Cyril of Alexandria: Fragments on Matthew · §26

Matthew 3:16

The ancients before Christ used to hold those they baptized in the water until they confessed their own sins. Christ, being sinless, came up at once. He was not baptized as one repenting, but as one who cleanses sins and sanctifies the waters.

Greek

Τίνα λέγει ἀξίνην; οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ τὴν μέλλουσαν κόπτειν ἀπὸ τῶν πατριαρχῶν τοὺς μάτην καυχησαμένους καὶ μηδέν τι ἐργασαμένους ἀγαθόν· δεῖ γὰρ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων ἀκάρπους γεγονότας ἐκκόπτειν τε καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλειν.

About this text

Catena fragments on Matthew (CPG 5206). Contents follow Matthew chapter and verse. Edition fragment numbers stay in About this text and under each passage.

English follows the named copy-text (Aegean/khazarzar Migne PG 72 extract). Other prints were checked as noted; no silent merge of recensions.

Witnesses

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.