Toil outside Paradise; Cain kills Abel; Seth raised up
Once driven from Paradise, Adam and Eve his wife fell into many afflictions of anxiety and suffering, passing in this world in pain, labors, and groanings. For it was under the rays of the sun that Adam worked the earth, and it brought forth thorns and thistles, the punishment of sin. (thorns and thistles)
Then was fulfilled that which is written: ‘Adam knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain; and after him she bore Abel.’ (Gen 4:1-2) But the rebel angel who had drawn the human being into disobedience, who had made him a sinner and who had been cause of his expulsion from Paradise, was not content with this first evil; he caused a second to be committed between the two brothers. For, having filled Cain with his spirit, he made him a fratricide. ()
So Abel died, slain by his brother; and thereby it was signified that some would be persecutors and oppressors and become murderers — but that it would be the wicked who would kill and persecute the righteous. (righteous Abel; 1 Jn 3:12) Thereupon the anger of God grew heavier; he cursed Cain, and it came about that all his race, generation after generation, became like their father. (cursed from the ground) And God raised up for Adam another son in place of Abel who was slain. ()
Greek
17. — Une fois chasses du Paradis, Adam et Eve, sa femme, tomberent dans de nombreuses afflictions de doute et de soutrrances, passant en ce monde dans la douleur, les travaux et les gemissements. En effet, c'etait sous les ravons du soleil qu'Adam travaillait la terre, et eile produisait des epines et des ronces, chätiment du peche. Alörs s'aecomplit ce qui est ecrit : « Adam connut sa femme, et eile coricut et enfanta Ca'rn; et apres celui-ci eile enfanta Abpl*. » Mais Tange rebelle qui avait entrainc l'homme ä la desobeissance, qui Tavait rendu pecheur et qui avait ete cause de son expulsion du Para- dis, (Tange, 'dis-je,) ne se contenta pas de ce premier mal. il en fit commettre un second entre les deux freres. Car, ayant rempli Ca'in de son esprit, il le rendit fratrieide. Ainsi mourut Abel, tue par son frere; et par lä il etait signifie que quelques-uns seraient persecuteurs et oppresseurs, et devien- draient homieides ; mais que ce seraient les mechants qui tueraient et perse- cuteraient lesjsstes. Lä-dessus, la eolere de Dieu s'aggrava; il maudit Cai'n, etil arriva que toute sa race, de gencration en generation, devint semblable ä son pere. Et Dieu suscita ä Adam un autre fils, ä la place d'Abel qui avait ete tue. 1. Gen., ii, 16, 17. — 2. II nie semblc qu'on ne peut pas traduire : « (Satan) se perdit lui-meme », c'etait dejä fait. De plus, le regime du verbe n'est pas un pronom reflechi, s'il est seul sans pronom personnel ^SgTi signifie ipsum et doit se rapporler : au complement de la proposition qui le precede immediatement, ä savoir ii>J>u, ä lui (homme). — 3. (,pn., in, 1. [113 DEMONSTRATION DE LA PREDICATION APOSTOLIQUE. ?65
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.