إنجيل القدّيس يوحنّا05/من31حتى38/لَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا أَشْهَدُ لِنَفْسِي لَمَا كَانَتْ شَهَادَتِي مَقْبُولَة. ولكِنَّ آخَرَ يَشْهَدُ لِي، وأَنَا أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الشَّهَادَةَ الَّتِي يَشْهَدُهَا لِي صَادِقَة
“قالَ الربُّ يَسوعُ (لليهود): «لَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا أَشْهَدُ لِنَفْسِي لَمَا كَانَتْ شَهَادَتِي مَقْبُولَة. ولكِنَّ آخَرَ يَشْهَدُ لِي، وأَنَا أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الشَّهَادَةَ الَّتِي يَشْهَدُهَا لِي صَادِقَة. أَنْتُم أَرْسَلْتُم إِلى يُوحَنَّا فَشَهِدَ لِلحَقّ. وأَنَا لا أَسْتَمِدُّ الشَّهَادَةَ مِنْ إِنْسَان، ولكِنْ مِنْ أَجْلِ خَلاصِكُم أَقُولُ هذَا: كَانَ يُوحَنَّا السِّرَاجَ المُوقَدَ السَّاطِع، وأَنْتُم شِئْتُم أَنْ تَبْتَهِجُوا بِنُورِهِ سَاعَة. أَمَّا أَنَا فَلِي شَهَادَةٌ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ يُوحَنَّا: أَلأَعْمَالُ الَّتِي أَعْطَانِي الآبُ أَنْ أُتَمِّمَهَا، تِلْكَ الأَعْمَالُ نَفْسُهَا الَّتِي أَعْمَلُهَا، تَشْهَدُ أَنَّ الآبَ أَرْسَلَنِي. والآبُ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَنِي هُوَ شَهِدَ لِي. وأَنْتُم مَا سَمِعْتُم يَومًا صَوتَهُ، ولا رَأَيْتُم مُحَيَّاه، ولا جَعَلْتُم كَلِمَتَهُ رَاسِخَةً فِيكُم، لأَنَّكُم لا تُؤمِنُونَ بِمَنْ أَرْسَلَهُ الآب”.
رسالة القدّيس بولس إلى أهل غلاطية05/من02حتى15/ففِي المَسِيحِ يَسُوع، لا الخِتَانَةُ ولا عَدَمُ الخِتَانَةِ يَنْفَعُ شَيْئًا، بَلِ الإِيْمَانُ العَامِلُ بِالمَحَبَّة
“يا إِخوَتِي، هَا أَنَا بُولُسَ أَقُولُ لَكُم: إِذَا ٱخْتَتَنْتُم، فَالمِسِيحُ لَنْ يُفِيدَكُم شَيْئًا! وأَعُودُ أَشْهَدُ لِكُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ يَخْتَتِن، أَنَّهُ مُلْزَمٌ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بأَحْكَامِ الشَّرِيعَةِ كُلِّهَا. لَقَدْ فُصِلْتُم عَنِ المَسِيح، أَنتُمُ الَّذِينَ تَطْلُبُونَ أَنْ تَتَبَرَّرُوا بِالشَّرِيعَة، وسَقَطْتُمْ عَنِ النِّعْمَة. أَمَّا نَحْنُ فَبِالرُّوحِ نَنْتَظِرُ ونَرْجُو التَّبْرِيرَ بِالإِيْمَان. ففِي المَسِيحِ يَسُوع، لا الخِتَانَةُ ولا عَدَمُ الخِتَانَةِ يَنْفَعُ شَيْئًا، بَلِ الإِيْمَانُ العَامِلُ بِالمَحَبَّة. كُنْتُم تَجْرُونَ جَرْيًا جَيِّدًا، فَمَنْ أَعَاقَكُم عَنِ الطَّاعَةِ لِلْحَقّ؟ ومَا أَقْنَعُوكُم بِهِ لَيْسَ مِنَ اللهِ الَّذي يَدْعُوكُم. إِنَّ قَلِيلاً مِن الخَمِيرِ يُخَمِّرُ العَجْنَةَ كُلَّهَا. أَنَا وَاثِقٌ بِكُم في الرَّبِّ أَنَّكُم لَنْ تَرْتَأُوا أَيَّ رَأْيٍ آخَر، أَمَّا الَّذي يُبَلْبِلُكُم فإِنَّهُ سيُعَانِي الدَّيْنُونَة، كَائِنًا مَنْ كَان. وَأَنَا، أَيُّهَا الإِخْوَة، إِنْ كُنْتُ أُنَادِي إِلى الآنَ بالخِتَانَة، فَلِمَاذَا أُضْطَهَدُ بَعْد؟ إِذًا فقَدْ أُبْطِلَ عِثَارُ الصَّلِيب! يا لَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يُبَلبِلُونَكُم يَبْتُرُونَ أَعْضَاءَهُم! فأَنْتُم، أَيُّهَا الإِخْوَة، إِنَّمَا دُعِيتُم إِلى الْحُرِّيَّة. ولكِن لا تَجْعَلُوا هذِهِ الحُرِّيَّةَ ذَرِيعَةً لإِرْضَاءِ الجَسَد، بَلِ ٱخْدُمُوا بَعضُكُم بَعْضًا بِالمَحَبَّة. فَإِنَّ الشَّريعَةَ كُلَّهَا تَكْتَمِلُ في كَلِمَةٍ وَاحِدَة، وهِيَ أَنْ تُحِبَّ قَرِيبَكَ كَنَفْسِكَ. فإِنْ كُنْتُم تَنْهَشُونَ وتَأْكُلُونَ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًا، فَٱحْذَرُوا أَنْ تُفْنُوا بَعضُكُم بَعْضًا”.
If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 05/31-38: “‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.”
For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
Letter to the Galatians 05/02-15: “Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love. You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? Such persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. I am confident about you in the Lord that you will not think otherwise. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.
But my friends, why am I still being persecuted if I am still preaching circumcision? In that case the offence of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves! For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.