What is the proper wording of the passage in the Liturgy of Saint Gregory that begins, “You gave me the Law as an aid. You ministered salvation to me by the holy prophets”?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08
In the Divine Liturgy of Saint Gregory the Theologian, which is characterized by its direct address to the Son (Jesus Christ our God), the specific section you are referring to is part of the "Reconciliation Prayer" and the subsequent "Anaphora," which details the economy of salvation.
The proper wording according to the Coptic Orthodox rite is as follows:
"You gave me the Law as an aid. You ministered salvation to me by the holy prophets. You gave me the charge of the life-giving commandments."
In the Coptic text, this reflects the deep theology of Christ as the Provider and Savior who has been involved in man's salvation throughout all ages.
Context within the Liturgy
This portion is part of a series of profound acknowledgments of God's mercy toward fallen humanity. The full passage in the Liturgy of Saint Gregory provides a detailed account of how God did not abandon mankind after the fall:
- ⲁⲕϯ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲙⲡⲓⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲩⲃⲟⲏⲑⲓⲁ (Ak-ti nei em-pi-nomos ev-voithia): "You gave me the Law as an aid." (Note: "Law" is ⲡⲓⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ, a Greek loanword used in Coptic).
- ⲁⲕϣⲉⲙϣⲓ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲙⲡⲓⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ (Ak-shemshi nei em-pi-oujai evol hiten ni-prophetis ethowab): "You ministered salvation to me by the holy prophets."
- ⲁⲕϯ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲛⲛⲓⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲛⲣⲉϥⲧⲁⲛϧⲟ (Ak-ti nei en-ni-entoli en-ref-tan-kho): "You gave me the life-giving commandments."
Theological Significance
Unlike the Liturgy of St. Basil, which is addressed to God the Father, the Gregorian Liturgy speaks directly to the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. It emphasizes that Christ Himself gave the Law on Sinai and spoke through the prophets.
When the priest (ⲡⲓⲟⲩⲏⲃ) prays this, he is recounting how God used the Law not as a burden, but as a "pedagogue" or "aid" to lead us back to Him, and how the prophets prepared the way for the Incarnation. This is the truth of our faith: that God has never ceased to care for His creation, even when we turned away from Him.