Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
☀️
2 Corinthians VI, 1 — ‘εἰς κενὸν’ - ‘eis kenon’ - ‘in vain’. A common expression.
2 Corinthians VI, 2 — ‘ἐν ἡμέρᾳ’ - ‘en hemera’ - ‘in the day’.
2 Corinthians VI, 3 — ‘ἐν μηδενὶ’ - ‘en medeni’ - ‘in nothing’.
2 Corinthians VI, 4 — ‘ἐν παντὶ’ - ‘en panti’ - ‘in everything; by all’. ‘ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ, ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν στενοχωρίαις,’ - ‘en hypomone polle, en thlipsesin, in anankais, en stenokhorisis,' - ’in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses; with much patience, with afflictions, with necessities, with distresses,’. Rather, the first option, since it does not suggest that the apostles' work and life are meant to be filled with all difficulties and challenges.
2 Corinthians VI, 5 — ‘ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν φυλακαῖς, ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις, ἐν κόποις, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις, ἐν νηστείαις,’ - ‘en plegais, en phylakais, en akatastasiais, en kopois, en agrypniais, en nesteisis,' - ’in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastingss; by stripes, by imprisonments, by tumults, by labours, by watchings, by fastings’. It is more likely the first option, since it does not suggest that the apostles' work and life are meant to be filled with all the difficulties and challenges.
2 Corinthians VI, 6 — ‘ἐν ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει, ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ, ἐν χρηστότητι, ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἀνυποκρίτῳ,’ - ‘en agnoteti, en gnosei, en makrothymia, en khrestoteti, en pneumati agio, en agape anypokrito,' - ’in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by unfeigned love'. Both translations are possible here, the second being more straightforward.
2 Corinthians VI, 7 — ‘ἐν λόγῳ ἀληθείας, ἐν δυνάμει θεοῦ’ - ‘en logo aletheias, en dynamei theou’ - ‘by the word of truth, by the power of God; in the word of truth, in the power of God’. Both translations are possible, and it is difficult to give preference to one of them.
For more information about the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/11072024.html
Luke VIII, 5, 12 — ‘ἐν τῷ σπείρειν’ - ‘en to speirein’ - ‘in sowing; during sowing’. ‘παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν’ - ‘para ten odon’ - ‘to the proximity of the road’. The preposition ‘para’ is with the accusative and indicates that the grain fell near the road, towards it.
Luke VIII, 7 — ‘ἐν μέσῳ’ - ‘en meso’ - ‘in the middle’. A common expression.
Luke 8:8 — ‘εἰς τὴν γῆν’ - ‘eis ten gen’ - ‘into the ground’.
Luke VIII, 10 — ‘ἐν παραβολαῖς’ - ‘en parabolais’ - ‘in parables; by parables’. Both translations are possible, with the first emphasising that the truth is in the form of parables, and the second that a parable as such is suitable for teaching well.
Luke VIII, 12 — ‘ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας’ - ‘apo tes kardias’ - ‘from the hearts’. The preposition ‘apo’ here emphasises that it takes away everything, completely, so that nothing remains.
Luke VIII, 13 — ‘ἐν καιρῷ’ - ‘en kairo’ - ‘in time; during time’. A common expression.
Luke VIII, 14 — ‘εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας’ - ‘eis tas akanthas’ - ‘among the thorns’. ‘ὑπὸ μεριμνῶν’ - ‘hypo merimnon’ - ‘beneath cares; through cares’. This is more likely the second translation. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case and indicates both the weakening of spiritual life and efforts under the burden of cares, wealth, and worldly luxuries, and the fact that these latter often act as obstacles, empty ‘thorns’ that wound but do not nourish the soul.
Luke VIII, 15 — ‘ἐν τῇ καλῇ γῇ’ - ‘en te kale ge’ - ‘into a beautiful, supremely good ground’. ‘ἐν καρδίᾳ καλῇ καὶ ἀγαθῇ’ - ‘en kardia kale kai agathe’ - ‘in the beautiful heart, supremely good and good in results, in general, in the whole’. Here, the combination of ‘good’ in different degrees of excellence and perfection indicates that a person first attaches themselves strongly to the Word of God in their heart, and then continues in goodness even when they do not have the same enthusiasm and vigour, energy, willingness and inspiration. We need to love the Lord dearly, and then keep this love, not necessarily in the same elevated and high state, but in goodness. ‘ἐν ὑπομονῇ’ - ‘en hypomone’ - ‘in patience’. A continuation of the previous thought - patience is needed in time ‘ἀγαθῇ’.
For more information on the Gospel reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15102023.html
To the Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council:
For information about the frequent reading from the Apostle, please refer to the following link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14052023.html
For more information about the Gospel reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16062024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28052023.html
To Theotokos:
For more information on these frequent readings, please refer to the following link and others cited there:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15082024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!