Ἄγγελος
angel
Translated by William Hutton16 Oct 2000Vetting: high9 revisions
Translation
The angels are circumscribed only by the comprehension of the intellect; not in space, nor in body, nor in time; for they came into existence before the sun.1 Scripture calls the servants of retribution "evil angels," just as it calls the day of retribution an "evil day";2 and it calls the bitter retributions "wrath and anger and affliction" in the hands of God.3 For it does not say that it is [their] nature or preference.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ἄγγελος· οἱ ἄγγελοι μόνοι τῇ τοῦ νοὸς καταλήψει εἰσὶ περιγραπτοὶ, οὔτε δὲ ἐν τόπῳ, οὐδὲ ἐν σώματι, οὐδὲ ἐν χρόνῳ· πρὸ γὰρ τοῦ ἡλίου ἡ γένεσις αὐτῶν. ἀγγέλους πονηροὺς τοὺς τῆς τιμωρίας ὑπουργοὺς ἡ γραφὴ καλεῖ· ὥσπερ ἡμέραν πονηρὰν τὴν τῆς τιμωρίας. ὀργὴν δὲ καὶ θυμὸν καὶ θλίψιν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ τὰς πικρὰς τιμωρίας καλεῖ. οὐ γὰρ φύσιν οὐδὲ προαίρεσίν φησιν.