Беседа XXVI

“And God will remember Noah, and all the beasts, and all the cattle, and all the birds, and every creeping thing, 200 that he was with him in the ark: and God brought spirit upon the earth, and the water ceased” (Gen. 8:1). 1. The words now read reveal the great and unspeakable love and immeasurable goodness that God shows not only to this rational animal, i.e. to humans, but also to all dumb animals. Being the Creator of everything, He extends His goodness to all His creatures, showing us in every possible way how great care He has for the human race, and that from time immemorial and from the beginning He did everything for our salvation. So, whether He beats or punishes, He does both out of the same goodness. He inflicts punishments not out of passion and anger, but out of a desire to stop wickedness so that it does not spread very far. And now, as you hear, He brought the flood not out of anything other than out of concern for those who had given themselves over to such great wickedness. What kind of concern, you say, is there in the fact that everyone died under water? Do not speak rashly, man, but with a humble mind accept what the Lord has done and then you will know how much care there is even in this. To tear away from sin incorrigible sinners, who daily inflict new wounds on themselves and make their ulcers incurable - didn’t this mean showing the greatest care? And isn’t the very form of punishment full of humanity? In fact, people, who should have repaid their debt to nature anyway, lose their lives as punishment, but so easily that they don’t even feel it, and they endure the punishment without pain and torment: what wisdom and goodness this reveals! Moreover, if we consider with a pious mind the very consequences of the event, i.e., that it was not only beneficial for those punished, but also brought two greatest benefits to subsequent generations (by inspiring them not to indulge in the same iniquities and, looking at such an example, to become more chaste), then what gratitude should we give to God for the fact that the descendants were admonished by the punishment of these people and the fear of being subjected to the same fate, and the leaven of all wickedness and vice was destroyed, and not a single teacher of sin and evil was left for them (descendants)? Do you see how even the very punishments sent by God are more beneficial deeds and especially prove His care for the human race? And if anyone wants to trace this subject from the very beginning (of human existence), he will find that God, for this very purpose, sent all punishments to sinners. So, when he transgressed, God expelled Adam from Paradise, not only to punish him, but also to do him a favor. What kind of benefit, you say, is it to lose the life of heaven? Do not look superficially at events, beloved, and do not hastily judge the works of God, but penetrate into the depth of His great goodness, and you will find that everything is done by Him for this purpose. Tell me, what would Adam not have come to if he had enjoyed the same benefits even after his crime? If, after so many promises, he allowed himself to be carried away by the deception of the serpent and accepted the evil advice of the devil, who puffed him up with the hope of being equal with God and plunged him into the sin of disobedience, then even if, after committing this sin, he remained in the same dignity and home, would he not even more have considered this evil demon worthy of greater faith than the Creator of all things, and would he not have dreamed more appropriately about himself? Such is human nature: when it commits sins, it is not curbed, but enjoys freedom, then it goes further and further and falls into the abyss. However, I can prove in another way that God commanded Adam to leave Paradise and subjected him to the punishment of death, wanting to show His love for mankind: by expulsion from Paradise and settlement near it, He made him more prudent and cautious for the future, having convinced him by experience of the deceitfulness of the seducer. And he subjected him to the punishment of death so that he, having become guilty of sin through disobedience, would not sin indefinitely. So, isn’t it clear to you that all this - both expulsion from Paradise and punishment by death - was a matter of the greatest love for mankind? I can add something else. What exactly? The fact is that, by subjecting Adam to this punishment, God did not stop its beneficial consequences on him alone, but wanted his descendants to understand his fate. In fact, if even after this the son of Adam, Cain, although he had before his eyes the expulsion of his father from Paradise, the loss of that unspeakable glory, and that terrible curse that uttered: “You are earth, and to earth you shall return” (Gen. 3:19), and despite this did not come to his senses, but fell into the gravest sin, then to what frenzy would he not have reached if he had not known what had happened to his father? And what is especially surprising is that when punishing this great sinner, who desecrated his hand with a vile murder, the Lord combined punishment with love for mankind. 2. And so that you may know the greatness of God’s goodness from what happened to Cain, the Lord, when Cain sinned against Him, and, having decided to make a sacrifice, showed great negligence, i.e. did not make the proper choice, but simply brought what happened, (the Lord) did not say anything unpleasant or reproachful to him for this, although it was not an unimportant sin, but a very great one. Indeed, if those who want to honor people like themselves concede to them the first and best and try to present what they honor most dearly, then how could Cain, who was a man and made a sacrifice to God, not have offered the best and most precious? But, although he sinned so gravely and showed such negligence, God did not exact from him or punish him for this, but very meekly talks with him, as with each other, saying to him: “You have sinned, be silent” (Gen. 4:7). He only pointed out his sin and advised him not to extend further. Do you see what extraordinary goodness! Moreover, when he not only did not take advantage of such leniency, but added an even greater sin to the previous one and attempted to kill his brother, then God still shows him great patience, which is why he asks him in advance and gives him an opportunity for justification; when he remained stubborn, then, for his admonition, he subjects him to punishment, however, one that was dissolved by love. Do you see how God forgave Cain when he committed a sin against Him, and a serious sin; when he raised his hand against his brother, then subjected him to condemnation and curse? This is what we will do now, imitating our Lord: we will forgive sins committed against us and show mercy to those who have offended us; when sin is committed against God, then let us be exacting. But I don’t know how we do everything on the contrary - in relation to sins committed against God, we are not at all exacting, and when even a small insult is done to us, then we strictly reprimand and reproach, not thinking that in this way we irritate the merciful Lord even more against ourselves. And that God usually forgives our sins against Him, and strictly punishes for sins against our neighbor, listen to Blessed Paul, who says: “If a man has an unfaithful wife, let him not leave her; and if a man is pleased to have an unfaithful husband, let him not leave him” (1 Cor. 7:12-13). See what condescension! Let your husband be a pagan, an unbeliever, but if he wants to live with you, do not leave him. And again: let, he says, your wife be a pagan, an unbeliever, but if she wants to live with you, do not reject her. “What is it,” he says, “why, wife, how can you save your husband? Or what shall you say to the husband, if you have saved his wife” (1 Cor. 7:16)? See how God does not prevent you from accepting into lawful cohabitation a husband or wife who does not believe in Him. Listen now to what Christ himself says to the disciples: “I say to you, that everyone who puts away his wife, except with the word of an adulterer, commits adultery” (Matthew 5:32). Extraordinary grace! Let, he says, your wife be a pagan or an unbeliever - if she wants to live with you, do not separate from her; but if she sins against you and, forgetting her marital vows, prefers others to you, you are allowed to reject and drive her away. Thinking about this, we will also try to repay the Lord for His favor towards us and, just as He willingly forgives sins committed against Him, and avenges sins against us, and with great severity, so we will do the same: no matter what our neighbors sin against us, we will forgive everything; on the contrary, we will try to strictly punish for sins against God. This will bring us the greatest benefit, and will do a lot of good to those who accept the correction. Perhaps our introduction today has become too lengthy. What should I do? I did not do this intentionally, but because I was carried away by the flow of the word. Since our whole conversation is about the flood, we had to prove to your love that the punishments sent from God are rather actions of His love for mankind than punishments; so is this flood. The Lord, like a loving father, does everything out of concern for our family. But in order to know the greatness of His love from the reading offered to us today, let us listen to the very words of Divine Scripture. Yesterday, blessed Moses told us that “the waters rose above the earth for an hundred and fifty days” (Gen. 7:24); here our teaching stopped; today he says: “And God will remember Noah, and all the beasts, and all the livestock, and all the birds, and every creeping thing that creeps, who were with him in the ark” (Gen. 8:1). 3. Look here too, what condescension of Divine Scripture! “And I will remember,” he says, “God.” Let us, beloved, understand these words in a Godly manner, and not in the crude sense in which our weak nature tends to understand them. This expression - “I will remember”, in relation to the ineffable being of God, is unworthy, but in the discussion of our weakness it is used decently. “I will remember,” he says, “the God of Noah.” Above, the Scripture told us, as we have already explained to your love, that for forty days and the same number of nights it rained, and for one hundred and fifty days the water, rising fifteen cubits higher than the mountains, stood at the same height, and that while this was happening, the righteous man was in the ark, not being able to even breathe (fresh) air, because all the dumb animals were with him. Therefore it now says: “And God will remember Noah.” What does “remember” mean? He had mercy, i.e. God is over the righteous man who lived in the ark; took pity on him when he was in such a cramped and difficult situation and did not know how his misfortunes would end. In fact, think about what thoughts he was worried about after forty days and forty nights, in which the water increased greatly, when he saw that for one hundred and fifty days it stood at the same height and did not decrease at all; and what is even more painful is that he could not even, being imprisoned in the ark, look with his own eyes at what had happened, and from this inability to see for himself the disasters that befell him, he suffered even greater sorrow, and every day he feared greater misfortunes. As for me, I am surprised that he has not yet fallen under the burden of despondency, thinking about the destruction of the human race, and about his own loneliness, and about the difficult life in the ark. But the reason for all the good things was his faith in God, for which he endured and endured everything complacently, and, fueled by hope, did not feel any trouble. So, since Noah did everything on his part - showed great faith and showed strong courage and patience, then look how great the love of the all-good God is for him. “And God will remember Noah.” It is not without reason that the Divine Scripture said: “and I will remember”; but since it showed us above the testimony of the righteous of God himself, who said: “Go down... into the ark, for I have seen you righteous in this generation” (Gen. 7:1), therefore now he says: “And God will remember Noah,” i.e. He remembered the testimony that He Himself made about him, and did not leave the righteous man unattended for long, but after hesitating until he could bear it, he finally granted him His grace. Thus, knowing the weakness of our nature, the Lord, if at any time He allows us to fall into any temptation, He allows it to continue only as long as we, as He knows, can bear it, so that after that He can give us an appropriate reward for patience, and show His own love for mankind, as Paul says about this: “But God is faithful, who will not leave you to be tempted more than you can, but will create an abundance with temptation, that I may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Since this righteous man also showed firmness and patience, enduring his stay in the ark by faith in God, then “I will remember,” it is said, “the God of Noah.” Then, so that you might know the abyss of His love, the Divine Scripture added: “And all the beasts, and all the livestock, and all the birds, and all the creeping things that creep, were with him in the ark.” See how He does everything to honor man! When people died from the flood, He destroyed all the dumb animals with them: so now, wanting to show His love for the righteous man, in honor of him, He extends His goodness to dumb animals, and to animals, and to birds, and to reptiles. “And I will remember,” he says, “the God of Noah, and all the beasts, and all the livestock, and every creeping thing, and the tree that ran with him in the ark: and God brought spirit upon the earth, and the water ceased.” Remembering, he says, Noah and those who were with him on the ark, God commanded the flow of water to stop, so that He could gradually show His love for mankind and finally give the righteous man relief, calm him down, freeing him from the excitement of his thoughts and allowing him to enjoy the light and breathe the air. “And God,” he says, “brought spirit upon the earth, and the water ceased.” And the fountains of the deep and the abysses of the heavens were closed” (Gen. 8:1–2). Look how (Scripture) speaks to us about everything in a human way. “The springs of the abyss and the abysses of heaven were closed,” he says, “and the rain was kept back (from) 202 the heavens.” As if it were to say: the Lord willed, and the water returned to its place; it no longer multiplied, but gradually decreased. “And the waters that came up from the earth receded, and the waters subsided for an hundred and fifty days” (Gen. 8:3). What mind can ever comprehend this? Let it be so - the rain stopped, the springs no longer poured out water and the abyss of heaven were closed, but how did such great water come down? Everything was an abyss: how did such a great abundance of water suddenly begin to decrease? Who can explain this with the human mind? What can I say? Everything was done according to God's command. 4. We will not explore how it happened, but we will only believe that (God) commanded, and the abyss rose high; commanded, and she stopped in her quest and returned to her place, which is known only to the Lord himself, who created her. “And the ark sat,” it is said, “in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. The waters... diminished 203 even until the tenth month: and the mountains appeared in the tenth month, on the first day of the month 204" (Gen. 8:4-5). See how suddenly a change took place, and how much water subsided, so that the ark sat on the mountains. Above, the Scripture said that the water rose fifteen cubits above the mountains, and now it says that “the ark sat on the mountains of Ararat,” and that after that the water gradually decreased until the tenth month, and in the tenth month the tops of the mountains already appeared. Think about the strength of the righteous man, that he could withstand so many months, as if imprisoned in darkness. “And it came to pass after forty days that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made, and saw the messenger of the raven, and the waters had given way” (Gen. 8:6-7). Look, the righteous man does not yet dare to look for himself, but he sent out a raven to find out through him whether any favorable change could be expected. “And the raven went out,” it is said, “and did not return until the water dried up from the earth” (Gen. 8:7). Divine Scripture added “dondezhe” here, not because the raven subsequently returned to the ark, but because it is characteristic of such a use of this expression. Indeed, we can find this use in many places (Scriptures), which I could point out to you now; but, so that you do not become careless, learning everything from us, we leave you to examine the Scripture yourself and find where it uses such features. And now we need to show the reason why this bird did not return to the ark. Perhaps this unclean bird remained (outside the ark) because after the sale of water it saw the corpses of people and animals and in them found food akin to itself - and this itself served as an important basis for the righteous man to hope for a favorable change. If it had not been so, if the raven had not found any food for himself, then he would have returned to the ark. And that this is so is evident from the fact that the righteous man, having after this good hope, releases a dove, a meek and inquisitive bird, which shows special kindness and does not like to eat anything other than seeds, because it belongs to the breed of pure birds. “And the messenger,” it is said, “saw the dove from itself 205, even though the waters had receded from the face of the earth” (Gen. 8:8). “And the dove 206 having not found rest for her feet, returned to him in the ark, as there was water on all the face of the earth” 207 (Gen. 8:9). Here the question arises: why the Holy Scripture, having said above that “the mountains appeared” (Gen. 8:5), now says that the dove, not finding rest, returned to Noah in the ark, “like water flowing over all the face of the earth.” Let us read these words carefully and find out the reason. The Scripture did not just say: not “having found peace,” but added: “his feet,” in order to show us that although the water had partially subsided and the tops of the mountains appeared, however, these same peaks, from the flood, were still covered with mud or filled with liquid silt. That is why the dove could neither sit anywhere nor find food native to itself and returned to the ark, thereby letting the righteous understand that there was still a lot of water on the earth. “And he stretched out his hand 208, received you, and brought you into the ark.” Do you see how grateful this bird is, how by its return to the ark and its presence there it inspired the righteous man to endure a few more? Therefore, “and having delayed,” it is said, “another seven days 209, she sent a dove out of the ark” (Gen. 8:10). “And the dove returned to him in the evening, having an olive branch... in his mouth” (Gen. 8:11). The word “in the evening” is used here not simply and not without a purpose, but so that we know that the dove spent the whole day (outside the ark) and, having found food similar to itself, returned in the evening, with an olive branch in its mouth. This is such an animal - meek, always loving to be in community: that is why it returned to the ark and in the olive branch brought great consolation to the righteous. But maybe someone will say: where did the dove find the olive branch? Everything was the work of God’s Providence, both the fact that the branch was found, and the fact that the dove took it into its mouth and returned with it to the righteous man; and on the other hand, it is known that this (oil) tree is always green, and, probably, after the water subsided, it still had leaves on it. “And having delayed,” it is said, “another seven days,... he sent 210 a dove, and did not return to him afterwards” (Gen. 8:12). See how the righteous receives sufficient comfort from everything. Just as upon the return of the dove with an olive branch in its mouth, he had a pleasant hope, so now the non-return of the released dove served as the most convincing proof for him that she had found complete peace for herself, and that the water had completely disappeared. And to be convinced of the justice of this, listen to what follows. “And it came to pass,” it is said, “in the first and six hundredth year of the life of Noah,... of the first month 211, the water dried up from the face of the earth: and Noah opened the covering of the ark which he had made, and he saw that the water dried up from the face of the earth” (Gen. 8:13). 5. Here too I am involuntarily surprised and amazed at both the virtue of the righteous man and the love of the Lord for mankind. How, in fact, tell me, after such a long time coming out into the air and raising his gaze to the sky, he did not become blind and lose his sight? You know well that this is exactly what usually happens to people who, after spending even a short time in dark and gloomy places, suddenly want to look at the bright light (of the sun). But this righteous man, having spent a whole year and so many months in the ark, as if in a prison, and now, suddenly emerging into the full light, did not tolerate anything like that. This is because the grace of God, as a reward for his patience, strengthened his bodily feelings and made them inaccessible to bodily infirmities. “And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was broken up” (Gen. 8:14). It is not without reason that the Divine Scripture shows such thoroughness, but so that we know that the year in which the patience of the righteous was revealed and the cleansing of the whole earth was accomplished was fulfilled, even to a single day. Then, when the whole creation was, as it were, washed from uncleanness, throwing off all the filth that the wickedness of people had produced on it, and its face became bright, then God commands the righteous man to come out of the ark and frees him from this terrible prison. “The Lord God said to Noah: go 212 you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And bring with you all the wild animals and fir, and all flesh, from birds even to cattle, and every creeping thing that moves on the earth, and they will grow and multiply on the earth” (Gen. 8:15-17). Look at the goodness of God, how He comforts the righteous in every possible way. Since the Lord commanded Noah and his sons, and his wife and the wives of his sons, and all the animals to leave the ark, so that this too would not again bring great despondency upon him and would not disturb him with the thought of how he would live on such a vast land as in the desert, alone, without other people, (God), having said: “come out of the ark and take everything with you,” added: “And grow and multiply on the earth.” See how this righteous man again receives the blessing that Adam received before the crime. Just as he, immediately after his creation, heard: “And I, God, blessed, saying: grow and multiply, ... and rule the earth” (Gen. 1:28), so this one now: “grow and multiply on the earth,” because just as Adam was the beginning and root of all who lived before the flood, so this righteous man becomes, as it were, leaven, the beginning and root of all after the flood. From here the structure of human society begins, and all nature receives its beauty - the earth, which is excited to bear fruit, and all other creatures that are created to serve man. “And Noah,” it says, “and his wife, and his sons, and his sons’ wives with him, and all the beasts, and all the cattle, and all the birds, and every creeping thing that moveth upon the earth after their kind, came out of the ark” (Gen. 8:18-19). By command, i.e. Lord, Noah, having accepted the blessing that said: “grow and multiply,” left the ark with everyone who was there. And in all the earth there was one inhabitant - a righteous man with his wife, sons and their wives. But immediately upon leaving the ark, he shows his gratitude and offers thanks to his Lord for both the past and the future. But, if you wish, in order not to spread the word, let us postpone the discussion about the gratitude of the righteous until the next day; Let us stop the present word here and ask your love to constantly keep this blessed one (Noah) in your mind, carefully study the beauty of his virtue and be his imitators. Look, in fact, how great the richness of his virtue is: for how many days have we been considering the story about him, and today we still could not finish this consideration. And what am I saying – finish? No matter how much we talk, we cannot say everything; no, let us and even our descendants say a lot, but the end will not yet come: such is virtue. If we want, this righteous man can teach our entire race and lead us to virtue. In fact, when he, living among such a multitude of evil people, and not being able to find a single person similar to him in morals, achieved such high virtue, then how can we be justified, who, having no such obstacles, do not care about good deeds? Don’t just tell me how he lived for five hundred years, enduring ridicule and abuse from the wicked, but think about his life in the ark. A year of this life, it seems to me, is worth a whole life: he had to endure so much grief there, being in such cramped conditions, unable to breathe (fresh air), and forced to live with animals and other dumb creatures. And yet, amid all these circumstances, he retained firmness of spirit and inflexibility of will and showed faith in God, according to which he endured everything complacently and easily. That is why he, since he did everything on his part, received a generous reward from God. Even if he endured great cramped conditions while living in the ark, he was saved from a terrible flood and worldwide destruction, and for this reason, after such cramped conditions and difficult imprisonment, he received freedom and peace, and was awarded the blessing of God. Then he again discovered his gratitude in action; in a word, everywhere he himself began to do good. Just as in the first half of his life (before the flood) he was zealous for virtue and avoided the wickedness of the evil, for which he was not punished with them, but when everyone died from the flood, he alone was saved, so after that he showed great faith and gratefully endured life in the ark, and for this he again received a generous reward from God, immediately, upon leaving the ark and upon returning to his previous state, he was awarded God's blessings. Then he again showed gratitude on his part and brought, to the best of his ability, gratitude to God, and for this he was rewarded with even greater mercies from the man-loving God. This is God's custom. If we do something on our part, no matter how small and insignificant, as soon as we do it, He will always grant us rich mercies. And in order for you to be convinced of both the extreme poverty (of human offerings) and the generosity of your Lord, think about this. Let us decide to bring something to Him, but what can we imagine more than verbal gratitude? And His mercies towards us are accomplished in practice. How to compare actions with words? Our Lord, having no need for anything, does not require anything of ours except words; and he requires verbal gratitude not because he himself needs it, but in order to teach us to be grateful to the Giver of good. That is why Paul, writing (to the Colossians), said: “Be grateful” (Col. 3:15). In fact, the Lord requires nothing more from us than this virtue. Let us not be unappreciative, and, receiving benefits in practice, let us not be lazy to offer thanks to the Lord in words, because the benefit from this turns to us. If we are grateful for the previous (God's mercies), then we acquire for ourselves a reliable means of receiving even greater ones. Only, please, let us, if possible, every day and hour reflect not only on the general benefits that the Creator of all things has shown to the entire human race, but also on the particular ones shown to each of us. And what am I saying – about private ones and those provided to each of us? We must also give thanks for the blessings that we receive without knowing it. Taking care of our salvation, the Lord shows us many blessings that we do not even know about - he often delivers us from dangers, and shows us other mercies. He is the source of love for mankind, never ceasing to pour out His streams on the human race. So, if we reflect on this, and try to offer thanks to the Lord for previous mercies, and to dispose ourselves to be grateful for subsequent ones, so as not to be unworthy of His benefits, then we will be able to lead a better life and be protected from sin. The memory of God's mercies will be a sufficient mentor for us in a virtuous life and will not allow us to fall into carelessness and self-forgetfulness, and indulge in sin. Indeed, an attentive and vigilant soul shows gratitude not only when things are going favourably; no, let an unfavorable change of circumstances follow, and then she offers the same gratitude to God. Because of this change, she does not weaken, but is even more strengthened, thinking about the ineffable care of the Lord, and that He, being very rich and omnipotent, can show His care (for us) even in unfavorable circumstances, although we are not able to clearly understand this. 6. So, leaving all the circumstances affecting us to go as they please, let us, on our part, take care only to constantly thank God for everything. This is why we were created intelligent and so elevated above the dumb, so that we could offer up constant praise and glorification to the Creator of all things. For this purpose, He breathed a soul into us and gave us a tongue, so that we, feeling His benefits to us, would recognize His power over us, and show our gratitude, and, according to our strength, offer gratitude to the Lord. If people like us, having shown us some often unimportant benefit, demand gratitude from us for it, not for the sake of our gratitude, however, but in order to glorify ourselves through this, then all the more should we do this in relation to the humane God, Who wants this solely for our benefit. Gratitude offered to people for their benefits increases the glory of the benefactors themselves; but when we offer gratitude to the man-loving God, we increase our own glory, because He requires gratitude from us not because He needs our glorification, but so that all the benefits turn to us, and we become worthy of His great mercies. True, we are not able to adequately thank Him: and how could we, having such a weak nature? And what am I saying about human nature? Even incorporeal and invisible forces - the Principalities, the Powers, the Cherubim, and the Seraphim - cannot adequately thank and glorify Him. However, it is our duty to offer all possible gratitude and to constantly glorify our Lord both in words and in a virtuous life. This is the best glorification, when we offer praise with countless lips. The virtuous makes everyone who looks at him praise his Lord; and their praise attracts great and ineffable mercy from the Lord to the one who prompted them to him. What will be more blessed than us if we decide not only to glorify the good God with our own lips, but also to excite all our neighbors to join in glorifying with us? And such is the power of virtue (and in one person) that it can glorify the Creator with countless lips. Thus, beloved, nothing can compare to a virtuous life. That is why the Lord said: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Have you seen how the light, as soon as it appears, drives away the darkness? Likewise, virtue, by its appearance, puts sin to flight, and, having dispelled the darkness of error, awakens the souls of those who look at it to praise. Let us strive to let our deeds shine so that our Lord is glorified. And Christ did not say this so that we would do anything for show; no, but so that, living honestly and in accordance with the will of God, we do not give anyone a reason for blasphemy and with our good deeds we dispose everyone who sees us to glorify the Lord of all creation. Then we will earn special favor from Him, and we will be able to avoid punishment, and receive indescribable benefits, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Zlat. καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐρπετῶν without additional ἐρπόντων – “reptiles” according to sp. Dorotheus and many others, contrary to Lucian. sp., in which this addition is available. Zlat is here. says in abbreviated form: ... αὐτοῦ. Zlat.: ὁ ὑετὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ with the omission of ἀπὸ – “from”, usually read in Greek copies. Zlat. ἠλαττοῦτο ἕως with the omission of the word: πορευόμενον - “leaving” (Slavic Bible) according to Lucian. and Dorof. sp., and contrary to Alex. sp., where it reads πορεύομενον according to the Hebrew. Masor. text (gayu daws). Zlat. καὶ ὤφθησαν αἱ κεφαλαὶ τῶν ὀρέων ἐν τω δεκάτῶ μηνὶ, τῇ πρώτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς according to both the arrangement of words and their content with Lucian. and other lists, and contrary to Alexander., Cottonian. and other sp., where instead of ἐν τῲ δεκάτῳ it is read ἐν τῷ ἐνδεκάτῳ - “at the eleventh.” Zlat.: παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ according to sp. Dorotheus and others, as well as Heb. Masor. i.e., instead of ὀπίσω αὐτου - “according to it”, as in Alex. and Lucian. sp. Zlat. μὴ εὐροῦσα according to sp. Dorothea and Lucian., instead of οὐχ εὐροῦσα in Alex. etc. Zlat.: ἐπὶ πᾶν τὸ πρὸσωπον according to Lucian. sp., instead of: ἐπὶ παντὶ τῷ προσώπῳ, as in Alex. sp. Zlat.: τὴν χεῖρα without αὐτοῦ – “our own”, contrary to Lucian. and other Greek sp. and ev. Masor. t., where it reads αὐτοῦ. Zlat. ἔτι ἑπτὰ ἠμέρας ἐξαπέστειλεν without ἑτέρας πάλιν – “others again” according to Dorof. and Lucian. sp.; in euros i.e. there are both additions. At Zlat. and here πάλιν is omitted - “again” according to Lucian. and other Greek sp. and ev. text. At Zlat. the words μιᾷ τοῦ μηνος are not read - “on the first day of the month” according to Lucian. and other sp. and contrary to Alex. sp. and ev. i.e. where they are read. Zlat.: ῎Εξελθε σὺ, καὶ ὑιοί σου καὶ ἡ γυνή σου according to sp. Dorothea (in the omission ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ - “from the ark” read in the Hebrew text) and Lucian. sp. (in word order). You might be interested in: