1. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 4.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 4.10. And Moses said unto the LORD: ‘Oh Lord, I am not a man of words, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.’" |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 1.2 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
1.2. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם׃ 1.2. וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם׃ | 1.2. Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 1.22-1.23, 3.19-3.20, 4.5, 4.7, 8.22-8.31, 15.23, 16.16 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
1.22. עַד־מָתַי פְּתָיִם תְּאֵהֲבוּ פֶתִי וְלֵצִים לָצוֹן חָמְדוּ לָהֶם וּכְסִילִים יִשְׂנְאוּ־דָעַת׃ 1.23. תָּשׁוּבוּ לְתוֹכַחְתִּי הִנֵּה אַבִּיעָה לָכֶם רוּחִי אוֹדִיעָה דְבָרַי אֶתְכֶם׃ 3.19. יְהוָה בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה׃ 4.5. קְנֵה חָכְמָה קְנֵה בִינָה אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח וְאַל־תֵּט מֵאִמְרֵי־פִי׃ 4.7. רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה קְנֵה חָכְמָה וּבְכָל־קִנְיָנְךָ קְנֵה בִינָה׃ 8.22. יְהוָה קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ קֶדֶם מִפְעָלָיו מֵאָז׃ 8.23. מֵעוֹלָם נִסַּכְתִּי מֵרֹאשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָרֶץ׃ 8.24. בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי בְּאֵין מַעְיָנוֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָיִם׃ 8.25. בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים הָטְבָּעוּ לִפְנֵי גְבָעוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי׃ 8.26. עַד־לֹא עָשָׂה אֶרֶץ וְחוּצוֹת וְרֹאשׁ עָפְרוֹת תֵּבֵל׃ 8.27. בַּהֲכִינוֹ שָׁמַיִם שָׁם אָנִי בְּחוּקוֹ חוּג עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם׃ 8.28. בְּאַמְּצוֹ שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל בַּעֲזוֹז עִינוֹת תְּהוֹם׃ 8.29. בְּשׂוּמוֹ לַיָּם חֻקּוֹ וּמַיִם לֹא יַעַבְרוּ־פִיו בְּחוּקוֹ מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ׃ 8.31. מְשַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵל אַרְצוֹ וְשַׁעֲשֻׁעַי אֶת־בְּנֵי אָדָם׃ 15.23. שִׂמְחָה לָאִישׁ בְּמַעֲנֵה־פִיו וְדָבָר בְּעִתּוֹ מַה־טּוֹב׃ 16.16. קְנֹה־חָכְמָה מַה־טּוֹב מֵחָרוּץ וּקְנוֹת בִּינָה נִבְחָר מִכָּסֶף׃ | 1.22. ’How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, And fools hate knowledge?" 1.23. Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." 3.19. The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens." 3.20. By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew." 4.5. Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;" 4.7. The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding." 8.22. The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, The first of His works of old." 8.23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was." 8.24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; When there were no fountains abounding with water." 8.25. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth;" 8.26. While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world." 8.27. When He established the heavens, I was there; When He set a circle upon the face of the deep," 8.28. When He made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep showed their might," 8.29. When He gave to the sea His decree, That the waters should not transgress His commandment, When He appointed the foundations of the earth;" 8.30. Then I was by Him, as a nursling; And I was daily all delight, Playing always before Him," 8.31. Playing in His habitable earth, And my delights are with the sons of men." 15.23. A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth; And a word in due season, how good is it!" 16.16. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 4.33 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
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5. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 1.6 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
1.6. וָאֹמַר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה הִנֵּה לֹא־יָדַעְתִּי דַּבֵּר כִּי־נַעַר אָנֹכִי׃ | 1.6. Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.’" |
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6. Plato, Phaedrus, None (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 245d. the source and beginning of motion for all other things which have motion. But the beginning is ungenerated. For everything that is generated must be generated from a beginning, but the beginning is not generated from anything; for if the beginning were generated from anything, it would not be generated from a beginning. And since it is ungenerated, it must be also indestructible; for if the beginning were destroyed, it could never be generated from anything nor anything else from it, since all things must be generated from a beginning. Thus that which moves itself must be the beginning of motion. And this can be neither destroyed nor generated |
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7. Plato, Republic, None (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 433b. is a saying that we have heard from many and have often repeated ourselves. We have. This, then, I said, my friend, if taken in a certain sense appears to be justice, this principle of doing one’s own business. Do you know whence I infer this? No, but tell me, he said. I think that this is the remaining virtue in the state after our consideration of soberness, courage, and intelligence, a quality which made it possible for them all to grow up in the body politic and which when they have sprung up preserves them as long as it is present. And I hardly need to remind you that |
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8. Plato, Timaeus, None (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
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9. Anon., 1 Enoch, 14.13 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 14.13. portals blazed with fire. And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there |
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10. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 21.7 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 21.7. He who is mighty in speech is known from afar;but the sensible man, when he slips, is aware of it. |
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11. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 6.12, 6.14, 6.17-6.19, 6.23, 7.1-7.6, 7.10-7.12, 7.14-7.28, 8.1-8.4, 8.7, 8.9, 8.16-8.18, 8.21, 9.4, 9.9, 9.18, 15.3 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 6.12. Wisdom is radiant and unfading,and she is easily discerned by those who love her,and is found by those who seek her. 6.14. He who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,for he will find her sitting at his gates. 6.17. The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction,and concern for instruction is love of her 6.18. and love of her is the keeping of her laws,and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality 6.19. and immortality brings one near to God; 6.23. neither will I travel in the company of sickly envy,for envy does not associate with wisdom. 7.1. I also am mortal, like all men,a descendant of the first-formed child of earth;and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh 7.2. within the period of ten months, compacted with blood,from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage. 7.3. And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air,and fell upon the kindred earth,and my first sound was a cry, like that of all. 7.4. I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths. 7.5. For no king has had a different beginning of existence; 7.6. there is for all mankind one entrance into life, and a common departure. 7.10. I loved her more than health and beauty,and I chose to have her rather than light,because her radiance never ceases. 7.11. All good things came to me along with her,and in her hands uncounted wealth. 7.12. I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them;but I did not know that she was their mother. 7.14. for it is an unfailing treasure for men;those who get it obtain friendship with God,commended for the gifts that come from instruction. 7.15. May God grant that I speak with judgment and have thought worthy of what I have received,for he is the guide even of wisdom and the corrector of the wise. 7.16. For both we and our words are in his hand,as are all understanding and skill in crafts. 7.17. For it is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists,to know the structure of the world and the activity of the elements; 7.18. the beginning and end and middle of times,the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons 7.19. the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars 7.20. the natures of animals and the tempers of wild beasts,the powers of spirits and the reasonings of men,the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots; 7.21. I learned both what is secret and what is manifest 7.22. for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. For in her there is a spirit that is intelligent, holy,unique, manifold, subtle,mobile, clear, unpolluted,distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,irresistible 7.23. beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,all-powerful, overseeing all,and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most subtle. 7.24. For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. 7.25. For she is a breath of the power of God,and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. 7.26. For she is a reflection of eternal light,a spotless mirror of the working of God,and an image of his goodness. 7.27. Though she is but one, she can do all things,and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets; 7.28. for God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom. 8.1. She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,and she orders all things well. 8.2. I loved her and sought her from my youth,and I desired to take her for my bride,and I became enamored of her beauty. 8.3. She glorifies her noble birth by living with God,and the Lord of all loves her. 8.4. For she is an initiate in the knowledge of God,and an associate in his works. 8.7. And if any one loves righteousness,her labors are virtues;for she teaches self-control and prudence,justice and courage;nothing in life is more profitable for men than these. 8.9. Therefore I determined to take her to live with me,knowing that she would give me good counsel and encouragement in cares and grief. 8.16. When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her,for companionship with her has no bitterness,and life with her has no pain, but gladness and joy. 8.17. When I considered these things inwardly,and thought upon them in my mind,that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality 8.18. and in friendship with her, pure delight,and in the labors of her hands, unfailing wealth,and in the experience of her company, understanding,and renown in sharing her words,I went about seeking how to get her for myself. 8.21. But I perceived that I would not possess wisdom unless God gave her to me -- and it was a mark of insight to know whose gift she was -- so I appealed to the Lord and besought him,and with my whole heart I said: 9.4. give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne,and do not reject me from among thy servants. 9.9. With thee is wisdom, who knows thy works and was present when thou didst make the world,and who understand what is pleasing in thy sight and what is right according to thy commandments. 9.18. And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,and men were taught what pleases thee,and were saved by wisdom. 15.3. For to know thee is complete righteousness,and to know thy power is the root of immortality. |
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12. New Testament, 1 Corinthians, 1.24, 1.30, 8.7 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.24. but to thosewho are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God andthe wisdom of God. 1.30. But of him, you are in ChristJesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness andsanctification, and redemption: 8.7. However, that knowledgeisn't in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now,eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, beingweak, is defiled. |
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13. New Testament, 1 Thessalonians, 1.5, 2.13 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.5. and that our gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake. 2.13. For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe. |
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14. New Testament, Acts, 1.8, 10.38, 18.24 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 1.8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. 10.38. even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 18.24. Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures. |
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15. New Testament, Ephesians, 3.16, 5.21-5.33 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.16. that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 5.21. subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. 5.22. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 5.23. For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. 5.24. But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. 5.25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; 5.26. that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word 5.27. that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 5.28. Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 5.29. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; 5.30. because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. 5.31. For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh. 5.32. This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. 5.33. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband. |
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16. New Testament, Galatians, 3.3-3.5 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.3. Areyou so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed inthe flesh? 3.4. Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeedin vain? 3.5. He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you, and worksmiracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or byhearing of faith? |
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17. New Testament, Philippians, 2.12 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.12. So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. |
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18. New Testament, Romans, 15.14, 15.19 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 15.14. I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. 15.19. in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God's Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ; |
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19. New Testament, John, 1.1-1.18 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1.2. The same was in the beginning with God. 1.3. All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. 1.4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 1.5. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it. 1.6. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 1.7. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 1.8. He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. 1.9. The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. 1.10. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn't recognize him. 1.11. He came to his own, and those who were his own didn't receive him. 1.12. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name: 1.13. who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 1.14. The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. 1.15. John testified about him. He cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.' 1.16. From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. 1.17. For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 1.18. No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. |
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20. New Testament, Luke, 1.17, 1.35, 4.14, 11.31 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.17. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 1.35. The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 4.14. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. 11.31. The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. |
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21. New Testament, Matthew, 12.42 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 12.42. The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here. |
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22. Ps.-Philo, Biblical Antiquities, 27.10 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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23. Irenaeus, Refutation of All Heresies, 1.9.4, 1.29.1, 1.29.4, 1.30.1-1.30.3, 1.30.7, 1.30.14, 2.28.1, 3.4.1 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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24. Nag Hammadi, Allogenes, 49.26, 59.10-59.20, 60.19-60.22, 60.30-60.37, 61.36-61.37 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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25. Nag Hammadi, Zostrianos, 14.13, 14.14, 15.5, 15.6, 15.7, 15.8, 15.9, 15.10, 15.11, 15.13, 15.14, 15.15, 15.16, 15.17, 20.22, 20.23, 20.24, 66.16, 66.17, 66.23-67.2, 68.1, 68.2, 68.3, 68.4, 68.5, 68.6, 68.7, 73.8, 73.9, 73.10, 73.11, 75.7, 75.8, 75.9, 75.10, 79.10, 79.11, 79.12, 79.13, 79.14, 79.15, 86.15, 86.16, 86.17, 86.18, 86.19, 86.20, 86.21, 86.22 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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26. Plotinus, Enneads, 4.7 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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27. Anon., Tchacos 3 Gospel of Judas, 44.4
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28. Anon., Letter of Aristeas, 266
| 266. The king praised him and inquired of another, What is the goal of speech? And he replied, 'To convince your opponent by showing him his mistakes in a well-ordered array of arguments. For in this way you will win your hearer, not by opposing him, but by bestowing praise upon him with a view to persuading him. And it is by the power of God that persuasion is accomplished.' |
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