4

that one, come, you yourself also lead your new Isaac to the mountain, offering a living sacrifice to the living God, so that you too may become a priest of the most high God, offering praise to God; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased, such priests serve God. 5.63 Even if you bind his feet, even if you do not give him food to have at hand, so that his flesh, not being fattened, might not kick, so that not being nourished by excess food and drink, which are corrupting, on the strength of the body and not of the soul, he might leap up and kick and not receive the wood of the cross, or lest he should ever scatter the altar, so that you may have other hopes along with hope, so that you may be both a father and a priest of the Most High; and if you offer prayers for him, you will show your love. 5.64 For Job, the servant of God, did this, whom you hear slaughtering a calf yearly for the thought of his sons, saying, "lest my sons have conceived evil things against God." 5.65 And if the mother makes tunics for her son, let her not be vexed; for Hannah, serving God, made double-cloaks yearly for the holy Samuel as for a son, as it is written in the first of Kings. 5.66 And the king will surely not weary of honoring in return those who honored his soldiers. 6.67 And that parents store up treasures for their children, Paul taught. 6.68 What is the treasure? To bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 6.69 For thus is truly the good treasure, and proper to the one who possesses it, which no thief approaches, nor moth corrupts, nor the temporary wealth of the world, a resort for men and a preoccupation and a war.

6.70 For often the one who possesses it has also lost his life because of it, as we have often received by hearing and have taken in by sight the fact that these things are so. 6.71 Thus then let parents also store up treasures for their own children, supplying them with things dear to God. 6.72 And if someone else should endeavor to do this for God’s sake, only in the name of a disciple, and if someone, having drawn a cup of cold water and poured it, should give it to a disciple of Christ, he will be an heir of the divine kingdom. 6.73 Let all who love Christ, therefore, hasten to provide what is useful. 6.74 But let nothing be considered more useful than the salvation of the soul by those who are of sound mind. 6.75 And there are many things that secure salvation for the soul, for even up to two lepta and up to a good word which happens to be beyond a gift. 6.76 For this guileless choice from a true mind is more acceptable to the benevolent God than the blood of sacrifices. 6.77 For often has that which was testified by the all-wise God to David in the first instance through the holy Samuel instructed us, that men look at the face, but God in the heart, especially those hearts raised aloft on the wing of a perfect, heavenly desire. 7.78 Let virgins therefore come; for there is need of them in the kingdom, but there is need of wise ones. 7.79 For he did not unjustly shut out those whom you hear were virgins, but since they had no oil on account of their own carelessness, they were not able to enter and greet the good one, nor did they strive for the better thing in being watchful; and for this reason they did not hear "brides", and they did not reach the incorruptible bridal chamber nor spread their bridal bed, and for this reason they did not receive the crown of the kingdom of heaven, and they did not speak with the immortal bridegroom; for they did not reach him.

7.80 For this reason he said: there is need of wise ones. 7.81 If you are a virgin for Christ, not as you wish, but as He for whom you are a virgin wishes. 7.82 Do not desire the same things as those who mind the things of the world. 7.83 For how will he who has put to death the members on earth which are of sin be among those who have not yielded to the truth? 7.84 What do you, who have been crucified to the world, seek with those who love pleasure according to the world and in the world? 7.85 No one, he says, serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of this life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him, and no one is crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 7.86 You were buried with Christ in baptism; why, as if living in the world, do you submit to regulations? 7.87 You have crossed the Jordan; do not turn back to Egypt.

4

ἐκείνην, ἄγε καὶ σὺ αὐτὸς τὸν σεαυτοῦ νέον Ἰσαὰκ εἰς τὸ ὄρος, θυσίαν ζῶσαν ζῶντι θεῷ προσάγων, ἵνα γένῃ καὶ σὺ ἱερεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, προσάγων αἶνον τῷ θεῷ· τοσαύταις γὰρ θυσίαις εὐαρε στεῖται ὁ θεός, τοιοῦτοι ἱερεῖς θεὸν θεραπεύουσι. 5.63 Κἂν συμποδίσῃς, κἂν μὴ δῷς τροφὴν ἔχειν ἐν προχείρῳ, πρὸς τὸ μὴ παχυνθεῖσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν σάρκα ἀπολακτίσαι, ἵνα μὴ ἐκ τῆς περιττῆς τροφῆς καὶ ποτοῦ, φθοριμαίων ὄντων, ἰσχὺν σώματος καὶ οὐ ψυχῆς τραφείς, προσκιρτήσας ἀπολακτίσῃ καὶ μὴ ὑποδέξηται τὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ ξύλα, ἢ μήποτε σκορπίσῃ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ἵνα ἔχῃς καὶ μετ' ἐλπίδος ἑτέρας ἐλπίδας, ἵνα ᾖς καὶ πατὴρ καὶ ἱερεὺς τοῦ ὑψίστου· κἂν εὐχὰς προσ φέρητε περὶ αὐτοῦ, δείξεις τὸ φίλτρον. 5.64 Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐποίει ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ θεράπων Ἰώβ, ὃν ἀκούεις περὶ ἐνθυμήσεως τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μόσχον σφα γιάζοντα κατ' ἐνιαυτόν, μήποτε οἱ υἱοί μου, λέγων, κακὰ ἐνε νόησαν πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 5.65 Κἂν ἡ μήτηρ ποιῇ χιτῶνας τῷ υἱῷ, μηδὲν ἀγανακτείτω· ἐποίει γὰρ τῷ ἁγίῳ Σαμουὴλ κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν διπλοΐδας ὡς υἱῷ ἡ Ἄννα ὑπηρετου μένη τῷ θεῷ, ὡς ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ τῶν Βασιλέων γέγραπται. 5.66 Καὶ πάντως οὐ καμεῖ ὁ βασιλεὺς μὴ ἀντιτιμῆσαι τοὺς τιμήσαντας τοὺς ἐκείνου στρα τιώτας. 6.67 Ὅτι δὲ καὶ οἱ γονεῖς θησαυρίζουσι τοῖς τέκνοις, ὁ Παῦλος ἐδίδαξε. 6.68 Τίς ὁ θησαυρός; τὸ ἐκθρέψαι αὐτὰ ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ κυρίου. 6.69 Οὕτως γὰρ ὄντως ὁ θησαυρὸς ὁ ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἴδιος τῷ κεκτημένῳ, ᾧ κλέπτης οὐκ ἐγγίζει, οὔτε σὴς διαφθείρει, οὔτε πρόσκαιρος τοῦ κόσμου πλοῦτος, λέσχη ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἀσχολία καὶ πόλεμος.

6.70 Πολλάκις γὰρ ὁ κεκτημένος καὶ τὸ ζῆν δι' αὐτοῦ προσαπώλεσεν, ὡς πολλάκις καὶ ἀκοῇ ἐδεξάμεθα καὶ ὄψει τὸ ἔργον παρελάβομεν ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχειν. 6.71 Οὕτως οὖν καὶ οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς ἑαυτῶν τέκνοις θησαυριζέτωσαν, τὰ φιλὰ θεῷ ἐφοδιάζοντες. 6.72 Κἂν ἄλλος τις τοῦτο ποιεῖν διὰ θεὸν σπουδάζοι μόνον εἰς ὄνομα μαθητοῦ, κἂν ψυχροῦ ὕδατος ποτήριον ἀρυσάμενός τις καὶ ἐναντλήσας τῷ μαθήτῃ τοῦ Χριστοῦ παράσχοιτο, θείας βασιλείας ἔσται κληρονόμος. 6.73 Σπευδέτωσαν οὖν πάντες οἱ φιλόχριστοι πορίζειν τὰ χρήσιμα. 6.74 Χρη σιμώτερον δὲ σωτηρίας ψυχῆς μηδὲν νομιζέσθω παρὰ τῶν εὐφρονούντων. 6.75 Πολλὰ δέ ἐστι τὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῇ ψυχῇ περιποιούμενα, καὶ γὰρ ἕως δύο λεπτῶν καὶ ἕως λόγου ἀγαθοῦ ὑπὲρ δόμα τυγχάνοντος. 6.76 Αὕτη γὰρ ἡ ἀπὸ ἀληθινῆς διανοίας ἄδολος προαίρεσις προσδεκτέα τῷ φιλαν θρώπῳ θεῷ ἢ θυσιῶν αἷμα. 6.77 Πολλάκις γὰρ κατήχησεν ἡμῖν τὸ μαρτυρηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ πανσόφου θεοῦ τῷ ∆αυὶδ ἐν πρώτοις διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Σαμουήλ, ὅτι ἄνθρωποι εἰς πρόσωπον, ὁ δὲ θεὸς ἐν καρδίαις, μάλιστα ταῖς τελείου πόθου ἐπουρανίου πτερῷ μετεωριζομέναις. 7.78 Ἐρχέσθωσαν οὖν παρθένοι· χρεία γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ, ἀλλὰ φρονίμων χρεία. 7.79 Οὐ γὰρ ἀδίκως ἐξέκλεισεν, ἃς ἀκούεις παρθένους, ἀλλ' ἐλαίου αὐταῖς οὐχ ὑπάρχοντος διὰ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀμέλειαν, τὸ καλὸν εἰσελθεῖν ἀσπάσασθαι οὐ δεδύνηνται, οὐδὲ τὸ κρεῖττον ἐν τῷ γρηγορεῖν ἐσπούδασαν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο νύμφαι οὐκ ἤκουσαν, καὶ εἰς ἄφθαρτον νυμφῶνα οὐκ ἔφθασαν καὶ παστὸν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐξέτειναν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο βασιλείας οὐρανῶν στέφανον οὐκ ἐδέξαντο, καὶ τῷ ἀθανάτῳ νυμφίῳ οὐχ ὡμίλησαν· πρὸς αὐτὸν γὰρ οὐκ ἔφθασαν.

7.80 ∆ιὰ τοῦτο εἶπε· φρονίμων χρεία. 7.81 Εἰ παρθενεύεις Χριστῷ, μὴ ὡς θέλεις σύ, ἀλλ' ὡς θέλει ὁ παρθενευό μενος. 7.82 Μὴ τὰ ἴσα θέλε τοῖς τὰ κόσμου φρονοῦσι. 7.83 Πῶς γὰρ ὁ νεκρώσας τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς μέλη ὄντα τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἔσται [τὰ] τῶν μὴ εἰξάντων τῇ ἀληθείᾳ; 7.84 Τί ζητεῖς ὁ σταυρωθεὶς τῷ κόσμῳ μετὰ τῶν κατὰ κόσμον καὶ ἐν κόσμῳ φιληδονούντων; 7.85 Οὐδείς, φησι, στρατευό μενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις, ἵνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ, καὶ οὐδεὶς στε φανοῦται, ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ. 7.86 Τῷ Χριστῷ συνετάφης ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι· τί ὡς ζῶν ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεις; 7.87 ∆ιέβης τὸν Ἰορδάνην· μὴ στρεφοῦ εἰς Αἴγυπτον.