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Syriac · Homilies · 4th/5th century CE

Memra 6: On Those Who Are Made Perfect and Continue to Grow

Anonymous · syriac

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machine-draft · no human review 3 passages · 572 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Memra 6, titled 'On Those Who Are Made Perfect and Continue to Grow,' is an anonymous Syriac homily from the 4th/5th century CE. It survives in a single manuscript (6th–7th century) and belongs to a series of memre on spiritual perfection. The text employs architectural imagery and the term 'Paraclete Spirit' (rūḥā parāqlīṭā) to discuss ascetic growth and divine grace. Its thematic parallels with contemporary Syriac ascetic literature, such as works by John of Apamea, support its dating, though external attestation is lacking. The homily was later cited in monastic anthologies but remained untranslated until modern times.

Memra 6 is significant for its articulation of spiritual perfection as an ongoing process, a key theme in Syriac asceticism. Its use of the Paraclete Spirit and architectural imagery offers insights into early Christian pneumatology and homiletic techniques. The text also illustrates the collaborative construction metaphor common in Syriac literature, linking it to broader traditions of spiritual growth and divine grace.

Historical context

Memra 6 was composed in Syriac, likely in the 4th or 5th century CE, within a monastic community in the Syriac-speaking world (e.g., Edessa or the region of Mesopotamia). The text is part of a collection of homilies on spiritual perfection, reflecting the ascetic ideals of early Syriac Christianity, which emphasized humility, self-emptying, and the role of the Holy Spirit as comforter (Paraclete). The single manuscript witness, dated to the 6th–7th century, lacks a colophon, leaving authorship and precise provenance uncertain. The homily's use of architectural metaphors (architects and builders) and its focus on continuous growth in perfection align with themes in Syriac ascetical literature, such as the works of John of Apamea and the Pseudo-Macarian homilies. Its transmission is limited; it was cited in later monastic anthologies but not translated into other languages before the modern period.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

17 commentary units 3 structure3 term3 scripture2 background2 parallel2 caution1 sense1 reception 0 derived notes 4 open questions 3 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • limitThe 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.
  • registerRegister: homily in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 3 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
dsc-193:1 · narrativehigh
Source
ܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܕܶܫܬܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܕܡܶܬܓܡܰܪ ܘܝܳܪܶܒ ܢܚܰܘܶܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܶܬܓܡܰܪ: ܘܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܝܳܪܶܒ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܓܡܺܝܪܽܘܬܶܗ. ܐܰܝܟ ܐܰܪ̈ܕܺܝܟܠܶܐ ܘܰܐܝܟ ܐܽܘ̈ܡܳܢܶܐ: ܐܶܡܰܬܝ ܕܨܳܒܶܝܢ ܕܢܶܒܢܽܘܢ ܒܰܝܬܳܐ: ܐܰܘ ܕܢܶܚܫܠܽܘܢ ܡܳܐܢܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܢܶܬܬܣܺܝܡܽܘܢ ܒܶܗ ܡܳܐܢܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܡܝܰܩܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܡܰܠܟܳܐ: ܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܒܢܰܐܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܒܰܝܬܳܐ ܒܰܦܣ̈ܺܝܠܳܬܳܐ: ܘܶܐܬܬܨܺܝܪ ܘܰܣܠܶܩ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܒܨܽܘܪ̈ܳܬܳܐ: ܘܶܐܨܛܰܒܰܬܘ ܟܰܘܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܘܬܰܪ̈ܥܰܘܗ̱ܝ: ܐܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܠܡܰܠܟܳܐ: ܗܳܐ ܓܡܺܝܪ ܒܰܝܬܳܐ: ܚܙܺܝ ܡܳܢܳܐ ܡܳܠܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܶܗ. ܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܡܫܰܪܶܐ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܕܢܶܡܠܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܟܽܠ ܛܳܒ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܒܝܽܘܡ܀ ܘܳܐܦ ܚܳܫ̈ܽܘܠܶܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܚܫܰܠܘ ܡܳܐܢܳܐ ܕܕܰܗܒܳܐ ܐܰܘ ܕܣܺܐܡܳܐ: ܘܰܥܒܰܕܘ ܠܶܗ ܬܰܪܥܳܐ ܘܰܟܣܳܝܳܐ: ܘܰܩܒܰܥܘ ܒܶܗ ܪ̈ܺܝܙܰܣ ܘܰܐܪܡܺܝܘ ܩܽܘܦܠܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܬܛܪܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܢܽܘܟܪܳܝܳܐ ܒܶܠܥܳܕ ܡܳܪܶܗ: ܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܐܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܠܡܰܠܟܳܐ: ܕܗܳܐ ܡܳܐܢܳܟ ܓܡܺܝܪ: ܚܡܽܘܠ ܒܶܗ ܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܣܺܝܡ̈ܳܬܳܟ ܘܶܐܬܬܟܶܠ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ. ܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܡܫܰܪܶܐ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܠܰܡܣܳܡ ܒܶܗ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܒܝܽܘܡ ܟܽܠ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܡܶܬܬܰܓܰܪ. ܗܳܟܰܢܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܐܡܶܟ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ: ܘܰܫܚܰܩ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܗ ܒܠܺܠܝܳܐ ܘܒܺܐܝܡܳܡܳܐ: ܘܣܳܡ ܠܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܡܝܰܬܰܪ ܡܶܢܶܗ: ܘܣܰܪܶܩ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܰܩܢܶܐ ܘܢܰܫܶܩ ܪ̈ܶܓܠܶܐ ܕܰܒܥܶܠܕܒܳܒܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ: ܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܚܳܙܶܐ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܡܽܘܟܳܟܶܗ: ܘܰܡܫܰܕܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܦܰܪܰܩܠܺܝܛܳܐ: ܘܝܳܕܰܥ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܫܪܳܪܳܐ.
English
Memra 6: On Those Who Are Made Perfect and Continue to Grow It shows how a person is made perfect, and how he grows after his perfection. Like architects and like builders: when they wish to complete a house, or to hew a great stone to be set in it for the precious vessels of the king, and when they have finished the house with carvings, and it is completed and rises entirely with forms, and its windows and doors are finished, they say to the king, "Behold, the house is perfect; see what you fill it with." Then the king begins to fill it with all good things daily. And also goldsmiths, when they have hewn a stone of gold or of silver, and made for it a door and a cover, and set in it gems and placed a lock so that it cannot be opened except by its owner, then they say to the king, "Behold, your stone is perfect; deposit all your treasures in it and trust in it." Then the king begins to place in it daily everything that is traded. So also a person, when he has emptied himself from everything that is on earth, and ground his thought by night and by day, and set every passion as something inferior to him, and emptied himself from everything that is hateful, and bound the feet of his enemies, then the Lord sees his humility and sends him the Paraclete Spirit, and he knows the whole truth.
dsc-193:2 · narrativehigh
Source
ܘܡܳܐ ܕܺܝܕܰܥ ܫܪܳܪܳܐ: ܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܦܳܪܶܫ ܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܕܰܓܳܠܽܘܬܳܐ: ܘܡܶܬܟܰܬܰܫ ܥܰܡ ܤܳܛܳܢܳܐ: ܘܣܳܚܶܦ ܠܶܗ: ܐܰܝܟ ܕܣܰܚܦܶܗ ܡܳܪܰܢ: ܘܰܡܚܰܪܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܚܫ̈ܒܳܬܳܐ ܒܺܝܫ̈ܳܬܳܐ. ܘܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܙܟܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܰܒܥܶܠܕܒܳܒܶܗ: ܘܢܳܚ ܡܶܢ ܓܶܐܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܝܰܩ̈ܕܶܐ: ܘܰܚܬܰܡܝ̈ ܫܽܘ̈ܡܳܬܳܐ ܕܟܺܐܒܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ: ܘܶܐܬܚܠܶܡ ܬܒܳܪܳܐ ܕܡܰܚ̈ܘܳܬܶܗ: ܘܩܳܡ ܢܳܛܽܘܪܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܗܰܕܳܡܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ: ܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܐܳܡܰܪ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ: ܕܗܳܐ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܓܡܺܝܪ ܩܢܽܘܡܳܐ ܗܳܢܳܐ: ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܓܒܰܠܬܶܗ. ܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܦܳܬܰܚ ܠܶܗ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܬܰܪ̈ܥܶܐ ܫܡܰܝ̈ܳܢܶܐ: ܘܥܳܐܶܠ ܘܡܶܬܓܰܐܶܐ ܒܥܽܘܬܪܗܽܘܢ ܕܪ̈ܳܐܙܶܐ. ܘܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܕܗܳܢܳܐ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܛܳܒ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܣܳܐܶܡ ܒܗܰܘ ܒܶܝܬ ܓܰܙܳܐ ܕܰܒܢܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܐܰܪܕܺܝܟܠܳܐ ܘܰܚܫܰܠ ܠܶܗ ܐܽܘܡܳܢܳܐ: ܗܳܟܰܢܳܐ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܩܳܐܶܡ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܒܰܦܓܰܪ: ܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܗ ܒܪܽܘܚ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܒܰܥܕܶܢ ܗ̱ܽܘ: ܗܳܢܰܘ ܕܶܝܢ ܒܽܐܘܪܺܫܠܶܡ ܕܰܠܥܶܠ: ܘܗܳܟܰܢ ܝܳܪܶܒ ܘܫܳܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܝܽܘܡ: ܘܡܶܬܦܰܢܰܩ ܘܡܶܬܒܰܣܰܡ ܒܪܽܘܚܳܐ: ܥܕܰܡܳܐ ܕܳܐܬܶܐ ܠܰܡܫܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܕܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܪ̈ܽܘܚܳܢܶܐ: ܘܗܳܝܕܶܝܢ ܐܳܬܶܐ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܘܕܳܒܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܠܟܽܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܥܳܠܡܳܐ: ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܕܒܪܶܗ ܠܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܗ ܘܰܐܥܠܶܗ ܠܦܰܪܕܰܝܣܳܐ: ܘܬܰܡܳܢ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܥܽܘܡܪܶܗ ܒܽܐܘܪܺܫܠܶܡ ܥܶܠܳܝܬܳܐ. ܩܰܕܡܳܐܰܬ ܕܶܝܢ: ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܦܽܘܩ̈ܕܳܢܶܐ ܪܰܘܪ̈ܒܶܐ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܕܟܶܬܒܶܬ ܡܶܢ ܠܥܶܠ ܢܳܛܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܘܟܶܢ ܡܶܬܓܡܰܪ: ܘܡܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܓܰܡܰܪ ܘܶܐܬܡܰܟܰܟ ܝܰܬܺܝܪ ܡܶܢܗܽܘܢ: ܟܶܢ ܣܳܠܶܩ ܠܘܳܬ ܗܳܝ ܪܰܒܽܘܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܒܰܚܬܳܐ: ܘܗܳܘܶܐ ܥܽܘܡܪܶܗ ܬܰܡܳܢ.
English
And when he knows the truth, then he distinguishes truth from falsehood, and contends with Satan, and overcomes him, as his Lord overcame him, and frees himself from evil thoughts. And then, when he has conquered his enemy, and has escaped from his burning arrows, and the seals of his pains have been closed, and the fracture of his wounds has healed, and a guardian has stood over all his members, then King Christ says: "Behold, now this person is perfect, as on the day of his creation." Then his Lord opens the heavenly doors for him, and he enters and rejoices in the wealth of the mysteries. And just as this king daily places good things in that treasury which the archangel has prepared and stored up for him, so this human being, while standing on earth in the body, daily has his mind in spirit with them—that is, in the heavenly Jerusalem—and thus he grows and hears every day, and is nourished and delighted in spirit, until he comes to the perfection of the spiritual watchers. And then his Lord comes and takes him entirely from this world, as he took his mind and brought it into paradise, and there his dwelling is in the heavenly Jerusalem. But before that, all these great commandments which I have written above, the person of flesh keeps and is perfected by them; and when he is perfected and humbled more than them, then he ascends to that glorious greatness, and his dwelling is there.
dsc-193:3 · narrativehigh
Source
ܗܳܟܰܢ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܥܽܘܡܪܳܐ ܕܥܰܡ ܡܳܪܰܢ: ܕܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܗܘܰܘ ܡܰܟ̈ܺܝܟܶܐ ܘܒܰܣ̈ܺܝܡܶܐ ܘܩܰܕ̈ܺܝܫܶܐ: ܘܰܒܢܰܝ̈ ܡܕܺܝܢ̱ܬܳܐ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ: ܘܥܳܒ̈ܕܰܝ ܨܶܒܝܳܢܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܗܰܘ ܛܳܒܳܐ ܘܰܡܩܰܒܠܳܐ ܘܰܓܡܺܝܪܳܐ: ܟܰܕ ܡܨܰܠܶܝܢ ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܨܶܒܝܳܢܶܗ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܒܰܐܪ̈ܥܳܢܳܝܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܗܘܳܐ ܒܰܫ̈ܡܰܝܳܢܶܐ܀ ܫܠܶܡ ܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܕܶܫܬܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܕܡܶܬܓܡܰܪ ܘܝܳܪܶܒ܀
English
Thus is the dwelling with the Lord: those who were humble, gentle, and holy, and seekers of the life of truth, and doers of the will of the Lord—that good, acceptable, and perfect one—when they pray that the will of God may be among the earthly as it is among the heavenly. The end of Memra 6: On Those Who Are Made Perfect and Continue to Grow.
Citation. Tergwame, “Memra 6: On Those Who Are Made Perfect and Continue to Grow”, dsc-193:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-193#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0022 · generated 2026-11-15.