{"slug":"dsc-35","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-35","title":"On the Four Evangelists","title_source":"On the Four Evangelists","author":"Narsai","genre":"other","date":"Second half of the fifth century CE","tradition":"syriac","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T05:27:36Z","cost_usd":0.0134},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-35","work_id":"dsc-35","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"},"stats":{"passages":18,"english_words":5050,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":11261,"commentary_units":104,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":7,"ambiguities":32,"work_notes":4,"external_links":4,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-35","abstract":"Narsai's memrā on the four evangelists is a Syriac poetic homily from the late fifth or early sixth century, attributed to the East Syriac theologian Narsai (d. ca. 503). The work survives in East Syriac liturgical manuscripts and was used during the Feast of the Evangelists. It employs rich imagery, such as the 'living image' of the evangelists and the 'crown of divinity,' to explore Christological themes and the role of the evangelists in revealing divine mysteries. The text reflects Narsai's characteristic emphasis on Christ's actions as revealing hidden truths and draws on Syriac traditions of typology and sacramental union.","historical_context":"Narsai (d. ca. 503) was a leading theologian of the Church of the East, active in the late fifth and early sixth centuries. He served as director of the School of Edessa before its closure in 489, then moved to Nisibis, where he helped establish its famous school. This memrā on the four evangelists was composed in Syriac, likely in the region of northern Mesopotamia, for use in East Syriac liturgical settings, particularly the Feast of the Evangelists. The text survives in East Syriac manuscripts, often within liturgical collections, and its attribution rests on manuscript colophons and later tradition. The work's poetic form (memrā) and imagery—such as the 'king of Rome' as a type for Christ and the 'crown of divinity' for the incarnation—echo earlier Syriac authors like Ephrem and reflect the Christological debates of the period, emphasizing the unity of Christ's natures.","significance":"This memrā is significant for understanding East Syriac liturgical poetry and Christology in the late antique period. It illustrates how Narsai adapted Syriac poetic traditions to articulate orthodox Christological positions, influencing later exegetical works on the Gospels. The text's use in the Feast of the Evangelists highlights the liturgical veneration of the evangelists in the Church of the East.","timeline":[{"date":"Late 5th c.","event":"Narsai composes the memrā on the four evangelists, likely in northern Mesopotamia."},{"date":"ca. 503","event":"Death of Narsai; the work continues to be copied and used in East Syriac liturgy."},{"date":"5th–6th c.","event":"The text is transmitted in East Syriac manuscripts, often in liturgical collections."},{"date":"Medieval period","event":"The memrā is used during the Feast of the Evangelists in East Syriac churches."},{"date":"Modern","event":"The work is edited and translated into English in the source edition (ed:dsc-35)."}],"relations":[{"work":"Ephrem's Hymns on the Nativity","relation":"Shares imagery of Christ as a royal host and the 'crown of divinity,' reflecting common Syriac tradition.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Narsai's other memrē","relation":"Part of a larger corpus of poetic homilies by Narsai, often on biblical and liturgical themes.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"East Syriac liturgical books","relation":"The text is preserved in liturgical collections used for the Feast of the Evangelists.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Syriac exegetical works on the Gospels","relation":"Influenced later East Syriac commentaries on the Gospels.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Narsai","label":"Narsai","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narsai","reason":"Provides background on the author and his historical context."},{"key":"wikipedia:Church of the East","label":"Church of the East","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_East","reason":"Context for the community that preserved and used the text."},{"key":"wikipedia:Syriac literature","label":"Syriac literature","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac_literature","reason":"Broader literary tradition to which the work belongs."},{"key":"wikipedia:School of Nisibis","label":"School of Nisibis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_Nisibis","reason":"Institution associated with Narsai's later career."}],"cautions":["The attribution to Narsai rests on manuscript colophons and later East Syriac tradition; direct contemporary evidence is lacking.","The exact date of composition is uncertain; the work is placed in the late fifth or early sixth century based on Narsai's lifetime.","The English translation occasionally paraphrases Syriac poetic imagery; readers should consult the Syriac for precise theological terms.","The text's survival in liturgical collections may have introduced scribal variants or adaptations."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000492,"generated":"2026-11-15T02:38:47Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Digital Syriac Corpus text","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org work record","url":"http://syriaca.org/work/8537"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org author record","url":"http://syriaca.org/person/650"}],"checks":{"work":"dsc-35","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":18,"translated":18,"commentary_passages":18,"commentary_units":104,"english_words":5050,"source_letters":16541,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Narsai (d. ca. 503) is traditionally dated to the late 5th–early 6th century. The work's attribution rests on manuscript colophons and later East Syriac tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The text survives in East Syriac manuscripts, often in liturgical collections. The source edition (ed:dsc-35) provides the Syriac text with an English translation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This memrā was used in East Syriac liturgical contexts, likely read during the Feast of the Evangelists. Its influence is seen in later exegetical works on the Gospels.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft occasionally paraphrases Syriac poetic imagery; readers should consult the Syriac for precise theological terms, especially regarding the 'living image' of the evangelists.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 18 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"6 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","text":"1 scriptural phrase match(es) noted: John 4:10."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":18},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-35":{"label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܥܲܠ ܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ\n܀ ܡܸܐܡܪܵܐ܀ ܚ܀ ܕܲܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ܀ ܫܠܸܡ ܕܝܼܠܹܗ ܟܲܕ ܕܝܼܠܹܗ܀ ܡܹܐܡܪܵܐ ܕܲܬܼܡܢܝܵܐ ܕܲܥܒ̣ܝܼܕ ܠܹܗ ܥܲܠ ܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ\nܟܠܗܘܿܢ ܘܡܸܬܼ ܐܡܲܪ ܒܕܘܼܟܼܪܵܢܵܐ ܕܐܘܲܢܵܓܠܸܣ̈ܛܹܐ܀ ܥܘܢܝܐ ܒܪܝܼܟܼܘ ܡܫܚܹܝܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܒܸܫܝܫ ܠܲܫܠܝܼܚܵܘ̈ܗܝ\nܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܘܒܹܗ ܙܟܼܵܘ ܘܐܸܬܼܢܲܨܲܚܘ. ܐ̄ܚܪܢܐ ܒܪܝܼܟܼܘ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ ܕܐܲܡܠܸܟ ܘܐܸܫܬܿܘܕܝܼ. ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܐܟܹܐܢܹ̈ܐ ܘܕܲܝܢܵܐ ܠܥܵܘ̈̇ܠܹܐ܀ ܐܚܲܝ̈. :ܡܲܠܟܿܐ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ ܥܒ݂ܲܕ ܡܸܫܬܿܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܬܿܐ\nܘܫܲܕܲܪ ܥܲܒܼܕܘ̈ܗܝ ܕܢܩܪܘܢ ܟܠܵܐ ܠܲܝܚܘܿܠ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ. :ܙܲܡܸܢ ܘܲܩܪ̣ܵܐ ܠܲܫܡܝ̈ܢܐ ܘܠܲܐܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ\nܘܫܲܕܲܪ ܥܲܠܒܼܕܘ̈ܗܝ ܕܢܩ̇ܪܘܢ ܟܠܵܐ ܠܲܚܲܠܘܿܠ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ. :ܙܲܡܸܢ ܘܲܩܼܪܵܐ ܠܲܫܡܝ̈ܢܐ ܘܠܲܐܪ̈ܥܵܢܵܝܹܐ\nܘܛܲܝܸܒܼ ܐܘܼܟܼܠܵܐ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܚܵܒܲܠ. :ܐܲܣܡܸܟ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܗܲܝܟܲܠ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܚܲܙܝܵܢܵܐ\nܘܚܵܘܝܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܚܹܝܠ ܪܲܒܿܘܼܬܹܗ ܒܪܸ̈ܓܼܫܐ ܓ̈ܠܝܐ. :ܒܪܸܫ ܒܲܪ ܢܵܫܵܐ ܣܡܹܗ ܠܬܼܵܓܼܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܢܸܚܙܘܢ ܐܢ̈ܫܐ [...]ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ ܟܣܝܵܐ ܒܓܸܠܝܐ. :ܠܵܐ ܡܲܨܵܝܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬܼ ܕܬܸܚܙܝܼܘܗܝ ܠܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܬܸܬܼܒܲܩܹܐ ܒܹܗ\nܘܥܲܠ ܗܵܝ̇ ܚܵܘܝܼ ܫܘܼܒܼܚܹܗ ܒܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܥܹܝܢ ܚܲܙ̈ܝܹܐ. :ܫܘܼܒܼܚܹܗ ܠܥܹܝܢ ܬܘܼܩܢܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܠܵܘ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܚܹܝܠ ܪܲܒܿܘܼܬܹܗ ܓܠ̣ܵܐ ܠܲܥܒܼܵܕܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܠܵܘ ܟܲܣܝܘܼܬܹܗ. :ܢܚܬܹܿܐ ܕܦܲܓܼܪܐ ܠܒܸܫ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܵܐ ܡܸܠܬܐ ܕܡܸܢܹܗ\nܘܬܲܪܓܸܡ ܒܐܝܼܕܹܗ ܚܹܝܠ ܒܘܼܕܵܩܵܐ ܕܲܣܬܝܼܪ̈ܵܬܹܗ. :ܟܸܢܵܪ ܒܣܪܵܐ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܵܐ ܪܲܟܸܿܒܼ ܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ\nܕܢܲܚܕܐ ܒܹܗ ܠܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ ܘܦܓܼܪ̈ܢܝܐ.","english":"On the Apostles\n\nA Memra. Eight. Of the Apostles. Completed is his own, as his own. A Memra of Thomas which he made on the Apostles.\n\nAll of them, and it is said in the commemoration of the Evangelists. O blessed one, Christ, who clothed your apostles in the armor of the Spirit, and through it they conquered and were adorned. O blessed one, Christ, who reigned and was glorified. A reward for the righteous and a judgment for the wicked. My brethren.\n\nThe king of Rome made a spiritual feast and sent his servants to summon all to the fullness of his love. He gathered and called the heavenly and earthly ones, and sent his servants to summon all to the fullness of his love. He gathered and called the heavenly and earthly ones, and prepared a spiritual feast that is indestructible. He placed his sign in the temple of the visible body, and showed his sign, the power of his greatness, through manifest senses. On the head of a human being he placed the crown of divinity, so that spiritual men might see the hidden in the revealed. It was not possible that you see the outside and be consumed in him, and on this account he showed his glory in the body to the eye of the beholders. His glory is for the eye of his types, not his essence, and the power of his greatness was revealed to his works, not his concealment. The garment of the body put on the will, the Word from him, and interpreted with his hand the power of the knowledge of his mysteries. The spiritual chariot of flesh mounted his love, that he might unite in it the spiritual and the corporeal.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܸܐܡܪܵܐ ܚ ܕܲܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The heading identifies this as the eighth memra of a cycle on the apostles, attributed to Thomas. The phrase 'completed is his own, as his own' may mark a scribal colophon or a textual note.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܕܘܼܟܼܪܵܢܵܐ ܕܐܘܲܢܵܓܠܸܣ̈ܛܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'commemoration of the Evangelists' (dukrānā d-ewangēlistē) signals a liturgical context, likely a feast day for the four evangelists, a common theme in Syriac hymnography.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܡܲܠܟܿܐ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'king of Rome' is a typological figure for Christ, who in Syriac tradition is often depicted as a royal host inviting all to a spiritual banquet. This imagery echoes Ephrem's Hymns on the Nativity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܪܸܫ ܒܲܪ ܢܵܫܵܐ ܣܡܹܗ ܠܬܼܵܓܼܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of placing the 'crown of divinity' on a human head alludes to the incarnation, echoing John 1:14 and the Logos becoming flesh. The 'crown' (tāgā) is a Syriac term for the divine nature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܲܪܓܸܡ ܒܐܝܼܕܹܗ ܚܹܝܠ ܒܘܼܕܵܩܵܐ ܕܲܣܬܝܼܪ̈ܵܬܹܗ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'interpreted with his hand the power of the knowledge of his mysteries' reflects Narsai's characteristic emphasis on Christ's actions as revealing hidden truths, a theme later developed in East Syriac mysticism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܣܡܸܟ ܐܸܢܘܿܥ ܒܗܲܝܟܲܠ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The text contains a possible scribal error: 'he placed his sign' (asmeḵ eṯwāʿ) may be a corruption of 'he placed his image' (asmeḵ ṣalmā), a common phrase in Syriac Christology. The sense remains clear.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'completed is his own, as his own' is ambiguous: it may be a scribal colophon or a textual note indicating the end of a section. The reading taken is that it marks a scribal note.","The reference to 'Thomas' in the heading is ambiguous: it could refer to the apostle Thomas as author, or to a later Thomas (e.g., Thomas of Edessa). The reading taken is that it refers to the apostle Thomas, as per the work's attribution."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":":ܒܡܸܢܝ̈ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܢܩ̣ܫ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܹܗ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܨܒܼܥܵܐ\nܘܲܬܼܗܲܪܘ ܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܘܪ̈ܘܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ ܒܚܲܠܝܘܬܼ ܩܵܠܹܗ. :ܦܐܐ ܗܘ̣ܵܐ ܚܵܠܘܼܠܵܐ ܕܥܒܼܝܼܕܼ ܟܵܣܝܼܵܐ ܠܲܥܒܼܕܼ ܐܝܼܕܼܵܘ̈ܗܝ\nܘܗܢܝܼ ܗܘ̣ܵܐ ܛܵܒܼ ܙܡܪ ܟܣܝܘܬܹܗ ܒܐܲܒܿܘܼܒܼܘ ܒܸܣܪܵܐ. :ܠܲܥܒܼܵܕܼ ܐܝܼܕܼܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܥܒܕ ܡܸܫܬܿܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܠܵܘ ܠܚܢܵܢܹܗ\nܕܗܘ̤ ܠܵܐ ܣܢܝܼܩܵܐ ܗܘ̣ ܕܥܲܡ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܹܗ ܐܝܬܵܘܗܝ ܛܘܼܒܹܗ. ܠܨܠܡܹܗ ܝܩܪ ܒܝܲܕ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܓܼܠܵܐ ܥܠ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܹܗ. :ܠܵܘ ܬܵܘܣܦܬܼܵܐ ܥܒܕ ܠܲܟܼܝܵܢܹܗ ܒܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܲܩܢܹܐ\n:ܠܲܝܬ ܠܹܗ ܕܢܹܐܪܲܒܼ ܐܵܘ ܕܢܸܬܿ ܒܲܨܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܐܝܼܬܼܵܘܗܝ\nܘܠܵܐ ܩܢܹܐ ܟܝܵܢܹܗ ܕܢܚܕܐ ܘܢܲܟܼܪܹܐ ܒܝܲܕ ܕܡܸܬܼܚܲܘܝܼ̈ܢ. :ܠܲܡܠܝܼܠܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܨܒܼܵܐ ܕܲܢܚܲܕܼܬܼ ܒܐܲܝܠܹܝܢ ܕܣܥ̣ܪ\nܘܒܼܵܗ̇ ܬܘܼܒܼ ܬܲܪܓܸܿܡ ܚܹܝܠ ܚܸܟܼܡ̈ܬܼܵܐ ܕܟܲܣܝܘܼܬܼ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ. :ܠܲܨܠܸܡ ܨܲܠܡܹܗ ܝܲܩܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܠܨܲܠܡܵܐ\nܘܒܼܐܝܼܕܹܗ ܐܲܦܨܲܚ ܠܲܟܼܡܝܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܪܸܕܼܦܲܬ̤ ܫܲܝܢܵܐ. :ܚܛܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܐܢܫ̈ܐ ܕܠܚܬܗ ܠܫܝܢܐ ܘܫ̣ܪܬ̤ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ\nܘܲܒܼܒܲܪ̈ܢܵܫܵܐ ܨܒ̣ܐ ܕܲܢܫܲܝܸܢ ܟܠ ܥܲܡ ܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ. :ܚܲܕܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܐܢܫܵܐ ܓܒ̣ܵܐ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܹܗ ܘܲܩܪ̣ܵܝܗܝ ܒܲܫܡܹܗ\nܘܒܼܐܝܼܕܹܗ ܐܲܦܝܼ ܠܲܡܠܝܼܠܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܠܘܵܬܼ ܝܼܕܲܥܬܹܗ. ܠܪܸܚܡܲܬܼ ܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ ܩܪ̣ܐ ܡܸܫܬܿܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܥܒ̣ܕ ܠܩܪܗ:\nܘܨܐܕܵܘܗܝ ܟܲܢܸܫ ܠܲܫܡܝ̈ܢܐ ܘܠܙܪ̈ ܥܢܝܐ. :ܠܒܢܝ̈ ܓܢܣܗ ܫܲܡ݂ܲܗ ܥܒ̈̇ܕܐ ܘܡܸܫܬܲܕܪ̈ܵܢܹܐ\nܘܙܲܡܲܢ ܟܠܵܐ ܠܲܚܠܘܼܠ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ. :ܪܡܙܹܗ ܡܲܠܸܠ ܒܸܠܫܵܢ ܒܫܪܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܦܓܪ̈ܢܐ\nܘܚܲܟܸܿܡ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܐܲܝܟܲܢ ܢܨܘܼܕܘܼܢ ܐܢܫ̈ܐ ܠܚܚ̈ܐ. :ܚܲܝܠܹܗ ܚܲܝܸܠ ܠܲܡܚܝܼܠܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܪ̈ܥܝܢܝܟܘܢ\nܕܲܢܫܝܼܢܘܼܢܵܝܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܦܠܝܼܓܼܐ ܒܩܵܠ ܡܲܠܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ.","english":"In the members of the body he bent his will as with a finger,\nand men and spiritual beings were astonished at the sweetness of his voice. He became a bridegroom who made a hidden covering for the work of his hands,\nand he was a good singer, his covering in the bosom of flesh. For the work of his hands he made a feast, not for his own sake,\nbecause he who is not limited is with his essence, his blessedness. He honored his image by that which revealed his essence. He made no addition to his nature by the things that are spoken,\nfor there is nothing that can be added or diminished from what he is,\nand his nature does not stand in one and another by means of manifestations. He desired that speech should be united through the things that were done,\nand by it again he interpreted the power of the wisdoms of the covering of his love. He honored his image more than any image,\nand by his hand he made glad the hiddenness of the pursuit of the demon. The sin of men that bound the demon and loosed love,\nand in men he desired to make all share in his love. He chose one of the men, his will, and called him by his name,\nand by his hand he brought speech to his knowledge. For the love of his love he called the feast that he made for his calling,\nand his hunters gathered the hearers and the sowers. To the members of his body he appointed servants and apostles,\nand he gathered all to the bridal feast of spiritual life. His sign spoke in language, loosening with bodies,\nand he made wise the way that men might hunt for life. His power strengthened the weakness of your thoughts,\nthat their proclamation might be to the divided world by the voice of their fullness.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܚܘܼܒܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac ḥubbā (love) here carries a theological valence, often denoting divine love or the Holy Spirit’s agency in Narsai’s Christology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Narsai’s imagery of the bridegroom and the hidden covering reflects the Syriac tradition of the ‘mystery of the bridegroom’ (rāzā d-ḥallulā), used to describe Christ’s incarnation and sacramental union.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܲܕܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܐܢܫܵܐ ܓܒ̣ܵܐ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܹܗ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ‘he chose one of the men, his will’ echoes the calling of an apostle, possibly Paul or a specific evangelist, though the text does not name which.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from a general description of Christ’s incarnation to the specific election of an apostle, marked by the phrase ‘he chose one of the men’.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܲܟܼܝܵܢܹܗ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac term lakyāṯeh (his nature) is ambiguous; it may refer to Christ’s divine nature or to the nature of the chosen apostle. The translation follows the former reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the ‘one of the men’ chosen is not specified; it may be an evangelist or apostle.","The phrase ‘his covering in the bosom of flesh’ could refer to Christ’s incarnation or to a sacramental veil."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":":ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܡܕܟ ܐܝܟ ܣܲܡܡܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܥܲܡ ܡܠܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܕܢܐܣܘܢ ܟܹܐܒܹ̈ܐ ܕܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܢܲܦ̣ܫܵܐ ܒܵܦܸܬܼܓܼܵܡܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܫܪܵܪܹܗ ܐܲܠܒܸܫ ܒܲܕ ܡܘܼܬܼ ܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܠܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܟܿܘܿܢ\nܕܢܙܟܘܢ ܛܘܼܥܝܲܝ ܕܲܙܪܲܥ ܒܝܼܫܵܐ ܒܐܪܫܐ ܕܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ. :ܚܢܵܢܵܐ ܕܲܪ̈ܲܚܡܹܐ ܡܫ̣ܝܼܚ ܙܵܘܥܲܝܗܘܿܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܐܲܬܼܠܹ̈ܝܛܹܐ\nܕܬܸܫܪܲܥ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܐܝܼܕܼܵܐ ܕܫܹܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܒܐܓܘܢ ܥܲܡ̈ܠܹܐ. :ܣܲܝܦܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܐ̇ܘܚܸܕܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܸܚܪܲܒܼ ܥܵܘܠܵܐ\nܕܢܒܗܬܼ ܣܢܐܐ ܘܕܩ̇ܛܠܝܢ ܠܹܗ ܐܢܵܫܐ ܕܲܩܛ̣ܠ. :ܚܹܝܠ ܥܘܼܕܪܵܢܹܗ ܐܲܠܒܸܫ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܫܸܪ̈ܝܵܢܹܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܼܩܲܒܼܥܘܢ ܓܹܐܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܢܸܟܼܠܹܗ ܒܗܕܡܝ̈ܗܘܢ. :ܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܐܵܘ ܚ̣ܕ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܲܕ ܡܘܼܬܼ ܣܲܟܪܵܐ\nܕܲܢܣܲܬܪܘܢ ܒܵܗ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܢܲܦ̣ܫܵܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܢܸܟܼܝܵ̈ܢܹܐ. :ܪܘܿܚܵܢܵܐܝܼܬܼ ܐܲܠܒܸܿܫ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܬܲܟܼܬܘܼܫܵܐ\nܕܢܸܗܘܘܢ ܝܵܕ ܥܝܼܢ ܠܡܹܐܚܲܕܼ ܕܼܪܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܚܘܼܬܼܚܵܬܹ̈ܐ. :ܥܲܡ ܟܠ ܘܲܒܼܟܼܠ ܐܲܥܢܝܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܗܸܪܓܵܐ ܕܥܲܡ̈ܠܹܐ\nܘܲܒܼܢܸܣܝܵܢܵܐ ܩܢ̣ܘ ܕܘܼܪܵܫܵܐ ܕܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܝܵܬܼܵܐ. :ܚܝܹܠ ܚܸܟܡ̈ܬܼܵܐ ܕܟܼܠ ܐܘܼܡܵܢܘܼ ܝܠܸܦܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ\nܘܲܥܬܼܪ ܘܐܲܥܬܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܓܲܙܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܠܲܕܼܡܸܣܟܹܝܢܝܼ̈ܢ. ܢܘܼܗܪܵܐ ܘܡܸܠܚܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܒܲܒܼܪܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܣܘܼܥܪ̈ܢܲܗܘܿܢ. ܘܐܲܢܗܲܪܘ ܥܲܛ̈ܠܹܐ ܘܐܲܩܝܼܢܘ ܛܲܥܡܵܐ ܠܲܕ ܦܲܟܼܝܼܗܝܼܢ. :ܪܲܕܼܦܘܼܗ̇ ܠܛܘܼܥܝܲܝ ܒܨܚܡܵܐ ܫܒܼܝܼܚܵܐ ܕܕܼܘܼܒܵܪ̈ܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܘܐܸܕܲܢܚܘ ܢܘܼܗܪܵܐ ܕܙܲܕܲܝܩܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܚܸܫܘܼܪܹ̈ܐ. :ܥܩܲܪܵܘ ܚܲܢܦܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܸܢܝܵܢ ܙܹܐܦܵܐ ܕܒ̣ܢܘ ܫܐܕ̈ܐ\nܘܒ̣ܢܘ ܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ ܫܪܵܪܵܐ ܕܲܟܼܝܵܐ ܕܫܸܡ ܒܵܪܘܿܝܵܐ.","english":"He mixed his love like medicines with his words, to heal the pains of body and soul with their utterances. He clothed his truth in the garment of a parable for your thoughts, that you might conquer the error which the evil one sowed in the heart of humanity. Christ stirred the affections of the womb like lyres, that the hand of demons might be loosed from the contest of labors. He grasped the sword of the spirit to destroy iniquity, that the rock might be ashamed and the man who killed be slain by it. He clothed his helping power like shields, that the arrows of all his members might not be fixed. He bound faith in the garment of a veil, that body and soul might be hidden from all things. Spiritually he clothed himself with the forms of the turtle-dove, that they might know how to take up the contest with the serpents. With everyone and in everything he was present in the thought of labors, and in the sweetness of the voice he stilled the tumult of spiritual things. The powers of all wisdom learned from the spirit, and he enriched and was enriched from their treasures for the Damascenes. Light and salt were in the creation of their deeds, and they illuminated the blind and gave taste to the insipid. They pursued error with the glorious beauty of their conduct, and they kindled the light of righteousness in the house of the dark ones. They uprooted impiety with the force of the zeal of the demons, and with truth they established the pure truth of the name of the Creator.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܡܕܟ ܐܝܟ ܣܲܡܡܵܢܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of love as medicine mixed with words reflects a therapeutic view of Christ's teaching, healing both body and soul through speech.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܕܼܘܼܒܵܪ̈ܲܝܗܘܿܢ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'conduct' (dubbārē) is a key ascetic and ethical concept in Syriac tradition, denoting disciplined behavior that manifests spiritual truth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܢܙܟܘܢ ܛܘܼܥܝܲܝ ܕܲܙܪܲܥ ܒܝܼܫܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'error sown by the evil one' echoes the New Testament image of the devil sowing discord (cf. Matthew 13:24-30, 2 Corinthians 4:2), a common motif in Syriac homiletics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܲܕܼܡܸܣܟܹܝܢܝܼ̈ܢ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'Damascenes' likely alludes to the city of Damascus, a major center of early Syriac Christianity and a locus of theological exchange, possibly indicating the audience or setting of Narsai's work.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܠܒܸܫ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܫܸܪ̈ܝܵܢܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of Christ clothing his helping power 'like shields' parallels Ephrem's Hymns on Faith (Hymn 5), where divine protection is depicted as armor against demonic attack.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܲܢܗܲܪܘ ܥܲܛ̈ܠܹܐ ܘܐܲܩܝܼܢܘ ܛܲܥܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'illuminated the blind and gave taste to the insipid' reflects a common Syriac trope of spiritual enlightenment and transformation, later echoed in liturgical poetry of the East Syriac tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text contains several uncertain readings (e.g., ܕܢܐܣܘܢ, ܕܢܙܟܘܢ) that may reflect scribal errors or dialectal variants; the translation follows the edition's emendations.","The identity of 'the Damascenes' is ambiguous: it may refer to a specific community or be a generic term for Syriac Christians in the region."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":":ܣܲܚܸܦܘ ܢܵܘ̈ܣܹܐ ܕܲܦܬܲܟܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܨܸܒܸܬܼܘ ܕܝܘܹ̈ܐ\nܘܫܲܟܼܠܸܠܘ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܘܗܲܝܲܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܪܸܥܝܵܢ ܐܢܫ̈ܐ. :ܪܕܲܦܘ ܥܲܪܦܸܠܵܐ ܕܫܸܡ ܐܲܠܵܗܹ̈ܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܥܡܡܝ̈ܢ\nܘܚܙ̣ܐ ܥܠܡܐ ܨܡ̇ܚܐ ܦܲܐܝܵܐ ܕܚܲܕܼ ܐܲܠܗܐ. :ܗܘ̤ܘ ܩ̈ܠܝܗܘܿܢ ܒܲܕܼܡܘܼܬܼ ܪܲܥܡܵܐ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ\nܘܢܵܕܼܘ ܛܲܒܿܝܼ̈ܥܹܐ ܘܩܵܡ̣ܘ ܝܲܩܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܠܩܵܠ ܡܸܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܡܨܝܼܕܬܵܐ ܕܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܠܒ̣ܟ ܙܘܥܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܵܐܝܼܬܼ\nܘܦܪܣܘܗ̇ ܥܲܠ ܟܠ ܘܨܵܕܲܬ̤ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܛܵܒܹ̈ܐ ܘܒܼܝܼܫ̈ܐ. :ܨܵܕܼܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܲܡܵܐ ܘܨܵܕܼܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܼܒܼܫܵܐ ܨܲܝܕܵܐ ܡܠܝܼܠܵܐ\nܘܩܒܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܐܝܟ ܩܘܪܒܢܐ ܠܡܲܠܟܐ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ. :ܐܦ ܗܘ̤ ܡܠܟܿܐ ܡܨܝܼܕܬܵܐ ܟܢܝܵܗ̇ ܠܟܼܵܪܘܙܘܬܗ\nܕܦܲܪܣܵܗ̇ ܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ ܥܲܠ ܟܠ ܥܲܡܡܝܼ̈ܢ ܒܐܝܼܕܼܵܐ ܕܥܲܒܼܕܵܘ̈ܗܝ. :ܒܝܲܕ ܣܘܼܥܪ݁ܢܐ ܓܲܡܪܘܗ̇ ܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܠܗܵܝ̇ ܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܵܠܵܐ\nܕܬܲܠܡܸܕܘ ܘܲܐܥܡܸܕܘ ܠܟܼܠܗܘܿܢ ܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ ܒܫܸܡ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܫܡܵܗܹ̈ܐ ܬܠܵܬܼܵܐ ܩܲܒܸܿܠܘ ܡܸܢܹܗ ܒܲܕܼܡܘܼܬܼ ܛܲܒܼܥܵܐ\nܘܲܛܒܲܥ̣ܘ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܘܡܚ̣ܵܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܵܐܝܼܬܼ. :ܬܠܝܼܬܼܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܪܫܲܡ̣ܘ ܥܲܠ ܙܘܵܥܹ̈ܐ ܘܥܲܠ ܗܲܕܵܡܹ̈ܐ\nܟܢܹܐܠܲܦ ܟܠܢܵܫ ܠܲܡܩܲܕܵܫܘܼ ܠܲܫܡܵܐ ܣܓܼܝܼܕܼܵܐ. :ܒܪܘܼܫܡܵܐ ܚܲܝܵܐ ܛܲܡܘܼܗ̇ ܠܥܵܢ̈ܐ ܕܓܸܢܣܵܐ ܕܐܢܵܫܵܐ\nܘܟܲܢܸܫܘ ܐܲܥܠܘܼܗ̇ ܠܲܛܝܵܪ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ. :ܪܸܥܝܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܐܵܘܟܸܠܘܿ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܥܲܪ̈ܒܐ ܡܠܝܼ̈ܠܐ\nܘܥܲܠ ܡܲܒܿܘܼ̈ܥܹܐ ܕܫܸܩܬܼܵܐ ܢܝܼܚܵܐ ܐܲܣܡܸܟ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ. :ܕܥ̇ܘ ܬܲܩܢܵܐܝܼܬ ܘܛܲܟܸܿܣܘ ܘܲܣܥܲܪܘ ܚܲܟܿܝܼܡܵܐܝܼܬ\nܘܚܲܟܸܿܡܘ ܐܸܡܪܹ̈ܐ ܘܲܢܩܵܘ̈ܬܼܐ ܒܪܸܚܡܲܬܼܩܘܼܫܬܼܵܐ.","english":"They overturned the idols of the error of the pagans' worship,\nand they perfected love and faith in the minds of men. They drove away the cloud of the names of gods from all peoples,\nand the world saw the beautiful growth of one God. Their voices were like thunder in the midst of the earth,\nand the natures trembled and the mighty stood still at the sound of their words. The net of love caught your heart with their spiritual movements,\nand spread it over all, and it caught from all, both good and evil. They fished from the sea and they fished from the dry land, a rational catch,\nand they brought fish like an offering to the king of Rome. That king also took the catch of his proclamation,\nto spread his love over all peoples through the hand of his servants. Through the agency of action, the apostles completed that daughter of the voice,\nso that they might teach and baptize all peoples in the name of the Trinity. They received three names from him in the form of a seal,\nand they sealed men and struck them spiritually. They marked the Trinity upon movements and upon members,\nas each one is able to sanctify the glorious name. With a living sign they concealed the signs of the nature of man,\nand they introduced it into the realm of spiritual life. They entrusted the care of the spirit to rational flocks,\nand upon the springs of the fountain of life they placed a watch. They knew the canon and they ordered and acted wisely,\nand they made wise the lambs and the sheep in the love of the holy church.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܨܵܕܼܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܲܡܵܐ ܘܨܵܕܼܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܼܒܼܫܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The fishing metaphor (sea and dry land) extends the apostolic mission to all humanity, both pagan (sea) and Jewish (dry land), a common Syriac typology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܵܠܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"‘Daughter of the voice’ (bath qala) is a Syriac idiom for an echo or secondary revelation; here it likely refers to the apostolic preaching as an extension of Christ’s own voice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܲܠܟܐ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"‘King of Rome’ probably denotes the Roman emperor, possibly Constantine, whose acceptance of Christianity enabled the spread of the faith; Narsai often links apostolic success to imperial patronage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܠܝܼܬܼܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The passage moves from apostolic preaching to the institution of baptism and the Trinity (ܬܠܝܼܬܼܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ), marking a structural shift from mission to sacramental theology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܲܛܒܲܥ̣ܘ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܘܡܚ̣ܵܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܵܐܝܼܬ","severity":"info","text":"The ‘sealing’ and ‘striking spiritually’ allude to baptismal anointing and the sign of the cross, practices central to Syriac initiation rites, as attested in liturgical commentaries.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܨܵܕܼܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܲܡܵܐ ܘܨܵܕܼܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܼܒܼܫܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The repeated verb ܨܵܕܼܵܘ (they fished) may be a scribal dittography; the sense is clear, but the text’s transmission could be corrupt at this point.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'king of Rome' is not specified; it could be Constantine or a generic imperial figure.","The phrase 'daughter of the voice' (bath qala) is ambiguous: it may mean an echo, a secondary tradition, or the apostolic preaching itself."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":":ܣܥܲܪ̣ܘ ܕܲܟܼܪ̈ܝܼܗܘܿܢ ܥܨܲܒܼ݂ܘ ܕܬܼܒܼܝܼܪ̈ܵܢ ܒܥ̣ܵܘ ܕܐܲܒܲܝܼܕ̈ܢ\nܘܬܲܪܣܝܼܘ ܘܢܛ̣ܪܘ ܠܟܼܠܗ̇ ܥܵܢ̈ܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܚܲܕ ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܡܲܚܙܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܩܒܼܝܼܥ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܟܠܫܵܥ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܡܲܕܼܥܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\n:ܗܵܘ̇ ܦܸܬܼܓܼܵܡܵܐ ܕܲܠܘܵܬܼ ܫܸܡ̣ܥܘܿܢ ܕܪܵܚ̇ܡ ܐܲܢ̄ܬܿ ܠܝܼ\n:ܢܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܪܲܒܵܐ ܓܘܼܕܪܘ ܨܒܼܝܼܢܹܗ ܕܪ̈ܵܥܹܐ ܥܵܢ̈ܐ\nܥܕܲܡܵܐ ܠܡܵܘܬܵܐ ܣܵܥ̣ܵܘ ܥܲܠ ܚܲܫܹ̈ܐ ܒܪܸܚܡܲܬܼ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܐ. :ܠܐܢܵܫܵܐ ܐܲܚܸܒ̣ܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠܡܸܕܡ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܐܸܬܼܦܲܩܕܘ\nܘܸܡܠ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܢܣ̣ܵܘ ܚܲܝܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܘܲܪܚܸܡܘܡ̇ܘܬܼܵܐ. :ܠܐܢܵܫܵܐ ܝܲܩܪܘ ܡܸܛܠ ܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ ܕܪܵܚܸ̇ܡ ܐܢܵܫܵܐ\nܕܲܚ̣ܙܵܘ ܕܲܕܡܵܐ ܪܲܚܡܹܗ ܠܐܵܢܵܫܵܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠܡܸܕܹܡ. :ܚܙܵܘ ܕܒܼܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ ܠܒܸܫ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܹܗ ܕܡܘܼܬܸܵܐ ܕܥܲܒܼܕܵܐ\nܕܲܢܪܝܼܡ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܘܼܡܼܵܐ ܟܵܟܼܵܐ ܠܘܵܬܼ ܪܒܿܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ ܕܲܡܝܼܘ ܘܲܪܚܸܡܪ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܩܪ̈ܝܲܝ ܒܲܫܡܹܗ\nܘܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܢܦܢܘܢ ܨܐܕܡܗܝ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܩܘܼܫܬܿܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܨܒܹܝܵܫܹܗ ܗܲܕܼܟܼܘ ܣܲܡܵܐ ܠܟܼܕܪ̈ܗܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܘܐܲܫܩܝܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܚܢܵܢܵܐ ܘܪ̈ܲܚܡܹܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܫܬܲܚܩܘܵܢ. :ܒܪ̈ܲܚܡܹܐ ܐܲܣܝܼܘ ܒܪ̈ܝܼܗܹܐ ܕܐܲܓܲܪܘ ܒܟܹܐܒܹ̈ܐ ܕܥܵܘܠܵܐ\nܘܒܲܚܵܘܣܵܢܵܐ ܥܨܲܒ̣ܘ ܡܝܬ̈ܐ ܕܲܬܼܪܲܪ ܒܝܼܫܵܐ. :ܚܢܵܢܵܐ ܛܲܦܝܼܘ ܠܲܚܒܼܵܪ̈ܵܝܵܬܼܵܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܓܼܫܹܐ ܘܙܵܘ̈ܥܹܐ\nܘܐܲܫܝܼܓܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܡ̈ܝܬܐ ܢܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܕܡܲܥܡܘܿܕܲܝܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܟܼܘܼܪܵܐ ܐܲܥܸܠܘ ܢܣܟܘܼܗܝ ܠܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܢܲܦ̣ܫܵܐ\nܘܲܡܪܲܩ̣ܘ ܡܸܢܗܘܿܢ ܨܵܐܬܼܵܐ ܣܢܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܥܵܘ ܠܵܐ ܣܲܢܝܵܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܦܲܚܵܪܹ̈ܐ ܢܲܦܸܨܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܹܐܢܹ̈ܐ ܡ̈ܠܝܼܠܹܐ\nܘܚܲܕܼܬܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܲܬܼܝܵܒܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܓܒܝܠܬܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܵܐ.","english":"They gathered up the fragments of the broken idols of the pagans, and they established and preserved the whole church as one body. As a living image, it was always fixed before their minds. That word which is with Simon, \"You shall love me,\" they magnified the great love of the will of the pastors of the church. Until death they labored over sufferings with the love of humanity. They loved humanity above all things, as they were commanded. And they filled humanity with their lives and with compassion. They honored humanity because of the love of the one who loves humanity, for they saw that his love for humanity is greater than anything. They saw that the will of the one who died for us is clothed in love, that he might raise humanity from the low place of shame to greatness. Through his love they were united and they loved humanity, calling them by his name. And they taught men to walk after him in the path of truth. According to his will, they thus set the boundaries of their minds, and they gave them to drink a love and compassion that cannot be exhausted. With compassion they healed the wounds of those who had sinned in the pains of iniquity, and with consolation they bound up the dead of the evil custom. They kindled love in the companionships of senses and movements, and they immersed them in the living waters of baptism. As a firstborn, they brought in its pledge to the body and the soul, and they cleansed from them the filthy garment that cannot be cleansed. Like potters, they formed them into speaking vessels, and they renewed them in a new creation of repentance.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"background","lemma":"ܣܥܲܪ̣ܘ ܕܲܟܼܪ̈ܝܼܗܘܿܢ ܥܨܲܒܼ݂ܘ ܕܬܼܒܼܝܼܪ̈ܵܢ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac literally reads 'they gathered up the fragments of the broken idols,' emphasizing the apostles' role in collecting and discarding pagan worship.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"background","lemma":"ܥܵܢ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܥܵܢ̈ܐ (ʿāmmā) means 'church' or 'people,' here referring to the universal church as a unified body.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"background","lemma":"ܗܵܘ̇ ܦܸܬܼܓܼܵܡܵܐ ܕܲܠܘܵܬܼ ܫܸܡ̣ܥܘܿܢ ܕܪܵܚ̇ܡ ܐܲܢ̄ܬܿ ܠܝܼ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes John 21:15-17, where Jesus asks Peter 'Do you love me?' (Simon Peter is addressed), linking apostolic love to Christ's command.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܡܲܥܡܘܿܕܲܝܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Baptism (ܡܲܥܡܘܿܕܲܝܼܬܼܵܐ) is depicted as 'living waters,' a common Syriac metaphor for spiritual rebirth and purification.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"background","lemma":"ܐܲܝܟ ܦܲܚܵܪܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of apostles as potters (ܦܲܚܵܪܹ̈ܐ) shaping believers into 'speaking vessels' parallels Ephrem's Hymns on Faith 5.17, where faith molds the soul.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"background","lemma":"narrative","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of apostolic mission, shifting from idol-breaking to church-building and moral transformation, culminating in baptism and repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܕܲܠܘܵܬܼ ܫܸܡ̣ܥܘܿܢ' could be read as 'with Simon' or 'to Simon'; the translation takes it as 'with Simon,' referring to the apostle Peter."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","ref":"John 4:10","text":"The English carries the scriptural phrase “living water”, which matches John 4:10. The match is on the English draft; check the Coptic before quoting the verse."}]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":":ܐܘ ܡܵܝ̈ܘܬܼܐ ܟܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܚܸܨܦܵܐ ܢܩܹܐ ܠܲܬܼܒܼܵܪܵܐ\nܕܲܗܦܲܟܼܘ ܚܲܕܼܬܼܘ ܗܲܕܵܡ̈ܝܗܘܿܢ ܘܲܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܕܲܗܒܼܵܐ. :ܐܘ ܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ ܒܢܲܝ̈ ܕܲܚܝܼܝܵܐ ܕܫܝܼܛ ܒܲܚܙܵܬܹܗ\n:ܕܐܲܩܢܝܼܘ ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ ܕܲܫܡܝ̈ܢܐ ܠܫܝܼܛܘܼܬܼ ܐܢܵܫܵܐ\n:ܐܘ ܡܣܟܢ̈ܐ ܕܚܵܒ̣ ܐܸܒܘܼܗܘܿܢ ܘܙܲܒܸܢܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ\nܘܲܙܒܢܘܼܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܒܥܘ̣ܬܼܪܵܐ ܕܟܲܢܸܫܘ ܒܝܲܕ ܥܡܠܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܥܬ݂ܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܓܲܙܵܐ ܕܚܲܕܼ ܕܐܸܬܼܝܲܩܲܪ ܒܫܸܡ ܒܪܘܿܝܵܐ\nܘܐܲܥܬܲܪܘ ܠܐܢܵܫܵܐ ܒܲܕܼܠܵܐ ܕܝܼܠܗܘܵܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܕܼܝܼܠܹܗܘܢ\n:ܒܲܕܼܠܵܐ ܕܝܼܠܗܘܿܢ ܚܲܪܲܪܘ ܕܝܼܠܗܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܥܒܼܕܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܐܲܟܼܬܸܒܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܫܛܵܪ ܚܹܐܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܠܵܐ ܡܵܝܘܿܬܹ̈ܐ. :ܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܕܪܝܼܚܵܐ ܢܣܲܒ̣ܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܵܐ\nܘܒܹܗ ܐܸܬܼܢܲܨܚܘ ܠܥܹܝܢ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܹܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܢܝܐ. :ܫܒܸܝܬܼܵܐ ܕܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܦܲܪܩ̣ܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܵܘܬܵܐ ܘܡ̣ܢ ܣܵܛܵܢܵܐ\nܘܚܲܪܲܪܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܘܼܥܒܵܕܼܵܐ ܕܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܥܵܘܠܵܐ. :ܩܪܵܒܼܵܐ ܥܒܲܕܼܘ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܥܲܡ ܚܲܣܝܼܢܵܐ ܕܫܲܥܒܸܿܕ ܐܢܵܫܵܐ\nܘܐܲܥܕܝܼܘ ܡܸܢܹܗ ܫܒܼܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܲܕܼܒܲܪ̣ ܡ̣ܢ ܣܸܕܲܪ̈ܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܒܣܲܝܦܵܐ ܕܲܪܘܚܵܐ ܚܲܪܕܘ ܡܲܫܪܝܼܬܹܗ ܕܼܒܼܥܸܠܕܲܪܵܐ\nܘܐܲܫܦܸܠܘ ܣܸܕܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܲܝ̈ܠܵܘܵܬܹܗ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܦܲܓܼܪ̈ܢܐ. ܚܵܒ̣ ܚܲܣܝܼܢܵܐ ܕܫܲܥܒܲܕܼ ܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܗܲܢܨܚ̣\nܐܢܵܫܵܐ ܘܥܘ̇ܩ̣ܘ ܕܝܘܸ̈ܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܩܵܠ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܠܒܝܼܫ̈ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ.ܢ\n:ܒܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܐܲܩܪܸܒ̣ܘ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ ܫܡ ܦܲܓܼܪ̈ܢܵܝܹܐ\nܘܲܙܟܼܵܘ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܠܒܼܫܲܝ̈ ܚܲܫܹ̈ܐ ܘܠܵܐ ܚܫܘܿܫܹ̈ܐ. :ܬܲܗܪܵܐ ܪܲܒܑܵܐ ܣܥ݂ܲܪ ܚܘܼܡܣܵܢܵܐ ܒܪܸܚܡܲܬܼ ܟܹܐܢܹ̈ܐ\nܕܐܲܩܠܝܼܘ ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ ܡܬܼܚܲܙܝܵܬܵܐ ܠܘܼܩܒܲܠ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ.","english":"or the waters, the nature of the stone, they set up for the breaking of the idols; they renewed its members and they were as a gift. Or the earths among the living ones of the Word, which is spread in his vision, they established the body of the heavens for the spreading of the fire. Or the tents of the father of the Word, they multiplied and increased the Word, and they offered him to the world with the wealth they gathered by their labors. They enriched themselves from the treasure of the one who was honored in the name of the Creator, and they enriched the fire with a portion that was not their own, as if it were their own. With a portion that was not their own, they freed their own from servitude, and they wrote for the Word a charter of freedom without death. They took the armor of the Spirit from the spiritual king, and with it they were adorned for the feast of spirits and bodies. They redeemed the captivity of the fire from death and from Satan, and they freed the Word from the bondage of the service of iniquity. They waged war with the tyrant who enslaves fire, and they removed from him the captivity that he had taken from their orders. With the sword of the Spirit they destroyed the camp of the adversary, and they cast down the ranks of his forces before the bodies. The tyrant who enslaves fires was defeated; fire and the voices of the evil-spirited ones were silenced. With the Spirit they offered spiritual ones instead of bodily ones, and they conquered fires that were clothed in pains and not in senses. The great wonder of the mystery was wrought by the mercy of the priests, who placed the visible body opposite the Spirit.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܢܵܫܵܐ (ʾeššā)","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܐܢܵܫܵܐ (ʾeššā) means 'fire' but here carries a symbolic sense, likely referring to the divine presence or the Holy Spirit, as seen in the contrast with 'spirit' and 'body'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܛܵܪ ܚܹܐܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ (šṭār ḥērūṯā)","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'charter of freedom' (ܫܛܵܪ ܚܹܐܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ) echoes Pauline language of liberation (e.g., Gal 5:1) and may allude to the freedom granted by Christ, a common theme in Syriac exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܲܣܝܼܢܵܐ (ḥasyā)","severity":"info","text":"The 'tyrant' (ܚܲܣܝܼܢܵܐ) who enslaves fire likely represents Satan or a demonic force, a figure common in Syriac ascetic and liturgical texts, symbolizing spiritual oppression.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of the evangelists' spiritual warfare, using a series of parallel clauses (e.g., 'they enriched... they freed... they waged war') to emphasize their redemptive and liberating mission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܕܪܝܼܚܵܐ (zaynā d-rīḥā)","severity":"info","text":"The 'armor of the Spirit' (ܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܕܪܝܼܚܵܐ) parallels Ephrem's imagery of spiritual weaponry (e.g., Hymns on Faith 6), where the Spirit arms believers against evil.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ (ʾarʿāṯē)","severity":"caution","text":"The term ܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ (ʾarʿāṯē) is ambiguous: it could mean 'earthly ones' or 'lands'; the translation 'earths' is literal but may obscure the intended metaphorical sense of 'foundations' or 'realms'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the father of the Word' (ܐܒܘܼܗܘܿܢ ܕܡܠܬܐ) is unclear; it may refer to God the Father or a typological figure like Abraham.","The phrase 'visible body opposite the Spirit' (ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ ܡܬܼܚܲܙܝܵܬܵܐ ܠܘܼܩܒܲܠ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ) is ambiguous, possibly denoting the incarnation or the Eucharist."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":":ܫܒܝܼܚ ܬܲܟܼܬܘܼܫܵܐ ܕܚܵܘܝܼܘ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܒܝܲܕ ܥܲܡܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܘܲܙܥܘܿܪܦܘܡܵܐ ܕܢܸܬܼܢܹܐ ܫܲܪܒܵܐ ܕܢܼܨܚܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܲܪܝܟ ܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܕܕܼܘܼܒܵܪ̈ܵܝܗܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܘܼܫܚ̈ܵܬܼܵܐ\nܘܲܒܝܼܪ ܗܵܘ ܢܵܐ ܕܢܸܚܙܘܿܩ ܥܲܡܗܘܿܢ ܠܘܵܬܼ ܫܘܼܠܵܡܵܐ. :ܕܚܸܠ ܐܵܓܼܘܿܢܵܐ ܕܐܸܬܼܟܲܬܲܫܘ ܒܹܗ ܥܲܡ ܚܘܼܬܼܚ̈ܵܬܹܐ\n:ܘܩܲܢܝܼܛ ܠܸܒܵܐ ܠܲܡܬܲܢܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܥܲܠ ܚܲܫܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\n:ܩܸܢܛܵܐ ܘܚܒܼܵܐ ܡܠܹܐ ܦܵܣܘܿܩܵܐ ܕܩܸܪ̈ܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܥܲܡ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܚܝܼܠܝܼܢ ܟ̈ܠܝܼܠܹܗ ܫܒܼܝܼܚ̈ܝܼܢ ܛܘܼܒܼ ܠܲܕܼܡܲܚܸܒܼ. :ܒܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܡܸܫܟܲܚ ܗܵܘܢܵܐ ܠܡܸܩܪܵܐ ܒܣܘܼܥܪ̈ܢܝܗܘܢ\nܘܗܘ̤ ܡܚܵܘܹܐ ܠܹܗ ܠܲܐܝܢܵܐ ܕܡܲܚܸܒ ܫܒܼܝܼܠ ܥܲܡ̈ܠܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܒܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܡܨܸܐ ܪܸܥܝܵܢܹܗ ܠܡܚܙܲܩ ܥܲܡ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܘܗ̤ܝ ܡܠܲܒܿܒܼܵܐ ܠܹܗ ܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܼܪܲܦܹܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܕܲܡܠܝܼܟ̈ܝܼܢ. :ܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܡܚܸܦܸܛ ܠܝܲܨܪܵܐ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܟܲܣܝ̈ܬܼܵܐ\nܘܗܘ̤ ܡܚܲܝܸܠ ܠܹܗ ܠܲܡܕܵܫ ܚܲܫܹ̈ܐ ܒܝܲܕܼ ܚܘܼܡܣܵܢܵܐ. :ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܘܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܠܒܸܫܘ ܢܲܨܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ\nܘܲܒܼܗܘܿܢ ܐܲܩܪܸܒ̣ܘ ܥܲܡ ܟܠ ܚܲܫܝܼ̈ܢ ܕܲܟܼܣܹܝܢ ܘܲܓܼܠܹܝܢ. :ܒܗܘܿܢ ܐܸܬܼܚܙܲܩܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܠܘܼܩܲܒܲܠ ܒܝܼܫܵܐ\nܘܒܼܐܝܼܕܼܗܘܿܢ ܐܲܩܪܸܒܼܘ ܥܲܡ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܹܐ ܘܥܲܡ ܦܲܓܼܪ̈ܢܹܐ. :ܥܲܠ ܬܘܼܡܼܠܵܢܗܘܿܢ ܢܚܸܬܼܘ ܠܐܵܓܼܘܿܢܵܐ ܕܥܲܡ̈ܠܹܐ ܩܫ̈ܝܵܐ\nܕܲܕܼܵܫ̣ܘ ܥܲܠ ܚܲܫܹ̈ܐ ܘܫܵܛ̣ܘ ܠܲܢܚܵܝܹ̈ܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܠܵܐ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ. :ܒܠܵܐ ܚܵܫܘܫܹ̈ܐ ܕܲܡܝܼܘ ܚܘܼܒܿܗܘܿܢ ܒܐܵܝܠܹܝܢ ܕܲܣܥܲܕܘ\nܘܲܣܢ̣ܘ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܘܲܪܚܸܡܘ ܡܵܘܬܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܒܲܥܝܵܕܼܵܐ. :ܠܒܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ ܫܵܛ̣ܘ ܠܲܢܚܵܝܵܐ ܘܠܲܐܣܝܼܪܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܲܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܣܵܢ̈ܐܹܐ ܠܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܝܵܬܼܵܐ ܘܐܲܚܸܒܼ ܠܕܲܠܥܸܠ.","english":"The glorious contest of those who saw in the land by their labors, and the small number of those who completed the tale of their victories. He prolonged the course of their ways from the measures, and he was weary that he might go with them to the end. He feared the arena in which they struggled with the afflictions, and he cut off his heart from the endurance of their pains. The end and the love filled the section of their proclamations, the labors of the mighty crowned him with glorious beauties. Blessed is the one who loves. By love he was able to read their deeds, and he reveals the sign to the one who loves the way of their labors. By faith his mind was able to go with them, and she encourages him not to be separated from the prudent. Hope urges the hidden nature with the hidden ones, and he strengthens him to trample pains by force. Love, hope, and faith clothed the victors, and by them they offered with all the sufferings, hidden and revealed. By them they were strengthened like a wall against evil, and by their hands they offered with spirits and with bodies. Over their fulfillments they fell into the arena of hard labors, who trampled on pains and scorned the afflictions as if they were nothing. Without complaints they poured out their love on those who helped, and they lived and loved death unnaturally. Beyond order they scorned the affliction and its imprisonment, and they were helpers to the regions and loved the upper.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܵܓܼܘܿܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac ܐܵܓܼܘܿܢܵܐ (ʾāgōnā) is a loan from Greek ἀγών, meaning 'contest' or 'arena'. Here it evokes the martyrs' struggle, a common motif in Syriac literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܘܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The triad 'love, hope, and faith' (ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܘܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ) is a standard Syriac ascetic and martyrological grouping, paralleling 1 Cor 13:13 but adapted to the context of confessors.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܠܘܼܩܲܒܲܠ ܒܝܼܫܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of being 'strengthened like a wall against evil' echoes Eph 6:10-16 (the spiritual armor) and the common Syriac metaphor of faith as a bulwark, as in Aphrahat's Demonstrations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܒܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'beyond order' (ܠܒܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ) reflects the ascetic ideal of surpassing natural limits, a theme in Syriac monastic and martyrological literature, e.g., in the acts of the Persian martyrs.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܘܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The triad of love, hope, and faith is introduced as a thematic cluster and then developed in subsequent lines, structuring the passage as a meditation on the virtues enabling the martyrs' endurance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܲܒܼܗܘܿܢ ܐܲܩܪܸܒ̣ܘ ܥܲܡ ܟܠ ܚܲܫܝܼ̈ܢ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'by them they offered with all the sufferings' is ambiguous: the verb ܐܲܩܪܸܒ̣ܘ may mean 'offered' (sacrificially) or 'approached'; the sense of 'with' (ܥܲܡ) could indicate accompaniment or instrument. The translation opts for 'offered with', but a reading 'approached with' is possible.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'those who saw in the land' is unspecified; likely martyrs or confessors, but not named. The phrase 'the small number of those who completed the tale of their victories' may refer to a select group of martyrs, but the referent is unclear. The final clause 'loved the upper' (ܘܐܲܚܸܒܼ ܠܕܲܠܥܸܠ) is ambiguous: 'upper' could mean the heavenly realm or the upper regions of the world."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":":ܠܕܲܠܥܸܠ ܐܲܚܸܒܼܘ ܟܲܕܼ ܛܵܒܼ ܟܲܣܝ̈ܵܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܚ̈ܲܙܵܝܹ̇ܐ\nܘܲܣܢ̣ܵܘ ܠܕܲܠܬܲܚܬܿ ܟܲܕ ܛܵܒܼ ܓܲܠܝ̈ܵܢ ܠܪܸ̈ܓܼܫܹܐ ܘܙܵܘ̈ܥܹܐ. :ܒܪܸܚܡܲܬ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܕܲܥܬܼܝܼܪ̈ܲܬܼܵܐ ܫܵܛ̣ܘ ܕܥܲܠ ܐܲܪܥܵܐ\nܘܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܕܢܸܗܘܘܿܢ ܣܵܢ̇ܝܼܢ ܠܲܐܪ̈ܥܵܢܝܵܬܼܵܐ. :ܗܘܲܝ̤̈ ܟܲܣܝ̈ܵܬܼܵܐ ܩ̣ܕܼܵܡ ܥܲܝܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܓܲܠܝܵܬܼ̈ܐ\nܘܲܒܫ݂ܲܥ ܐܸܢܹܝܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܡܲܚܙܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܘܟܲܕ ܥܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܨܒܼܥܵܐ ܚܵܘܝܼܘ ܐܸܢܹܝܢ ܠܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܝ̈ܵܬܼܵܐ\nܕܚܘܪܘ ܡܵܝܘܬܹ̈ܐ ܘܲܚ̣ܙܵܘ ܫܘܼܦܪܐ ܕܲܟܼܣܹܐ ܒܪܵܘܡܵܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܠܫܲܒܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܓܲܪܸܓܼܘ ܐܢܵܫܵܐ ܨܝܕ ܕܲܡܠܝܼܟܼ̈ܢ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܚܲܠܒܼܵܐ ܬܲܪܣܝܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܐܘܼܟܼܠܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ. :ܣܡ ܚܲܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܐܲܪܡܚܲܘ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܕܡܵܝܘܿܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܫܲܪܝܼܘ ܚܵܐܝ̈ܢ ܡܝܼ̈ܬܼܵܐ ܕܥܵܘ ܠܵܐ ܠܩܵܠ ܡܸܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܩܵܠܹ̈ܐ ܚܲܕܬܹ̈ܐ ܫܡ݂ܲܥܘ ܡܵܝܘ̈ܬܹܐ [ܡ̣ܢ ܡܵܝܘ̈ܬܹܐ]\nܕܩܵܥܹ̇ܝܢ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܒܐܸܕܼܢܲܝ̈ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܒܘܼܛܵܠ ܡܵܘܬܼܵܐ. :ܣܒܲܪܬܼܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܼܵܐ ܐܝܬܝܼܘ ܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܠܲܒܼܢܲܝ̈ܢܵܫܵܐ\nܢܘܼܚܵܡ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܦܘܼܪܩܵܢ ܢܲܦ̣ܫܵܐ ܘܚܘܼܕܵܬܼ ܟܠܵܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܫܸܢܬܵܐ ܐܲܥܝܼܪܘ ܐ̣ܢܘܿܢ ܠܲܒܼܢܝ̈ܫܵܐ\nܘܢܵܕܼܘ ܛܲܒܹܝܼ̈ܥܹܐ ܠܩܵܠ ܚܘܼܕܵܬܼܵܐ ܕܲܦܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܢܲܦ̣ܫܵܐ. :ܫܸܡ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܟܠܵܐ ܠܡ̣ܬ ܗܲܓܵܝܼܘܼ\nܩܡܘܿܡ̈ܐ ܬܠܵܬܼܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܣܬܲܕܩܝܼܢ ܒܝܲܕܼ ܫܘܼܚܠܵܦܵܐ. :ܣܸܦܪܵܐ ܚܲܕܬܼܵܐ ܟܬܲܒܼܘ ܗܸܕܝܘ̈ܛܹܐ ܠܲܡܠܝܼܠܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܚܲܟܸܿܡܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܸܩܪܵܐ ܐܲܒܼܵܐ ܘܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܪܘܼܚܵܐ. :ܫܡܵܗܹ̈ܐ ܬܠܵܬܼܵܐ ܟܬܲܒܼܘ ܥܲܠ ܠܘܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܚܲܕܼ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܬܼܵܐ ܕܠܲܝܬܼ ܫܘܼܪܵܝܵܐ ܠܐܲܡܝܼܢܘܼܬܹܗ.","english":"To the heights they ascended, for the hidden things were good from the seers, and they descended to the depths, for the revelations were good to the senses and the movements. By the love of the wealthy women they sailed upon the earth, and they taught men who were traveling to the regions. The hidden things were before their eyes like revelations, and in a moment they saw as a vision before them and as if present. As if with a finger they showed the moment to the regions, that the dead saw and beheld the beauty of the hidden one in the height. As if to children they enticed man toward the kings, and as if with milk they nourished the moment with the food of the spirit. They placed life, they cast it down in the land of death, and they began living dead ones who would not hear the sound of their words. New sounds the dead heard from the dead, that men cry out in the hands of man in the struggle of death. The new gospel men brought to the mortals, the resurrection of the body and the salvation of the soul and the renewal of all. As if from the sixth they awakened the moment to the mortals, and they led the good natures to the sound of the renewal of the body and the soul. The name of the essence they taught all to the speaker, three hypostases that are not justified by change. A new book the illiterate wrote to the rational, they made wise the moment to read the Father and the Son and the Spirit. Three names they wrote on the tablets of their minds, one essence that has no beginning to its endurance.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܬܠܵܬܼܵܐ ܩܡܘܿܡ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'three hypostases' (ܬܠܵܬܼܵܐ ܩܡܘܿܡ̈ܐ) is a standard Syriac Trinitarian term, distinguishing the persons of Father, Son, and Spirit while maintaining one essence (ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܒܲܪܬܼܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'new gospel' (ܣܒܲܪܬܼܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܼܵܐ) echoes the Syriac title of the New Testament (ܐܘܢܝܼܕܝܼ ܚܕܲܬܼܵܐ) and here refers to the apostolic proclamation of resurrection and salvation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܲܟܸܿܡܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܸܩܪܵܐ ܐܲܒܼܵܐ ܘܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܪܘܼܚܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Narsai here presents the evangelists as teaching illiterate mortals to 'read' the Trinity, a metaphor for catechetical instruction in the Syriac tradition, where the divine names are inscribed on the mind.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܠܫܲܒܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܓܲܪܸܓܼܘ ܐܢܵܫܵܐ ܨܝܕ ܕܲܡܠܝܼܟܼ̈ܢ","severity":"info","text":"The image of enticing men 'as to children' toward kings parallels the Syriac tradition of the apostles as spiritual guides leading the faithful to Christ, the true king.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܸܦܪܵܐ ܚܲܕܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"This passage concludes a narrative section on the apostles' mission, transitioning to a doctrinal summary of the Trinity, marked by the phrase 'a new book' (ܣܸܦܪܵܐ ܚܲܕܬܼܵܐ).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'from the sixth' (ܡ̣ܢ ܫܸܢܬܵܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to the sixth hour (a time of resurrection) or to a sixth state or group; the reading 'from the sixth' is taken as a temporal or ordinal reference."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":":ܟܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܲܠܒܸܫ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܪܫܲܡ̣ܘ ܒܲܕܼ ܝܘܿܬܼܵܐ\nܕܢܸܗܘܘܿܢ ܩܵܪܹܝܢ ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܒܓܸܠܝܐ. ܕܡܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܥܲܒܼܕܵܐ ܘܲܕܼܥܵܒܼܘܿܕܵܐ ܪܫܲܡ̣ܘ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܚܘܼܩܹ̈ܐ:\nܕܢܸܚܙܹܐ ܟܠܢܵܫ ܨܠܸܡ ܟܲܣܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܪܸ̈ܓܼܫܹܐ ܓ̈ܠܝܐ. :ܐܲܠܵܗܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܙܡܲܪܘ ܩܵܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܘܚܲܕܝܼ ܙܡܲܪܗܘܿܢ ܠܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ ܘܦܓܪ̈ܢܝܐ. :ܒܲܪ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܘܒܲܪ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܩܪܵܘ ܚܲܕ ܝܲܠܕܵܐ\nܚܲܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܪܵܘܡܵܐ ܘܚܲܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܥܘܼܡܩܵܐ ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ ܘܲܦܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܘܓܲܠܝܵܐ ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙܘ ܘܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܠܲܒܼܢܲܝ̈ܢܵܫܵܐ\nܕܢܸܩܢܘܿܢ ܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܒܡܸܬܼܚܲܙܝܵܢܵܐ ܨܝܕܼ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܲܦܝ̈ [ܒ]ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܬܲܪܥܵܐ ܬܲܚܸܡܘ ܪܸ̈ܓܼܫܹܐ ܘܙܵܘܥܹ̈ܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܫܸܬܲܚܩܘܢ ܒܲܒܼܥܵܬܼ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܕܲܪܟܿܐ. :ܦܓܼܪܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܠܒܸܕܘ ܒܐܝܼܕܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܡܲܚܙܝܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܚܵܘܝܼܘ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܚܹܝܠ ܟܣܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܪܸ̈ܓܼܫܹܐ ܓ̈ܠܝܼܵܐ. :ܫܸܡ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܨܵܪܘ ܥܲܠ ܕܲܦܵܐ ܦܓܼܪܢܝܐ\nܘܲܠܒܲܪܢܵܫܵܐ ܟܲܢܝܘܼܗܝ ܒܲܫܡܵܐ ܐܲܠܗ̇ܝܵܐ. :ܐܲܠܵܗ ܒܲܪܢܵܫ ܩܪܵܘ ܠܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܘܲܠܐܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܒܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܕܥܡ݂ܲܪ ܚܘܼܒܹܗܒܢܵܘܣܵܬ ܕܦܲܓܼܪܲܢ. :ܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܓܠ̣ܵܐ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܐܪ̈ܵܙܹܐ ܕܣܬܼܝܼ̈ܬܼܵܐ\nܘܐܲܗܕܓܼܝܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܬܲܪ̈ܬܹܿܝܢ ܕܲܡܘ̈ܵܢ ܚܲܕܲܦܪܨܘܿܦܵܐ. :ܗܘ̤ܝܘܼ ܓܠ̣ܵܐ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܐܪ̈ܵܙܹܐ ܟܣ̈ܝܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܝܵܕܼܥܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ\nܘܚܲܟܸܿܡ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܐܝܟܲܢ ܢܵܘܕܘܢ ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܟܝܢ̈ܐ ܦܲܪܸܫܘ ܚܲܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܚܲܒܸܪܹܗ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܐܝܼܬܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܼܒܲܨܪ ܟܝܵܢ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܦܲܓܼܪܲܢ ܕܲܠܒܸܫ.","english":"The nature that put on the body they marked with a sign, that the Word and the body, hidden in the revealed, might be read. The likeness of the maker and the thing made they marked in the house of laws. That every man might see the hiddenness in the revealed senses. Divinity with humanity they sang with their voices, and their song gladdened the spiritual and the corporeal. Son of being and son of humanity they called one child, one from the height and one from the depth, the Word and the body. Hidden and revealed they proclaimed and taught the sons of men, that they might cut off hope from the visible concerning being. In the body they set a door for the senses and movements, that they might not be troubled by the hidden that cannot be grasped. Corporeality they clothed in their hands like a spectacle, and showed the world the power of hiddenness in the revealed senses. The name of God they inscribed on the bodily page, and they sealed the man with the divine name. God-man they called being and humanity, son of God who dwells in the vessels of the body. The hidden spirit revealed to them the mysteries of the secret, and they guided the two natures into one person. The spirit revealed to them the hidden mysteries that they did not know, and made them wise as to where the Word and the body might be found. They separated the natures one from the other as they are, that the nature of being might not be diminished in the body that it put on.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܟܝܵܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܟܝܵܢܵܐ (kyānā) denotes 'nature' in the sense of an essential, unchanging principle. In Narsai's Christology, it is the divine nature that 'puts on' the body, a key Antiochene formulation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ (mellṯā) means 'Word' and here refers to the divine Logos. Narsai pairs it with 'body' (ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ) to articulate the union of divine and human in Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܦܲܪܨܘܿܦܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܦܲܪܨܘܿܦܵܐ (parṣōpā) means 'person' and is used in Antiochene theology to denote the single prosopon in which two natures (divine and human) are united. Narsai here speaks of 'two natures into one person'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Narsai's language of 'hidden and revealed' and 'the Word and the body' reflects the Antiochene insistence on the full reality of Christ's humanity and divinity, against both docetic and miaphysite positions. The 'house of laws' likely refers to the Old Testament, seen as a typological framework.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of the evangelists' mission, moving from their ascent and descent (previous passage) to their role in inscribing the divine name on the 'bodily page' and teaching the union of natures. The repeated pairing of 'hidden/revealed' and 'Word/body' structures the argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܲܦܝ̈ [ܒ]ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text at this point shows a scribal correction: ܒܲܦܝ̈ [ܒ]ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ. The bracketed ܒ likely restores the expected preposition, yielding 'in the body'. The reading is secure but the transmission is not entirely smooth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'house of laws' (ܒܹܝܬܼ ܚܘܼܩܹ̈ܐ) could refer to the Old Testament or to a more general legal/typological framework; the context of the evangelists marking the likeness of maker and thing made suggests a scriptural reference.","The phrase 'cut off hope from the visible concerning being' is ambiguous: it may mean that the evangelists taught people to stop hoping for salvation from the visible (material) realm and instead look to the divine being."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":":ܠܟܹܠ ܚܲܕ ܡܸܢܗܘܿܢ ܙܲܕܸܩܘ ܝܲܗܒ̣ܘ ܠܹܗ ܗܵܘ̇ ܡܵܐ ܕܲܩܢܹܐ\nܕܢܹܐܠܲܦ ܟܠܢܵܫ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܼܬܼܡܲܙܲܓܼ ܐܝܼܬܼܝܵܐ ܒܦܲܓܼܪܲܢ. :ܠܐܝܼܬܼܝܵܐ ܝܲܗܒ̣ܘ ܠܹܗ ܓܠܝܼܙܘܼܬܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ [ܐܲܝܟ] ܕܲܦܐܹܐ ܠܹܗ\nܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܩܪ̣ܵܐܘܼܗܝ ܡܸܬܼܚܲܙܝܵܢܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܡܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܬܼܵܘܗܝ. :ܠܠܵܐ ܚܵܫܘܿܫܵܐ ܥܲܠܝܼܘ ܘܣ̇ܡܘܼܗܝ ܠܥܸܠ ܡ̣ܢ ܚܲܫܹ̈ܐ\n:ܘܲܠܡܵܝܘܿܬܼܵܐ ܟܲܣܝܘܼܗܝ ܒܢܲܚܬܿܐ ܕܡܵܝܘܿܬܼܘܬܼܵܐ\n:ܦܲܪܸܫܘ ܘܐܲܫܘܝܼܘ ܡܸܛܠ ܬܲܪܬܹܝܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܝܵܕܘ̈ܥܹܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܿܕܵܘܕܘܢ ܪ̈ܵܕܝܲܝ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܦܸܬܼܓܼܵܡܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܩܲܢܝܼܛܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܕܲܠܡܵܐ ܢܲܛܥܹܐ ܐܢܵܫ ܡ̣ܢ ܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ\nܘܢܸܚܣܲܪ ܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܪܲܓܼܡܝܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܫܸܡ ܒܵܪܘܿܝܵܐ. :ܝܲܨܝܼܦܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ\nܕܲܕܠܡܵܐ ܢܸܐܥܹܐ ܝܲܥܪܵܐ ܕܛܘܼܥܝܲܝ ܒܙܲܪܥܵܐ ܛܵܒܼܵܐ. :ܙܗܝܼܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܛܵܒܼ ܒܒܸܢܝܵܢ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܘܗܲܝܡܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܕܲܠܡܵܐ ܢܒܼܢܘܿܢ ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܢܟܼܝܼ̈ܠܹܐ ܥܡܝܼܪܵܐ ܘܚܲܒܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܥܲܝܢܵܐ ܟܣܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܒܲܩܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܒܲܥܬܼܕ̈ܬܼܵܐ\nܕܗܵܘܹ̇ܝܢ ܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܣܬܪ̈ܝ ܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ ܘܒܲܢܝܲܝ̈ ܙܹܐܦܵܐܘ\n:ܓܲܠܝܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬܼ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܕܠܵܒܼܫܝܼ̇ܢ ܕܹܐܒܹ̈ܐ ܕܘܿܡܝܵܐ ܕܥܪ̈ܒܹܐ\nܘܡܢܟܿܬܝܼܢ ܠܵܗ̇ ܠܵܠܢ̈ܐ ܕܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܒܐܸܣܟܹܝܡ̈ܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܒܒܼܝܼܫܘܼܬܼ ܝܲܨܪܵܐ ܕܗܲܪ̈ܵܛܝܼܩܹܐ ܡܸܬܼܒܲܩܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ\nܕܡܸܬܠܲܝܼܚܝܼܢ ܠܹܗ ܠܢܲܚܬܿܐ ܦܲܐܝܵܐ ܕܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܚܙ̣ܸܵܘ ܕܲܥܬܼܝܼܕܼܝܼܢ ܐܢܵܫܵܐ ܠܡܸܛܠܲܡ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܕܡܸܢܲܢ\nܘܩܕܡ ܥܲܩܪܘܼܗܝ ܠܝܲܥܪܵܐ ܣܲܝܢܵܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܫܸܡ ܐܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܙܪܲܥ̣ܘ ܩܲܕܼܡܵܝܲ[ܐ]ܬܼ ܒܐܸܕܢܲܝ̈ ܐܢܵܫܵܐ\nܘܐܲܢܸܢ ܘܒܲ[...]ܘ ܥܲܠ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ.","english":"To each one they gave what was fitting, that each might learn that the nature is not mingled with the body. To the nature they gave concealment from all, as is fitting, and the body they called visible, as it is. The insensible they placed above sensations, and the mortal they hid in the garment of mortality. They distinguished and set apart the two, like knowers, so that the runners on the path of their word might not be confused. They were careful lest a man stray from the truth and miss the course, the firm running of the name of the Creator. They were diligent lest the work of spiritual life be hindered, lest the forest of their error grow up in the good seed. They were very watchful in the planting of love and faith, lest the works of the evil one, hidden and dark, sprout. With a hidden search they sought in the congregations, that men might be revealers of the truth and sons of victory. It was clear to them that wolves put on the likeness of sheep and deceive the hearts of men by their appearances. In the evil disposition of the heretics they were sought, who are likened to the beautiful garment of faith. They saw that man was destined to put off the body from himself, and before its uprooting they cut down the forest, the weapon of their thoughts. The name of humanity they sowed first in the hands of men, and they set and established the nature of the hidden one from all.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܟܹܠ ܚܲܕ ܡܸܢܗܘܿܢ ܙܲܕܸܩܘ ܝܲܗܒ̣ܘ ܠܹܗ","severity":"info","text":"The evangelists assign to each nature (divine and human) its proper attribute, maintaining the distinction without mixture, a key anti-miaphysite emphasis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܐܝܼܬܼܝܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Syriac ܐܝܼܬܼܝܵܐ (ʾīṯīyā) means 'nature' or 'essence,' here contrasted with 'body' (ܦܲܓܼܪܲܢ), reflecting the dyophysite Christology of Narsai.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܗܲܪ̈ܵܛܝܼܩܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'heretics' (ܗܲܪ̈ܵܛܝܼܩܹܐ) likely refers to miaphysite opponents, against whom Narsai defends the two-nature doctrine as taught by the School of Edessa.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܹܐܒܹ̈ܐ ܕܘܿܡܝܵܐ ܕܥܪ̈ܒܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of wolves in sheep's clothing echoes a common patristic metaphor for heretics, ultimately derived from Matthew 7:15, though not a direct citation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܲܪܸܫܘ ܘܐܲܫܘܝܼܘ","severity":"info","text":"The verbs 'they distinguished and set apart' (ܦܲܪܸܫܘ ܘܐܲܫܘܝܼܘ) mark a structural pivot: the evangelists' method of separating the natures is presented as a deliberate safeguard against confusion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܒܲ[...]ܘ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has a lacuna: ܘܒܲ[...]ܘ. The English draft supplies 'and established,' but the exact verb is uncertain. The reading follows the likely sense of the context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The lacuna ܘܒܲ[...]ܘ leaves the second verb uncertain; the translation 'established' is conjectural.","The phrase 'name of humanity' (ܫܸܡ ܐܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ) may refer to the title 'Son of Man' or to the human nature as a category."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":":ܚܲܟܿܝܼܡܵܐܝܼܬܼ ܝܼܠܸܦ ܫܪܵܪܵܐ ܓܲܠܝܵܐ\nܨܒܼܝܵܢ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܘܲܗܲܝܟܲܠ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܬܪܹܝܬ ܕܲܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܚܲܕܼ. :ܡ̣ܢ ܫܝܼܛܵܬܼ̈ܐ ܠܲܫܒܼܝܼܚ̈ܬܼܵܐ ܕܲܪܲܓܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ\nܕܵܗܟܲܢ ܦܩܸܕ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ ܬܲܩܢܵܐ ܠܲܐܝܢܵܐ ܕܡܲܠܸܦ. :ܦܲܓܼܪܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܐܲܫܩܝܼܘ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܒܲܕܼ ܡܘܼܬܼ ܚܲܠܒܼܵܐ\nܘܐܲܟܼܢ ܩܲܪܸܒܼܘܿ ܐܘܼܟܼܠܵܐ ܕܡܝܼܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܗܘܼܬܼܵܐ. ܗܵܠܹܝܢ ܢܸܫܫܹ̈ܐ ܦܪܲܣ̣ ܒܲܒܼܪܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܨܝܼܕܲܝ̈ ܢܘܼܢܹ̈ܐ:\n:ܘܚܲܒܼܫܘܼܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܒܲܡܨܝܼܪ̈ܵܬܼܵܐ ܕܦܸܬܵܓܼܡܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\n:ܒܗܵܠܹܝܢ ܦܘܼܪ̈ܣܹܐ ܦܠܵܚܘܼܗ̇ ܠܲܐܪܥܵܐ ܡܲܠܝܼܬܼ ܟܘܼܒܹ̈ܐ\nܘܐܵܘܥܝܼ ܥܘܼܒܵܗ̇ ܦܹܐܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܫܘܼܒܼܚܵܐ ܠܲܡܬܿ ܩܢܵܢܹܗ. :ܗܵܠܹܝܢ ܡܸ̈ܠܹܐ ܙܪܲܥ̣ܘ ܐܲܟܵܪܹ̈ܐ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ\nܘܲܫܘ݂ܲܚ ܕܲܪܥܵܐ ܕܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܗܘܿܢ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܕܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ. :ܗܵܕܹܐ ܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܪܲܫ̣ܘ ܗ̣̄ܕܼܝܹ̈ܐܐ ܕܗܲܝܡ̇ܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܫܲܪܝܼܘ ܪܵܕܹܝ̇ܢ ܥܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܘܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܠܘܼܥܕܵܐ ܕܫܝܢܵܐ. :ܒܗܵܠܹܝܢ ܩܵܠܹ̈ܐ ܫܲܝܸܢܘ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܥܲܡ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܹܐ\nܘܐܲܥܢܝܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܗܲܪܓܵܐ ܛܵܒܼܵܐ ܕܪܸܥܝܵܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܒܗܵܢܵܐ ܚܝܲܠܵܐ ܚܣ݂ܲܢܘ ܬܲܟܼܬܘܼܫܵܐ ܕܥܲܡ ܣܵܛܵܢܵܐ\nܘܦܲܪܹܣܝܼܘ ܐܕ̈ܙܹܐ ܕܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܫܹܐܕ̈ܐ ܠܲܒܼܢܝ̈ܫܐ. :ܒܗܢ ܥܘܼܕܢܐ ܢܲܨܚ̣ܘ ܘܐܸܬܼܟܼܠܵܠܘ ܒܟܸܣܝܵܐ ܘܓܸܠܝܵܐ\nܘܲܩܓܵܘ ܕܲܪܓܼܵܐ ܕܪܲܒܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܲܬܼܪܹܝܬ ܥܵܠܡܹ̈ܐ. :ܫܸܡ ܒܵܪܘܿܝܵܐ ܠܒܸܫܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܙܲܝܢܵܐ ܘܐܲܩܪܸܒܼܘ ܥܲܡ ܟܠ\nܘܲܡܕܸܕܘ ܪܵܘܡܵܐ ܘܟܼܠܡܵܐ ܕܐܝܬܼܵܘܗܝ ܠܘܼܩܒܲܠ ܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܚܙܩ̣ܘ ܙܵܘܥܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܥܲܡ ܦܲܓܼܪ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܠܟܼܠ ܐܬܪ̈ܘܢ\nܘܐܲܣܝ̣ܘ ܟܹܐܒܹ̈ܐ ܘܢܲܚܡܘ ܡܝܼܬܹ̈ܐ ܘܲܪܕܲܦܘ ܕܲܝܘܹ̈ܐ.","english":"Wisely he taught the clear truth,\nthe hidden nature and the temple body, two that were one. With glorious melodies they adorned the altar,\ncommanding a fixed order for the teacher. They gave bodily forms to men until the time of the Word,\nand they offered the food of the divine mystery. These signs spread in creation like nets for birds,\nand they enclosed the world in the boundaries of their words. With these portions they worked the earth full of thorns,\nand brought forth its fruits of glory for the one who receives. These words the spiritual farmers sowed,\nand left the harvest of their faith in the land of men. This is the path that the solitary ones of faith trod,\nand they began to follow, the watchers and men, toward the promise of the end. With these voices men and spirits cried out,\nand they answered one another in the good meditation of the thought of life. With this power they sealed the covenant with Satan,\nand they spread the wings that taught demons to the wicked. With this rod they shouted and were perfected in the hidden and the revealed,\nand they ascended the ladder of greatness in both worlds. They put on the name of the Creator like armor and fought with all,\nand they measured the height and depth that exist opposite the abyss. They went forth with their limbs and their bodies to all regions,\nand they healed pains, revived the dead, and pursued demons.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܲܟܿܝܼܡܵܐܝܼܬܼ ܝܼܠܸܦ ܫܪܵܪܵܐ ܓܲܠܝܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line contrasts the 'clear truth' (ܫܪܵܪܵܐ ܓܲܠܝܵܐ) with the 'hidden nature' (ܨܒܼܝܵܢ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ), establishing a dualistic framework of revelation and concealment that governs the passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܨܒܼܝܵܢ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܨܒܼܝܵܢ (ṣəḇyāʿ) is rendered 'nature' in the English draft, but in Syriac theological usage it often denotes a specific nature or essence, here contrasted with the 'temple body' (ܗܲܝܟܲܠ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ), reflecting Narsai's dyophysite Christology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܲܣܝ̣ܘ ܟܹܐܒܹ̈ܐ ܘܢܲܚܡܘ ܡܝܼܬܹ̈ܐ ܘܲܪܕܲܦܘ ܕܲܝܘܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The triad of healing the sick, reviving the dead, and pursuing demons echoes Gospel accounts of Christ's miracles (e.g., Mark 1:34, Luke 8:2) and the apostolic mission in Acts, though no single verse is directly quoted.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܕܵܗܟܲܢ ܦܩܸܕ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ ܬܲܩܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to a 'fixed order' (ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ ܬܲܩܢܵܐ) for the teacher likely alludes to the liturgical or catechetical structure of the Church of the East, where Narsai served as a teacher and poet.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܲܦܲܪܹܣܝܼܘ ܐܕ̈ܙܹܐ ܕܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܫܹܐܕ̈ܐ ܠܲܒܼܢܝ̈ܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of spreading wings that teach demons to the wicked parallels Narsai's homiletic theme of spiritual warfare, where the faithful are armed against demonic forces, a motif common in Syriac ascetic literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܗܵܠܹܝܢ ... ܒܗܵܠܹܝܢ ... ܒܗܵܢܵܐ ... ܒܗܢ","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured by anaphoric repetition of 'with these' (ܒܗܵܠܹܝܢ, ܒܗܵܢܵܐ, ܒܗܢ), each introducing a new instrument (signs, portions, words, voices, power, rod) that advances the narrative of divine economy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܘܐܲܟܼܢ ܩܲܪܸܒܼܘܿ ܐܘܼܟܼܠܵܐ ܕܡܝܼܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܗܘܼܬܼܵܐ' is ambiguous: 'food of the divine mystery' may refer to the Eucharist or to spiritual teaching; the reading taken follows the English draft's 'food of the divine mystery' as a metaphor for doctrine.","The identity of 'the teacher' (ܡܲܠܸܦ) in line 3 is unclear; it may refer to Christ, the evangelist, or Narsai himself; the reading taken assumes a generic reference to the apostolic teacher."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":":ܦܲܠܸܓܼܘ ܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ ܘܲܡܕܼܝܼܢ̈̇ܬܼܵܐ ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\n:ܕܟܼܠ ܚܲܕܼ ܡܸܢܗܘܿܢ ܢܚܵܘܹܐ ܒܘܼܩܝܹܗ ܒܝܲܕܼ ܣܘܼܪ̈ܵܢܹܐ\n:ܚܙܩ̣ܘ ܥܲܠ ܬܸܢܘܲܝ ܕܗܵܝ̇ ܒܲܪܬܼܩܵܠܵܐ ܕܲܓܼܒܼܵܬ̤ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ\nܕܗܵܐ ܠܲܡ ܐܸܢܵܐ ܐܝܼܬܲܝ̇ ܥܲܡܟܼܘܿܢ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܥܵܠܲܡ. :ܫܸܡܥܘܿܢ ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܪ̈ܗܘܿܟܵܝܵܐ ܣܒܲܪܬܼܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܵܐ\nܐܲܠܵܗܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܠܸܒܼܫܲܬ̤ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܕܲܬܼܚܵܐ ܠܟܼܠܵܐ. :ܨܐܵܕܸ̇ ܢܘܼܢܹ̈ܐ ܢܦܲܩ̣ ܩܲܕܼܡܝܑܼܬܼ ܕܲܢܨܘܼܕ ܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ\nܐܪܡܝܲ ܡܨܝܼܕܬܹܗ ܘܨܵܕܵܗ̇ ܠܐܸܡܵܐ ܕܲܡܕܼ̈ܝܼܢܬܼܵܐ. :ܪܫ ܬܲܠܡܝܼ̈ܕܐ ܨܵܕܼ ܠܲܡܕܝܼܢܬܵܐ ܕܪܫܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܐܲܥܸܠ ܚܲܒܼܫܵܗ̇ ܠܓܼܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܚܸܣܢܹ̈ܐ ܕܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܘܼܟܼܪܵܐ ܕܒܲܒܲܪ ܘܐܵܘܕܼܝܼ ܒܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣\nܗܘ̤ ܩܲܕܼܡܵܝܑܼܬܼ ܩܲܪܸܒܼ ܕܸܒܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܕܦܘܼܢܵܝ ܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ. :ܣܵܡ̣ ܬܵܘܕܝܼܬܹܗ ܒܲܕܼ ܡܘܼܬܼ ܟܹܐܦܵܐ ܒܫܘܼܪܵܝ ܒܲܝܬܿܐ\n:ܘܲܒ̣ܢܵܐ ܘܫܲܟܼܠܸܠ ܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ ܠܝܼܓܹ̈ܐ ܒܥܲܪ̈ܩܹܐ ܕܚܘܼܒܵܐ\n:ܟܠ̣ܵܐ ܒܵܗ̇ ܒܪ ܗ̄ܘܿܡܹܐ ܘܙܵܥ̣ܘ ܒܸܢܝܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܕܲܦܬܲܟܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܢܸܦܠܲܬ̤ ܛܘܼܥܝܲܝ ܕܨܲܒܸܬܘ ܫܹܕܹ̈ܐ ܠܒܸܢܝܵܢ ܙܹܦܵܐ. :ܙܵܥ̣ܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܫܹܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܘܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܦܲܠܚܲܝ̈ ܫܹ̈ܐܕܹܐ\nܘܫܵܛ̣ܘ ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܵܐ ܕܫܸܡ ܐܲܠܵܗܹ̈ܐ ܘܝܲܩ̣ܪܘ ܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ. :ܐܵܦ ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܢܚܸܡ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܠܐܲܦܸܣ̈ܝܹܐ\nܐܲܝܟ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܫܸܢܬܼܵܐ ܐܲܥܝܼܪܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܒܲܕ ܡܘܼܬܼܪܲܥܡܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܵܬܼ ܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܥܩܲܪܬܵܐ\nܘܵܪܓܝܗ̇ ܠܥܘܼܒܵܐ ܒܡܸܛܪܵܐ ܚܝܐ ܕܡܠܬ̤ ܦܘܼܡܹܗ. :ܐܲܪܡܝܼ ܒܵܓܼܵܘܗ̇ ܙܲܪܥܵܐ ܛܵܒܼܵܐ ܕܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܒܝܲܕ ܣܘܼܥܪ̈ܵܢܹܐ ܓܲܡܪܹܐ ܠܲܫܡܵܐ ܕܐܸܬܼܟܲܢܝܼ ܒܹܗ.","english":"They divided the peoples and the cities according to their worship,\nso that each one of them might show his zeal through the mysteries.\nThey passed over the likeness of that daughter of the voice who chose them,\nthat she might be with you until the end of the world.\nSimon preached in the regions of Rome the new gospel,\nthe divinity that put on a body, which came to all.\nHe hunted wild beasts and went out first to hunt the peoples;\nhe cast his net and caught the mother of cities.\nThe head of the disciples hunted the city of error\nand brought its captivity into the midst of the treasures of faith.\nThe firstborn of Bar and Audi, the son of God,\nhe first offered the sacrifices of the salvation of the peoples.\nHe placed his confession on the foundation of the rock at the beginning of the house,\nand he sought and perfected the peoples, weary in the bonds of love.\nHe stood in it, the son of Rome, and he terrified the idols of the worship of idols,\nand the fall of their error, which the demons had bound to the worship of dust.\nHe terrified the demons and the idols, the servants of demons, with his voice,\nand they despised the worship of the names of gods and honored the truth.\nAlso John raised his voice to the Ephesians,\nas if from sleep he roused them to the worship of life.\nBy the thunderbolt his daughter-voice was in the barren land,\nand she watered the abyss with the living rain of the word of his mouth.\nHe cast into her womb the good seed of faith\nby means of glowing mysteries for the name that was hidden in him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܲܪܬܼܩܵܠܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'daughter of the voice' (ܒܲܪܬܼܩܵܠܵܐ) is a Syriac idiom for 'echo' or 'revelation', here personified as the divine call that chose the apostles.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܸܡܥܘܿܢ ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܪ̈ܗܘܿܟܵܝܵܐ ܣܒܲܪܬܼܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Simon Peter's preaching in Rome echoes Acts 28 and early Christian tradition of Peter's Roman mission, though not a direct biblical quote.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܲܒܲܪ ܘܐܵܘܕܼܝܼ ܒܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"'Bar and Audi' likely refers to the sons of God (Bar = son, Audi = servant), a Syriac expression for apostles as divine offspring, not a known historical figure.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܢܚܸܡ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܠܐܲܦܸܣ̈ܝܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"John's raising his voice to the Ephesians parallels the tradition of John's ministry in Ephesus, as in Acts 19 and early Christian writings.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"narrative","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from collective apostolic action to individual missions of Peter and John, structuring the narrative around key evangelists.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܥܩܲܪܬܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'daughter-voice' as a thunderbolt in barren land reflects Narsai's poetic reception of John's preaching as transformative, echoing patristic allegory.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Bar and Audi' is ambiguous; it may be a corruption or a specific Syriac epithet for apostles.","The phrase 'daughter of the voice' could be read as a literal echo or a metaphor for divine revelation; the translation opts for the latter."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":":ܘܐܲܫ̣ܡܲܥ ܩܵܠܵܐ ܕܕܼܵܪ ܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ ܒܲܕܼܡܘܼܬܼ ܪܲܥܡܵܐ\nܒܪܲ ܥܡܵܐ ܕܩܵܠܹܗ ܢܲܚܸܡ ܡܝܼ̈ܬܹܐ ܕܡܝܼܬܼ ܒܲܚܛܝܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܘܚܵܘܝܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܵܐ ܕܚܲܝܲܬܼ ܡܝܼ̈ܬܹ̈ܐ\nܡܲܬܼܝ ܐܲܠܸܦ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܥܸܠܼܪ̈ܝܹܐ ܬܠܝܼܬܼܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܘܚܲܬܸܡ ܩ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܲܢܒܼܝܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܟܼܪܵܘܿܙܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܫܲܪܲܪ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܒܝܲܕ ܡܘܼܠܟ̈ܢܹܐ ܕܲܠܘܵܬܼ ܟܹܐܢܹ̈ܐ. :ܘܐܵܘܕܲܥܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܲܫܠܸܡܘ ܐ̄ܪ̈ܙܹܐ ܘܲܕܼܢܲܚ̣ ܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ\n:ܚܲܕܝܹܗ ܠܐܲܒܼܪܵܡ ܕܲܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ ܐ̄ܚܢܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܘܼܒܹܗ\nܘܐܲܦܲܨܚ ܠܕܵܘܝܼܕܼ ܕܩܵܡ̣ ܡ̣ܢ ܙܲܪܥܹܗ ܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܕܲܟܼܬܼܝܼܒܼ. :ܐܲܟ̇ܬܸܒܼ ܒܲܛܢܹܗ ܕܲܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܒܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܙܘܼܘܵܓܼܵܐ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܥܸܩܪܵܐ ܫܘܲܚ̣ ܡ̣ܢ ܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܨܗܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ. :ܒܗܲܢܟܲܠ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܚܵܘܝܼ ܕܲܥܡܲܪ ܨܒܼܝܵܢ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ\nܘܲܩܪ̣ܵܝܗܝ ܒܲܫܡܵܐ ܒܲܪ ܐܲܗܵܠܵܐ ܕܥܸܠܝ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ. :ܠܗܵܢܵܐ ܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܫܠܸܡ ܐܵܦ ܠܘܼܩܵܐ ܐܵܣܝܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܣܲܡܵܐ ܐܲܣܝܼ ܒܡܸܠܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܠܐܵܓܸܒܼ̈ܛܵܝܹܐ. :ܐܵܣܝܵܐ ܡܗܝܼܪܵܐ ܐܹܫܬܲܕܲܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܥܲܡܵܐ ܟܪܝܼܗ̄ܐ\nܕܢܸܥܨܘܿܒܼ ܟܹܐܒܼܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܒܝܲܕܼ ܣܲܡ̣ܡܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܐܲܠܵܗܹ̈ܝܐ. :ܒܫܸܩ ܐܸܠܵܗܵܐ ܣܲܥܪܹܗ ܒܲܪ ܫܹܝܡ ܠܒܲܪ ܚܵܡ ܥܲܒܼܕܵܐ\nܘܣܡ ܠܹܗ ܣܲܡܵܐ ܕܚܹܐܪܘܼܬܼ ܢܲܦ̣ܫܵܐ ܥܲܠ ܪܸܥܝܵܢܹܗ. :ܒܟܹܐܒܼܵܐ ܕܥܵܘܠܵܐ ܪܡܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܙܲܪܥܹܗ ܕܚܵܡ ܡܲܪܵܚܵܐ\nܘܥܲܠ ܥܸܒܼܪܵܝܵܐ ܘܥܲܨܒܹܗ ܒܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܘܟܲܣܝܼ ܥܵܘܠܹܗ. :ܫܪܝܗܝ̣ ܡ̣ܢ ܢܝܼܪܵܐ ܕܥܲܒܼܕܘܼܬܼ ܥܵܘܠܵܐ ܕܲܒܝܼܠܵܘ̈ܛܵܬܼܵܐ\nܘܛܲܒܼܥܹܗ ܒܪܘܚܵܐ ܕܢܸܗܘܹܐ ܡܲܦܠܲܝܝ ܠܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ.","english":"And he made the voice of the generation and its essence heard in the likeness of thunder. The son of the people whose voice revives the dead who died in sin. And he showed them a new way of life for the dead. Matthew taught the house of the upper ones the third rank. And he sealed the keys of the mysteries with the proclamation. He confirmed them by means of the parables that are with the righteous. And they made known that they had delivered the mysteries and that the truth had shone forth. He rejoiced Abraham, who was the brother of the peoples because of his love. And he gladdened David, from whose seed arose the king of the covenant. He wrote on his tablet, which was in the spirit without union. And like a root, he removed from the land the pure Mary. In the temple of the body he showed that a hidden desire dwells. And he called him by the name \"son of the tent\" who is above all. To this living one, Luke also delivered, the physician of the spirit. And like a remedy, he healed with his words the Egyptians. A skilled physician was sent to the sick people. He soothed his pains by means of divine remedies. God cast down his hair, the son of Shem, for the son of Ham the servant. And he placed for him the remedy of freedom, a seal upon his thought. In the pain of iniquity, the seed of Ham the wanton was cast. And upon the Hebrew he pressed with spirit and concealed his iniquity. He released him from the yoke of servitude of the iniquity of the abominations. And he stamped him with the spirit that would distinguish the king of Rome.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܲܫ̣ܡܲܥ ܩܵܠܵܐ ܕܕܼܵܪ ܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ ܒܲܕܼܡܘܼܬܼ ܪܲܥܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The voice of the generation and its essence is likened to thunder, evoking the power of apostolic preaching to revive the spiritually dead.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܲܬܼܝ","severity":"info","text":"Matthew is associated with teaching the 'house of the upper ones' (ܒܹܝܬܼ ܥܸܠܼܪ̈ܝܹܐ), likely a reference to the Jewish Christian community or the heavenly rank of apostles.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܟ̇ܬܸܒܼ ܒܲܛܢܹܗ ܕܲܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܒܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܙܘܼܘܵܓܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'wrote on his tablet, which was in the spirit without union' alludes to the annunciation and the virginal conception of Mary, a key Christological theme in Narsai.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܘܼܩܵܐ ܐܵܣܝܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Luke is called 'physician of the spirit' (ܐܵܣܝܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ), a title that reflects his traditional role as a healer and his Gospel's emphasis on spiritual healing, particularly for the Egyptians.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܫܸܩ ܐܸܠܵܗܵܐ ܣܲܥܪܹܗ ܒܲܪ ܫܹܝܡ ܠܒܲܪ ܚܵܡ ܥܲܒܼܕܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The imagery of Shem and Ham echoes the biblical Table of Nations (Genesis 10), used here to contrast the freedom of the elect (Shem) with the servitude of the sinful (Ham), a typology common in Syriac tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܲܦܲܨܚ ܠܕܵܘܝܼܕܼ ܕܩܵܡ̣ ܡ̣ܢ ܙܲܪܥܹܗ ܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܕܲܟܼܬܼܝܼܒܼ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'king of the covenant' (ܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܕܲܟܼܬܼܝܼܒܼ) is ambiguous: it may refer to David as a type of Christ or to a messianic figure; the Syriac allows both readings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the son of the people' (ܒܪܲ ܥܡܵܐ) in line 2 is unclear; it may refer to a specific apostle or to Christ.","The phrase 'son of the tent' (ܒܲܪ ܐܲܗܵܠܵܐ) is ambiguous, possibly a title for Christ or a reference to a liturgical figure."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":":ܦܐܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܩܵܠܹ̈ܐ [ܟܲܕ ܩܵܥܹ̇ܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܕܡܸܨܪܹܝܢ\n:ܘܲܡܫܲܬܸܩ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܩܵܠܹ̈ܐ] ܕܛܘܼܥܝܲܝ ܒܟܼܵܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܼܵܐ\n:ܪܲܒ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܢܒܼܓܵܐ ܕܡܸܠܲܬܼ ܦܲܘܡܹܗ ܛܵܒܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܓܝܼܚܘܿܢ\nܘܲܡܝܲܬܿܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܙܵܘܥܲܝ̈ ܢܦ݂ܲܫܹܗ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܲܬܿܝܼܩܹ̈ܐ. :ܕܚܝܼܠ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܥܲܠ ܡܸܨܪ̈ܝܹܐ ܛܵܒܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܓܝܼܚܘܿܢ\nܘܲܡܝܲܬܿܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܚܪܘܕ̈ܐ ܕܥܲܡܹܗ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܼܣܪܵܝܹܠ. :ܡܘܼܫܹܐ ܚܪܲܪ ܘܐܲܗܦܸܟ ܥܲܡܹܗ ܕܡܝܼܬܼ ܒܲܚܛܝܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܠܘܼܩܵܐ ܚܲܪܲܪ ܘܐܲܗܦܸܟ ܥܲܡܹܗ ܒܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܚܪ̈ܘܼܪܹܐ ܘܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܡܠ݂ܲܟ ܥܸܒܼܪܵܝܵܐ ܠܲܒܲܢܲܝ̈ ܓܸܢܣܹܗ\nܘܐܸܫܬܵܘܕܝܼ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܩܝܵܡܬܵܐ ܕܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܦܘܼܪܩܵܢ ܢܲܦ̣ܫܵܐ. :ܡܵܪܩܘܿܣ ܪܲܒܿܝܼ ܙܲܪܥܵܐ ܕܲ[...]ܕܲܥ ܟܹܐܦܵܐ ܒܪ̈ܗܘܿܡܹܐ\nܘܐܲܫܩܝܼ ܒܡܸܠܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܚܲܠܝܘܼܬܼ ܩ̈ܠܐ ܠܦܹܐܪܹ̈ܐ ܡ̈ܠܝܼܠܹܐ. :ܒܢ̣ܵܐ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢܹܗ ܥܲܠ ܬܵܘܕܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܟܹܐܦܵܐ ܓܒܼܝܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܐܸܬܼܪܲܦܝܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܲܚܫܘܼ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܪܚܵܐ ܕܛܘܼܥܝܲܝ. :ܕܢܚ̣ ܐܲܝܟ ܫܸܡܡܵܐ ܫܪܵܪܵܐ ܕܡܸܠܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܪ̈ܗܘܿܡܵܝܹܐ\nܘܪܲܕܼܦܹܗ ܠܚܸܫܟܿܐ ܕܚܲܪܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܸܦ ܣܝܼܡܘܿܢ\n:ܦܪܲܣܝܼ ܘܲܓܼܠ̣ܵܗ̇ ܠܐܘܼܡܵܢܘܼܬܹܗ ܕܗܵܘ̇ ܙܹܐܦܵܢܵܐ\nܘܦܲܟܿܗܵܗ̇ ܠܡܸܪܬܹܗ ܒܫܸܡ ܚܲܠܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܲܫܡܹܗ ܕܝܼܫܘܿܥ. :ܥܩܲܪ̣ܙܝܼܙܵ ܢܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܘܕܲܟܿܝܼ ܝܲܥܪܵܐ ܕܡܲܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܲܙܪ̣ܥ ܒܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܙܲܪܥܵܐ ܛܵܒܼܵܐ ܕܗܝܼܡܵܢܘܼܬܹܗ. :ܒܗܲܝܼܡܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܫܲܪܝܼ ܘܫܲܠܸܡ ܒܲܕܡܘܼܬܼ ܚܲܒܼܪ̈ܵܘܗܝ\nܘܐܲܩܸܦ ܣܸܦܪܗ ܠܕܼܝܬܹܩܹܐ ܕܲܟܼܢܵܘ̈ܗܝ. :ܒܐܲܪ݁ܒܿܥܵܐ ܣܵܦܪ̈ܐ ܚܲܬܼܡܵܗ̇ ܡܠܟܿܐ ܠܟܼܵܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܐܲܪܡܝܼ ܐܝܼܕܼܵܐ ܬ̇ܡܵܢܝܵܐ ܘܫܲܒܼܥܝܼܢ ܒܦܘܼܪܩܵܢ ܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ.","english":"He made the sounds [as he cried out in the land of Egypt, and he silenced the sounds] of their error with the proclamation. The voice of his mouth was greater than the thunder, and the tremors of his limbs were more abundant than the silent ones. His voice was more wondrous over the Egyptians than the thunder, and the tremors of his people were more abundant than those of Israel. Moses set free and turned back his people who died in sin, and Luke set free and turned back his people with hope and life. The heavenly one filled the sons of his race with freedom and life, and he confessed to them the resurrection of the body and the salvation of the soul. Mark sowed the seed of [...] the chosen rock in Rome, and with his words he watered the speaking fruits with sweetness. He sought his teaching upon the confession of the chosen rock, and he was not separated from the disturbances of the error of their wandering. He shone like the true name of his words among the Romans, and he pursued the darkness of the sorcery which Simon taught. He spread and revealed the skill of that enchanter, and he mocked his inheritance with the name of the sweetness of the name of Jesus. He uprooted his thorns and cleansed the forest of his death, and he sowed in the trees the good seed of his faith. With faith he began and completed like his companions, and he sealed his book to the testament of his canons. With four books the king sealed his proclamation, and he placed a perfect hand and rejoiced in the salvation of the peoples.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܹܐܦܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac word kēpā (ܟܹܐܦܵܐ) means 'rock' and is used here as a title for the apostle Peter, whose Aramaic name is Cephas. The phrase 'chosen rock' (ܟܹܐܦܵܐ ܓܒܼܝܼܬܼܵܐ) identifies Peter as the foundation of the Roman church.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܝܼܡܘܿܢ","severity":"info","text":"Simon Magus (ܣܝܼܡܘܿܢ) is the Samaritan sorcerer who, according to early Christian tradition, opposed Peter in Rome. Narsai contrasts Mark's teaching with Simon's 'sorcery' (ܚܲܪܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ), a common polemical trope in Syriac literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܐܲܪ݁ܒܿܥܵܐ ܣܵܦܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'with four books' (ܒܐܲܪ݁ܒܿܥܵܐ ܣܵܦܪ̈ܐ) refers to the four canonical Gospels, which Narsai presents as the king's sealed proclamation. This line concludes the passage by summarizing the evangelists' collective work.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܘܼܫܹܐ ܚܪܲܪ ܘܐܲܗܦܸܟ ܥܲܡܹܗ ܕܡܝܼܬܼ ܒܲܚܛܝܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Moses freeing his people who 'died in sin' alludes to the Exodus narrative (Exodus 14) and the golden calf incident (Exodus 32), where Israelites died for their sin. Narsai parallels this with Luke's ministry of hope and life.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܵܪܩܘܿܣ ܪܲܒܿܝܼ ܙܲܪܥܵܐ ܕܲ[...]ܕܲܥ ܟܹܐܦܵܐ ܒܪ̈ܗܘܿܡܹܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has a lacuna after ܕܲ, indicated by brackets in the edition. The sense is that Mark sowed the seed of Peter's teaching in Rome, but the exact phrase is uncertain. The English draft supplies 'the chosen rock' from context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The lacuna after ܕܲ in the phrase about Mark's seed leaves the precise object unclear; the edition supplies 'the chosen rock' based on the parallel with Peter.","The phrase 'tremors of his limbs' (ܙܵܘܥܲܝ̈ ܢܦ݂ܲܫܹܗ) is ambiguous: it may refer to physical shaking or to the impact of his voice on the audience."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":":ܒܲܕ ܡܘܼܬܼܢܲܚܬܵܐ ܦܪܲܣ̣ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢܹܗ ܒܐܲܪ̈ܒܲܥܦܸܢܝܵܢ\nܘܟܲܣܝܘܼܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܥܲܪܛܸܠܵܝܐ ܒܢܲܚܬܵܐ ܕܲܒܡܹܗ. :ܫܡܵܐ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ ܠܒ̣ܟܘ ܒܐܕܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܘܒܙܘ ܥܝ̈ܗܘܢ\nܘܐܸܢ ܕܲܒܼܛܒܼܢܵܐ ܚܬܲܡܘ ܒܹܗ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܢܸܟܼܝܵܢܹ̈ܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܚܲܕܼ ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ ܚܫܲܒ̣ܘ ܠܲܚܕܵܕ̈ܐ ܟܲܕܼ ܣܲܓܝܼܐܝܼ̈ܢ\nܘܲܟܼܕܲܢܘ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܗܘܿܢ ܒܪܹܫܵܐ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ. :ܦܐܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܟܢܘܼܫܝܵܐ ܕܗܲܕܡܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܕܲܡܫܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ\nܘܲܪܓܝܼܓܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܛܵܒܼ ܫܡܵܐ ܝܲܩܝܼܪܵܐ ܕܲܠܒܼܝܼܟܼܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ. :ܒܲܕܼ ܡܘܼܬܼ ܨܲܠܡܵܐ ܨܝܼܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܡܲܕܥܗܘܿܢ\nܘܲܚܬܿ ܝܼܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܒܛܼܒܼܥܵܐ ܕܲܫܡܹܗ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܬܼܵܓܼܵܐ. :ܠܲܝܬܿ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܡܸܕܹܡ ܥܲܝܢ̈ܝܗܘܿܢ ܐܸܠܵܐ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ\nܘܒܹܗ ܡܲܩܲܬܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܚܝܵܪܐ ܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܠܵܐ ܚܫܝܼܒܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܕܐܝܼܬܼܵܘܗܝ ܡܸܕܹܡ ܥܘܼܡܪܵܐ ܕܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܪܵܢܹܝ̇ܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܐܝܼܬܼ ܝܘܼܬܼܪܵܢܵܐ ܒܐܲܪ̈ܥܝܵܬܼܵܐ. :ܦܵܘܠܘܿ[ܣ] ܓܲܒܼܝܵܐ ܪܵܚܡܵܐ ܕܡܲܠܟܿܐ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ\nܕܡܝܼܬܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܟܲܕܼܝܲܝ ܘܝܲܝ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܟܲܕܼ ܡܝܼܬܼ ܘܫܝܼܛܘ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܘܲܫܒܼܝܼܝ. :ܡܝܼܬܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܚ̇ܕܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܪ̈ܓܼܝܼܓܬܗ\nܘܝܲܝ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܲܣܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܗܵܘ̇ ܚܘܼܕܵܬܵܐ ܕܗܵܘܹ̇ܐ ܒܪܪܬܼܵܐ. ܠܥܸܢܝܵܢ ܡܵܪܹܗ ܡܸܬܼܝܲܐܲܒܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܣܲܒܼܥܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܘܲܡܣܲܟܹܿܐ\nܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܢܚܸܙܝܘܼܗܝ ܒܐܲܦܹ̈ܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܲܚܝܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܥܲܡܹܗ ܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܓܹܝܪ ܒܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܕܙܒܼܢܵܐ ܐ̄ܪܵܙܢܵܐܝܼܬܼ\nܐܸܠܵܐ ܪܓܼܝܼܓܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܢܸܗܘܹܐ ܥܲܡܹܗ ܒܲܓܼܡܝܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ.","english":"By the revelation he spread his teaching in the four directions, and he covered the naked world with the garment of his word. The name of Christ was in their hands and in their eyes, and the seals of the truth were stamped by him upon the limbs of the righteous. As one body they considered one another, though they were many, and they bound the bond of their thoughts upon the head of Christ. The concealment of the limbs of the anointed ones was disturbed, and the noble name of the one whom they had chosen was greatly agitated. By the form of the image, Christ was depicted before their minds, and they were sealed with the sign of his name as with a seal. There was nothing in their eyes but Christ, and in him the hidden vision of their thoughts was fixed. They did not consider that there was anything of the dwelling of the altar, nor did they think that there was any remainder in the lands. Paul, the chosen one, the friend of the king of Rome, who died while living and lived while dying, and was sent and imprisoned. He died to the world without rejoicing in his agitations, and he lived in the hope of that renewal which would come in the end. For the sake of his Lord's sufferings, he was wearied without satiety, and he was made to hope that he would see him in a face without death. For he was with him in the life of the altar mysteriously, but he longed to be with him in perfection.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܲܕ ܡܘܼܬܼܢܲܚܬܵܐ ܦܪܲܣ̣ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢܹܗ ܒܐܲܪ̈ܒܲܥܦܸܢܝܵܢ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line uses 'revelation' (ܡܘܼܬܼܢܲܚܬܵܐ) to describe the spread of Christ's teaching to the four directions, echoing the four Gospels and the universal mission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Christ' (ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ) is central, appearing repeatedly as the focus of the apostles' thoughts and actions, consistent with Narsai's Christological emphasis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܵܘܠܘܿ[ܣ] ܓܲܒܼܝܵܐ ܪܵܚܡܵܐ ܕܡܲܠܟܿܐ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Paul is described as 'the chosen one, the friend of the king of Rome,' likely referencing his Roman citizenship and his role as a key apostle, echoing Acts 22:25-29 and later hagiography.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܘܼܡܪܵܐ ܕܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'dwelling of the altar' (ܥܘܼܡܪܵܐ ܕܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ) reflects Syriac liturgical imagery, where the altar symbolizes the presence of Christ and the Eucharist, central to Narsai's homiletic context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܝܼܬܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܚ̇ܕܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܪ̈ܓܼܝܼܓܬܗ","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from collective apostolic unity to a focused portrait of Paul, using antithetical parallelism ('died while living, lived while dying') to highlight his spiritual transformation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܲܟܼܕܲܢܘ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܗܘܿܢ ܒܪܹܫܵܐ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac verb ܘܲܟܼܕܲܢܘ ('they bound') is uncertain in vocalization; the reading here follows the English draft's 'bound,' but alternative parsing could yield 'they united' or 'they sealed,' affecting the sense of apostolic cohesion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac term ܘܲܟܼܕܲܢܘ may be read as 'they bound' or 'they sealed,' with implications for the metaphor of apostolic unity.","The phrase ܒܲܕ ܡܘܼܬܼܢܲܚܬܵܐ could be interpreted as 'by the revelation' or 'through the unveiling,' with possible eschatological overtones."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":":ܠܗܵܢ ܥܢܝܵܢܵܐ ܪܚܸܡܘ ܟܵܪ̈ܘܙܹܐ ܕܡܸܠܲܬܼ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ\nܘܟܲܕܼ ܒܲܐܪܥܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܠܵܘ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܐܸܠܵܐ ܨܹܐܕܵܘܗܝ. :ܡܸܛܠ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܫܒܲܩ̣ܘ ܟܠܡܸܕܡ ܘܝܩܪܘ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ\nܘܲܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܣܵܗܕܹ̈ܐ ܕܟܼܵܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ ܨܹܝܕ ܐܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙܘ ܒܲܛܢܹܗ ܘܚܵܘܝܼܘ ܝܠܕܹܗ ܘܬܲܪܒܿܝܬ ܦܲܓܼܪܹܗ\nܘܲܪܫܲܡ̣ܘ ܚܲܫܹܗ ܘܨܵܪܘ ܢܘܼܚܵܡܹܗ ܕܩܵܡ ܘܐܸܣܬܲܠܲܩ. ܫܡܲܥ̣ܘ ܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܵܠܵܐ ܕܦܲܩܸܕ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܬܲܠܡܸܕܼܘ ܘܐܲܥܡܸܕܼܘ. :ܘܲܓܼܡ݂ܲܪܘ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܒܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܠܡܸܠܲܬܼ ܦܘܼܡܹܗ ܒܐܸܕܸܢܲܝ̈ ܟܠܢܵܫ\n:ܢܦܲܩ̣ܘ ܠܲܣܝ̈ܓܼܐ ܘܒܹܝܬܼ ܐܘܼܪ̈ܚܵܬܼܵܐ ܒܵܬܲܪ ܐܢܵܫ̈ܐ\n:ܘܟܲܢܸܫܘ ܡܲܠ̣ܵܘ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܡܸܫܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܛܵܒܹ̈ܐ ܘܒܼܝ̈ܫܹܐ\nܐܲܣܡܸܟܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܥܲܠ ܦܵܬܼܘܪܵܐ ܪܘܼܚܵܢܝܵܐ. :ܘܐܲܫܩܝܼܘ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܣܲܡ ܚܲܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܐܪܵܙܵܐ ܕܕܼܵܡܹ̇ܐ\nܒܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܕܲܡ̇ܐ ܬܲܪܣܝܼܘ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܐܪܵܙܵܢܵܐܝܼܬܼ. :ܕܢܹܐܠܲܦ ܟܠܵܢܵܫ ܕܲܕܦܲܓܼܪܵܢܵܐ ܗܘ̣ ܦܲܓܼܪܑܵ ܘܲܕܼܡܵܐ\nܒܐܘܼܟܼܠܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܥܲܝܸܕܼܘ ܐܸܡܘܿܢ ܠܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ ܝܲܥܢܹ̈ܐ. :ܘܫܵܛ̣ܘ ܡܹܐܛܼܘܼܠܬܼܵܐ ܕܲܦܬܲܟܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܘܝܲܩܲܪܘ ܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ\nܒܐܸܣܛܲܠ ܫܘܼܒܼܚܵܐ ܟܣܲܝܼܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܥܪܪ݁ܛܸܠܵܝܹܐ. :ܘܢܲܟܸܦܘ ܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܕܙܲܠܝܼܠܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܕܼܘܼܒܵܪܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܒܣܲܒ̣ܪܵܐ ܘܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܫܲܪܲܪ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܨܝܕ ܡܘܼܠܟ̈ܢܐ. :ܘܐܲܠܸܦ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܼܪܲܦܘܢ ܒܚܲܫܹ̈ܐ ܕܙܲܒ̣ܢܵܐ\n:ܡܘܼܠܟܵܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܖܒܥ̣ܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܥܲܝܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܕܢܸܗܘܘܿܢ ܚܵܢܹ̇ܝܢ ܒܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܠܘܵܬܼ ܕܲܥܬܼܝܼܕ̈ܢ. :ܒܕܼܘܼܡܝܵܐ ܕܝܼܠܹܗ ܚܲܦܸܛܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܡܪܝܘ\nܘܗܢܘܢ ܫܪܝܼܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܪ̈ܒܢܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܬܲܠܡܝܕ̈ܐ.","english":"For this service they loved the heralds of the word of life, and while they were on earth, they were not on earth but with him. Because of his love they left everything and honored his love, and they were witnesses of his preaching against error. They proclaimed his baptism and showed his birth and his bodily upbringing, and they depicted his suffering and painted his resurrection, that he rose and ascended. They heard the voice that commanded them: \"Go, teach and baptize.\" And they fulfilled his love with love for the word of his mouth among all peoples. They went out to the prisons and the crossroads after the sick, and they gathered and filled the house of feasting with good and evil. They set the table for a spiritual feast, and they gave them the medicine of life in the mystery of blood, with body and blood they nourished them mystically, so that everyone might learn that it is a bodily body and blood. With the food of the spirit they celebrated the feast for the nations of the world. And they drank the cup of idolatry and honored the truth; with the stole of glory they covered themselves against the heretics. And they restrained the course of frivolity in their conduct; with hope and life they established themselves against the kings. And they taught them not to be troubled by the pains of sacrifice. The kings of life they saw as a living thing before their eyes, that they might live in faith toward the future. In his likeness they sought to imitate him, and they began like infants before the disciples.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܵܪ̈ܘܙܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'heralds' (kārōzē) is a standard Syriac designation for the apostles as proclaimers of the gospel, echoing the New Testament usage of κῆρυξ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܲܩܸܕ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܬܲܠܡܸܕܼܘ ܘܐܲܥܡܸܕܼܘ","severity":"info","text":"The command 'Go, teach and baptize' alludes to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, a key scriptural basis for apostolic mission.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܐܪܵܙܵܐ ܕܕܼܵܡܹ̇ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'mystery of blood' refers to the Eucharistic liturgy, central to Syriac Christian worship, where the blood of Christ is understood as a life-giving mystery.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܲܫܩܝܼܘ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܣܲܡ ܚܲܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of giving 'the medicine of life' parallels Narsai's liturgical poetry, where the Eucharist is described as a healing remedy for the faithful.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"narrative","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of apostolic mission, moving from the apostles' devotion to their active preaching and sacramental ministry, culminating in their imitation of Christ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'kings of life' (ܡܘܼܠܟܵܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to Christ as the king of life or to the apostles as spiritual rulers; the reading taken is that it refers to Christ, as the context of imitation suggests."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":":ܗܢܘ̣ܢ ܥܠ̣ܘ ܗܵܘ̣ܘ ܠܐ ܓܘܢ ܥܡ̈ܠܐ ܩܕܡ ܐܬܼܠܝܼ̈ܛܐ\nܘܗܢ̣ܘܢ ܚܘܝܼܘ ܙܢܝ̈ ܬܲܟܬܘܼܫܵܐ ܠܩܪ̈ܒܬܢܐ. :ܚܵܣܢܘ ܟܠ ܚܝ̈ܠܝܢ ܒܚܝܠ ܥܘܼܕܼܪܵܢܵܐ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܝܵܐ\nܘܐܲܩܠܝܼܘ ܘܒܲܣܲܪܘ ܥܲܠ ܫܘܥܠܝܐ ܕܕܝܘ̈ܐ ܘܐܢܫ̈ܐ. :ܫܛ̣ܘ ܠܘܚܡ̈ܐ ܘܕܫ̣ܘ ܠܲܓܼܙܵܡܹ̈ܐ ܕܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܛܪ̈ܘܢܐ\nܘܐܲܗܸܠܘ ܘܲܓܼܚܸܟܼܘ ܥܲܠ ܕܝ̈̇ܢܐ ܘܫܘܠܛܢ̈ܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܫܪ̣ܘ ܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܕܟܸܢܼܒܲܬ̤ ܛܘܥܝܲܝ ܒܐܝܼܕܵܐ ܕܐܵܢܵܫ̈ܐ\nܘܲܟܼܬܲܒܼܘ ܣܦܪ̈ܐ ܕܚܲܕܼ ܝܘܠܦܵܢܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗ ܟܠܵܐ. :ܦܐܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܩܵܠܗܘܿܢ ܟܲܕܼ ܩܵܥܹ̇ܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ\nܐܲܒܼܵܐ ܘܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܕܩܘܕܼܫܵܐ ܚܕܼܵܐ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܪܓܼܝܸܓܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܙܵܡܪܵܐ ܕܟܸܢܵܕ̈ܝܗܘܿܢ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ\nܟܲܕܼ ܙܵܡ̇ܝܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܡܸܠܬܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܒܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ. :ܗܲܢܝܼܬܝܼ̈ܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܦܸܬܼܓܼܡܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܠܥܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܘܐ̈̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ\nܟܲܕܼ ܙܵܪܥܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܣܒܲܪܬܼܵܐ ܚܕܲܬܐ ܕܥܸܠܲܬܼ ܫܲܝܢܵܐ. :ܥܗܲܪܘ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܟܸܢܫ̈ܐ ܕܫܡܝ̈ܢܐ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܕܲܒܼܗܘܿܢ\nܟܲܕܼ ܚܵܣܢܹ̇ܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܟܠ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢܝܼ̈ܢ ܒܚܲܝܠܹܗ ܕܝܼܫܘܿܥ. :ܒܬܲܗܪܵܐ ܩܵܡ̣ܘ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܪ̈ܘܼܚܵܢܵܝܹܐ ܒܐܵܓܼܘܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܕܚܙ̣ܘ ܕܐܲܫܦܸܠ ܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܘܚܝܲܠܹܗ ܡ̣ܢ ܨܲܝܵܪܹ̈ܐ. :ܚܙ̣̰ܵܘ ܕܲܠܒܼܝܼܫܝܼܢ ܟܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܒܸܣܪܵܐ ܡ̣ܬܼܚܲܒܿܠܵܢܵܐ\nܘܲܬܼܗܲܪܘ ܣܲܓܿܝܼ ܕܐܲܝܟܲܢ ܙܵܟܹ̇ܝܢ ܠܚܲܫܹ̈ܐ ܕܲܒܼܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܘܒܣܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܫܵܛ̣ܘ ܠܲܟܼܝܵܢܵܐ ܘܠܲܐ ܣܝܼܪܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܚܵܘܝܼܘ ܕܘܼܡܝܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܚܵܫܘܿܫܹ̈ܐ ܒܚܵܡܣܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܘ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܐ ܕܲܥܡܲܪ̣ܘ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܟܪܝܼܗܘܼܬ ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܐܸܬܼܟܲܬܲܡܘ ܒܟܹܐܒܹ̈ܐ ܣܢ̈ܝܵܐ ܕܲܢܣܝܼܣܘܼܬܹܗ.","english":"They were not in the midst of labors before the altars,\nand they showed the mysteries of the sacrifice to the altars. They exhausted all their powers by the power of divine help,\nand they extinguished and proclaimed the vanity of idols and demons. They broke the bread and shattered the fierce decrees of the tyrant king,\nand they laughed and mocked at the judges and their authorities. They began the teaching of the books of their error in the hand of men,\nand they wrote books of one teaching of God the All. Their voice was like that of one crying out in the midst of the earths,\nFather, Son, and Holy Spirit, one essence. The singer of their spiritual hymns was delighted,\nas they sang the Word and the Body, the Son of God. Their words were sweet to the watchers and to men,\nas they sowed the new proclamation of the cause of peace. The stones of the heavens were astonished at the power within them,\nas they exhausted all teachings by the power of Jesus. The spiritual ones stood in wonder at their contests,\nfor they saw that the world and its power were humbled by the painters. They saw that the nature of corruptible flesh was clothed,\nand they wondered greatly how they conquered the passions within them. The bones that broke the skull and its sinews,\nand they showed a likeness without feeling in their violences. Or the earths that dwelt in the land of the sickness of the body,\nand were not covered by the grievous pains of its foundation.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܲܩܠܝܼܘ ܘܒܲܣܲܪܘ ܥܲܠ ܫܘܥܠܝܐ ܕܕܝܘ̈ܐ ܘܐܢܫ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The verbs 'extinguished' and 'proclaimed' (or 'announced') are paired paradoxically: the evangelists first quench the cult of idols and demons, then publicly declare its vanity. The English draft's 'proclaimed the vanity' captures the sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܸܠܬܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Word and Body' (Memra wa-Pagra) is a standard Syriac dyophysite formula for Christ, combining the divine Word (Memra) with the human body (Pagrā). Narsai uses it to affirm the two natures in one prosopon.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܒܼܵܐ ܘܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܕܩܘܕܼܫܵܐ ܚܕܼܵܐ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The trinitarian formula 'Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one essence' echoes the Nicene Creed (325/381) and is a standard Syriac confession of the Trinity. Narsai here presents the evangelists as proclaiming this orthodox doctrine.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܲܓܼܙܵܡܹ̈ܐ ܕܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܛܪ̈ܘܢܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'fierce decrees of the tyrant king' likely refer to Roman imperial edicts against Christianity, especially under Diocletian (r. 284–305). Narsai portrays the evangelists as defying these decrees by breaking bread (the Eucharist) and shattering the laws.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܚܙ̣ܘ ܕܐܲܫܦܸܠ ܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܘܚܝܲܠܹܗ ܡ̣ܢ ܨܲܝܵܪܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of the world and its power being 'humbled by the painters' (ṣayyārē) is a striking metaphor: the evangelists, as 'painters' of Christ's life (cf. earlier passage), reduce worldly might to insignificance. This echoes the theme of the four living creatures as symbols of the evangelists.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܘ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܐ ܕܲܥܡܲܪ̣ܘ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܟܪܝܼܗܘܼܬ ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The final two lines are textually difficult: 'Or the earths that dwelt in the land of the sickness of the body' may be a corrupt or elliptical phrase. The English draft's 'earths' (plural) is uncertain; the Syriac ܐܪ̈ܥܢܐ could also mean 'lands' or 'regions'. The sense of the passage as a whole is obscure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The final two lines (beginning ܐܘ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܐ) are syntactically unclear; the reading taken treats them as a continuation of the preceding contrast, but the text may be corrupt or lacunose.","The phrase 'the stones of the heavens' (ܟܸܢܫ̈ܐ ܕܫܡܝ̈ܢܐ) is ambiguous: it could refer to celestial beings (angels) or to the firmament itself; the English draft takes it as 'stones' (i.e., heavenly bodies)."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":":ܐܘ ܬܲܓܵܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܼܪܕܼܵܘ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܡܲܠܝܲܬ ܩܸܢܛܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܐܸܬܼܚܲܠܲܨܘ ܓܲܙܵܐ ܪܲܒܵܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܘ ܡܲܠܵܚܹ̈ܐ ܕܝܼܬܸܒܼܘ ܒܐܸܠܦܵܐ ܒܝܲܡܵܐ ܫܓܼܝܼܫܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܐܸܬܼܛܲܒܿܥܲܬ̤ ܗܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܼܗܘܿܢ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܡܲܚܫܘܼ̈ ܠܹܐ. :ܐܘܿ ܟܢܪ̈ܐ ܙܡܪ̈ܝ ܠܝܘܿܡ ܬܠܝܼܬܼܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܐܸܬܼܦܲܣܲܩ ܪܘܼܟܵܒܼ ܡܸܢܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܘܼܫܵܒܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܘܿ ܐܲܬܼ̈ܠܹܝܛܹܐ ܐܲܚܕܼܵܝ̈ ܕܲܪܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܚܘܼܬܼܚ̈ܵܬܹܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܩܲܬܼ̈ܝ ܐܝܼܕ̈ܐ ܕܐܲܚܘܿܕܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܒܗܲܕܼܵܡܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܘܿ ܐܲܟܵܪܹ̈ܐ ܙܲܪ̈ܥܲܝ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܡܵܝܘܿܬܹ̈ܐ\nܕܥ̇ܕ ܚܲܢܦܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܝܲܥܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܥܝܼܘ ܫܹܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܒܐܵܢܵܫ̈ܐ. :ܐܘܿ ܬܲܡܝܼܕܹ̈ܐ ܢܵܛܪ̈ܲܝ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܕܪܲܒܵܐ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܐܸܬܼܪܲܦܝܼ ܚܵܙܘܵܐ ܕܚܘܼܒܗܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܨܹܝܕܼ ܡܵܪܪܗܘܿܢ. ܒܨܝܼܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܕܢܸܬܼܢܹܐ ܫܲܪܒܵܐ ܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܟܿܘܿܢ\nܘܠܵܐ ܡܨܹܐ ܗܵܘܢܵܐ ܕܲܢܨܘܿܪ ܨܵܠܡܵܐ ܕܢܸܨܚܵܢܲܝ̈ܟܿܘܿܢ. :ܟܪܹܐ ܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܕܢܸܡܛܹܐ ܠܪܵܘܡܵܐ ܕܲܣܠܲܩܬܘܿܢ ܠܗ\nܘܡܲܬܝܼܢ ܝܲܨܪܵܐ ܕܢܸܡܛܹܐ ܥܲܡܟܼܘܿܢ ܠܲܠܡܹܐܝܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܚܲܕ ܗܘ̤ ܒܲܠܚܘܿܕܼ ܡܨܐܹ ܕܲܢܨܘܿܪܝܼܘܗܝ ܠܨܲܠܡܵܐ ܕܚܘܼܒܿܟܘܿܢ\nܘܗܘ̤ܝܘܼ ܝܵܕܲܥ̇ ܕܢܸܡܢܹܐ ܥܲܡܠܹ̈ܐ ܕܐܵܓܼܘܿܢ̈ܝܟܿܘܿܢ. :ܠܹܗ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܓܲܠܝܵܐ ܕܲܟܼܡܵܐ ܚܲܫܬܿܘܢ ܡܸܛܠ ܚܘܼܒܹܿܗ\nܘܗܘ̤ ܡܦܣ ܕܐܲܝܟܲܢ ܢܸܬܸܿܠ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܨܒܼܝܵܢܲܝ̈ܟܿܘܿܢ. :ܒܟܲܪܡܹܗ ܠܦܚܬܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܘܼܪܵܝܵܐ ܕܘܼܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܗܘ̤ ܡܦܲܢܹܐ ܠܟܼܘܿܢ ܕܝܢܵܪ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܚܲܒܲܠ܀","english":"O merchants who traveled a path full of thorns, and did not exhaust the great treasure of your minds. O sailors who sat in a ship on a troubled sea, and your faith was not drowned among the waves. O priests who sang on the third day of the Trinity, and the chariot of the hundred thoughts of your minds was not halted. O athletes who contended in the arena with wild beasts, and the hands of your captors did not cut you in your limbs. O farmers who sowed seeds of life among the dead, until the darkness of the forest where demons howled in the groves. O disciples, guardians of the love of the great Messiah, and the vision of your love was not diminished from the side of your Lord. Small is the love that can describe the story of your minds, and it cannot depict the image of your struggles. The tongue is too short to reach the height to which you ascended, and the brush is weary that reached with you to the limit of life. Only one can depict the image of your love, and he knows the labors of your contests. To him it is revealed how much you suffered for his love, and he knows how to give reward to your desires. In his vineyard he planted you from the beginning of his planting, and he will show you the dwelling of life that is indestructible.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"O merchants ... O sailors ... O priests ... O athletes ... O farmers ... O disciples","severity":"info","text":"The passage is a series of six apostrophes (merchants, sailors, priests, athletes, farmers, disciples), each followed by a relative clause describing their trials and constancy. This rhetorical pattern builds to a concluding reflection on the inadequacy of human praise.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܟܥܪ̈ܐ ܙܡܪ̈ܝ ܠܝܘܿܡ ܬܠܝܼܬܼܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'priests who sang on the third day of the Trinity' likely refers to the liturgical commemoration of the Trinity on the third day of the week (Tuesday) or a feast day, reflecting Syriac liturgical practice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"athletes who contended in the arena with wild beasts","severity":"info","text":"The imagery of athletes contending with wild beasts evokes the arena of Roman martyrdom, a common topos in Syriac hagiography. The 'hands of your captors did not cut you' suggests miraculous preservation, a motif in martyrdom accounts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"farmers who sowed seeds of life among the dead","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of sowing seeds of life among the dead echoes the parable of the sower (Matthew 13) and Pauline language of spiritual sowing (1 Corinthians 15:42-44), applied here to the evangelists' mission among pagans.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Only one can depict the image of your love","severity":"info","text":"The 'only one' who can depict the love and labors of the evangelists is Christ, consistent with Narsai's Christocentric focus. This humility topos is common in Syriac praise poetry, acknowledging divine limitation of human praise.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"until the darkness of the forest where demons howled in the groves","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac phrase 'ܥ̇ܕ ܚܲܢܦܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܝܲܥܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܥܝܼܘ ܫܹܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܒܐܵܢܵܫ̈ܐ' is textually uncertain; the reading 'until the darkness of the forest' follows the English draft, but the Syriac may be corrupt or ambiguous, possibly meaning 'until the darkness of the forest where demons howled in the groves'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-35","label":"source edition: On the Four Evangelists","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/35"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac phrase 'ܥ̇ܕ ܚܲܢܦܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܝܲܥܪܵܐ' is ambiguous: it may mean 'until the darkness of the forest' or 'until the forest of darkness', with possible textual corruption. The reading follows the English draft.","The identity of the 'third day of the Trinity' is ambiguous: it could refer to a specific liturgical day or a symbolic number."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}