An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith

by St John Damascene

The Complete Text

BOOK I CHAPTER I

That the Deity is incomprehensible, and that we ought not to pry into and meddle with tire things which have not been delivered to us by the holy Prophets, and Apostles, and Evangelists.

BOOK I CHAPTER II

Concerning things utterable and things unutterable, and things knowable and thinks unknowable.

BOOK I CHAPTER III

Proof that there is a God.

BOOK I CHAPTER IV

Concerning the nature of Deity: that it is incomprehensible.

BOOK I CHAPTER V

Proof that God is one and not many.

BOOK I CHAPTER VI

Concerning the Word and the San of God: a reasoned proof.

BOOK I CHAPTER VII

Concerning the Holy Spirit, a reasoned proof.

BOOK I CHAPTER VIII

Concerning the Holy Trinity.

BOOK I CHAPTER IX

Concerning what is affirmed about God.

BOOK I CHAPTER X

Concerning divine union and separation.

BOOK I CHAPTER XI

Concerning what is affirmed about God as though He had body.

BOOK I CHAPTER XII

Concerning the Same.

BOOK I CHAPTER XIII

Concerning the place of God: and that the Deity alone is uncircumscribed.

BOOK I CHAPTER XIV

The properties of the divine nature.

BOOK II CHAPTER I

Concerning aeon or age.

BOOK II CHAPTER II

Concerning the creation.

BOOK II CHAPTER IlI

Concerning angels.

BOOK II CHAPTER IV

Concerning the devil and demons.

BOOK II CHAPTER V

Concerning the visible creation.

BOOK II CHAPTER VI

Concerning the Heaven.

BOOK II CHAPTER VII

Concerning light, fire, the luminaries, sun, moon and stars.

BOOK II CHAPTER VIII

Concerning air and winds.

BOOK II CHAPTER IX

Concerning the waters.

BOOK II CHAPTER X

Concerning earth and its products.

BOOK II CHAPTER XI

Concerning Paradise.

BOOK II CHAPTER XII

Concerning Man.

BOOK II CHAPTER XIII

Concerning Pleasures.

BOOK II CHAPTER XIV

Concerning Pain.

BOOK II CHAPTER XV

Concerning Fear.

BOOK II CHAPTER XVI

Concerning Anger.

BOOK II CHAPTER XVII

Concerning Imagination.

BOOK II CHAPTER XVIII

Concerning Sensation.

BOOK II CHAPTER XIX

Concerning Thought.

BOOK II CHAPTER XX

Concerning Memory.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXI

Concerning Conception and Articulation.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXII

Concerning Passion and Energy.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXIII

Concerning Energy.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXIV

Concerning what is Voluntary anal what is Involuntary.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXV

Concerning what is in our own power, that is, concerning Free-will(9).

BOOK II CHAPTER XXVI

Of events(5), some are in our hands, others are not.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXVII

Concerning the reason of our endowment with Free-will.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXVIII

Concerning what is not in our hands.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXIX

Concerning Providence.

BOOK II CHAPTER XXX

Concerning Prescience and Predestination.

BOOK III CHAPTER I

Concerning the Divine OEconomy and God's care over us, and concerning our salvation.

BOOK III CHAPTER II

Concerning the manner in which the Word(9) was conceived, and concerning His divine incarnation.

BOOK III CHAPTER III

Concerning Christ's two natures, in apposition to those who hold that He has only one(2).

BOOK III CHAPTER IV

Concerning the manner of the Mutual Communication(8).

BOOK III CHAPTER V

Concerning the number of the Natures.

BOOK III CHAPTER VI

That in one of its subsistences the divine nature is united in its entirety to the human nature, in its entirety and not only part to part.

BOOK III CHAPTER VII

Concerning the one compound subsistence of God the Word.

BOOK III CHAPTER VIII

In reply to those who ask whether(7) the natures of the Lord are brought under a continuous or a discontinuous quantity(8).

BOOK III CHAPTER IX

In reply to the question whether there is Nature that has no Subsistence.

BOOK III CHAPTER X

Concerning the Trisagium ("the Thrice Holy").

BOOK III CHAPTER XI

Concerning the Nature as viewed in Species and in Individual, and concerning the difference between Union and Incarnation: and how this is to be understood, "The one Nature of God the Word Incarnate.

BOOK III CHAPTER XII

That the holy Virgin is the Mother of God: an argument directed against the Nestorians.

BOOK III CHAPTER XIII

Concerning the properties of the two Natures.

BOOK III CHAPTER XIV

Concerning the volitions and free-will of our Lord Jesus Christ.

BOOK III CHAPTER XV

Concerning the energies in our Lord Jesus Christ.

BOOK III CHAPTER XVI

In reply to those who say(7) "If man has two natures and two energies, Christ must be held to have three natures and as many energies.

BOOK III CHAPTER XVII

Concerning the deification of the nature of our Lord's flesh and of Hi's will.

BOOK III CHAPTER XVIII

Further concerning volitions and free-wills: minds, too, and knowledges and wisdoms.

BOOK III CHAPTER XIX

Concerning the theandric energy.

BOOK III CHAPTER XX

Concerning the natural and innocent passions(2a).

BOOK III CHAPTER XXI

Concerning ignorance and servitude.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXII

Concerning His growth.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXIII

Concerning His Fear.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXIV

Concerning our Lord's Praying.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXV

Concerning the Appropriation.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXVI

Concerning the Passion of our Lord's body, and the Impassibility of His divinity.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXVII

Concerning the fact that the divinity of the Word remained inseparable from the soul and the body, even at our Lord's death, and that His subsistence continued one.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXVIII

Concerning Corruption and Destruction.

BOOK III CHAPTER XXIX

Concerning the Descent to Hades.

BOOK IV CHAPTER I

Concerning what followed the Resurrection.

BOOK IV CHAPTER II

Concerning the sitting at the right hand of the Father.

BOOK IV CHAPTER III

In reply to those who say(5) "If Christ has two natures, either ye do service to the creature in worshipping created nature, or ye say that there is one nature to be worshipped, and another not to be worshipped.

BOOK IV CHAPTER IV

Why it was the Son of God, and not the Father or the Spirit, that became man: and what having became man He achieved.

BOOK IV CHAPTER V

In reply to those who ask if Christ's subsistence is create or uncreate.

BOOK IV CHAPTER VI

Concerning the question, when Christ was called.

BOOK IV CHAPTER VII

In answer to those who enquire whether the holy Mother of God bore two natures, and whether two natures hung upon the Crass.

BOOK IV CHAPTER VIII

How the Only-begotten Son of God is called first-born.

BOOK IV CHAPTER IX

Concerning Faith and Baptism.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XII

Concerning Worship towards the East.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XIII

Concerning the holy and immaculate Mysteries of the Lord.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XIV

Concerning our Lord's genealogy and concerning the holy Mother of God(4).

BOOK IV CHAPTER XV

Concerning the honour due to the Saints and their remains.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XVI

Concerning Images(8).

BOOK IV CHAPTER XVII

Concerning Scripture(8).

BOOK IV CHAPTER XVIII

Regarding the things said concerning Christ.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XIX

That God(7) is not the cause of evils.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XX

That there are not two Kingdoms.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XXI

The purpose(2) for which God in His foreknowledge created persons who would sin and not repent.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XXII

Concerning the law of God and the law of sin.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XXIII

Against the Jews on the question Sabbath.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XXIV

Concerning Virginity.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XXV

Concerning the Circumcision.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XXVI

It should be known that the Antichrist is hound to come.

BOOK IV CHAPTER XXVII

Concerning the Resurrection.