Many Generations

Ἐπὶ τῶν σωμάτων μία γένεσίς ἐστιν, ὅτι οὐδεὶς δεύτερον ἐγεννήθη· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ψυχῶν τῶν ἁγιάζεσθαι διηνεκώς προαιρουμένων πλείους γενέσεις εὑρίσκονται, ἀεὶ γὰρ ἀνακαινούμενος, καὶ ἀνανεούμενος γεννᾶται ὁ δίκαιος, γεγέννηται σήμερον ἐν πράξει τινὶ ἀγαθῇ, καὶ ἐὰν πάλιν ἄλλην ποιήσῃ ἀγαθὴν, γεγέννηται. Διόπερ ὁ λόγος δαψιλεύεται ἐπὶ τῶν δικαίων τὰς γενέσεις, λέγων διὰ τοῦ Μωϋσέως· Αὗται αἱ γενέσεις Νῶς, αὗται αἱ γενέσεις Ἰακώβ· καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος εἴρηται πληθυντικώς γενέσεις ἐσχηκέναι. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΣΒ', Καλλιστιωνι Source: Migne PG 79.157c

There is only one generation of bodies, for there is no second generation, but with the souls of those continually striving to be holy there are many generations, for the the righteous man is continually being renewed and improved. 1 He is generated today in some good deed done, and again he is generated if some other good deed is done. Thus we have the passages that tell that the generations of the righteous are many, as through Moses it is said, 'These are the generations of Noah, 2 these are the generations of Jacob,' and if anyone else is said to have had multiple generations. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 202, to Callistion 1 2 Cor 4.16 2 Gen 6.9