The Time That Remains: A Commentary on the Letter to the Romans

201 Pages·2005·3.2 MB·English

by  Giorgio Agamben

StanUfnoirvde Prrseistsy
StanfCoarldi,f ornia
Engltirsahn s©l 2a0t0ib5oytn h Beo aorfTdru stoefte hse
LelaSntda nJfuonriUdon ri vietAryls.rl i grhetsse rved.
Nop arotft hbioso mka yb er eprodourtc readn smiint ted
anfyo romrb ya nmye anesl,e ctorrmo encihca niinccallu,d ­
inpgh otocoapnyrdie ncgo rcidrii nan ngiy,n formsattoiro­n
agoerr etrsiyesvtwaeilmt htohupetr iworri tpteernm ission
ofS tanUfnoirvde Prrseistsy.
ThTei mTeh at Rewmaaosir nisg ipnuabllliiysnI h teadl ian
undtehrte i Itftl eem cphore e sUtnac .o mmeanltLfoea t taeir a
Roma©n 2i0 0B0o llBaotrii nghieri.
PermigsrsainobtnyJe adm ]eW.si lhetlorm e prhiitnsrt a ns­
latoifAo rnn aDuadn i"eLlfio'r smv olqeur'c eomlr' intra"
froImMf i gfior TFhaCebu blortfto hD.eif ficiunlD ta niel,
Dantaen,Pd o un(dO roNnaot:i PooneaFtlor uyn dation,
UniveorfMs aiitanyteO ron1o9,8 2).
Prinitnte hdUe n itSetdao tfAe mse rica
ona cirde-aefr,c hivapla-pqeura lity
LibroafCr oyn grCeastsa loging-iDna-tPau blication
AgambGeino,r 1g9i4o2,-
[eTmpcoh ree sEtnag.l ish]
Thet imteh raetm a:i cnaos mmenotnat rhleye tttote hre
Roma/nG si orAggiaom b;te rna nsblyPa atterdDi aciilae y.
p.c m-. (Mericdrioasnas,ei sntgh etics)
Incliunddeesx .
ISB0N- 8047-(4a3lp8ka2.p- e7r )
ISB0-N8 04-4738(3p-b5:k a .lp ka.p er)
1.B ibNl.eT.P. a ul-CommenI.t TairtIilIeSe.se. .r ies:
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OrigPirnianl2t 0i0n5g
Lasftig buerleio nwd iyceaatoerfts hp irsi nting:
141 31 2I I1 00 9 08 07 06 05
Contents
Ackneogdwmlesan ntTdr aantrsoN'slo te
tx
§ TheF irDsaty P auldoosu clhorsuiIe' sstoou
Inm emoriJaamcT:oau bb e3s ,P auLla'nsg u3a ge,
Metho5d oTsh,Te e Wno rd6s ,Pa ul7o Osn,t hGeo od
UsoefG oss8i pDo,u l1o2sT ,a lmaundCd o rpiuusr1 i4s ,
ChriIsetso1ou5u P ,r opNearm e1s6,
§ TheS ecoDnady K letos 19
Ber1u9fV, ocatainRoden v oca2t3i Cohnr,e2 s6i s,
KleasniCdsl a2s9s AB, If,3 5I mpote3n7t Eixailcg,ye3,n9
TheU nforge3t9t Paabrlaaebn,lKd ei ngd4o2m ,
§ TheT hiDrad yA phosrmienos 44
Phar4is5Te heDe,i vided4 P7e TohpeCl ueot:,f
Apel4l9e Rse,m na5n3tT ,h Ael aln tdh Pea r5t5,
§ TheF ourDtahy A postolos 59
Nab6i0, Apocal6y2p Otpiecr,a tTiiomn6ea5,l K airos
andCh ro6n8os P,a rou6s9i Mai,l leKnianrgyd7 o2m ,
TJpo7s3, R ecapit7u5l Maetmiooarnny,Sd a lva7t7i on,
TheP oeamn Rdh ym7e8,
§ TheF itfhD ayE iesu aggetelhoioun 88
Ei8s8, E uaggel8i8o Pnli,r oph9o1rN ioam,o9 s1,
AbrahaanmMd o s9e3s ,Ka targ9e5i Ans,the9n7e ia,
Aujhebu9n9g D,e grZeeer1 o0,1S taotfEe x cep1t0i4o n,
TheM ystoefAr nyo m1ia0,8A nticIhIrI ist,
Contse nt
V111
§ TheS ixDtahy ( Eis etuhauegg)oe lion II3
OatIhI,3D ediitfinid oe mI,I 5B aiItI,7
GratuitIoIu9sT nheTesw soC, o ven1a2n1tGs i,fta nd
Gra1c2e3,F aiDtihv i1d2e4dB ,e lIine1,f2 6N ominal
Sente1n2c7Te h,eW orodfF ai1t2h9,P erfor1m3a1t ive,
Performatfiidveu1im3, 4 T heN earnoefts hWseo r1d3,6
§ ThresohroT lodr an ad
Citat1i3o8In m,a gIe4,1J etzt1z4e3i t,
ApepndIitnxei:rn leTarra nsolfPa autliinToeen x ts I47
References I87
IndoefNx am es I95
Acknowledgamnedn ts
TranslNaottoer 's
The iidnte habisos o dke voepleodv easr e roifse esm inianris­:
tiaillnay s,h orftoremra att,t heC ollIengtee rnadtei onal
PhilosionPp ahriiienOs c, to,b1 e9r9t8h;ea ntt hUen iversity of
VeronianW, i nt1e9r9 8-f9il9nya;a,l tN orthweUsntievtreynir, ns i
April,a nt1dh9 Ue9n9 i,v eorfCs ailotiryfn Bieakr,e lienOy c,t eorb,
1999. boTohrkee pretshefenur tisot f tsheemsie naanrds is
indetbotde ids cuwsistiphoa nrst icsitpuadtaeinnnpdtgr se o sfsors.
Thefro mo ft hlee adinrge rindaceioann esdtt harnotu gehaocuht
semiinatal rw:ac yosn siisnatc eodm meanraytdl iatmti,ene r v ery
senosfte h weo rodn,t hfei rtsewtno rodfst hfei rsto ftv heer se
Letttoet rh e Romans.
Int hter ansliotfGe rreatetekir oImhn sa ,vs ei mpldiifaicerdi ti­
camla raknsod n liyn dilcoanstgye l liantb hlGeer se beykt hues e
ofam acroovnet rhc eo rrespvoonwdTeihlne.rg e amdaeyrh, o w­
evefri,nt dh opsaes soafsg eelse ocrtiegdGi rneatelek x tthswa etr e
closaenlayl yzaenddi mmedilaitnektleoytd h isse miinnat rh e
AppenTdhieGx r.e ek tietsxh toa ftEu bseerdh Naersd(t lNeo vum
Teasmtengtaruemec telta inedei,tb eyEd r win NaensdKt ulret
AlandU,n itBeidb Sloec ieLtoinedso1,n9 3,6.) T he interlinear
transiltsah taoitfMo onr gMaeni. s
[rTansnloaeItt.nao crc'so rwdiatnthchd eee soiftr heae u thor, all
citaotfiP oaunLlse' tstw eerrtser ansilnattoe dE ngliassh as closely
x Acknegmodewnlst aTnrdaa ntrsoN'slo te
posswiibtrlhee g atrotd h aeu thpoerr'ssto rnaanlis olVnaa.tr ious
translwaetrcieoo nnssu ulsteeaddn,,dm odifiiendc,l utdhien g
KinJga mVeerss itohne, New InVteeirrosntnah,te i oAmnearli can
StandVearrsdi tohnIe,n terGlrienNeeekaw Tr e stamaenntdth ,e
InternSattainodVneaarrlsd iA o snp.e ctihaalnt koMs o rgMaeni s
froh itsi maen mde ticuloust rianntseolrftal htiGeinr oeenaie rnk
thAep penadnidxt ,oA rndee B oeveArl,e sRsiicac iDaarndai ,
HollaenrdG,i Aln idjSatra,tG hoiugsro iu,rsa ndN eishlna
Senocak.]
THET IME HAT REMAINS
,,,*N ,p"ttiip 11·�
"��,��-mflj ii '(;�\�,�- iiO
An oraocfsl iel ence
Someocnaelt loms ef roSme ir,
Watchmwahnai,tls e oftft hnei ght?
Watchmwahnai,tls e oftft hnei ght?
-Isa2iIa:IhI
§ TheF irDsaty
Paudlouoolscs h riIsetsoouu
Firasntdf roemotshtis,se mipnraorp otsore ess tPoaruel 's
Lettteotr hsse t atutsh feun odfa menmteasls itaenxfirotct he
Westetrrna diTthiiosn .w oulad b anstaeales mfkro ,n oo ne
would sedreintyoh umese lsys icahnaircao cftt heLere ttAenrds .
yet,i snt ohstie -sle fvidseinnttcw,eto h ousyaenaodrft s r ansla­
tion caonmdmn etacroyc iindiwnigtt hh eh isyt oofrt he
Chriscthiuarhnca hvl ei tecraanlcleoylu ltteh mdee ssianic, and
thweo rMde ssiiathsfe orlm£P aul'sN ottte hxaottn. se h ould
concltuhdtaeht e wraes somleitakhp eir negm edsittraatotefed g y
neutramleiszsimina,gn tib asunti-metsesnidaennwicecir ees
doubtloepesrsaltywi itnhgi tnh eC hucrha sw elals t he
Synagoagtvu aer,it oiumasen sid nd ivewrasynese ;v ertthheel ess,
probrlaeimhs eerdte o uches eosns emmnoatrtieta elr rse.a ­For
sontsh atb ewciolcmll eeo avret rhc eo uorsfte hs ee mria,nm aes'"
siainnisct iturtaitohanme -ero,sr s icaonmimcu nitwya ntthsa t
top resietnstae sal nfi nstni-tfuatciaepo sa radotxaiscka.l As
JacBoerbn yaso ncoeb rsveewdi tihr yo,"n thoa ve Mtehses iah
behiynodud oes mnaoktfeor vae rcyo mofrtapbolsei" t ion
(Bern2a5)y7.s ,t Bouh ta vhei mp erennaihaeloaldfy ycoaun
alsot,h eeni dn, d ibseco ormtfing.
Inb otcha sweesa ,rc eo rnnoftewdi tahna potrhiacato ncerns
thvee rsyt rucotfmu erses itainmaienc td h pea rticcounljaurn c­
tioonfm emoarnyhd o ppea,sa tnp dr espelnetn,i atnuldda ec k,
I
2
THE TIMET HAT REMAINS
oriagniednn tdh atthi imsp lTiheeps o.s siobfui nldietrys tanding
thPea ulmienses caogien cfiudlwelisytt hhe ex peroifse nuccaeh
timwei;t htohuiitsrt ,u ntshr ei osfrk e maian idnega d letter. The
restoroafPt aiutolonh is mescosnitatenhxietcr esfuogrgee sts,
aboavletl h,aw tea ttetmoup ntd erstthmaeen adn iannigdn ter­
naflro mo ft htei mheed efianshe ons y kna itrho"est ,io mfte h e
now"O. nlaytf etrh ciaswn e r aitshqeeu esotfih oonws omething
liakm ee ssicaonmimcu niiistn fy a pcots sible.
Int his ovneceio nusl,ad ty h aak ti nodfs ubtersroalnrieidatany
haedx isbteetdw teheCenh uracnhtd h Sey nagiongp uree senting
Paualst hfeuo ndoefra n ewr eliAglielov ni.d einncdei ctahtaets
Pauwlo ulhadv nee vderre amoefcd l aitmhiinsg gsitvatethnua st,
hee xpectthieemd m ineexnpti roaftt iimoTenh. e refaorts hoinss
complicitCyh ubreactnhSwd ye neang aorgceul eef aotrrh: oe n aes
frot hoet htehrae,i ims c atnooc ueotlra tl eastP amuJulut'eds a ism,
thiatsto s atyoe, xpuinftgr eo imto sr igimneasrsyic aonnitce xt.
Fotrh riesa salo onn,g -stHaenbdrlieinwtg e roanJt eusprurese s­
enthsi mi nb enevotleremnst"- ana isc geu"y l,a sJ acToaubb es
jkoinngoltyo eras sB, rujdeestruoq s u,o tet itodhfeBe e Cnh or'si n
boopku,b liisn1h 9e6dO7 n.lr ye cehnatvsleey v eJreawlis schh ol­
arusn dertsaekreirnoe uesx amionfPa atuiJloe'nws ic sohn tIenx t.
th1e9 5vy0hse,Wn D.D avibeoso'Pksau aln Rda bbjiundiaci sm
emphatciaclaallteltdye nttoti hosenu bstaJnutdieaol-lmye ssianic
charaocfPt aeurlf iiantJehe ,w issthu dwieersset ill dboym inated
Buberb'oso Tkwo T pjeosfF aitThh.te heosfti hsbi oso tkow, h ich
wew illla treert uarnndw, h icTahu benso taessb ei"nhgi ghly
dubibouuftosr mw hiIcl he arang erded aeta( lT"ab ue6s,),o ppos­
est hJee wiesmhnu ahan,i mmedainadot bej ectiivnte h et rust
communtiowt hyi ocnhbe e lotnotg hsGe,r epeiks tthiseus b,j ec­
tirveec ognoifatf iaitoohnn jedu getsob et ruaent dow hiocnhe
conveFrotBrsu .b etrhfi,er sitst h fea iotfJh e s(ulGsua bjeens u)
whitlhese e cotnhdfeia, t ihJn e s(ulGsua baennje s,iu sns,a) tural­
lyP,a ulB'usts. i ntchee tnh,i nhgasvc el eacrhlayn gaenddi, n
Jerusaasil nBe emr alnidn UtnhietS etda Jteewsi,ss chh ohlaavres
starttore edaP da ulle'tswt ietrrhse gtaort dh eoiwrnc onteevxetn,
itfh ehya vneo yte cto nsitdheerfmero d whtahter ye aalrlteyh, a t
1. Thiesx presaspipoenai rnEs n gliisnTh a ubes.
TheF risDta y 3
is,t haoesl daensdt mtohsedt e �mndimnegs sitaenxoitftcs h e
Jewitsrha dition.
From ptehrissp eTcautbievpseo',ss t huwmooruTkshe P olitical
Theoolgyo fP au(l2 00m4a)r ks
ani mporttuarnntpi onign Itn,M emoarmJi:a cToabu bes
despiitbtsee i tnhgre e coorfd
as emitnhalarat s otneladwy e eTkau.b es, whot oab neo llodn ged
fmailoyfA shkernaazbiba insdh adw orkiendJ eruswailtehm
Scho(lwehmo rseel attoPi aouinls a ,sw es haslelae sc, o mplicated
ash irse lattoBi eonnj afmiinnPd)as,ut lo tbhepe e rfreecptr esen­
tatoifmv ees siaSniinscmes. e omuiprnr aorp toosi enst emrepsr­et
siatniimacesa p aradoifhg ims totriimcea,el l neoyvwee,ana r ftse r
hiHse idelsbeemarirwgn,e c annotw ibtehgaoid unet d icianti on
memioarm.
PauLle'tst aerwrers i titnGe rne ek,w habktui tn d ofa rGer eek
wet alkaibnoguA trw?ee r eefrrtionN ge w
TestamGernete akb,o wuhti cNhie tzscPhaeu Lla'nsg uage
satihdaG otd g avper ooofhf i tsa ctefsusl nin
choossiuncaghni mpoverliasnhgeuPdah giel?ho iscolaeplx icons
asw elalsd ictioannadgr riaemsm oafrN se wT estamGernete k
constihdteee rxt thsac to mprtihcseae n oofnt hNee wT estament
ast houtghhew ye rpee ercfthloym ogenFerootumhs pe.e rspective
oft houagnhodtfl angutahgiiesos,,f couunrtsreu,e G.r ePeaku,l 's
unltihkeoa tfM atthoerMw a rkdo,e sc onnostoi fast tr anslation
behiwnhdi acnha ttentliivMkeae r ecJaeorlu, s csoeu'plsed,r ceive
threh ytahnmd i dioomfA ramaWiicl.a moMwoiltlzer-nfd'os
anti-Nietzissfic nhaelalnyi isnmrc ihgahrta ctPearuilziinneg
Greaeskw rai tlearn'gsu" aTghfeeca. tt hhaitGs r eheakns o thing
to doa s wcihtoohora ml o deblutr, a tfhleordw isr eocutotlfh y i s
heairnatc lumfssayh iaonnid n a nu ncontrooultlbauabrnlsdet ,
thfea tchtha itGs r eiensko ttr ansAlraatme(adaia scr e stahyei ngs
ofJ ess,)um akehsi ma clasosfi cH ellenism" (Wilamowitz­
Mollernf1d,5) o9.
Descrhiibmia nsa g" claosfHs eilcl e"ni isnse mvertphaerl­ess
ticulianerflliyc iTtauobuesas.'n se cdottehi ssuo bnj ect proves
enlighOtneend ianygZ u.ir ni dcuhr itnhwgea rTa,u bewsa tsa k-