# <pre>Martin Luther's 95 Theses

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> <pre>Martin Luther's 95 Theses
> Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther
> on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences
> by Dr. Martin Luther, 1517
> 
> Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther
> on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences
> by Dr. Martin Luther, 1517
> Published in:
> Works of Martin Luther
> Adolph Spaeth, L.D. Reed, Henry Eyster Jacobs, et Al., Trans. & Eds.
> (Philadelphia: A. J. Holman Company, 1915), Vol. 1, pp. 29-38.
> 
> DISPUTATION OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER 
> ON THE POWER AND EFFICACY OF 
> INDULGENCES 
> 
> OCTOBER 31, 1517 
> 
> Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, 
> the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, 
> under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, 
> Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in 
> Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that 
> those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, 
> may do so by letter.  
> 
> In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.  
> 
> 1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam 
> agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be 
> repentance.  
> 
> 2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, 
> i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by 
> the priests.  
> 
> 3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no 
> inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers 
> mortifications of the flesh.  
> 
> 4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as 
> hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward 
> repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom 
> of heaven. 
> 
> 5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any 
> penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his 
> own authority or by that of the Canons. 
> 
> 6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that 
> it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's 
> remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases 
> reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in 
> such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely 
> unforgiven.  
> 
> 7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same 
> time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His 
> vicar, the priest.  
> 8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, 
> according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.  
> 
> 9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, 
> because in his decrees he always makes exception of the 
> article of death and of necessity. 
> 
> 10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, 
> in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for 
> purgatory.  
> 
> 11. This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of 
> purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown 
> while the bishops slept.  
> 
> 12. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not 
> after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.  
> 
> 13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are 
> already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be 
> released from them. 
> 
> 14. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the 
> imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, 
> great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.  
> 
> 15. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say 
> nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of 
> purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.  
> 
> 16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, 
> almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.  
> 
> 17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror 
> should grow less and love increase.  
> 
> 18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that 
> they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of 
> increasing love.  
> 
> 19. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all 
> of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, 
> though we may be quite certain of it.  
> 
> 20. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope 
> means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by 
> himself.  
> 
> 21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who 
> say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every 
> penalty, and saved;  
> 
> 22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, 
> according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this 
> life.  
> 23. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission 
> of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission 
> can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very 
> fewest.  
> 
> 24. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the 
> people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding 
> promise of release from penalty.  
> 
> 25. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over 
> purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate 
> has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.  
> 
> 26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in 
> purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not 
> possess), but by way of intercession.  
> 
> 27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles 
> into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory]. 
> 
> 28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the 
> money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result 
> of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God 
> alone.  
> 
> 29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be 
> bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and 
> Paschal.  
> 
> 30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much 
> less that he has attained full remission.  
> 
> 31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also 
> the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most 
> rare.  
> 
> 32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their 
> teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation 
> because they have letters of pardon. 
> 
> 33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the 
> pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man 
> is reconciled to Him;  
> 
> 34. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of 
> sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man. 
> 
> 35. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that 
> contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls 
> out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia.  
> 
> 36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full 
> remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of 
> pardon.  
> 
> 37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in 
> all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is 
> granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.  
> 
> 38. Nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the 
> blessings of the Church] which are granted by the pope are in 
> no way to be despised, for they are, as I have said, the 
> declaration of divine remission.  
> 
> 39. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest 
> theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people 
> the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition.  
> 
> 40. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal 
> pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at 
> least, furnish an occasion [for hating them].  
> 
> 41. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest 
> the people may falsely think them preferable to other good 
> works of love.  
> 
> 42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend 
> the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of 
> mercy.  
> 
> 43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor 
> or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;  
> 
> 44. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes 
> better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more 
> free from penalty.  
> 
> 45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in 
> need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, 
> purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation 
> of God.  
> 
> 46. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more 
> than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary 
> for their own families, and by no means to squander it on 
> pardons.  
> 
> 47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is 
> a matter of free will, and not of commandment.  
> 
> 48. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting 
> pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for 
> him more than the money they bring.  
> 
> 49. Christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are 
> useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether 
> harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God. 
> 
> 50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the 
> exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. 
> Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be 
> built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.  
> 
> 51. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's 
> wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many 
> of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, 
> even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.  
> 
> 52. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, 
> even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, 
> were to stake his soul upon it.  
> 
> 53. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the 
> Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order 
> that pardons may be preached in others.  
> 
> 54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, 
> an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this 
> Word. 
> 
> 55. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, 
> which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, 
> with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which 
> is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred 
> bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies. 
> 
> 56. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope. 
> grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among 
> the people of Christ.  
> 
> 57. That they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, 
> for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so 
> easily, but only gather them.  
> 
> 58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even 
> without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, 
> and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man. 
> 
> 59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were 
> the Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the 
> word in his own time.  
> 
> 60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given 
> by Christ's merit, are that treasure;  
> 
> 61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of 
> reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.  
> 
> 62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of 
> the glory and the grace of God.  
> 
> 63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes 
> the first to be last.  
> 
> 64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is 
> naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.  
> 
> 65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which 
> they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.  
> 
> 66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they 
> now fish for the riches of men.  
> 
> 67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest 
> graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote 
> gain. 
> 
> 68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared 
> with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.  
> 
> 69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of 
> apostolic pardons, with all reverence.  
> 
> 70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and 
> attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own 
> dreams instead of the commission of the pope.  
> 
> 71 . He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let 
> him be anathema and accursed!  
> 
> 72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the 
> pardon-preachers, let him be blessed! 
> 
> 73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, 
> contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.  
> 
> 74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who 
> use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love 
> and truth.  
> 
> 75. To think the papal pardons so great that they could 
> absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and 
> violated the Mother of God -- this is madness. 
> 
> 76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not 
> able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its 
> guilt is concerned. 
> 
> 77. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could 
> not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter 
> and against the pope.  
> 
> 78. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and 
> any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, 
> the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written 
> in I. Corinthians xii.  
> 
> 79. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, 
> which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal 
> worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.  
> 
> 80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk 
> to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.  
> 81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy 
> matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to 
> the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of 
> the laity.  
> 
> 82. To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the 
> sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are 
> there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake 
> of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former 
> reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."  
> 
> 83. Again: -- "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the 
> dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the 
> withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it 
> is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"  
> 
> 84. Again: -- "What is this new piety of God and the pope, 
> that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy 
> to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God, and 
> do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own 
> need, free it for pure love's sake?"  
> 
> 85. Again: -- "Why are the penitential canons long since in 
> actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now 
> satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were 
> still alive and in force?"  
> 
> 86. Again: -- "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day 
> greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one 
> church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the 
> money of poor believers?"  
> 
> 87. Again: -- "What is it that the pope remits, and what 
> participation does he grant to those who, by perfect 
> contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?" 
> 
> 88. Again: -- "What greater blessing could come to the Church 
> than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now 
> does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and 
> participations?"  
> 
> 89. "Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of 
> souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences 
> and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal 
> efficacy?" 
> 
> 90. To repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by 
> force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to 
> expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their 
> enemies, and to make Christians unhappy.  
> 
> 91. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the 
> spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily 
> resolved; nay, they would not exist.  
> 
> 92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people 
> of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!  
> 
> 93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of 
> Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross! 
> 
> 94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in 
> following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and 
> hell;  
> 
> 95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather 
> through many tribulations, than through the assurance of 
> peace. 
> 
> _________________________________________________________________ 
> 
> This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by 
> Allen Mulvey and is in the public domain.  You may freely 
> distribute, copy or print this text.  Please direct any comments 
> or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at 
> Concordia Theological Seminary. 
> 
> E-mail: CFWLibrary@CRF.CUIS.EDU 
> Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft.  Wayne, IN 46825 USA 
> Phone: (219) 481-2123                        Fax: (219) 481-2126 
> ________________________________________________________________ 
> 
> ``Disputatio pro Declaratione Virtutis Indulgentiarum.''
> by Dr. Martin Luther, 1483-1546
> D. MARTIN LUTHERS WERKE: KRITISCHE GESAMMTAUSGABE.
> 1. Band (Weimar: Hermann Boehlau, 1883). pp. 233-238.
> PW #001-001La
> 
> _________________________________________________________________
> 
> This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by
> Rev. Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain.  You may freely
> distribute, copy or print this text.  Please direct any comments
> or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at
> Concordia Theological Seminary.
> 
> E-mail: CFWLibrary@CRF.CUIS.EDU
> Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft.  Wayne, IN 46825 USA
> Phone: (219) 481-2123                        Fax: (219) 481-2126
> ________________________________________________________________
> 
> Amore et studio elucidande veritatis hec subscripta disputabuntur
> Wittenberge, Presidente R. P. Martino Lutther, Artium et S.
> Theologie Magistro eiusdemque ibidem lectore Ordinario. Quare
> petit, ut qui non possunt verbis presentes nobiscum disceptare
> agant id literis absentes. In nomine domini nostri Hiesu Christi.
> Amen.
> 
> 1. Dominus et magister noster Iesus Christus dicendo `Penitentiam
> agite &c.' omnem vitam fidelium penitentiam esse voluit.
> 2. Quod verbum de penitentia sacramentali (id est confessionis et
> satisfactionis, que sacerdotum ministerio celebratur) non potest
> intelligi.
> 
> 3. Non tamen solam intendit interiorem, immo interior nulla est,
> nisi foris operetur varias carnis mortificationes.
> 
> 4. Manet itaque pena, donec manet odium sui (id est penitentia
> vera intus), scilicet usque ad introitum regni celorum.
> 
> 5. Papa non vult nec potest ullas penas remittere preter eas, quas
> arbitrio vel suo vel canonum imposuit.
> 
> 6. Papa non potest remittere ullam culpam nisi declarando, et
> approbando remissam a deo Aut certe remittendo casus reservatos
> sibi, quibus contemptis culpa prorsus remaneret.
> 
> 7. Nulli prorus remittit deus culpam, quin simul eum subiiciat
> humiliatum in omnibus sacerdoti suo vicario.
> 
> 8. Canones penitentiales solum viventibus sunt impositi nihilque
> morituris secundum eosdem debet imponi.
> 
> 9. Inde bene nobis facit spiritussanctus in papa excipiendo in
> suis decretis semper articulum mortis et necessitatis.
> 
> 10. Indocte et male faciunt sacerdotes ii, qui morituris
> penitentias canonicas in purgatorium reservant.
> 
> 11. Zizania illa de mutanda pena Canonica in penam purgatorii
> videntur certe dormientibus episcopis seminata.
> 
> 12. Olim pene canonice non post, sed ante absolutionem
> imponebantur tanquam tentamenta vere contritionis.
> 
> 13. Morituri per mortem omnia solvunt et legibus canonum mortui
> iam sunt, habentes iure earum relaxationem.
> 
> 14. Imperfecta sanitas seu charitas morituri necessario secum fert
> magnum timorem, tantoque maiorem, quanto minor fuerit ipsa.
> 
> 15. Hic timor et horror satis est se solo (ut alia taceam) facere
> penam purgatorii, cum sit proximus desperationis horrori.
> 
> 16. Videntur infernus, purgaturium, celum differre, sicut
> desperatio, prope desperatio, securitas differunt.
> 
> 17. Necessarium videtur animabus in purgatorio sicut minni
> horrorem ita augeri charitatem.
> 
> 18. Nec probatum videtur ullis aut rationibus aut scripturis, quod
> sint extra statum meriti seu augende charitatis.
> 
> 19. Nec hoc probatum esse videtur, quod sint de sua beatitudine
> certe et secure, saltem omnes, licet nos certissimi simus.
> 20. Igitur papa per remissionem plenariam omnium penarum non
> simpliciter omnium intelligit, sed a seipso tantummodo
> impositarum.
> 
> 21. Errant itaque indulgentiarum predicatores ii, qui dicunt per
> pape indulgentias hominem ab omni pena solvi et salvari.
> 
> 22. Quin nullam remittit animabus in purgatorio, quam in hac vita
> debuissent secundum Canones solvere.
> 
> 23. Si remissio ulla omnium omnino penarum potest alicui dari,
> certum est eam non nisi perfectissimis, i.e. paucissimis, dari.
> 
> 24. Falli ob id necesse est maiorem partem populi per
> indifferentem illam et magnificam pene solute promissionem.
> 
> 25. Qualem potestatem habet papa in purgatorium generaliter, talem
> habet quilibet Episcopus et Curatus in sua diocesi et parochia
> specialiter.
> 
> 1. [26] Optime facit papa, quod non potestate clavis (quam nullam
> habet) sed per modum suffragii dat animabus remissionem.
> 
> 2. [27] Hominem predicant, qui statim ut iactus nummus in cistam
> tinnierit evolare dicunt animam.
> 
> 3. [28] Certum est, nummo in cistam tinniente augeri questum et
> avariciam posse: suffragium autem ecclesie est in arbitrio dei
> solius.
> 
> 4. [29] Quis scit, si omnes anime in purgatorio velint redimi,
> sicut de s. Severino et Paschali factum narratur.
> 
> 5. [30] Nullus securus est de veritate sue contritionis,
> multominus de consecutione plenarie remissionis.
> 
> 6. [31] Quam rarus est vere penitens, tam rarus est vere
> indulgentias redimens, i. e. rarissimus.
> 
> 7. [32] Damnabuntur ineternum cum suis magistris, qui per literas
> veniarum securos sese credunt de sua salute.
> 
> 8. [33] Cavendi sunt nimis, qui dicunt venias illas Pape donum
> esse illud dei inestimabile, quo reconciliatur homo deo.
> 
> 9. [34] Gratie enim ille veniales tantum respiciunt penas
> satisfactionis sacramentalis ab homine constitutas.
> 
> 10. [35] Non christiana predicant, qui docent, quod redempturis
> animas vel confessionalia non sit necessaria contritio.
> 
> 11. [36] Quilibet christianus vere compunctus habet remissionem
> plenariam a pena et culpa etiam sine literis veniarum sibi
> debitam.
> 
> 12. [37] Quilibet versus christianus, sive vivus sive mortuus,
> habet participationem omnium bonorum Christi et Ecclesie etiam
> sine literis veniarum a deo sibi datam.
> 
> 13. [38] Remissio tamen et participatio Pape nullo modo est
> contemnenda, quia (ut dixi) est declaratio remissionis divine.
> 
> 14. [39] Difficillimum est etiam doctissimis Theologis simul
> extollere veniarum largitatem et contritionis veritatem coram
> populo.
> 
> 15. [40] Contritionis veritas penas querit et amat, Veniarum autem
> largitas relaxat et odisse facit, saltem occasione.
> 
> 16. [41] Caute sunt venie apostolice predicande, ne populus false
> intelligat eas preferri ceteris bonis operibus charitatis.
> 
> 17. [42] Docendi sunt christiani, quod Pape mens non est,
> redemptionem veniarum ulla ex parte comparandam esse operibus
> misericordie.
> 
> 18. [43] Docendi sunt christiani, quod dans pauperi aut mutuans
> egenti melius facit quam si venias redimereet.
> 
> 19. [44] Quia per opus charitatis crescit charitas et fit homo
> melior, sed per venias non fit melior sed tantummodo a pena
> liberior.
> 
> 20. [45] Docendi sunt christiani, quod, qui videt egenum et
> neglecto eo dat pro veniis, non idulgentias Pape sed indignationem
> dei sibi vendicat.
> 
> 21. [46] Docendi sunt christiani, quod nisi superfluis abundent
> necessaria tenentur domui sue retinere et nequaquam propter venias
> effundere.
> 
> 22. [47] Docendi sunt christiani, quod redemptio veniarum est
> libera, non precepta.
> 
> 23. [48] Docendi sunt christiani, quod Papa sicut magis eget ita
> magis optat in veniis dandis pro se devotam orationem quam
> promptam pecuniam.
> 
> 24. [49] Docendi sunt christiani, quod venie Pape sunt utiles, si
> non in cas confidant, Sed nocentissime, si timorem dei per eas
> amittant.
> 
> 25. [50] Docendi sunt christiani, quod si Papa nosset exactiones
> venialium predicatorum, mallet Basilicam s. Petri in cineres ire
> quam edificari cute, carne et ossibus ovium suarum.
> 
> 1. [51] Docendi sunt christiani, quod Papa sicut debet ita vellet,
> etiam vendita (si opus sit) Basilicam s. Petri, de suis pecuniis
> dare illis, a quorum plurimis quidam concionatores veniarum
> pecuniam eliciunt.
> 
> 2. [52] Vana est fiducia salutis per literas veniarum, etiam si
> Commissarius, immo Papa ipse suam animam pro illis impigneraret.
> 3. [53] Hostes Christi et Pape sunt ii, qui propter venias
> predicandas verbum dei in aliis ecclesiis penitus silere iubent.
> 
> 4. [54] Iniuria fit verbo dei, dum in eodem sermone equale vel
> longius tempus impenditur veniis quam illi.
> 
> 5. [55] Mens Pape necessario est, quod, si venie (quod minimum
> est) una campana, unis pompis et ceremoniis celebrantur,
> Euangelium (quod maximum est) centum campanis, centum pompis,
> centum ceremoniis predicetur.
> 
> 6. [56] Thesauri ecclesie, unde Pape dat indulgentias, neque satis
> nominati sunt neque cogniti apud populum Christi.
> 
> 7. [57] Temporales certe non esse patet, quod non tam facile eos
> profundunt, sed tantummodo colligunt multi  concionatorum.
> 
> 8. [58] Nec sunt merita Christi et sanctorum, quia hec semper sine
> Papa operantur gratiam hominis interioris et crucem, mortem
> infernumque exterioris.
> 
> 9. [59] Thesauros ecclesie s. Laurentius dixit esse pauperes
> ecclesie, sed locutus est usu vocabuli suo tempore.
> 
> 10. [60] Sine temeritate dicimus claves ecclesie (merito Christi
> donatas) esse thesaurum istum.
> 
> 11. [61] Clarum est enim, quod ad remissionem penarum et casuum
> sola sufficit potestas Pape.
> 
> 12. [62] Verus thesaurus ecclesie est sacrosanctum euangelium
> glorie et gratie dei.
> 
> 13. [63] Hic autem est merito odiosissimus, quia ex primis facit
> novissimos.
> 
> 14. [64] Thesaurus autem indulgentiarum merito est gratissimus,
> quia ex novissimis facit primos.
> 
> 15. [65] Igitur thesauri Euangelici rhetia sunt, quibus olim
> piscabantur viros divitiarum.
> 
> 16. [66] Thesauri indulgentiarum rhetia sunt, quibus nunc
> piscantur divitias virorum.
> 
> 17. [67] Indulgentie, quas concionatores vociferantur maximas
> gratias, intelliguntur vere tales quoad questum promovendum.
> 
> 18. [68] Sunt tamen re vera minime ad gratiam dei et crucis
> pietatem comparate.
> 
> 19. [69] Tenentur Episcopi et Curati veniarum apostolicarum
> Commissarios cum omni reverentia admittere.
> 20. [70] Sed magis tenentur omnibus oculis intendere, omnibus
> auribus advertere, ne pro commissione Pape sua illi somnia
> predicent.
> 21. [71] Contra veniarum apostolicarum veritatem qui loquitur, sit
> ille anathema et maledictus.
> 
> 22. [72] Qui vero, contra libidinem ac licentiam verborum
> Concionatoris veniarum curam agit, sit ille benedictus.
> 
> 23. [73] Sicut Papa iuste fulminat eos, qui in fraudem negocii
> veniarum quacunque arte machinantur,
> 
> 24. [74] Multomagnis fulminare intendit eos, qui per veniarum
> pretextum in fraudem sancte charitatis et veritatis machinantur,
> 
> 25. [75] Opinari venias papales tantas esse, ut solvere possint
> hominem, etiam si quis per impossibile dei genitricem violasset,
> Est insanire.
> 
> 1. [76] Dicimus contra, quod venie papales nec minimum venialium
> peccatorum tollere possint quo ad culpam.
> 
> 2. [77] Quod dicitur, nec si s. Petrus modo Papa esset maiores
> gratias donare posset, est blasphemia in sanctum Petrum et Papam.
> 
> 3. [78] Dicimus contra, quod etiam iste et quilibet papa maiores
> habet, scilicet Euangelium, virtutes, gratias, curationum &c. ut
> 1. Co. XII.
> 
> 4. [79] Dicere, Crucem armis papalibus insigniter erectam cruci
> Christi equivalere, blasphemia est.
> 
> 5. [80] Rationem reddent Episcopi, Curati et Theologi, Qui tales
> sermones in populum licere sinunt.
> 
> 6. [81] Facit hec licentiosa veniarum predicatio, ut nec
> reverentiam Pape facile sit etiam doctis viris redimere a
> calumniis aut certe argutis questionibus laicorm.
> 
> 7. [82] Scilicet. Cur Papa non evacuat purgatorium propter
> sanctissimam charitatem et summam animarum necessitatem ut causam
> omnium iustissimam, Si infinitas animas redimit propter pecuniam
> funestissimam ad structuram Basilice ut causam levissimam?
> 
> 8. [83] Item. Cur permanent exequie et anniversaria defunctorum et
> non reddit aut recipi permittit beneficia pro illis instituta, cum
> iam sit iniuria pro redemptis orare?
> 
> 9. [84] Item. Que illa nova pietas Dei et Pape, quod impio et
> inimico propter pecuniam concedunt animam piam et amicam dei
> redimere, Et tamen propter necessitatem ipsius met pie et dilecte
> anime non redimunt eam gratuita charitate?
> 
> 10. [85] Item. Cur Canones penitentiales re ipsa et non usu iam
> diu in semet abrogati et mortui adhuc tamen pecuniis redimuntur
> per concessionem indulgentiarum tanquam vivacissimi?
> 
> 11. [86] Item. Cur Papa, cuius opes hodie sunt opulentissimis
> Crassis crassiores, non de suis pecuniis magis quam pauperum
> fidelium struit unam tantummodo Basilicam sancti Petri?
> 
> 12. [87] Item. Quid remittit aut participat Papa iis, qui per
> contritionem perfectam ius habent plenarie remissionis et
> participationis?
> 
> 13. [88] Item. Quid adderetur ecclesie boni maioris, Si Papa,
> sicut semel facit, ita centies in die cuilibet fidelium has
> remissiones et participationes tribueret?
> 
> 14. [89] Ex quo Papa salutem querit animarum per venias magis quam
> pecunias, Cur suspendit literas et venias iam olim concessas, cum
> sint eque efficaces?
> 
> 15. [90] Hec scrupulosissima laicorum argumenta sola potestate
> compescere nec reddita ratione diluere, Est ecclesiam et Papam
> hostibus ridendos exponere et infelices christianos facere.
> 
> 16. [91] Si ergo venie secundum spiritum et mentem Pape
> predicarentur, facile illa omnia solverentur, immo non essent.
> 
> 17. [92] Valeant itaque omnes illi prophete, qui dicunt populo
> Christi `Pax pax,' et non est pax.
> 
> 18. [93] Bene agant omnes illi prophete, qui dicunt populo Christi
> `Crux crux,' et non est crux.
> 
> 19. [94] Exhortandi sunt Christiani, ut caput suum Christum per
> penas, mortes infernosque sequi studeant,
> 
> 20. [95] Ac sic magis per multas tribulationes intrare celum quam
> per securitatem pacis confidant.
> 
> M.D.Xvii.
> 
> End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Martin Luther's 95 Theses
> 
> </pre>
>
> — *<pre>Martin Luther's 95 Theses*