Беседа XXX

“And the whole earth had one mouth, and the voice of all was one” (Gen. 11:1). 1. Now we have come to the end of the Holy Pentecost, completed the voyage of Lent, and, by the grace of God, finally reached the pier. But let us not give in to carelessness, but let us show even more diligence and vigilance. And the helmsmen, when, having sailed across the countless abysses of the sea, are preparing to enter the pier with the sails unfurled and the cargo laid out on top, then they show special attentiveness and care, so as not to somehow hit the ship against a rock or stone, and not to lose the fruits of their previous labor. Those who compete in the race do the same thing: when they are already approaching the end of their race, then they especially try to run as quickly as possible in order to reach the end and receive a reward. Likewise, fighters, when, after many feats and victories, enter into the final struggle for the crown, the greater their efforts to come away (from the place of struggle) with the victorious crown. So, like helmsmen, like racers and fighters, then everyone especially intensifies their zeal and vigilance when they are approaching the end (of their labors), - in the same way, now, having reached, by the goodness of God, this great week (i.e., Passion), we must especially strengthen the feat of fasting, perform the most fervent prayers, make a full and sincere confession of sins and do good deeds, (give) generous alms, (show) quietness, meekness and all other virtues, so that with these good deeds we may reach the day of the Resurrection of the Lord and enjoy the bounties of the Lord. We call this week great not because its days are longer - there are others (weeks) whose days are much longer - and not because there are more days in it - their number in it is the same as in all others. Why do we call it great? Because during its continuation great and indescribable benefits were accomplished for us. In this week, the long-term war ended, death was destroyed, the oath was exterminated, the power of the devil was destroyed, his shells 244 were stolen, God was reconciled with people, heaven became accessible (to them), people united with the angels, the divided came closer together, the wall was destroyed, the barrier was destroyed, the God of peace pacified the heavenly and earthly. That is why we call this week great, because in it the Lord gave us so many blessings. That is why many (in this week) are more zealous in fasting, and in sacred vigils and all-night prayers, and give more alms, wanting with these deeds to express the reverence that they have for this week. If the Lord has given us so many blessings in her, then shouldn’t we, in every way we can, show our respect and reverence for her? So the kings, by their deeds, show what reverence they have for these venerable days: they commanded that (on these days) those engaged in civil affairs should enjoy rest, the doors of the courts should be locked, all kinds of disputes and litigation should cease, so that everyone could begin to carry out spiritual affairs with great peace and tranquility. But besides this, they also show another mercy: they free those in prison from the shackles, and, as much as possible for people, imitate their Lord. Indeed, just as He frees us from the grave prison of sins and allows us to enjoy many blessings, so too, the kings say, we must, in whatever way we can, be imitators of the Lord’s love for mankind. You see how each of us shows in every possible way the respect and reverence that we have for these days, which have become the culprits of many blessings for us. Therefore, I ask, now more than at any other time, let us come here, putting aside all worldly thoughts, with a pure and kind eye of mind. When entering the church, no one brings worldly worries with you, so that you can return home from here with a worthy reward for your labors. So, we will again offer you the usual meal and treat your love with the current reading from the blessed Moses, explaining this reading to you and together showing the accuracy of the Divine Scripture. Having finished the story about Noah, it began to set out the genealogy of Shem and says: “And Shem was born, the father of all the sons of Eber, the brother of Japheth, the eldest” son 245 (Gen. 10:21). Then, listing the names, he says: “And Eber was born two sons: the one name was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided” (Gen. 10:25). See how the very name of this son (Scripture) foreshadowed the miracle that was soon to follow, so that when you see the event itself, you will no longer be surprised, knowing that this was foretold in advance by the name of the son. And having listed those who were born later from these (the children of Eber), it says: “And the whole earth had one mouth and a voice to all” (Gen. 11:1), meaning here not the earth, but the human race, in order to teach us that all humanity had one language. “And be,” he says, “the whole earth has one mouth and a voice to all.” By “one mouth” we mean speech, and the same thing means “voice”: it’s the same as if it were said that all people spoke with the same sounds (words) and the same language. And what exactly is said about speech: “And the whole earth was one mouth,” listen to how Scripture says in another place: “The poison of asps is under their lips” (Ps. 139:4). Thus Scripture usually means speech by the word “mouth.” “And it came to pass, when they came from the east, that they found a field in the land of Shinar, and dwelt there” (Gen. 11:2). 2. See how human nature does not like to remain within its boundaries, but always seeks more and strives for the highest. This is what especially destroys people, that they do not want to know the limits of their nature, but always want more and dream of what is higher than them. That is why those who are addicted to worldly goods, even when they possess great wealth and power, as if forgetting their nature, strive to rise higher and higher until they fall into the very abyss. This, as we see, happens every day, and yet others are not admonished by this. And if they hold back for a short time, then soon, having forgotten everything, they again go the same road and fall into the same abyss. The same thing has now happened to these people. “And it came to pass that they came from the east, having found a field in the land of Sennars, and settled there.” See how Scripture reveals to us little by little the fickleness of their will. Since, he says, they saw a field, they left their previous dwelling, went over and “settled there.” Then he says: “And each one said 246 to his neighbor: come and let us make plinths, and bake them with fire, and let them turn the plinth into stone, and make them clay 247 instead of chalk. And he said: Come, 248 let us build ourselves a city and a pillar, whose top will reach even to heaven: and let us make a name for ourselves, before we are scattered throughout the whole earth 249 (Gen. 11:3-4). See how they made improper use of the unity of their language, and how the vain plans of life became the cause of misfortune. “Come,” they say, “let’s make plinths and bake them with fire, and they will turn the plinth into stone, and they will have clay instead of chalk.” Look how they think to secure their building, not knowing that “unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Ps. 126:1). “And let us build,” they say, “a city for ourselves,” not for God, but for ourselves. See how wickedness has already increased! Having the universal destruction 250 still fresh in their memory, they had already reached this level of madness: “And we will build for ourselves,” they say, “a city and a pillar, the top of which will even reach to heaven.” In a word: “heaven”, Divine Scripture wanted to depict to us the extraordinary nature of their audacity. “And let us make,” they say, “a name for ourselves.” Do you see where the root of evil is? Let us deserve, they say, eternal memory; may they always remember us; our work and creation will be such that it will never be forgotten! And we will do this “before we are scattered across the face of all the earth 251.” While, they say, we are still together, we will fulfill our intention in order to leave us with an eternal memory of ourselves in subsequent births. Even now there are many who imitate these people and want to leave a memory behind them with the same deeds: they build magnificent houses, baths, porticos, and parks. And if you ask any of them why he works and worries so much, and wastes a lot of money for nothing, then you will not hear anything except the following words: so that they always remember about us; so that they would say: this is so-and-so’s house, this is so-and-so’s field. But this means earning oneself not a (good) memory, but rather condemnation, because to these words other, most reproachful words are immediately added: (this is the house or field) of such and such a covetous person, a predator, an oppressor of widows and orphans. So, this means not acquiring a memory for oneself, but subjecting oneself to eternal reproaches, bearing the stigma of infamy even after death, sharpening the tongue of everyone who sees (these houses and fields) to condemn and censure their owner. If you truly seek eternal memory, then I will show you the way by which you can achieve eternal memory of you (on earth), and acquire great glory and boldness in the next century. How can you make sure that they remember you every day and extol you with praise, even after death? If you give your wealth into the hands of the poor and thus leave behind (precious) stones and huge houses, and fields, and baths. Such a memory is immortal, such a memory will be the source of a thousand treasures for you, such a memory will ease you from grave sins and give you great boldness before the Lord. Just think about the words that everyone will say, (calling you) merciful, philanthropic, kind, meek and very generous. “Give,” it is said, “to the needy; his righteousness endures forever” (Ps. 111:9). This is what happens with wealth: when you squander it, it is preserved all the more surely; when you hold and lock it, it destroys even its owners. “Waste,” it is said, “to give to the poor,” listen to what follows: “his righteousness endures forever.” He “wasted” his wealth in one day, but “his righteousness endures” throughout all ages and makes the memory of him immortal. 3. Do you see what memory continues through all the centuries? Do you see what kind of memory brings great and unspeakable benefits? We will try to leave a memory with these buildings. Buildings built of stones not only cannot benefit us, but also, like a (shameful) pillar, they will continually cry out against us with a loud voice. When we leave here, we take with us the sins we committed because of these buildings, but we leave the buildings themselves here, and thus not only do we not even achieve empty and useless memory through them, but we are also subject to condemnation, and the very name (of the owner) immediately passes to another. And indeed this name passes from one to another, and from this again to another. Today they say: this house is so and so, tomorrow - another, and after tomorrow - another. Thus, we voluntarily deceive ourselves, thinking that we have power over some thing, and without reasoning that we can only use it, and, willingly or unwillingly, we cede these things to others; I’m not even saying that we leave them even to people we wouldn’t want. But if you absolutely want to be remembered, if this is what you desire, then listen to how the widows remembered Tabitha and how they surrounded Peter, shedding tears and showing him the dresses and clothes that Serna made while living with them. Here are living buildings that made a voice and had such power that they even brought the deceased back to life. In fact, when they surrounded Peter, shedding hot tears and explaining their need for food and (other) means of life, Peter, it is said, “having cast them all out, kneeled down and prayed,” and raised her up, “calling the saints and widows, making her live” (Acts 9:40–41). So you, if you want to be remembered, if you seek true glory, imitate this woman and build the same buildings; do not waste yourself on dead matter, but show great generosity to those like you. Such memory is praiseworthy and brings great fruit. But let us return to our subject and look at the insolence of the people of that time. Their sin will serve as admonition for us, if we only want to be attentive. “And let us build ourselves,” it is said, “a city and a pillar, whose top will reach even to heaven: and let us make a name for ourselves, before we are scattered” across the earth. Do you see how these people show the corruption of their will in everything? “And we will build our own city,” they say; and also: “let’s make a name for ourselves.” Look how, even after such a general destruction, 252 they dare to commit no less 253 vices. What should have been? How to keep them from going crazy? God, in His love for mankind, promised that He would never bring a flood again, but they were neither brought to their senses by punishments nor made better by good deeds. Therefore, listen to what follows and know the greatness of God’s ineffable love for mankind. “And from down,” it is said, “the Lord God 254 saw the city and the pillar which the sons of man had built” (Gen. 11:5). See how Scripture expresses itself in human terms. “Here,” it says, “the Lord God,” not so that we understand this humanly, but so that through this we learn never to judge our brothers carelessly and not to judge them by hearing until we receive full evidence. And everything that God does, he does for this purpose; and He always uses such condescension to teach the human race. “And the Lord God came down to see the city and the pillar.” Look, He does not stop their fury from the very beginning, but shows great patience and waits for them to carry out their entire evil plan, and then to thwart their enterprise. So that no one could say that they had decided, but did not carry out their plans; God waits for them to carry out their undertakings, and then shows how useless their plans are. “And from below,” it is said, “the Lord saw the city and the pillar that He had created for the sons of humanity.” Look, what great love for humanity! He allowed them to endure toil and hardship, so that experience itself could become a teacher for them. And when he saw that the evil was intensifying and the disease was spreading, he no longer left them in the end, but, showing His goodness, like the best doctor, who noticed that the disease was intensifying and the wound was incurable, performed a quick section in order to completely destroy the very cause of the disease. “And the Lord God said: “Behold, there is one generation and one mouth,” i.e. one speech and one tongue, “and these things began to be done: and now all of them will not fail, as long as they desire to do them” (Gen. 11:6). 4. Do you see the Lord’s love for mankind? Since He wants to frustrate their plan, He first makes up a justification (for this His intention), points out the greatness of their sin, the extremeness of their evil behavior, and the fact that they did not properly take advantage of the unity of language. “Behold,” he says, “behold, this is one race and one mouth, and this is what we began to do: and now all of them will not fail, as long as they desire to do.” God usually acts like this: when he intends to send punishment, he first shows the greatness of sins and, as it were, represents justification, and then punishes. So during the flood, when He wanted to make that terrible threat, Scripture says: “When the Lord God saw the wickedness of men multiplying, ... and everyone diligently thinks in his heart about evil from his youth.” (Gen.6:5). Do you see how He first showed the extreme of their corruption, and then said: “I will consume man” (Gen. 6:7)? So it is now: “Behold, I am one generation and one mouth, and this began to do.” If now, taking advantage of such unity of thoughts and language, they have fallen into such a frenzy, will they not do even worse over time? “They will not become poor from them,” he says, “everyone who wants to create.” Nothing will be able to hold back their aspirations; on the contrary, they will try to carry out all their plans if they do not immediately suffer punishment for their daring enterprises. This is exactly what happened with the first man. And there God, when he decided to expel (Adam) from the paradise dwelling, says to him: “Who will tell you that you are naked?” And again: “Behold, Adam was one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, and not until then, he will stretch out his hand and take from the tree of life and cut it down, and live forever. And the Lord God drove him out of paradise” (Gen. 3:11, 22–23). And now he says: “Behold, there is one race, and one mouth for all, and these things began to be done: and now all of them will not fail, even if they desire to do them. Come, let us go down there and confound their tongues, so that they will not hear the voice of their neighbor” (Gen. 11:6-7). Look again, what condescension in the words. “Come,” he says, “and come down.” What do these words mean? Doesn't the Lord require anyone's assistance in correcting or helping to disperse these people? No; on the contrary, as Scripture already said above: “The Lord came down,” in order to show us that He clearly saw the excess of their sin, so here (God) says: “Come, and come down.” Without a doubt, these words were spoken to those of equal honor 255: “Come, let us come together and confound... their tongue, so that they will not hear the voice of their neighbor.” This punishment, he says, I impose on them, like some kind of eternal monument, so that it lasts throughout the entire century, and at no time is it forgotten. Since they did not properly take advantage of the unity of language, I want to admonish them with diversity of languages. This is what the Lord does everywhere. This is what he did with his wife at first: she did not properly take advantage of the honor given to her; that is why God subjected her to her husband. The same is with Adam: he did not take advantage of the great happiness of heavenly life, but through crime he made himself worthy of punishment; Therefore, God expelled him from Paradise and imposed permanent punishment on him, saying: “The earth will grow thorns and thistles for you.” (Gen.3:18). So, when these people, who used the same language, used the advantage given to them for evil, God stops the tendency of their wickedness through diversity of languages. “And let us confuse,” he says, “their language, so that they will not hear the voice of their neighbor,” so that, just as the unity of language united them in one place of residence, so the difference of language would cause them to scatter. Without the same language and way of speaking, how could they live together? “And the Lord God scattered them,” it is said, “from there on the face of all the earth: and the building city and pillar ceased” (Gen. 11:8). Look at the Lord’s love for mankind, what a predicament He brought them into! After this they began to look like madmen: one demanded one thing and the other gave another, so that all their efforts finally became fruitless. That is why the building city and pillar ceased. For this reason its name was called confusion, for there the mixture was the Lord God 256 mouth of all the earth: and from there the Lord God scattered them over all the earth.” (Gen.11:8-9). Look how much has been done to ensure that the memory of this is preserved forever. Firstly, the division of languages, but even more and before this, the very naming of the name, because the name “Palek”, which Eber gave to his son, means “division”. Then the name of the place—the place is called “confusion,” which is what Babylon means. Finally, Eber himself remained with the same language, so that this too would serve as a clear sign of separation. Do you see by what measures God wanted to preserve this event forever in memory (among people) and save it from oblivion? From then on, the father had to tell his son about the reason for the difference in languages, and the son tried to find out from his father why the place was called that way. That place is called Babylon because it means confusion, that “there the Lord God mixed the mouth of all the earth, and from there he scattered them.” This name of the place, it seems to me, equally means that God confused languages, and that because of this people were scattered. 5. Have you heard, beloved, why these people were scattered and the languages ​​were divided? Let us not, please, imitate them; Let us use, as we should, what has been given to us from God, and remembering human nature, we will undertake only what is appropriate for mortals to undertake. Reflecting on the frailty of the present and the shortness of our lives, let us prepare ourselves with great boldness by doing good deeds, and on these days we will not only show special zeal for fasting, but also give generous alms and offer diligent prayers. Fasting should always be accompanied by prayer. And that this is true, listen to how Christ says: “This generation does not come forth except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21). And about the apostles it is also said: “Having prayed and fasted, and commended them to the Lord, you believed in God” (Acts 14:23). And the apostle also says: “Do not deprive yourself of one another, but... in prayer and fasting” (1 Cor. 7:5). Do you see how fasting needs the assistance of prayer? And prayers are performed with attention, especially during fasting, because then the soul is lighter, not burdened by anything and not suppressed by the disastrous burden of pleasures. Prayer is a great weapon, a great protection, a great treasure, a great haven, a safe refuge: if only we approach the Lord with a cheerful soul and focused thoughts, not giving any access to the enemy of our salvation. Since he knows that at this time, by talking about what is necessary for us (for salvation) and confessing our sins, and showing our wounds to the Physician, we can receive perfect healing, then especially at this time he attacks and uses all his efforts to overthrow us and plunge us into carelessness. Therefore, I pray you, let us stay awake, and, knowing the cunning of the devil, let us try especially at this time to drive him away as if we saw him present and standing before our eyes, we will try to remove from ourselves every thought that troubles your soul, strain all your strength and perform fervent prayer, so that not only the tongue utters words, but also the soul, together with the words, ascends (to God). If the tongue utters words, and the soul wanders outside, thinking about household affairs, dreaming about what happens in the marketplace, then there will be no benefit for us (from prayer), but rather there will be even greater condemnation. If we, having come to a person, show such attention to him that we often do not even see the people standing nearby, but concentrate our thoughts and see only the one to whom we have come, then all the more should we act this way in relation to God, always and unceasingly being in prayer. That is why Paul wrote: “If you pray at all times, pray also in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18), i.e. not only with the tongue and with constant vigilance (bodily), but also with the soul itself: “spirit”. Let your petitions, he says, be spiritual; Let your mind be alert, let your soul listen to the words. Ask what is proper to ask from God, so that you may receive what you ask for. And at the same time, behave carefully, sober and alert in soul, without showing negligence, without rushing your mind here and there, but “work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” because it is said: “Blessed is he who fears everyone because of their reverence” (Proverbs 28:14). The greatest good is prayer. If someone, talking with a virtuous person, receives no small benefit from him, then what benefits will not the one worthy of talking with God receive? Prayer is a conversation with God. And to make sure of this, listen to what the prophet says: “May my conversation delight God” (Ps. 103:34), i.e., may my conversation be pleasing to God. Can't He give it to us even before we ask? But He therefore awaits (our petition) in order to have the opportunity to righteously honor us with His providence. So, whether we receive what we ask or not, let us be diligent in prayer and give thanks not only when we receive, but also when we do not receive, because not receiving, when it happens according to the will of God, is no less beneficial than receiving. We don’t even know what is good for us to the extent that He knows it. Therefore, whether we receive or not, we must give thanks. And why are you surprised (when I say) that we do not know what is good for us? And Paul, such a great and lofty man, worthy of such ineffable (revelations), did not know that he was asking for something that was not useful to him. Seeing himself surrounded by disasters and constant temptations, he prayed for deliverance from them, and not once, not twice, but many times; “Three times,” he says, “I prayed to the Lord.” “Three times”, i.e. many times, he begged and did not receive. Let's see how he handled it. Did you complain? Have you become depressed? Are you desperate? No; but what does he say? “I say: My grace is sufficient for you, for power... is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:8-9). God not only did not free him from the troubles that befell him, but also allowed him to remain in them. So be it. But how do we know that he did not complain about this? Listen to what Paul himself said when he learned that this was what God wanted. “Sweetly, I will boast in my weaknesses”; Not only, he says, am I no longer seeking to be freed from these troubles, but I also boast about them with great pleasure. Do you see what a grateful soul? Do you see what love is for God? Listen to what else he says: “For what we will pray as we ought, we do not know” (Rom. 8:26), - i.e. We, as people, cannot know everything in detail. So, we must leave everything to the Creator of our nature and accept with joy and great joy everything that He determines, and look not at what events seem to you, but at what pleases God. He, knowing better than us what is good for you, also knows how to arrange our salvation. 6. So, let the only thing on our part be to constantly remain in prayer and not to grumble about the delay in fulfillment (of our petitions), but to show great patience. God is slow to fulfill our requests not because He rejects them, but because He wants to teach us zeal (to prayer) and constantly draw us to Himself. Likewise, a child-loving father, being often begged by his son, does not fulfill his request, not because he does not want to give, but through this to induce his son to the most zealous request. Knowing this, let us never despair and never stop approaching God and offering up fervent prayers to Him. In fact, if the earnest request of a woman influenced that cruel, inhuman and not afraid of God judge, and forced him to provide her protection (Luke 18 et seq.), then will we, if we only want to imitate this woman, not dispose to provide us with the help of our merciful and humane Lord, who, in His goodness, wants to arrange our salvation? So, let us learn to be persistent and constant in prayer, day and night, and especially at night, when no one bothers us, when the mind is calm, when there is great silence and there is no excitement in the house, no one prevents us from doing prayer or distracts us from it, when an excited soul can express everything in detail to the Doctor of souls. If blessed David, king and prophet, although he was burdened with numerous affairs and clothed in purple and a diadem, nevertheless said about himself: “At midnight I will confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness” (Ps. 119:62), then what will we say, who, although we lead a private life free from business, yet do not do what he did? Since during the day he had many worries, affairs and worries and he did not find a time convenient for prayer, the time of rest that others spend in sleep, reclining on soft beds and tossing here and there, he, the king, bound by such worries, used for (prayer), talked alone with God and, offering sincere and zealous prayers, received what he wanted. With the assistance of these prayers, he happily fought wars, erected trophies, won victory after victory, because he had an invincible weapon - a higher power that could withstand the fight not only with people, but also with demonic hordes. So, we, private people, will imitate him - the king, leading an easy and calm life - the one who, clothed with purple and a crown, surpassed the monks in (strict) life. Listen, in fact, as he says in another place: “My tears were bread to me day and night” (Ps. 42:4). Do you see how his soul was in constant contrition? Food for me, he says, bread, feasting was nothing else but my tears night and day. And again: “I am weary with my groaning, I will wash away my bed every night” (Ps. 6:7). What will we say or how will we apologize, who do not want to show such contrition as the king, burdened with so many affairs, showed? And what, tell me, is more beautiful than these eyes, which were decorated with incessant tears, as if with pearls? You saw the king, who shed tears night and day and remained in prayer: look at the teacher of the universe, how he, imprisoned with Silas, having his feet hammered into a block, prayed all night, not being held back by either pain or bonds, but showing the greater and more ardent love for the Lord. “Paul and Silas,” it says, “praying at midnight, praising God” (Acts 16:25). David, clothed with royal dignity and a diadem, remained in tears and prayer all his life; The apostle, caught up to the third heaven, awarded (revelation of) ineffable mysteries, while in chains, at midnight offered up prayers and praises to the Lord. And the king, getting up at midnight, confessed, and the apostles also performed fervent prayers and praises at midnight. We will also imitate them, we will protect our lives with unceasing prayers; and let nothing be an obstacle for us to this, because indeed nothing can hinder us, if only we ourselves are vigilant. Do we need a (special) place or time for this? Every place and every time is convenient for us to pray. Listen, in fact, to the same teacher of the universe, what he says: “Lifting up holy hands in every place, without anger or self-discipline” (1 Tim. 2:8). If your heart is free from impure passions, then wherever you are, whether in the marketplace, at home, on the road, in court, at sea, in a hotel, or in a workshop, you can pray to God everywhere and receive what you ask for. Knowing this, I ask you, together with fasting, let us show zeal for prayer, and in it we will acquire an assistant for ourselves, so that, having been rewarded with the grace of God, we may lead our present life pleasing to Him, and in the future we may be made worthy of His love for mankind, the grace and bounty of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Zlat.: τοῦ μείζονος υἱοῦ according to sp. Dorotheus and contrary to Lucian. and other Greek sp., where υἱοῦ (“son”) is absent, both in Hebrew and in Slavs. B. Zlat.: ἔκαστος according to sp. Dorothea; in Lucian. and other sp. instead it reads: ἄνθρωπος - person. Here is the text of Zlat. corresponds to the usual reading of the translation. 70: καὶ ἄσφαλτος ἦν αὐτοῖς ὁ πηλός ; in Slav. B. secondary: “be it” is omitted here. Zlat.: καὶ οἰκοδομήσωμεν according to sp. Dorothea and others others, contrary to Lucian., where καὶ is absent. Zlat.: ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς according to sp. Dorotheus and contrary to Lucian. and many others, where ἐπὶ προσώπου πάσης τῆς γῆς – “across the face of all the earth,” as in Hebrew. text; further reads differently, however, according to Min’s text. Of course the global flood. Here ἐπὶ προσώποῦ πάσης τῆς γῆς. In comparison, i.e. with the vices of those who lived before the flood. Zlat.: Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς according to sp. Dorothea and Lucian. and contrary to Alex. and other sp., where ὁ Θεὸς is absent, as in Hebrew. text. Those. God the Father said this to God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Zlat.: Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς according to sp. Dorothea and Lucian. You might be interested in: