1 Objection 1: It seems that it does not belong to God alone to be eternal. For it is written that those who instruct many to justice, shall be as stars unto perpetual eternities Dan. 12, 3). Now if God alone were eternal, there could not be many eternities. Therefore God alone is not the only eternal.
1 Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod esse aeternum non sit soli Deo proprium. Dicitur enim Danielis XII, quod qui ad iustitiam erudiunt plurimos, erunt quasi stellae in perpetuas aeternitates. Non autem essent plures aeternitates, si solus Deus esset aeternus. Non igitur solus Deus est aeternus.
2 Objection 2: Further, it is written Depart, ye cursed into eternal Douay: everlasting') fire Mt. 25, 41). Therefore God is not the only eternal.
2 Praeterea, Matth. XXV dicitur, ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum. Non igitur solus Deus est aeternus.
3 Objection 3: Further, every necessary thing is eternal. But there are many necessary things; as, for instance, all principles of demonstration and all demonstrative propositions. Therefore God is not the only eternal.
3 Praeterea, omne necessarium est aeternum. Sed multa sunt necessaria; sicut omnia principia demonstrationis, et omnes propositiones demonstrativae. Ergo non solus Deus est aeternus.
4 On the contrary, Jerome says Ep. ad Damasum. xv) that God is the only one who has no beginning. Now whatever has a beginning, is not eternal. Therefore God is the only one eternal.
4 Sed contra est quod dicit Hieronymus, ad Marcellam, Deus solus est qui exordium non habet. Quidquid autem exordium habet, non est aeternum. Solus ergo Deus est aeternus.
5 I answer that, Eternity truly and properly so called is in God alone, because eternity follows on immutability; as appears from the first article. But God alone is altogether immutable, as was shown above Question 9, Article 1). Accordingly, however, as some receive immutability from Him, they share in His eternity. Thus some receive immutability from God in the way of never ceasing to exist; in that sense it is said of the earth, it standeth for ever Eccles. 1, 4). Again, some things are called eternal in Scripture because of the length of their duration, although they are in nature corruptible; thus Ps. 75, 5) the hills are called eternal and we read of the fruits of the eternal hills. Dt. 33, 15). Some again, share more fully than others in the nature of eternity, inasmuch as they possess unchangeableness either in being or further still in operation; like the angels, and the blessed, who enjoy the Word, because as regards that vision of the Word, no changing thoughts exist in the Saints, as Augustine says De Trin. xv). Hence those who see God are said to have eternal life; according to that text, This is eternal life, that they may know Thee the only true God, etc. Jn. 17, 3).
5 Respondeo dicendum quod aeternitas vere et proprie in solo Deo est. Quia aeternitas immutabilitatem consequitur, ut ex dictis patet. Solus autem Deus est omnino immutabilis, ut est superius ostensum. Secundum tamen quod aliqua ab ipso immutabilitatem percipiunt, secundum hoc aliqua eius aeternitatem participant. Quaedam ergo quantum ad hoc immutabilitatem sortiuntur a Deo, quod nunquam esse desinunt, et secundum hoc dicitur Eccle. I de terra, quod in aeternum stat. Quaedam etiam aeterna in Scripturis dicuntur propter diuturnitatem durationis, licet corruptibilia sint, sicut in Psalmo dicuntur montes aeterni; et Deuter. XXXIII etiam dicitur, de pomis collium aeternorum. Quaedam autem amplius participant de ratione aeternitatis, inquantum habent intransmutabilitatem vel secundum esse, vel ulterius secundum operationem, sicut Angeli et beati, qui verbo fruuntur, quia quantum ad illam visionem verbi, non sunt in sanctis volubiles cogitationes, ut dicit Augustinus, XV de Trin. Unde et videntes Deum dicuntur habere vitam aeternam, secundum illud Ioann. XVII, haec est vita aeterna, ut cognoscant et cetera.
6 Reply to Objection 1: There are said to be many eternities, accordingly as many share in eternity, by the contemplation of God.
6 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod dicuntur multae aeternitates, secundum quod sunt multi participantes aeternitatem ex ipsa Dei contemplatione.
7 Reply to Objection 2: The fire of hell is called eternal, only because it never ends. Still, there is change in the pains of the lost, according to the words To extreme heat they will pass from snowy waters Job 24, 19). Hence in hell true eternity does not exist, but rather time; according to the text of the Psalm Their time will be for ever Ps. 80, 16).
7 Ad secundum dicendum quod ignis Inferni dicitur aeternus propter interminabilitatem tantum. Est tamen in poenis eorum transmutatio, secundum illud Iob XXIV, ad nimium calorem transibunt ab aquis nivium. Unde in Inferno non est vera aeternitas, sed magis tempus; secundum illud Psalmi, erit tempus eorum in saecula.
8 Reply to Objection 3: Necessary means a certain mode of truth; and truth, according to the Philosopher Metaph. vi), is in the mind. Therefore in this sense the true and necessary are eternal, because they are in the eternal mind, which is the divine intellect alone; hence it does not follow that anything beside God is eternal.
8 Ad tertium dicendum quod necessarium significat quendam modum veritatis. Verum autem, secundum philosophum, VI Metaphys., est in intellectu. Secundum hoc igitur vera et necessaria sunt aeterna, quia sunt in intellectu aeterno, qui est intellectus divinus solus. Unde non sequitur quod aliquid extra Deum sit aeternum.