Saint Augustine in His Study (detail), Sandro Botticelli

Augustine of Hippo, On the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants II.21: All Righteous Men Sinners

Sandro Botticelli, Saint Augustine in His Study (detail), c. 1480 · Ognissanti, Florence · Public domainSandro Botticelli, Saint Augustine in His Study (detail), c. 1480, Ognissanti, Florence

SectionAugustine of HippoPublic domainBook II

Chapter 21 [XIV.]—All Righteous Men Sinners.

In like manner, all who are described in the Scriptures as exhibiting in their present life good will and the actions of righteousness, and all who have lived like them since, although lacking the same testimony of Scripture; or all who are even now so living, or shall hereafter so live: all these are great, they are all righteous, and they are all really worthy of praise,—yet they are by no means without sin: inasmuch as, on the authority of the same Scriptures which make us believe in their virtues, we believe also that in “God’s sight no man living is justified,” whence all ask that He will “not enter into judgment with His servants:” and that not only to all the faithful in general, but to each of them in particular, the Lord’s Prayer is necessary, which He delivered to His disciples.

Reproduced in full. Translation: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 5 (Schaff, 1887), public domain (Public domain).

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Scripture 3Fathers and saints 2Psalm 43:2Matthew 6:12Luke 11:4Augustine of HippoBook IIOn the Merits andForgiveness of Sins, and …Fathers and saints · 5 links