance. This is illustrated by many illiterate men who write poems as exquisite as those which are by the most learned men and admired. ”

“ For they are foolishness [to him] , and he is not able to know, as they are discerned spiritually. These things appear foolish, first, that God was born and suffered and rose from death, second, to disregard one's own good, to turn the other cheek, and the other similar things of Christ's mandates. 15 But the spiritual judges all: but himself is judged by no one. He judges that to be nothing which the carnal man delights in, but he does not care about the judgment of anyone. ”

“ He truly expects the coming of Christ, who is prepared in everything: our Lord says His revealing is coming, but the mode of it is hidden from us. 8 Who will confirm you to the end, to be without reproach in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This doctrine, David also affirmed: 'Confirm me in Your Word,' and again, 'Much peace of they who diligently keep Your Law, and nothing shall offend them.' 9 God is faithful, through Whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. ”

“ In which we are made a spectacle to the world and angels and men. They see all our injuries publicly, both angels and men, both holy men and sinners. 10 We are foolish for Christ, but you are prudent in Christ. We are infirm, but you are strong: you are noble, but we are ignoble. ”

“ Because gold is stronger, he calls it better. There are three kinds which are on the contrary bad: bad, worse, and worst, which are compared to wood, hay, and stubble. 13 For the work he has done will be manifested: for the day of the Lord will manifest it, and it will be revealed in fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. Gold and silver not only do not burn, but radiate splendidly in fire: real wood and the others are burned. Or: he wished to compare the examination of judgement to fire, as is in Scripture customary. ”

“ This art is the art of building upon it, is granted to be less in work, that that which can lay a foundation. Not therefore should someone build upon the faith, but learned teachers, who are not able to build a wall [on it] alone, except to construct and to work. Gold, silver, gems to lay down, wood, hay, stubble. ”

“ The inexperienced architect is not able to put down a foundation. Another built on it. Another teacher instructed in addition to the faith which I laid as a foundation. Let each one look to how he builds upon it. With care let them build up a strong and straight lateral wall. 11 But another foundation no one can put down than that which is laid, which is Christ. One is not able to preach another Christ, other than Jesus, whose firmest faith you believe ”

“ He shows that those who form the church, you may know are holy any and stainless, because the church has neither stain nor wrinkle, and this idea he wrote to them to keep it intact, not to throw away that holiness. ”