The Skeireins Translation by James W. Marchand
Ia:
"There is none who understands or seeks God.
All have turned away. Together they have become useless."
And already they have fallen under the judgment of death. For this
then there came a common savior of all to cleanse away the sins of all;
neither equal nor similar to our justice, but himself being justice that,
giving himself for us "an offering and a sacrifice
to God", he might work the redemption of this world. John now seeing
this: The plan which was to be carried out by the
Ib:
Lord,
in truth did say: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God
Who taketh away the sins of this world." He could have, to be sure,
even without the body of man, by divine authority alone, release all from
the tyranny of the devil. But he was aware that by such authority the need
for his power would be shown. And that no longer the plan of justice would
be kept, but that by force he would have worked the salvation of men for,
if the devil from the beginning not forcing, but by deluding man
Ic:
and by lie persuading him to transgress the commandment that would be against
propriety for the Lord, coming with divine power, also with authority to
release him, and by necessity to convert him to godliness. For then would
He not seem in the constraint of justice to transgress the plan already
ordained from the beginning? Now it was more fitting those of their own
will listening to the devil, to transgress the commandment of God. Those
again by their own will to become assenters to the teaching of the Saviour,
Id:
and to despise the wickedness of the one who previously had deceived
them. But to establish a knowledge of the truth for the resurrection of
the way of life in God. For this reason, then, he took on even the body
of man; that He might become a teacher of justice according to God. For
thus He would accomodate His Wisdom and invite man again by word and deed
and become a proclaimer of the way of life of the Gospel but since now
the confinement of the law - not only conversion ...
Further sections requested from the translator