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he says, brethren, our labor and our toil. He said before, that “Being able to be burdensome, as apostles of Christ;” which he also says in the epistle to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that those who perform the sacred rites eat from the temple?” So also Christ commanded that those who proclaim the Gospel should live from the Gospel. But I, he says, was not willing, but I labored. And he did not simply work, but with great diligence. And see what he says: “For you remember;” he did not say, the benefits 62.406.30 from me, but, “Our labor and our toil.” “Working night and day, so as not to be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the Gospel of God.” But to the Corinthians he says something else: “I robbed other churches, taking wages for your service.” And yet he worked there too; but he did not mention this, but put forward something more striking; as if he were saying, “I was fed by others while serving you.” But here not so, but what? “Working night and day.” And there he says: “And when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone,” and, “I took wages for your service;” but here he shows the men were in poverty; but there not so. For this reason he continually brings them forward as witnesses: “For you,” he says, “are witnesses, and God;” making his word credible, and putting forward that which most fully assured them; for the former is unclear to those who do not know, but the latter is now beyond doubt for all. And do not be surprised; for he was not looking at the fact that it was Paul who was saying these things, but out of great abundance he wishes to assure them. For this reason he says: “You are witnesses, and God, how holily and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you that believe.” He had to praise them again; for this reason he puts these things forward, which were sufficient to persuade them. For he reasons that he who was in need there and did not take, much more now. How holily and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe, as you know, how we exhorted and comforted each one of you, as a father does his own children. Having spoken above of his conduct, here 62.407 he speaks of his love; which was even more than that of authority. And what was said was free of pride. “As a father his own children, exhorting you and comforting and charging you to walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” When he said, “And charging,” he then mentions fathers, showing that, “Even if we charged you, this was not harshly, but as fathers.” “Each one of you.” Amazing! In so great a multitude to leave out no one, not small, not great, not rich, not poor. “Exhorting,” to what did he say? To bear all things. “And comforting and charging.” Exhorting; so they were not seeking glory. And charging; so they were not flattering. “To walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” See again how in narrating, he both teaches and consoles; for if He has called us to a kingdom, we must bear all things. We exhort, not that you should grant us any favor, but that you may attain the kingdom of heaven. “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” It is not possible to say, he says, that we do all things blamelessly, but you have done things unworthy of our conduct; for you were not disposed to hear us as hearing men, but you paid attention as if God Himself were exhorting you. How is this clear? For just as his not preaching in flattery or in vainglory is shown by his own temptations, and by their testimony, and by what he did; so also their having received the word rightly, is shown from their temptations. For how, he says, unless you heard as if God were speaking,

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φησὶν, ἀδελφοὶ, τὸν κόπον ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν μόχθον. Εἶπε προλαβὼν, ὅτι ∆υνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι, ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι· ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους φησίν· Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ τὰ ἱερὰ ἐργαζόμενοι, ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἐσθίουσιν; Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς διέταξε τοὺς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον καταγγέλλοντας ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ζῇν. Ἀλλ' ἐγὼ, φησὶν, οὐκ ἠθέλησα, ἀλλ' ἐκοπίων. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἰργάζετο, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σπουδῆς. Καὶ ὅρα τί φησι· Μνημονεύετε γάρ· οὐκ εἶπε, τὰς εὐεργε 62.406.30 σίας τὰς παρ' ἐμοῦ, ἀλλὰ, Τὸν κόπον ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν μόχθον. Νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν οὕτως ἐκηρύξαμεν εἰς ὑμᾶς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Κορινθίοις δὲ ἕτερόν φησιν· Ἄλλας Ἐκκλησίας ἐσύλησα, λαβὼν ὀψώνιόν τι εἰς ὑμῶν διακονίαν. Καίτοι καὶ ἐκεῖ εἰργάζετο· ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀνέμνησε τούτου, ἀλλ' ἕτερον ἔθηκε πληκτικώτερον· ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Παρ' ἑτέρων ἐτράφην ὑμῖν ὑπηρετῶν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ τί; Νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι. Καὶ ἐκεῖ μέν φησι· Καὶ παρὼν πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ ὑστερηθεὶς, οὐ κατενάρκησα οὐδενὸς, καὶ, Ἔλαβον ὀψώνιον πρὸς τὴν ὑμῶν διακονίαν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ δείκνυσιν ἐν πενίᾳ ὄντας τοὺς ἄνδρας· ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐχ οὕτω. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο συνεχῶς αὐτοὺς παραφέρει μάρτυρας· Ὑμεῖς γὰρ, φησὶ, μάρτυρες, καὶ ὁ Θεός· ἀξιόπιστον ποιῶν τὸν λόγον, κἀκεῖνο τιθεὶς, ὃ αὐτοὺς μάλιστα ἐπληροφόρει· ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ ἄδηλον τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι, τοῦτο δὲ πᾶσι λοιπὸν ἀναμφίβολον. Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔβλεπεν, ὅτι Παῦλος ἦν ὁ ταῦτα λέγων, ἀλλ' ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος βούλεται αὐτοὺς πληροφορεῖν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησιν· Ὑμεῖς μάρτυρες καὶ ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς ὁσίως καὶ δικαίως καὶ ἀμέμπτως ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐγενήθημεν. Ἔδει αὐτοὺς πάλιν ἐπαινεῖν· διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα προτίθησιν, ἃ ἦν ἱκανὰ αὐτοὺς πεῖσαι. Συλλογίζεται γὰρ, ὅτι ὁ ἐν χρείᾳ ἐκεῖ καταστὰς καὶ μὴ λαβὼν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον νῦν. Ὡς ὁσίως καὶ δικαίως καὶ ἀμέμπτως ἡμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐγενήθημεν, καθάπερ οἴδατε, ὡς ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν, ὡς πατὴρ τέκνα ἑαυτοῦ, παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς, καὶ παραμυθούμενοι. Ἀνωτέρω τὸ τῆς ἀναστροφῆς εἰπῶν, ἐνταῦθα 62.407 τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης φησίν· ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον ἦν ἢ τῆς προστασίας. Καὶ τοῦ ἀτύφου τὸ εἰρημένον. Ὡς πατὴρ τέκνα ἑαυτοῦ, παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς καὶ παραμυθούμενοι καὶ μαρτυρόμενοι εἰς τὸ περιπατῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ δόξαν. Ὅτε εἶπε, Καὶ διαμαρτυρόμενοι, τότε πατέρων μέμνηται, δεικνὺς ὅτι Εἰ καὶ διεμαρτυρόμεθα, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οὐ σφοδρῶς, ἀλλ' ὡς πατέρες. Ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν. Βαβαὶ! ἐν τοσούτῳ πλήθει μηδένα παραλιπεῖν, μὴ μικρὸν, μὴ μέγαν, μὴ πλούσιον, μὴ πένητα. Παρακαλοῦντες, πρὸς τί εἶπε; Πρὸς τὸ φέρειν πάντα. Καὶ παραμυθούμενοι καὶ διαμαρτυρόμενοι. Παρακαλοῦντες· οὐκ ἄρα δόξαν ἐζήτουν· Καὶ διαμαρτυρόμενοι· οὐκ ἄρα ἐκολάκευον. Εἰς τὸ περιπατῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν αὑτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ δόξαν. Ὅρα πάλιν πῶς διηγούμενος, καὶ διδάσκει καὶ παραμυθεῖται· εἰ γὰρ εἰς βασιλείαν ἐκάλεσε, πάντα δεῖ φέρειν. Παρακαλοῦμεν, οὐχ ἵνα ἡμῖν χαρίσησθέ τι, ἀλλ' ἵν' ἐπιτύχητε τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἀδιαλείπτως, ὅτι παραλαβόντες λόγον ἀκοῆς παρ' ἡμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐδέξασθε οὐ λόγον ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ, καθώς ἐστιν ἀληθῶς, λόγον Θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ἐνεργεῖται ἐν ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν. Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, φησὶν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς μὲν πάντα ἀμέμπτως πράττομεν, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀνάξια τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀναστροφῆς ἐποιήσατε· οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἀνθρώπων ἀκούοντες, διέκεισθε ἡμῶν ἀκούοντες, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ παραινοῦντος, οὕτω προσείχετε. Πόθεν δῆλον; Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ μὴ ἐν κολακείᾳ μηδὲ ἐν κενοδοξίᾳ κηρῦξαι ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων πειρασμῶν δείκνυσι, καὶ τῆς ἐκείνων μαρτυρίας, καὶ ὧν ἔπραττεν· οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἐκείνους ὀρθῶς δέξασθαι τὸν λόγον, ἀπὸ τῶν πειρασμῶν. Πόθεν γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰ μὴ ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος ἠκούετε,