11. But this can be explained in another way: however, it is better for us to listen now what the Saviour Himself has to say about the Holy Spirit. He says: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). And what is this grace from the Father, He says: how much more does the Father, who is from heaven, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). And that God should be worshipped in spirit, saying: But the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such as those who worship Him. The Spirit is God, and whosoever worshipeth Him, in spirit and in truth, is worthy to worship (John 4:2324). And again: if I cast out demons in the Spirit of God, and so on. (Matt. 12:28), after this quickly: "For this reason I say unto you, All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven by man; but whosoever blasphemes against the Spirit shall not be forgiven (31). Immediately: whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven him, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven him either in this world or in the 6th (32). And in another place He says: "And I will beseech the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that the Spirit of truth may be with you forever, Whom the world cannot see, because it does not see Him, but knows Him below." But you know Him, for He dwells in you, and will be in you (John 14:16, 17). And again he says, "This is what I say to you in you." But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things, and will bring all things to your remembrance (14:26). And again: "And the Comforter of hell shall come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, which beareth witness of Me" (John 15:26). And in another place the Saviour says: "For if I do not come, the Comforter will not come to you: and when He comes, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:7, 8). And then again: Many more Imam have spoken to you, but you cannot bear them now (12). And when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth: for it is not of thyself that thou shalt speak, but if he heareth, thou shalt speak, and that which is to come shall declare unto you (13). He will glorify Me, for He will receive Me and declare it to you (14). All that the Father has is my essence: for this reason I have spoken unto you, for he shall receive from me, and shall declare unto you (15). I have now set before thee the testimony of the Only-begotten Himself, that thou mayest not hearken unto the words of men.

12. The Saviour granted this communion of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, for it is written: "And these rivers, I breathed, and said unto them, The Holy Spirit is unto them: To whom ye shall forgive sins, they shall be forgiven, and to whom ye hold, they shall hold" (John 20:22, 23). This is the second inspiration, since the first is lost from voluntary sins (Gen. 2:7). Of this second it is written: "Come up, breathe in thy face, and take thee away from the offended" (Nahum 2:1). Ascended, from whence come? From hell. For the Gospel tells us that this breath of His was after the Resurrection. And although he now communicates grace, yet he still wants to give more, and says to the Apostles: I am ready to communicate even now, but you cannot yet receive. For the time being, receive grace to the extent that you can contain it; However, expect more. But ye sit in the city of Jerusalem, until ye are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Now take several, then you will receive in full. For it often happens that he who receives does not make perfect use of what is given to him: but he who puts on is covered with clothing on all sides. Do not be afraid, He says, of the devil's weapons and his arrows; for you will have the power of the Holy Spirit. (Remember what was said recently that the Holy Spirit is not divided, but only the grace sent down through Him).

13. So Jesus ascended into heaven and fulfilled his promise. He said to his disciples: "I will beseech the Father, and he will give you another Comforter" (John 14:16). They dwelt in Jerusalem, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit: and at the coming of the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:2), in this city of Jerusalem (1 this is the privilege we have, the blessings of which we speak are not sent down anywhere, but are given to us). On the day of Pentecost, when they were together, the Comforter descended from heaven, preserving and sanctifying the Church, caring for souls, helmsman of the overwhelmed, enlightening the erring, rewarding ascetics, and crowning the victors.

14. And he came down to clothe the apostles with power and to baptize them. For the Lord says: "Ye have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, not after many of these days" (Acts 1:3). This is not a particular grace, but a perfect power. For just as he who is immersed in the waters and baptized is surrounded on all sides by waters, so the Apostles were completely baptized by the Holy Spirit. But water washes the outside, but the Holy Spirit baptizes the entire inner soul, and why are you surprised? Here is a sensual example for you, which, although small and unimportant, is useful for ordinary people: if fire, penetrating the hardness of iron, makes all it fiery, so that the cold is hot and the black becomes light: if (I say) fire, being a body, enters into the body of iron and there performs its effect without hindrance, then what is it surprising if the Holy Spirit enters into the very interior of the soul?

15. But in order that the greatness of such grace descending should not be hidden, it roared like a heavenly trumpet: for there was a noise from heaven, like a storm carried by the breath (Acts 2:2). What did its descent mean? That the eyes may see the tongues of fire, and the ears may hear the noise: and fill the whole house, where it sits (2)? This house became a receptacle of Spiritual water. The disciples were inside, and the whole house was filled with it. And so, according to the promise, they were baptized with all their being, clothed in soul and body in the Divine and salvific garment: and there appeared unto them divided tongues as of fire, and sat on the one which they had, and thou wast filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3, 4). They received the fire, not scorching, but saving; a fire that destroys the thorns of sins, and enlightens the soul. This fire is now to come upon you, and to burn and destroy the thorns of your sins; and the precious acquisition of your souls will enlighten you even more and grant you grace. For He then gave it to the Apostles as well. In the form of tongues of fire He descended upon them, in order to crown their heads with new spiritual crowns by means of tongues of fire. The flaming sword formerly barred the entrance to paradise: The saving fiery tongue restored grace.

16. And they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit had given them to prophesy (Acts 2:4). The Galilean Peter and Andrew spoke now in Persian and now in Medes: John and the other Apostles spoke in all languages before the pagans. For it is not now that strangers have begun to gather here from everywhere in great numbers, but from those times. What kind of teacher would suddenly teach what they learned without studying? For so many years, under the guidance of grammar and in other ways, they have been learning the Greek language in order to speak it well, and yet not everyone else says: the Rhetorician speaks well, and the Grammarian sometimes does not speak well, and he who knows grammar does not know science and wisdom. But the Holy Spirit suddenly teaches many languages, which the Apostles did not know in all previous times. This is truly great wisdom; it is the Divine power. How can their long-term ignorance be compared with the complete, varied, extraordinary, suddenly revealed action of tongues?

17. There was confusion among the people who listened. The second confusion is the opposite of the first, the evil Babylonian confusion: for in this confusion of languages there was a division of the will, since the plan was contrary to God; and in this is the affirmation and unification of thought, since the goal here was piety. Through falling away, through the same is restoration. And they that heard these things were amazed, and said, "How do we hear them that speak" (Acts 2:6). Not less surprising if you know; for even Nicodemus did not know how the Spirit comes, and he was told: "The Spirit, where He wills, breatheth, and heareth His voice: but thou shalt not know whence cometh (John 1:8). Nor can I tell you what He is in His Being.

18. And those who curse say that they are filled with wine (Acts 2:13). The truth was spoken, but with mockery. The wine is truly new, the grace of the New Testament. But this is the new wine of the Spiritual Grape, which has already borne fruit many times in the Prophets, and has blossomed perfectly in the New Testament. For just as the material vine, always remaining the same, at a certain time brings forth new fruits: so this Spirit, always remaining such as He is, and having worked many times in the Prophets, has now shown something new and wonderful. For grace was also communicated to the Fathers, but here it abounds. For there they partook only of the Holy Spirit, and here they were completely baptized with it.

19. But Peter, who had the Holy Spirit and knew whom he had in him, say, "Men of Judaism" (Acts 2:14), to whom the Prophet Joel is known, but who do not understand what is written in him: "For it is not because you do not perceive, these drunkards are (15). They were drunk, not with what you suppose, but with what is written: "They shall drink of the fat of Thy house, and I shall drink with a stream of sweetness" (Psalm 35:9). Drink in sober rapture, which mortifies sin and quickens the heart, an ecstasy contrary to bodily rapture: for this produces forgetfulness of what was known, and this imparts knowledge of unknown things. They got drunk, having drunk the wine of the Spiritual vine, which says of itself: "I am the vine, but ye are the birth" (John 15:5). But if you do not believe me, then understand the truth of my words from time itself: "For there is an hour of the day of the day" (Acts 2:15). For at the third hour, according to Mark, the Crucified One has now sent down this grace at the third hour. For there is no other grace of the Crucified One, but another of Him who is now active; but He who was crucified and promised now fulfills His promise. But if you want to have a testimony, then listen, says Peter: This is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel: and it shall come to pass according to this, saith the Lord, that I will pour out of my Spirit (Joel 2:28). Through the word pouring out, an abundant gift is depicted: for God giveth the Spirit beyond measure. The Father loves the Son, and all is given in His hand (John 3:34-35). He gave Him the power to give and grace of the All-Holy Spirit, to whom He pleases. I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy (Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28); and then, Both on my handmaids and on my handmaids, in their days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:18, Joel 2:29). The Holy Spirit does not look at persons: He does not seek external advantages, but the piety of the soul; and let not the rich be exalted, and let not the poor be discouraged; only prepare each one for the reception of heavenly grace.

20. Much has already been said to you, and perhaps your ears are weary: but still more has been abandoned, and verily, in order to expound the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, a third is needed, many teachings are needed; but forgive me: for although I have now extended my word on account of the approach of the Holy Feast of Pascha, yet I could not offer all the testimonies that should have been offered from the New Testament; I have not yet cited many testimonies from the Acts of the Apostles, where it is narrated how the grace of the Holy Spirit worked in Peter and in all the Apostles together; nor are many testimonies from the Epistles of the Council and of Paul, the fourteen Epistles: of all these Scriptures, like flowers from a great meadow, let us now try to collect testimonies, at least not many, in order to remember them.

21. By the power of the Holy Spirit, by the will of the Father and the Son, Peter became with the unten, and lifted up his voice (Acts 2:14), (for it is said:) "Lift up thy voice with might, preach good tidings to Jerusalem" (Isaiah 40:9), by the spiritual network of his words he caught about three thousand souls: so much grace worked in all the Apostles, that the very Jews who crucified Christ believed in so many numbers, they were baptized in the name of Christ and constantly continued in the teaching of the Apostles and in prayers. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter and John, when they entered the temple to pray at the ninth hour of the day, at the red gates, in the name of Jesus, healed a lame man from birth, who was forty years old (Acts 3:1, 2, 12). (that what has been said may be fulfilled:) then the lame shall leap like a deer (Isaiah 35:6); spiritual teaching was caught by five thousand people who suddenly believed; and the Princes of the people and the High Priests who had gone astray were rebuked, not by their wisdom, for they were unlearned and simple people, but by the work of the Holy Spirit; for it is written: "Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to them" (Acts 4:8). And through the twelve Apostles the grace of the Holy Spirit acted so powerfully in those who believed, that with them, as heart and soul were one, so the use of possessions was common; and since the owners of estates and houses reverently paid the price for the property they sold, there was no one poor among them. When Ananias and Sapphira dared to lie to the Holy Spirit, they received a worthy execution.

22. And by the hands of the Apostles there were banners and miracles among many people (Acts 5:12). And so much spiritual grace was poured out on the Apostles, that they were terrible, for all their meekness. For no one dared to cling to them from the rest, but their people were magnified (13); And the believers of the Lord are added, and a multitude of men and women (14). The streets were filled with the sick lying on beds and beds, so that the coming Peter would not be overshadowed by his shadow from them (15). And a multitude came down from the surrounding cities to this Holy Jerusalem, bringing the sick and suffering from the unclean spirits, who were all healed (16) by the power of the Holy Spirit.

23. Likewise, the twelve Apostles, having been cast into prison by the Bishops, were miraculously led out of it during the night by an angel, and were brought from the temple to them to the judgment seat; then they fearlessly rebuked them in their word to them about Christ. To this they added that God also gave the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32): and having been beaten, they went rejoicing (41)" and did not cease to teach and preach the good news of Christ (42).

24. Not only in the twelve Apostles did the grace of the Holy Spirit work, but also in the firstborn sons of this once barren Church, i.e. in the seven deacons. For they were chosen, as it is written: "Filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6:3); worthy of his name, Stephen, one of them, the firstfruits of the martyrs, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit (5), working great signs and wonders among people (8); but he conquered those who contended with them; For I cannot resist wisdom and the Spirit, who spoke (10). And when he was slandered and brought to the judgment seat, he shone with an angelic light: for all those who sat in the assembly beheld him, and saw his face as the face of an angel (15). And when with a wise answer He denounced the stiff-necked Judas, men with uneducated hearts and minds, who had always stubbornly resisted the Holy Spirit, then he saw the heavens opened, and saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, he saw not by his own power, but, as the Divine Scripture says, "He is filled with the Holy Spirit, having looked up to heaven, having seen the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55).