Man formed by God’s hands; breath; dominion; angels in the place
But as for the human being — him he formed with his own hands, taking from the earth what was finest and purest, and uniting his own power with the earth in measure. (; image of God) For this purpose he stamped his own likeness upon the formation, so that what was seen might be of divine form: for as the image of God the human being was formed and set on the earth.
And that he might become living, God breathed upon his face the breath of life; and that vivifying breath made the human being like unto God. () He was created free and master of his own acts, and was destined by this same God to rule over all that would be upon the earth. ()
Great creations in the world had been prepared by God before the human being was made. A place was given to the human being, furnished with all things. In this place God, the maker of all things, had set servants, each with his own particular office. A chiliarch-steward was guardian of the place and was set over his fellow-servants. These servants were angels; and as for the chiliarch-steward, he was an archangel.
Greek
11. -- Quant ä 1'homme, il l'a cree de ses propres mains, en prenant de la terre la plus menue et la plus pure, et en unissant avec mesure sa force a la terre 3 . A cet eilet, il imprima sa propre ressemblance ä sa creature, afin que Ton vit bien qu'elle est a l'image de Dieu. Gar l'bomme cree a ete place sur la terre pour y etre l'image de Dieu. Afm de donner la vie a l'bomme, Dieu soullla sur son visage, et ee soutfle vivificateur rendit 1'homme semblable ä Dieu. II fut cree libre et maitre de ses actes, et fut destine par ce meme Dieu ä Commander ä tout ee qui serait sur la terre. De grandes creations dans le monde avaient ete preparees par Dieu, avant que 1'homme füt cree. Un licu Tut donne ä riiomine, qui s'y trouvait pourvu de tout. En ce lieu Dieu, createur de toutes cboses, avait place des serviteurs ayant chacun son oilice particulier. Un cbiliarque administrateur etait le gardien de ce lieu et etait place ä la tete de ses compagnons de service. Ces serviteurs ctaient des angcs; quant au chiliarque administrateur, c'etait un archange.
About this text
Irenaeus’s short handbook of the apostolic preaching (Epideixis), preserved in Armenian. English here is a densified reading translation for study. Prior English exists (Robinson / Wilson) — this is not an Original English Translation.
English follows the Armenian of Patrologia Orientalis XII.5. Barthoulot’s French was used as a sense-check only. Robinson (1920) and Wilson’s prior English exist and were checked for independence — this page is densified English, not Original English Translation / no-previous-English.
Witnesses
- Copy-text PO XII.5 Epideixis (Armenian, Matenadaran M3710) (Armenian · §§1–10)
- Checked print Barthoulot French (PD) (French · §§1–10)
- Prior English Check Robinson 1920 / Wilson English (English · full work (prior complete English exists))
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.