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guile in them? Therefore, even before the signs, in the questioning of the disciples, he brought these forward as wolves of the flock and forerunners of the Antichrist; then he foretold the things to follow, wars and tumults, nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; which we now see, but do not understand, seeing in various places wars, and famines, and terrors, and signs from heaven, and the other things which he has said, seeing most of them, we do not understand. Then, he says, many will fall away, and will betray one another. And where is there not betrayal now? have not almost all turned against one another, and hate one another? And this has been fulfilled, as we see. Have not all turned against one another, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, rulers against their peers, bishops against bishops, presbyters against presbyters, and deacons against deacons, readers against one another, laity against laity? For because lawlessness will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. For this reason the Lord foretold: Search the Scriptures, and, You will not be led astray. And again he set forth another sign, saying: And this Gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations. And then expect the end, expect to see the abomination of desolation, the son of perdition, on account of whom there will be a great and mighty tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world. And again he says: False christs and false prophets will arise, and they will give signs and wonders, so as, if possible, to lead astray even the elect. See, then, how again and again the false prophets and false teachers and false apostles of the Antichrist, the son of perdition, who being appointed by unclean spirits, and being worked in by them, become forerunners of the Antichrist and adversary; and through their own doctrines they will deceive, and will prepare a people fit for the reception of the son of perdition. 9. For this reason the divine Scripture, brothers, cries out again and again that many deceivers have gone out into the world. For this reason also the Lord added this, Behold, I have told you beforehand. But we must understand the meaning of each word. Behold, I have told you beforehand; that is, from now on you have no excuse. Behold, I have told you beforehand; if they lead any of you astray, he will be without excuse. Behold, I have told you beforehand; no one has a reasonable excuse. Behold, I have told you all things beforehand; See that you are not led astray. See that you do not receive another false christ instead of me, the true one. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and will lead many astray; and, The time is near. Therefore do not go after them. See how much is said in the holy Scriptures about such people. For this reason I have often reminded you about the godless heretics, and now I beseech you, not to condescend to them in any matter, not in food, or in drink, or friendship or relationship, or love or peace. For he who is deceived in these things, and condescends to them, makes himself a stranger to the Catholic Church. But the true and guileless disciple of God cries out with boldness: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be anathema; and he chants the words of David: Lord, did I not hate those who hate you, and was I not grieved with your enemies? I hated them with a perfect hatred. Shudder and tremble, you who hold love feasts with them, and correct yourselves, lest you perish by their impieties. And here also fits the saying, Behold, I have told you beforehand. But let us return to the subject at hand, filling out what concerns the end of the age. And to speak briefly; the aforementioned signs have been fulfilled; it is necessary, therefore, to be ready and prepared, and not to be overly curious beyond what is written. Many have become ignorant and unstable who twist

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ἐν αὐτοῖς δόλον; ∆ιὸ καὶ πρὸ τῶν σημείων ἐν τῇ ἐρωτήσει τῶν μαθητῶν, τούτους προήγαγεν ὡς λύκους τῆς ποίμνης καὶ τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου προδρόμους· εἶτα προεῖπε τὰ ἀκόλουθα, πολέμους καὶ ἀκαταστασίας, ἔθνος ἐπὶ ἔθνος, καὶ βασιλείαν ἐπὶ βασιλείαν· ἅπερ ὁρῶντες νῦν, οὐ συνίεμεν, βλέποντες κατὰ τόπους πολέμους, καὶ λιμοὺς, καὶ φόβητρα, καὶ σημεῖα ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἅπερ εἴρηκεν, τὰ πλεῖστα ὁρῶντες, οὐ συνίεμεν. Τότε, φησὶ, σκανδαλισθήσονται πολλοὶ, καὶ ἀλλήλους παραδώσουσι. Καὶ ποῦ νῦν οὐκ ἔστι προδοσία; οὐχὶ πάντες σχεδὸν κατ' ἀλλήλων γεγόνασι, καὶ μισοῦσιν ἀλλήλους; Καὶ τοῦτο πεπλήρωται, καθὼς ὁρῶμεν. Οὐχὶ πάντες κατ' ἀλλήλων γεγόνασιν, ἔθνος ἐπὶ ἔθνος, βασιλεία ἐπὶ βασιλείαν, ἄρχοντες κατὰ τῶν ὁμοίων, ἐπίσκοποι κατὰ ἐπισκόπων, πρεσβύτεροι κατὰ πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ διάκονοι κατὰ διακόνων, ἀναγνῶσται κατ' ἀλλήλων, λαϊκοὶ κατὰ λαϊκῶν; ∆ιὰ γὰρ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν, ψυγήσεται ἡ ἀγάπη τῶν πολλῶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο προεῖπεν ὁ ∆εσπότης· Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, καὶ, Οὐ μὴ πλανηθῆτε. Ἕτερον δὲ πάλιν σημεῖον προέθηκεν λέγων· Καὶ κηρυχθήσεται τοῦτο τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ εἰς μαρτύριον πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι. Καὶ τότε προσδέχου τὸ τέλος, προσδόκα ἰδεῖν βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως, τὸν υἱὸν τῆς ἀπωλείας, δι' ὃν γενήσεται θλίψις πολλὴ καὶ μεγάλη, οἵα οὐ γέγονεν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς τοῦ κόσμου. Καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Ἐγερθήσονται ψευδόχριστοι καὶ ψευδοπροφῆται, καὶ δώσουσι σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα, ὥστε, εἰ δυνατὸν, πλανῆσαι καὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτούς. Ὅρα δὲ, πῶς ἄνω καὶ κάτω τοὺς ψευδοπροφήτας καὶ ψευδοδιδασκάλους καὶ ψευδαποστόλους τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου υἱοῦ τῆς ἀπωλείας, οἵτινες διὰ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων πνευμάτων προχειριζόμενοι, καὶ ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἐνεργούμενοι, πρόδρομοι γίνονται τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου καὶ ἀντικειμένου· καὶ διὰ τῶν ἰδίων δογμάτων ἀπατήσουσι, καὶ ἑτοιμάσουσι λαὸν ἐπιτήδειον πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀπωλείας. θʹ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἡ θεία Γραφὴ, ἀδελφοὶ, ἄνω καὶ κάτω κράζει ὅτι πολλοὶ πλάνοι ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ∆εσπότης ἐπήγαγε τὸ, Ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν. Νοεῖν δὲ ἡμᾶς χρὴ τὸν νοῦν ἑκάστης λέξεως. Ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν· τουτέστιν, ἀπάρτι πρόφασιν οὐκ ἔχετε. Ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν· ἐὰν πλανήσωσί τινα ἐξ ὑμῶν, ἀσύγγνωστος ἔσται. Ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν· εὔλογον πρόφασιν οὐδεὶς ἔχει. Ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν πάντα· Βλέπετε, μὴ πλανηθῆτε. Ὁρᾶτε, μὴ ἄλλον ψευδόχριστον δέξησθε ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐλεύσονται ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, λέγοντες· ὅτι Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ πολλοὺς πλανήσουσι· καὶ, Ὁ καιρὸς ἐγγύς ἐστι. Μὴ οὖν πορευθῆτε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν. Ὁρᾶτε, πόσος ὁ λόγος ἐν ἁγίαις Γραφαῖς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πολλάκις ὑμᾶς ὑπέμνησα περὶ τῶν ἀθέων αἱρετικῶν, καὶ τανῦν παρακαλῶ, τοῦ μὴ συγκαταβῆναι αὐτοῖς ἔν τινι πράγματι, μὴ ἐν βρώμασιν, ἢ ἐν πόμασιν, ἢ φιλίᾳ ἢ σχέσει, ἢ ἀγάπῃ ἢ εἰρήνῃ. Ὁ γὰρ ἐν τούτοις ἀπατώμενος, καὶ συγκαταβαίνων αὐτοῖς, ἀλλότριον ἑαυτὸν καθίστησι τῆς καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ὁ δὲ ἀληθινὸς καὶ ἄδολος μαθητὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ παῤῥησίας κράζει· Εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω· καὶ τὰ τοῦ ∆αυῒδ ψάλλει· Κύριε, οὐχὶ τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε ἐμίσουν, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ἐξετηκόμην; τέλειον μῖσος ἐμίσουν αὐτούς. Φρίξατε καὶ τρομάξατε οἱ τὰς ἀγάπας μετ' αὐτῶν ποιοῦντες, καὶ διορθώσασθε, ἵνα μὴ ἀπόλησθε ταῖς ἀσεβείαις αὐτῶν. Ἁρμόζει δὲ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ, Ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν. Ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ἐπανέλθωμεν, τὰ περὶ τῆς συντελείας ἀναπληροῦντες. Καὶ ἵνα συντόμως εἴπω· τὰ προειρημένα σημεῖα ἐπληρώθησαν· λοιπὸν χρὴ ἕτοιμον εἶναι καὶ παρεσκευασμένον, καὶ μὴ πολυπραγμονεῖν πλεῖον τῶν γεγραμμένων. Πολλοὶ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀστήρικτοι γεγόνασιν οἱ στρεβλοῦντες