Prescrição contra os Hereges 24

1TODA A DOUTRINA A TIMÓTEO.

1WHOLEDOCTRINE TO TIMOTHY.

2Aqui se manifesta, como dissemos, a mesma insensatez: admitem que os apóstolos nada ignoravam e não pregavam doutrinas contraditórias, mas insistem ao mesmo tempo que não revelaram tudo a todos, pois proclamaram certas coisas abertamente ao

2But here is, as we have said, the same madness, in their allowing indeed that the apostles were ignorant of nothing, and preached not any (doctrines) which contradicted one another, but at the same time insisting that they did not reveal all to all men, for that they proclaimed some openly and to 255

3mundo inteiro, enquanto outras comunicaram em segredo a poucos. Apoiam-se nestas palavras de Paulo a Timóteo: ‘Ó Timóteo, guarda o que te foi confiado’; e ainda: ‘Conserva o bom depósito que te foi entregue.’ Que depósito é esse? É tão secreto que se deva supor uma nova doutrina? Ou faz parte daquela incumbência da qual ele diz: ‘Confio-te esta incumbência, filho Timóteo’; e daquele preceito do qual diz: ‘Ordeno-te diante de Deus, que dá vida a todas as coisas, e de Jesus Cristo, que deu bom testemunho perante Pôncio Pilatos, que guardes este mandamento’? Qual é esse mandamento e qual essa incumbência?

3all the world, whilst they disclosed others (only) in secret and to a few, because Paul addressed even this expression to Timothy: "O Timothy, guard that which is entrusted to thee;" and again: "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep." What is this deposit? Is it so secret as to be supposed to characterize a new doctrine? or is it a part of that charge of which he says, "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy?" and also of that precept of which he says, "I charge thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Jesus Christ who witnessed a good confession under Pontius Pilate, that thou keep this commandment?" Now, what is (this) commandment and what is (this) charge?

4Pelo contexto anterior e posterior, ficará claro que essas palavras não insinuam obscuramente alguma doutrina rebuscada e misteriosa, mas advertem contra aceitar outra doutrina além daquela que Timóteo ouvira do próprio Paulo, creio eu, publicamente: ‘diante de muitas testemunhas’, como diz. Se recusarem admitir que essas ‘muitas testemunhas’ sejam a Igreja, isso nada altera, pois não poderia ser secreto o que foi apresentado ‘diante de muitas testemunhas’. Tampouco o desejo de que ele ‘confiasse estas coisas a homens fiéis, capazes de ensinar também a outros’ deve ser tomado como prova de um evangelho oculto. Pois, ao dizer ‘estas coisas’, refere-se àquilo sobre que então escrevia.

4From the preceding and the succeeding contexts, it will be manifest that there is no mysterious hint darkly suggested in this expression about (some) far-fetched doctrine, but that a warning is rather given against receiving any other (doctrine) than that which Timothy had heard from himself, as I take it publicly: "Before many witnesess" is his phrase. Now, if they refuse to allow that the church is meant by these "many witnesses," it matters nothing, since nothing could have been secret which was produced "before many witnesses." Nor, again, must the circumstance of his having wished him to "commit these things to faithful men, who should be able to teach others also," be construed into a proof of there being some occult gospel. For, when he says "these things," he refers to the things of which he is writing at the moment.

5Se se tratasse de assuntos ocultos, ele os teria chamado ‘aquelas coisas’, por estarem ausentes, e não ‘estas coisas’, dirigindo-se a alguém que as conhecia juntamente com ele.

5In reference, however, to occult subjects, he would have called them, as being absent, those things, not these things, to one who had a joint knowledge of them with himself.