Prescrição contra os Hereges 5

1Não nos deteremos mais nesse ponto, pois é o mesmo Paulo que, na Epístola aos Gálatas, inclui as ‘heresias’ entre ‘as obras da carne’ e que também indica a Tito que ‘o homem herege’ deve ser ‘rejeitado depois da primeira advertência’, porque ‘tal homem está pervertido, peca e condena a si mesmo’. De fato, em quase todas as epístolas, ao ordenar-nos que evitemos as falsas doutrinas, ele condena severamente as heresias. Seus efeitos concretos são as falsas doutrinas, chamadas em grego de heresias, palavra empregada no sentido da escolha feita por quem as ensina a outros ou as adota para si. Por isso chama o herege de condenado, pois ele próprio escolheu aquilo

1On this point, however, we dwell no longer, since it is the same Paul who, in his Epistle to the Galatians, counts "heresies" among "the sins of the flesh," who also intimates to Titus, that "a man who is a heretic" must be "rejected after the first admonition," on the ground that "he that is such is perverted, and committeth sin, as a self-condemned man." Indeed, in almost every epistle, when enjoining on us (the duty) of avoiding false doctrines, he sharply condemns heresies. Of these the practical effects are false doctrines, called in Greek heresies, a word used in the sense of that choice which a man makes when he either teaches them (to others) or takes up with them (for himself). For this reason it is that he calls the heretic condemned, because he has himself chosen that 246

2pelo que é condenado. A nós, porém, não se permite cultivar coisa alguma segundo a própria vontade, nem escolher o que outro introduziu por fantasia particular. Nos apóstolos do Senhor temos nossa autoridade, pois nem mesmo eles escolheram introduzir coisa alguma por conta própria, mas transmitiram fielmente às nações a doutrina que receberam de Cristo. Portanto, ainda que ‘um anjo do céu anunciasse outro evangelho’ além do deles, nós o declararíamos maldito

2for which he is condemned. We, however, are not permitted to cherish any object after our own will, nor yet to make choice of that which another has introduced of his private fancy. In the Lord's apostles we possess our authority; for even they did not of themselves choose to introduce anything, but faithfully delivered to the nations (of mankind) the doctrine which they had received from Christ. If, therefore, even "an angel from heaven should preach any other gospel" (than theirs), he would be called accursed

3por nós. Já então o Espírito Santo previra que, numa certa virgem chamada Filumena, haveria um anjo enganador ‘transformado em anjo de luz’, por cujos milagres e ilusões Apeles foi levado a introduzir sua nova heresia.

3by us. The Holy Ghost had even then foreseen that there would be in a certain virgin (called) Philumene an angel of deceit, "transformed into an angel of light," by whose miracles and illusions Apelles was led (when) he introduced his new heresy.