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that he was in chains (for if they heard about Epaphroditus, that he was sick, who was not very distinguished, like Paul, much more so about Paul); and it was likely that they were disturbed; for this reason in the introduction of the Epistle he offers much comfort concerning his chains, showing that not only should they not be disturbed, but even rejoice. Then he also counsels about concord and humility, teaching that this is their greatest security, and thus they can easily overcome their enemies. For it is not being bound that is grievous to your teachers, but for the disciples not to be of one mind. For the former gives increase to the Gospel, but the latter tears it apart. 2. Having therefore exhorted them to be of one mind, and having shown that concord comes from humility, and having contended against the Jews everywhere who corrupt the doctrine under the pretext of Christianity, calling them dogs and evil workers, and having exhorted them to beware of them, and having persuaded them to whom they ought to attend, and having discoursed much on morals, and having regulated them, 62.180 and having restored them by saying, The Lord is at hand, he remembers with his proper wisdom also the things that were sent, and thus offers much comfort. He seems to write to them with much honor, and he nowhere adds anything of rebuke, which was a proof of their virtue, that they gave no handle to their teacher, not even in the way of censure, but that he had written all things to them in the way of exhortation. And what I said from the beginning, I will also say now, that this city showed great aptitude for the faith, if indeed the jailer (and you know that the office is full of all wickedness) immediately at one sign ran to them, and was baptized with all his house. For he alone saw the sign that had happened; but he did not enjoy the gain alone, but with his wife and his whole house. But also the magistrates themselves who had scourged him are found to have done this more from being carried away, and not from wickedness, in that they immediately sent and released him, and in that they were afraid afterward. And he bears witness to them not only in faith, nor in dangers, but also in good works, through what he says. that Both in the beginning of the gospel and once and twice you sent to my need, when no one else had done this. For no Church, he says, had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving; but he shows that their lack was more from want of opportunity than of purpose, saying; Not that you did not care for me, he says, but you lacked opportunity. This shows that he had a great affection for them. For that he loved them greatly is clear; For I have no one, he says, like-minded, who will genuinely care for your concerns; and again, Because I have you in my heart, both in my chains. 3. Knowing these things therefore, and having so many types of love, let us make ourselves worthy of such examples, being ready to suffer for Christ. But now there is no persecution. Therefore, if nothing else, let us imitate their good works with zeal, and not, if we give once and a second time, think that we have fulfilled everything; for this must be done throughout our whole life; for we must not please once, but continually. For the runner, if having run ten laps, he leaves the last, has lost everything; and we, if having begun good works, we later grow weary, have lost everything, have destroyed everything. Hear the beneficial exhortation that says; Alms, it says, and faith, let them not fail you. It did not say, Do it once, nor a second time, nor a third, nor a tenth, nor a hundredth, but

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αὐτὸν ἐν δεσμοῖς εἶναι (εἰ γὰρ περὶ Ἐπαφροδίτου ἤκουσαν, ὅτι ἠσθένησεν, οὐκ ὄντος σφόδρα ἐπισήμου, ὡς Παῦλος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον περὶ Παύλου)· καὶ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς θορυβεῖσθαι· διὰ τοῦτο ἐν τοῖς προοιμίοις τῆς Ἐπιστολῆς πολλὴν προσάγει παράκλησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν δεσμῶν, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ μόνον οὐ χρὴ θορυβεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαίρειν. Εἶτα καὶ περὶ ὁμονοίας συμβουλεύει καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης, ταύτην εἶναι ἀσφάλειαν αὐτοῖς διδάσκων μεγίστην, καὶ οὕτω τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοὺς εὐκόλως δύνασθαι περιγενέσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ δεσμεῖσθαι λυπηρὸν τοῖς διδασκάλοις ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ ὁμονοεῖν τοὺς μαθητάς. Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἐπίδοσιν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ δίδωσιν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ διασπᾷ. βʹ. Παραινέσας τοίνυν αὐτοῖς ὁμονοεῖν, καὶ δείξας ὅτι ἀπὸ ταπεινοφροσύνης ἡ ὁμόνοια γίνεται, καὶ διατεινάμενος πρὸς τοὺς πανταχοῦ τῷ δόγματι λυμαινομένους Ἰουδαίους προσχήματι Χριστιανισμοῦ, κύνας τε αὐτοὺς καλέσας καὶ κακοὺς ἐργάτας, καὶ παραινέσας ἐπέχεσθαι αὐτῶν, καὶ πείσας τίσι δεῖ προσέχειν, καὶ περὶ ἠθικῶν πολλὰ διαλεχθεὶς, καὶ ῥυθμίσας αὐτοὺς, 62.180 καὶ ἀνακτησάμενος διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, Ὁ Κύριος ἐγγὺς, μέμνηται μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης αὐτῷ συνέσεως καὶ τῶν πεμφθέντων, καὶ οὕτω πολλὴν τὴν παράκλησιν προσάγει. Φαίνεται δὲ μετὰ πολλῆς αὐτοῖς μάλιστα γράφων τιμῆς, καὶ οὐδὲν προτίθησιν ἐπιπληκτικὸν οὐδαμοῦ, ὅπερ ἦν τεκμήριον τῆς ἀρετῆς αὐτῶν, τὸ μηδεμίαν δοῦναι τῷ διδασκάλῳ λαβὴν, μηδὲ ἐν τάξει ἐπιτιμήσεως, ἀλλ' ἐν τάξει παραινέσεως πάντα πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπεσταλκέναι. Ὅπερ δὲ ἔφην καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ἐρῶ, ὅτι ἡ πόλις αὕτη πολλὴν ἐπεδείξατο εἰς τὴν πίστιν ἐπιτηδειότητα, εἴ γε ὁ δεσμοφύλαξ (ἴστε δὲ, ὅτι πάσης τὸ πρᾶγμα κακίας μεστὸν) εὐθέως ὑπὸ ἑνὸς σημείου καὶ προσέδραμε, καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη μετὰ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ παντός. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ γεγονὸς σημεῖον εἶδε μόνος αὐτός· τὸ δὲ κέρδος οὐ μόνος ἐκαρπώσατο, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τοῦ οἴκου παντός. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ οἱ μαστίξαντες αὐτὸν εὑρίσκονται ἀπὸ συναρπαγῆς μᾶλλον, καὶ οὐ πονηρίαν τοῦτο πεποιηκότες, τῷ τε εὐθέως πέμψαι καὶ ἀφεῖναι αὐτὸν, καὶ τῷ φοβηθῆναι ὕστερον. Μαρτυρεῖ δὲ αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐν πίστει μόνον, οὐδὲ ἐν κινδύνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν εὐποιίᾳ, δι' ὧν φησιν. ὅτι Καὶ ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς εἰς τὴν χρείαν μου ἐπέμψατε, οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου τοῦτο πεποιηκότος. Οὐδεμία γάρ μοι, φησὶν, Ἐκκλησία ἐκοινώνησεν εἰς λόγον δόσεως καὶ λήψεως· τὴν ἔλλειψιν δὲ ἀκαιρίας εἶναι μᾶλλον, ἢ προαιρέσεως δείκνυσι λέγων· Οὐχ ὅτι οὐκ ἐφρονεῖτε, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ἠκαιρεῖσθε δέ. Τοῦτο δὲ πολὺ πρὸς αὐτοὺς φίλτρον ἔχειν ἐμφαίνει. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐφίλει σφόδρα αὐτοὺς, δῆλον· Οὐδένα γὰρ ἔχω, φησὶν, ἰσόψυχον, ὅστις γνησίως τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει· καὶ πάλιν, ∆ιὰ τὸ ἔχειν με ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμᾶς, ἔν τε τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου. γʹ. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ τοσούτους ἔχοντες τύπους ἀγάπης, ἑαυτοὺς παρέχωμεν ἀξίους τῶν τοιούτων ὑποδειγμάτων, περὶ τὸ πάσχειν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ἕτοιμοι γινόμενοι. Ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ διωγμός. Οὐκοῦν κἂν μηδὲν ἕτερον, μιμώμεθα αὐτῶν τὴν εὐποιίαν τὴν μετὰ σφοδρότητος, μηδὲ, ἐὰν ἅπαξ δῶμεν καὶ δεύτερον, τὸ πᾶν ἡγώμεθα πεπληρωκέναι· διὰ παντὸς γὰρ τοῦ βίου τοῦτο χρὴ ποιεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἅπαξ εὐαρεστεῖν δεῖ, ἀλλὰ διηνεκῶς. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ τρέχων, ἐὰν δέκα διαύλους δραμὼν, τὸν ὕστερον ἀφῇ, τὸ πᾶν ἀπώλεσε· καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐὰν ἀρξάμενοι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων, ὕστερον ἐκλυθῶμεν, τὸ πᾶν ἀπωλέσαμεν, τὸ πᾶν διεφθείραμεν. Ἄκουε τῆς ἐπωφελοῦς παραινέσεως λεγούσης· Ἐλεημοσύναι, φησὶ, καὶ πίστεις μὴ ἐκλειπέτωσάν σε. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἅπαξ ποίησον, οὐδὲ δεύτερον, οὐδὲ τρίτον, οὐδὲ δέκατον, οὐδὲ ἑκατοστὸν, ἀλλὰ