For I want you to remember what I have just said, and to know perfectly that there is not one in the law and the prophets, but another in the Gospel and the Apostles, but one and the same Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments, who spoke the Divine Scriptures.

6. This same Holy Spirit descended upon the Holy Virgin Mary. For when Christ the Only-begotten was to be born, the power of the Most High overshadowed Her, and the Holy Spirit, Who came upon Her, sanctified Her, so that She might be able to receive Him through Whom all things came to pass. I need not say much about these things to teach you that this birth is undefiled and pure: for you know what Gabriel said to her, I declare to you that which is to be, but I do not act in it; though I be an Archangel, yet I know my office, and I proclaim joy to Thee; but how you have to give birth does not depend on my gift. The Holy Spirit shall come upon Thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow Thee: by the same also that which is born is holy, and shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

7. This Holy Spirit was at work in Elizabeth. For not only is He in virgins, but He also draws near to those who are married to their husbands, if the marriage is according to the law: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (40) and prophesied. And this good servant said of the Lord, "And whence shall I come this, that the Mother of my Lord may come to me"? Elizabeth blessed her. Filled with this Holy Spirit, Zachariah, the father of John, prophesied, saying that the Only-begotten would bring good to many, and that John would be His Forerunner after his baptism. By this Holy Spirit also Simeon the Righteous was informed, that he did not see death, that he did not even see the Christ of the Lord (Luke 2:26), and having received this Christ in his arms in the temple, he bore clear witness to Him.

8. And John, who was filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb, was sanctified by Him, that he might baptize the Lord; he himself did not give the Spirit, but preached about Him who gives the Spirit. For he said, "I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who comes after me," and so on. He baptizes you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matt. 3:11). Since the descent of the Holy Spirit was in the form of tongues of fire, of which the Saviour joyfully speaks: "Thou hast come to bring fire upon the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled" (Luke 12:49)?

9. This Holy Spirit descended when the Lord was baptized, so that the glory of Him who is being baptized would not be hidden, as John says: "But He who sent me to baptize with water, He said to me, 'Over Him thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon Him, He is baptizing with the Holy Spirit' (John 1:33). But note that the Gospel says: "The heavens are opened" (Matt. 3:16). And they were opened because of the glory of him who is descending. And behold, he says, the heavens were opened, and seeing the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and coming upon Him, that is, He descended by Himself. For it was necessary, as some have explained, that the beginnings and preeminences of the action of the Holy Spirit, which is given to those who are baptized, should be communicated to the humanity of the Saviour, Who bestows this grace. He descended in the form of a dove, perhaps, as some say, in accordance with the pure and gentle dove that depicted Him, which was sacrificed during prayers for children born and for the remission of sins. For it was divinationly foretold that Christ would reveal Himself in this obvious way. For in the songs about the Bridegroom it is proclaimed and said: "His eyes are like doves, full of waters" (Song of Songs 5:12).

10. This dove was partly prefigured, according to some, by Noah's dove. For as in his time salvation was accomplished for those who were with him by means of wood and water, and together a new existence began, and the dove returned to him in the evening with an olive leaf: in the same way, say these interpreters, the Holy Spirit descended upon the true Noah, the author of another existence, uniting into one the wills of all the peoples, which were prefigured by various kinds of animals, who were in the ark. For at His coming, the mental wolves will feed with the lambs. His Church has a calf and an ox and a lion grazing together, since we still see that Church teachers guide and teach earthly rulers. And so, this spiritual dove descended at the time of Baptism, according to the expression of some, in order to show that this is the same One Who through the tree of the Cross will save the faithful, and in the evening through His death will grant salvation.

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 4:23-24). 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 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. Сошел же для того, чтобы облечь силою и чтобы крестить Апостолов. Ибо говорит Господь: вы имате креститися Духом Святым не по мнозех сих днех (Деян. 1, 3). Не частная сия благодать, но совершенная сила. Ибо как погружающийся в водах и крещающийся со всех сторон окружен бывает водами: так и Апостолы Духом Святым крестились совершенно. Но вода внешность омывает, Дух же Святый крещает все внутреннее души, и почто удивляешься? Вот тебе чувственный пример, который хотя мал и неважен, но полезен для простых людей: ежели огнь проникая твердость железа, все оное делает огненным, так что холодное бывает горячим и черное делается светлым: ежели (говорю) огонь, будучи телом, входить в тело железа и там беспрепятственно совершает свое действие: то что удивляться, если Дух Святый входить в самую внутренность души?

15. Но дабы величие сходящей таковой благодати не было сокровенно, она, как небесная труба, восшумела: бысть бо внезапу с небесе шум, яко носиму дыханию бурну (Деян. 2, 2). Что означало ее сошествие? Дабы и очи видели огненные языки, и уши слышали шум: и исполни весь дом, идеже бяху седяще (2)? Дом оный сделался вместилищем Духовной воды. Ученики находились внутри и весь дом исполнился ею. Итак, по обетованию они крестились всем существом, облеклись душою и телом в Божественную и спасительную одежду: и явишася им разделены языцы яко огненни, и седе на едином коегождо их, и исполнишася еси Духа Свята (Деян. 2, 3, 4). Приняли они огнь не опаляющий, но спасительный; огнь, терние грехов истребляющий, а душу просвещающий. Сей огнь имеет ныне прийти и на вас, и терние грехов ваших пожечь и истребить; а драгоценное стяжание душ ваших еще более просветить и даровать вам благодать. Ибо ее даровал Он тогда и Апостолам. В виде же огненных языков ниспустился на них для того, чтобы посредством огненных языков увенчать главы их новыми духовными венцами. Пламенный меч заграждал прежде вход рая: Спасительный огненный язык возвратил благодать.

16. И начаша глаголати иными языки, якоже Дух даяше им провещавати (Деян. 2, 4). Галилеанин Петр и Андрей то Персидским, то Мидским языком изъяснялись: Иоанн и прочие Апостолы на всех языках говорили пред язычниками. Ибо не ныне начали отовсюду собираться сюда во множестве чужестранные, но с тогдашних времен. Какой найдется учитель, который бы внезапно научил тому, что они не учившись узнали? Столько лет при руководстве грамматики и при других способах учатся Греческому языку, чтобы хорошо говорить на нем, и между тем не все равно говорят: Ритор говорит хорошо, а Грамматик иногда и не хорошо, и знающий грамматику не знает науки, любомудрия. Но Дух Святый вдруг научает многим языкам, которых Апостолы во все предыдущее время не знали. Это истинно великая мудрость; это Божественная сила. Как можно сравнить долговременное их невежество с полным, многоразличным, необычайным, внезапно открывшимся действием языков?

17. Произошло смешение в слушавшем народе. Второе смешение, противоположное первому, злому Вавилонскому смешению: ибо в оном смешении языков было разделение воли, так как замысел был Богопротивный; а в сем утверждение и соединение мысли, так как целью здесь было благочестие. Чрез что отпадение, чрез то же и восстановление. Слышавшие удивлялись сему и говорили: како мы слышим глаголющих их (Деян. 2, 6). Ни мало неудивительно, если вы знаете; ибо и Никодим не знал, как приходит Дух, и ему сказано: Дух, идеже хощет, дышет, и глас Его слышиши: но не веси откуду приходит (Ин. 1, 8). Равно и я не могу поведать вам, что такое Он в Существе своем.

18. Инии же ругающеся глаголаху, яко вином исполнени суть (Деян. 2, 13). Истину говорили, но с насмешкою. Вино поистине новое, благодать Нового Завета. Но cиe новое вино из Духовного винограда, который много раз уже приносил плоды в Пророках, а в Новом Завете процвел совершенно. Ибо как вещественная виноградная лоза, всегда пребывая одинаковою, в известное время приносит новые плоды: так и сей Дух, пребывая всегда таковым, каков Он есть, и многократно действовавший в Пророках, ныне показал нечто новое и чудесное. Ибо сообщалась благодать и Отцам, но здесь преизобилует. Ибо там приобщились токмо Духа Святого, а здесь крестились оным совершенно.