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16 Pay close attention to the argument. Just as if you make a petition and receive it signed, you do not fuss about what kind of pen the king used to write, nor what kind of paper, nor what kind of ink(̣f. 390v) but you seek one thing only: whether the king signed it, so also in the case of baptism, the paper is the conscience, the pen is the tongue of the priest, the hand is the grace of the Spirit. Therefore, whether through me, or through another, the same hand writes.

17 We are servants, not masters; Paul too is a servant; “Thus,” he says, “let a man regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” “For what do you have that you did not receive?” if I have anything, I received it; and if I received it, it is not mine, but the gift is of the one who gave it; therefore, do not doubt, beloved. The grace is complete, the place did not hinder it, whether on a ship; Philip baptized on the road, Paul in prison, Christ brought the thief into paradise.

18 For these things I rejoice and am glad, and I ask for your prayers with which I departed, with which I also returned. I journeyed on the sea, but on the sea your love made a calm. I did not enter a ship without you, I did not go down to an inn without you, I did not set foot in a city or a church without you, but though I was separated in body, I was bound by love.

19 I saw the church unshaken even on the sea; for such is love, it knows not how to be confined; I entered into a church, I stood by an altar, and I remembered your entire church, offering up prayers and saying: Lord, hold the church entrusted to me as a deposit; I am not present, but you are present, you who led me there, and by the grace of God more than I asked for came to pass. I asked that he might preserve it, and he made it abound; the present multitude bears witness, so many flourishing vines and nowhere a thorn, and so many sheep and nowhere a wolf; and if there is a wolf anywhere, it is changed and becomes a sheep; He himself preserved you, he himself brought me back, your prayers corrected my sickness; this I say every day.

20 My journey away has crowned your city; that you loved me even before this was clear, but not manifest to all; he who loved ( f. 391) knew it alone, but the separation proved the love. Those who were always coming to Asia reported to us: you have set the city ablaze. And yet love withers with time, but your love has increased; it did not suffer forgetfulness, but was kindled all the more. But I ask you to love me likewise now that I am present; this is my treasure, this is my wealth, for this reason I seek your prayers; your prayers are a wall for me and a security.

21 Do not say to me: I am a layman; how shall I pray for a priest? Hear the scripture saying: “but earnest prayer was made by the church” and Peter's chains were loosed; and prayer loosed Paul's silence; prayer bridled lions; prayer muzzled the sea monster; prayer opened paradise; prayer flung open the arches of heaven; the prayer of Cornelius flew through the heavens; prayer made the tax collector righteous.

22 This security I ask from you, for this I ask a favor, that God, having accepted your prayers, may grant you the abundance of both present and future good things in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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16 Προσέχετε μετὰ ἀκριβείας τῷ λόγῳ. Ὥσπερ ἐὰν πράξῃς δέησιν καὶ λάβῃς αὐτὴν ὑπογεγραμμένην, οὐ περιεργάζῃ εἰς ποῖον κάλαμον ἔγραψεν ὁ βασιλεύς, οὐδὲ εἰς ποῖον χάρτην οὐδὲ εἰς ποῖον μέλανα(̣f. 390v) ἀλλ' ἓν μόνον ζητεῖς εἰ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑπέγραψεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάρτης τὸ συνειδός, κάλαμος ἡ γλῶσσα τοῦ ἱερέως, χείρ ἐστιν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἡ χάρις. Εἴτε οὖν δι' ἐμοῦ, εἴτε οὖν δι' ἐκείνου, ἡ αὐτὴ χεὶρ γράφει.

17 Ἡμεῖς ὑπηρέται ἐσμέν, οὐκ αὐθένται· καὶ Παῦλος ὑπηρέτης ἐστίν· «Οὕτω, φησίν, ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπος λογιζέσθω ὡς ὑπηρέτας Χριστοῦ καὶ οἰκονόμους μυστηρίων Θεοῦ». «Τί γὰρ ἔχεις ὃ οὐκ ἔλαβες;» εἴ τι ἔχω, ἔλαβον· εἰ καὶ ἔλαβον, οὐκ ἐμόν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ δεδωκότος τὸ δῶρον· μὴ τοίνυν, ἀμφίβαλλε ἀγαπητέ. Ἡ χάρις ἀπηρτισμένη, ὁ τόπος οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν, εἴτε ἐν πλοίῳ· ὁ Φίλιππος ἐν ὁδῷ ἐβάπτισεν, ὁ Παῦλος ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ, ὁ Χριστὸς τὸν λῃστὴν εἰς παράδεισον εἰσήγαγεν.

18 Χαίρω διὰ ταῦτα καὶ εὐφραίνομαι καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς τὰς ὑμετέρας ἀπαιτῶ μεθ' ὧν ἀπῆλθον, μεθ' ὧν καὶ ἐπανῆλθον. Ἐκοινώνησα μὲν πελάγει ἀλλ' ἐν πελάγει γαλήνην ἐποίησεν ἡ ὑμετέρα ἀγάπη. Οὐκ εἰσῆλθον εἰς πλοῖον χωρὶς ὑμῶν, οὐ κατέβην εἰς πανδοχεῖον χωρὶς ὑμῶν, οὐκ ἐπέβην πόλει ἢ ἐκκλησίᾳ χωρὶς ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ κἂν κεχωρισμένος ἤμην τῷ σώματι, συνδεδεμένος τῇ ἀγάπῃ.

19 Ἔβλεπον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ ἐν πελάγει ἀσάλευτον· τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ ἀγάπη, οὐκ οἶδεν στενοχωρεῖσθαι· εἰσῄειν εἰς ἐκκλησίαν, παρειστήκειν θυσιαστηρίῳ καὶ δι' ὅλου τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐκκλησίας ἐμεμνήμην, εὐχὰς ἀναφέρων καὶ ἔλεγον· Κύριε, τὴν ἐμπιστευθεῖσάν μοι ἐκκλησίαν ἔχε ἐν παρακαταθήκῃ· οὐ πάρειμι ἐγώ, ἀλλὰ πάρει σύ, ὁ ἐκεῖ με ἀγαγὼν καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι πλέον οὗ ᾔτησα ἐγένετο. Ἐγὼ ᾔτησα ἵνα διατηρήσῃ, αὐτὸς καὶ ἐπλεόνασεν· μαρτυρεῖ τὸ παρὸν πλῆθος, τοσαῦται κομῶσαι ἄμπελοι καὶ οὐδαμοῦ ἄκανθα, καὶ τοσαῦτα πρόβατα καὶ οὐδαμοῦ λύκος· εἰ δέ που λύκος, μεταβάλλεται καὶ γίνεται πρόβατον· αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς διετήρησεν, αὐτὸς ἐμὲ ἐπανήγαγεν, αἱ εὐχαὶ αἱ ὑμέτεραι τὴν ἀρρωστίαν μου διώρθωσαν· τοῦτο ἐγὼ λέγω ἑκάστης ἡμέρας.

20 Ἡ ἀποδημία ἡ ἐμὴ τὴν πόλιν ὑμῶν ἐστεφάνωσεν· ὅτι ἠγαπᾶτε καὶ πρὸ τούτου δῆλον, ἀλλ' οὐ πᾶσιν εὔδηλον, ὁ ἀγαπῶν ( ̣f. 391) ᾔδει μόνος, ὁ δὲ χωρισμὸς ἤλεγξεν τὴν ἀγάπην. Ἀεί ποτε ἐρχόμενοι ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ ἀπήγγειλον ἡμῖν· ἀνῆψας τὴν πόλιν. Καίτοι ἡ ἀγάπη μαραίνεται τῷ χρόνῳ, ἡ δὲ ὑμετέρα ἀγάπη ηὐξήθη, οὐ λήθην ὑπέμεινεν, ἀλλὰ πλέον ἐπυρώθη. Ἀλλ' ἀξιῶ καὶ παρόντα με ὁμοίως φιλεῖν· οὗτός μου θησαυρός, οὗτός μου πλοῦτος, διὰ τοῦτο τὰς εὐχὰς τὰς ὑμετέρας ζητῶ· αἱ εὐχαὶ αἱ ὑμέτεραι τεῖχος ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀσφάλεια.

21 Μή μοι λέγε· ἐγὼ λαϊκός· πῶς εὔξομαι ὑπὲρ ἱερέως; Ἄκουε τῆς γραφῆς λεγούσης· «προσευχὴ δὲ ἦν ἐκτενὴς γινομένη ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας» καὶ ἐλύθη τὰ δεσμὰ Πέτρου· Παύλου δὲ τὴν σιωπὴν ἔλυσεν εὐχή· λέοντας ἐχαλίνωσεν εὐχή· τὸ κῆτος ἐφίμωσεν εὐχή· παράδεισον ἤνοιξεν εὐχή· εὐχὴ οὐρανίου ἁψίδας ἀνεπέτασεν· εὐχὴ Κορνηλίου τοὺς οὐρανοὺς διεπέτασεν· εὐχὴ τὸν τελώνην δίκαιον εἰργάσατο.

22 Ταύτην αἰτοῦμαι παρ' ὑμῶν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, ὑπὲρ ταύτης χάριν αἰτῶ, ἵνα ὁ Θεὸς τὰς εὐχὰς τὰς ὑμετέρας δεξάμενος καὶ τῶν παρόντων καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἀφθονίαν ὑμῖν χαρίσηται ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.