Ψυχικὸς ἄνθρωπος
natural man
Translated by Marcelo Boeri3 Sep 2002Vetting: high12 revisions
Translation
And again: whenever we correctly perform a virtue, we are called “spiritual”. But whenever we are overturned and perform an action which is contrary [to virtue], [he] names us “dust” on account of our base nature. And the Prophet says, "He will afflict earth with a word of his mouth”;2 he is not talking about earth, but about sins. And again: “the whole earth became only one lip”;3 he is [again] speaking of sins. And Abraham, in disparaging himself, [says]: “I am dust and ashes”. 4 And again: “His entrails are despised in his life”; [in this case] he is making reference to the womb.5
Souls of those who die violently6 do not become demons, according to the opinion of the many, but those of sinners; their substance does not change but [their] choice imitates the vice of those [demons]. That is also what Jesus Christ used to say to the Jews: “you are of your father the devil”.7
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ψυχικὸς ἄνθρωπος· ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος. ὅταν μὲν οὖν πράττῃ τι τῶν τῷ θεῷ δοκούντων, πνευματικὸς λέγεται καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὀνομάζεται, ἀλλ' ἀφ' ἑτέρας μείζονος τιμῆς, τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐνεργείας. οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ ἡ ψυχὴ εἰς κατόρθωμα, εἰ μὴ ἀπολαύσοι τῆς τοῦ πνεύματος βοηθείας. ὥσπερ δὲ σαρκικὸς ἄνθρωπος λέγεται ὁ τῇ σαρκὶ δουλεύων, οὕτω ψυχικὸν καλεῖ ὁ Ἀπόστολος τὸν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις λογισμοῖς τὰ πράγματα ἐπιτρέποντα καὶ μὴ δεχόμενον τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν ἐνέργειαν. καὶ πάλιν· ὅταν μὲν κατορθώσωμεν ἀρετήν, πνευματικοὶ λεγόμεθα· ὅταν δὲ ὑποσκελισθῶμεν καὶ πράξωμέν τι ἐναντίον, ἀπὸ τῆς εὐτελοῦς φύσεως γῆν ἡμᾶς ὀνομάζει. καὶ ὁ Προφήτης, πατάξει, φησί, τὴν γῆν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ. οὐ περὶ γῆς λέγων, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. καὶ πάλιν· ἐγένετο πᾶσα ἡ γῆ χεῖλος ἕν· περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν λέγων. καὶ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἑαυτὸν ἐξευτελίζων· ἐγὼ δὲ εἰμὶ γῆ καὶ σποδός. καὶ πάλιν· ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ ἐξουδένωται τὰ ἐντόσθια αὐτοῦ. τὴν γαστέρα λέγων. ψυχαὶ τῶν βιοθανατούντων οὐ κατὰ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν δόξαν γίνονται δαίμονες, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων· οὐ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν μεταβαλλομένης, ἀλλὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως τὴν ἐκείνων μιμουμένης κακίαν. τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγε τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις· ὑμεῖς τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστέ.
Betacode
*yuxiko\s a)/nqrwpos: e)k yuxh=s kai\ sw/matos. o(/tan me\n ou)=n pra/tth| ti tw=n tw=| qew=| dokou/ntwn, pneumatiko\s le/getai kai\ ou)k a)po\ th=s yuxh=s o)noma/zetai, a)ll' a)f' e(te/ras mei/zonos timh=s, th=s a)po\ tou= pneu/matos e)nergei/as. ou) ga\r a)rkei= h( yuxh\ ei)s kato/rqwma, ei) mh\ a)polau/soi th=s tou= pneu/matos bohqei/as. w(/sper de\ sarkiko\s a)/nqrwpos le/getai o( th=| sarki\ douleu/wn, ou(/tw yuxiko\n kalei= o( *)apo/stolos to\n toi=s a)nqrwpi/nois logismoi=s ta\ pra/gmata e)pitre/ponta kai\ mh\ dexo/menon tou= pneu/matos th\n e)ne/rgeian. kai\ pa/lin: o(/tan me\n katorqw/swmen a)reth/n, pneumatikoi\ lego/meqa: o(/tan de\ u(poskelisqw=men kai\ pra/cwme/n ti e)nanti/on, a)po\ th=s eu)telou=s fu/sews gh=n h(ma=s o)noma/zei. kai\ o( *profh/ths, pata/cei, fhsi/, th\n gh=n tw=| lo/gw| tou= sto/matos au)tou=. ou) peri\ gh=s le/gwn, a)lla\ peri\ tw=n a(martiw=n. kai\ pa/lin: e)ge/neto pa=sa h( gh= xei=los e(/n: peri\ tw=n a(martiw=n le/gwn. kai\ o( *)abraa\m e(auto\n e)ceuteli/zwn: e)gw\ de\ ei)mi\ gh= kai\ spodo/s. kai\ pa/lin: e)n th=| zwh=| au)tou= e)coude/nwtai ta\ e)nto/sqia au)tou=. th\n gaste/ra le/gwn. yuxai\ tw=n bioqanatou/ntwn ou) kata\ th\n tw=n pollw=n do/can gi/nontai dai/mones, a)lla\ tw=n a(martano/ntwn: ou) th=s ou)si/as au)tw=n metaballome/nhs, a)lla\ th=s proaire/sews th\n e)kei/nwn mimoume/nhs kaki/an. tou=to kai\ o( *xristo\s e)/lege toi=s *)ioudai/ois: u(mei=s tou= patro\s u(mw=n tou= diabo/lou e)ste/.
Notes (7)
- 1The opposition is between the "spiritual" (
pneumatiko/s ) and the "carnal" (or "natural";yuxiko/s ) person (see pi 1823). The former is he who acts according to God's law, the latter he who follows his own lust and natural desires, and, accordingly, is under the rule of sin. See Paul, Romans 7:14: "the law is spiritual (pneumatiko/s ), but I am carnal (sarkiko/s ), sold under sin (a(marti/a )." See also 1 Corinthians 2:14, 15:44; cf. sigma 137, psi 166. ↩ - 2See the pseudepigraphal Psalms of Solomon, 17.35. In Greek the word for dust and earth is the same:
gh= ; cf. pi 779. ↩ - 3cf. Genesis 11:1: "the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech;" see also 11:6. ↩
- 4Genesis 18:27. ↩
- 5cf. Judges 9:38. ↩
- 6This paragraph derives from [John Chrysostom], In Lazarum 2 (PG 48.983A). ↩
- 7Gospel of John 8:44. ↩
Linked from4 entries
- π779Πατάξειwill strikeBut when the Prophet says, "he will strike the earth with the word of his mouth," he is not speaking about the earth, but about sins. As the [saying] "and the whole earth became one lip" [is] about sins. And Abraham…
- π1823Πνευματικὸς ἄνθρωποςspiritual manSearch under "natural [man]"
- σ137Σαρκικὸς ἄνθρωποςman of flesh, corporeal manSee under 'natural [man]'..
- ψ166Ψυχικόςnatural[Meaning] corporeal. And it also means the man brave of heart. Alexis [uses the word] in this way.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history12 revisions · last 27 Aug 2023
- Revised — Catharine Roth
- tweaked translation — Catharine Roth
- tweaked translation — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- added cross-reference — Catharine Roth
- added cross-references, deleted link — Catharine Roth
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- Added reference. — Marcelo Boeri
- augmented notes; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Added link — Patrick T. Rourke
- modified translation — Catharine Roth
- Translated — Marcelo Boeri