De oratione

 Therefore, the one of these, I mean the 'what we should pray for,' is the words of the prayer, but the 'as we ought' is the state of the one praying

 we are more than conquerors.” It is likely that “intercedes” only concerns those who are not so great as to be more than conquerors, nor again such as

 God be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and give me bread to eat and a garment to put on, and bring me back with safety to my father's hous

 of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying: This is the word, which the Lord commanded: A man, who shall vow a vow to the Lord or swear an oath with

 of those who say there is providence for it is not our present purpose to examine the sayings of those who entirely deny God or providence) God kn

 since God exists and has comprehended the whole universe and abides in His pre-arranged decrees, to pray, supposing that by his prayer he will alter G

 and from what is in our power, which will be enacted according to our impulse. For even if, hypothetically, God did not know the future, we would not

 “let him not boast” “before” me but let him say: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” and perceiving my

 of prayer benefits those who have persuaded themselves that they have stood before and are speaking to a present and hearing God? 9.1 What has been sa

 to God, who ordains what he wills for our training, but not even murmuring in the secret of our thoughts without a voice audible to men which murmuri

 his preeminence, and stretching forth the right hand and giving to Judas a golden sword, to whom another saint who had fallen asleep testified, sa

 an angel, «of the» in the church «little ones,» «always» seeing «the face of the Father» «who is in heaven» and beholding the divinity of the one who

 the prayer of Holofernes with God prevails and one woman of the Hebrews brought shame to the house of Nebuchadnezzar But 'Ananias' 'and Azarias and M

 suffering from a basilisk, because through Christ he has stepped upon them and has trampled “lion and dragon,” having used the good authority given by

 doxology for greater things, offered up more magnificently by someone, and intercession, a request to God concerning certain things by one having a ce

 And an example of thanksgiving is the voice of our Lord, saying: “I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these thing

 kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their princesses your nurses they shall bow down to <you> with their face to the ground, and shall lick the

 with him the intelligible blessing reaching all the saints, spoken by Isaac to Jacob, namely: «May God give you of the dew of heaven,» to have come to

 of things truly and genuinely great and heavenly, and matters concerning the shadows that follow the preceding things must be entrusted to God, who kn

 For it is the work of hypocrites to want to put on airs before men for the sake of piety or for social reasons. But it is necessary, remembering the s

 20.2 And we must listen carefully to that they may be seen, since nothing that is merely apparent is good, as if existing in appearance and not in t

 It is not that God has not been called 20father20, or that those who are considered to have believed in God have not been named sons of God but rathe

 he has imitated the image «of the invisible God» and has become «according to the image of the one who created him,» who makes «his sun» rise «on the

 20Father20» let him go. And let us seek to understand more mystically the saying at the end of the Gospel according to John: «Do not touch me, for I h

 in order to persuade the reader from every side, according to the power given to us, to hear the divine scripture in a higher and more spiritual way,

 to exalt «0the name20» of God «at the same time,» is <when> someone, having partaken of an emanation of divinity by being taken up by God and having p

 We are commanded by Paul no longer to be subject to sin which wants to rule over us, and indeed we are ordered through these words: Let not sin there

 for us «0on earth20» likewise to them in all things “the 20will20” of God should be done which will happen, when we do nothing contrary to His «0will

 to divinity and being united with it. 26.5 But since the second point does not yet solve the difficulties about how «0the will20» of God is «0in heave

 we will set these things forth from more numerous sources. He says in the Gospel according to John to those who had come to Capernaum to seek him: “Tr

 nor are you able even now for you are still of the flesh” and in the one to the Hebrews: “and you have come to need milk, not solid food. For everyon

 being set apart, but is subject to every quality just like a prepared place. And by qualities they mean dispositively the activities and productions i

 by a demonstration of the angels and their becoming more ready to cooperate in every way and henceforth to concur in the apprehension of more and grea

 in the psalms thus: a thousand years in your eyes are as yesterday, which has passed (which is the famous millennium, which is likened to the yeste

 «0today20» but also in a way of the «0daily20» he who prays for «0today20», from the one who is able to grant «exceedingly abundantly above all that w

 and we are in a theater of the world and of angels and of men, it must be known that, just as the one in the theater is a 20debtor20 to say or do cert

 heavenly Father will do, unless you 20forgive20 each his brother from your hearts.” They say, however, that we 20must forgive20 those who have sinned

 they conceived a thought against God” for he offers the sacrifice concerning things of which it is doubted whether a sin has been committed, and this

 which our Lord taught concerning prayer. But when has anyone considered men to be outside of 20temptations20, whose word he knew he had fulfilled? And

 every time is one of 20temptation20 for men, even these things not even he who meditates on the law of God «day and night» and practices to fulfill w

 Finding such things in the law and the prophets, they stumbled as at one who was not good, who uttered such words but for us, on account of the diffi

 having desired generation, pray again to obtain twice what you desire, having come to hate the thing desired, and then thus to return to the good thin

 of our own evils and let us give thanks for the good things revealed to us through 20temptations20. But that the 20temptations20 which happen are for

 to put on (for he has received), but by in all that befell him not to have sinned at all before the Lord but to be shown to be righteous of the o

 to pray, stretching out the soul, as it were, before the hands, and stretching the mind toward God before the eyes, and before standing, arousing the

 which is possible, unless one gives himself to this by agreement for a time, that perhaps also concerning the place, if it is permissible, it must b

 It seems to me that these things have necessarily been said, while examining the place of prayer and representing what is exceptional as in a place at

 for the sake of magnifying you, my Lord, Lord.” 33.4 An example of confessions: “Deliver me from all my iniquities,” and in other places: “My wounds h

the prayer of Holofernes with God prevails and one woman of the Hebrews brought shame to the house of Nebuchadnezzar; But 'Ananias' 'and Azarias and Misael,' 'a whistling wind of dew,' not allowing the flame of the fire to have effect, having been heard, became worthy to receive it; and the lions in the den of the Babylonians are muzzled through the prayers of Daniel; and Jonah, not despairing of being heard from the belly of the sea monster that swallowed him, coming out of the belly of the sea monster, fulfills what was lacking of the prophecy to the Ninevites. 13.3 And how many things does each of us have to recount, if, thankfully remembering the benefits done to him, he wishes to send up praises to God concerning these things? For souls that have long been barren, having perceived the sterility of their own ruling faculties and the barrenness of their own mind, having conceived saving words through persistent prayer from the Holy Spirit, filled with theorems of truth, have given birth. And how many enemies were scattered, when myriads of opposing power were campaigning against us many times and wishing to destroy us from the divine faith? when we took courage because we, calling upon 'these in chariots' and 'these in horses' but 'we in the name of the Lord,' see that truly 'a horse is a vain thing for safety.' But also the deceptive and plausible word of the chief captain of the adversary, which causes many even of those thought to have believed to cower, he who trusts in praise to God often cuts through; For Judith is interpreted as praise. And how many who have often fallen into hard-to-overcome temptations, more burning than any flame, have suffered nothing from them but have come through them completely unharmed, not even having suffered harm from a chance smell 'of the' hostile 'fire,' what need is there even to say? But also how many beasts, enraged against us—wicked spirits and cruel men—having encountered, they have often muzzled them with prayers, since they were not able to sink their teeth into our members which have become Christ's? For often for each of the saints, 'the Lord has broken the jawbones of the lions,' and they were made as nothing, 'as water that runs by.' And we often know fugitives from the commands of God who were swallowed by death, which first prevailed against them, were saved from so great an evil through repentance, not having despaired of being able to be saved, though already held 'in the belly of' death; 'for death prevailed and swallowed up, and again God has wiped away every tear from every face.' 13.4 And I think these things have most necessarily been said by me after the catalogue of those who were helped through prayer, to turn away those who desire the spiritual and the life in Christ from praying about small and earthly things and to exhort those who encounter this writing to the mystical things, of which the things previously mentioned by me were types. For every prayer concerning the spiritual and mystical things set before us is always accomplished by the one not warring 'according to the flesh' but 'by the spirit' putting to death 'the deeds of the body,' when the things presented from the allegorical interpretation after examination are preferred to the benefit that appears according to the letter to have happened to those who prayed. For it must also be practiced among us not to become barren or sterile, hearing the spiritual law with spiritual ears; so that, putting away being barren or sterile, we may be heard like Hannah and Hezekiah, and so that we may be delivered from the plotting enemies of spiritual wickedness like Mordecai and Esther and Judith. And since Egypt is an iron furnace, being a symbol of every earthly place, let everyone who has fled the evil of the life of men and has not been set on fire by sin nor has had his heart like an oven full of fire give thanks no less than those who experienced 'dew' in the fire. But also the one who in praying and saying, 'Do not deliver to the beasts a soul that confesses to you,' was heard and nothing from the shield and the

προσευχὴν τοῦ Ὀλοφέρνου μετὰ θεοῦ περιγίνεται καὶ μία γυνὴ τῶν Ἑβραίων αἰσχύνην ἐποίησε τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ· «Ἀνανίας» δὲ «καὶ Ἀζαρίας καὶ Μισαὴλ» «πνεῦμα δρόσου διασυρίζον,» οὐκ ἐῶν ἐνεργεῖν τὴν φλόγα τοῦ πυρὸς, ἄξιοι γεγόνασιν ἐπακουσθέντες λαβεῖν· οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ Βαβυλωνίων λέοντες φιμοῦνται διὰ τὰς τοῦ ∆ανιὴλ προσευχάς· καὶ Ἰωνᾶς δὲ, οὐκ ἀπογνοὺς τὸ ἐπακουσθήσεσθαι ἐκ κοιλίας τοῦ καταπιόντος αὐτὸν κήτους, τὸ ἐλλιπὲς τῆς πρὸς τοὺς Νινευΐτας προφητείας ἐξελθὼν τὴν τοῦ κήτους γαστέρα ἀναπληροῖ. 13.3 ὅσα δὲ καὶ ἕκαστος ἡμῶν, ἐὰν εὐχαρίστως μεμνημένος τῶν εἰς αὑτὸν εὐεργεσιῶν περὶ τούτων αἴνους ἀναπέμπειν τῷ θεῷ βού ληται, ἔχει ἐκδιηγήσασθαι; ἄγονοί τε γὰρ ἐπὶ πολὺ γεγενημέναι ψυχαὶ, ᾐσθημέναι τῆς στειρώσεως τῶν ἰδίων ἡγεμονικῶν καὶ τῆς ἀγονίας τοῦ νοῦ ἑαυτῶν, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος διὰ ἐπιμόνου εὐχῆς κυήσασαι σωτηρίους λόγους. θεωρημάτων ἀληθείας πεπληρω μένους, γεγεννήκασιν. ὅσοι δὲ, ἡμῶν πολλάκις μυριάδων ἀντικει μένης δυνάμεως καταστρατευομένων καὶ ἐξαφανίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς θείας ἡμᾶς πίστεως βουλομένων, πολέμιοι διελύθησαν; θαῤῥησάντων ἡμῶν ὅτι «οὗτοι ἐν ἅρμασιν» «οὗτοι» δὲ «ἐν ἵπποις» ἀλλὰ «ἡμεῖς ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου» ἐπικαλούμενοι ὁρῶμεν ὅτι ἀληθῶς «ψευδὴς ἵππος εἰς σωτηρίαν.» ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἀρχιστρατηγὸν τοῦ ἀντικειμένου ἀπα τηλὸν καὶ πιθανὸν λόγον, καταπτήσσειν ποιοῦντα πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν πεπιστευκέναι νομιζομένων, ὁ τῷ πρὸς θεὸν αἴνῳ πεποιθὼς δια κόπτει πολλάκις· Ἰουδὴθ γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται αἴνεσις. ὅσοι τε πάσης φλογὸς καυστικωτέροις περιπεσόντες δυσπεριγενήτοις πολλάκις πει ρασμοῖς οὐδὲν ὑπ' αὐτῶν πεπόνθασιν ἀλλὰ πάντῃ ἀβλαβεῖς τούτους διεξεληλύθασιν, οὐδὲ τὸ τυχὸν ὀσμῆς «τοῦ» πολεμίου «πυρὸς» βλάβην ἐσχηκότες, τί δεῖ καὶ λέγειν; ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ὅσοις θηρίοις, καθ' ἡμῶν ἐξηγριωμένοις, πονηροῖς πνεύμασι καὶ ἀνθρώποις ὠμοῖς παρατυ χόντες ταῖς εὐχαῖς αὐτοὺς πολλάκις ἐφίμωσαν, οὐ δεδυνημένων ἐγ χρίψαι τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτῶν τοῖς γεγενημένοις ἡμῶν μέλεσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ; πολλάκις γὰρ καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν ἁγίων «τὰς μύλας τῶν λεόντων συνέθλασε κύριος,» καὶ ἐξουδενώθησαν «ὡς ὕδωρ παρα πορευόμενον.» ἴσμεν δὲ πολλάκις φυγάδας προσταγμάτων θεοῦ καταποθέντας ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου, πρότερον κατ' αὐτῶν ἰσχύσαντος, διὰ τὴν μετάνοιαν σωθέντας ἀπὸ τοῦ τηλικούτου κακοῦ, οὐκ ἀπε γνωκότας τὸ σῴζεσθαι δύνασθαι ἤδη «ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ» θανάτου κεκρατημένους· «κατέπιε γὰρ ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας, καὶ πάλιν ἀφεῖλεν ὁ θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου.» 13.4 ταῦτα δέ μοι ἀναγκαιότατα μετὰ τὸν κατάλογον τῶν ὠφε ληθέντων διὰ προσευχῆς εἰρῆσθαι νομίζω, ἀποτρέποντι τὴν πνευ ματικὴν καὶ τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ζωὴν ποθοῦντας ἀπὸ τοῦ περὶ τῶν μικρῶν καὶ ἐπιγείων εὔχεσθαι καὶ παρακαλοῦντι ἐπὶ τὰ μυστικὰ, ὧν τύποι ἦσαν τὰ προειρημένα μοι, τοὺς ἐντυχόντας τῇδε τῇ γραφῇ. πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ περὶ τῶν προπαρατεθέντων ἡμῖν πνευματικῶν καὶ μυστικῶν εὐχὴ ἀεὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ μὴ «κατὰ σάρκα» στρατευομένου ἀλλὰ «πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος» θανατοῦντος ἐπιτελεῖται, προκρινομένων τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς μετ' ἐξετάσεως παρισταμέ νων τῆς ἐμφαινομένης κατὰ τὴν λέξιν γεγονέναι τοῖς προσευξα μένοις εὐεργεσίας. καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν γὰρ ἀσκητέον μὴ ἐγγενέσθαι ἄγονον ἢ στεῖραν, ἀκούουσι τοῦ πνευματικοῦ νόμου ὠσὶ πνευματικοῖς· ἵνα ἀποτιθέμενοι τὸ εἶναι ἄγονοι ἢ στεῖραι ἐπακουσθῶμεν ὡς Ἄννα καὶ Ἐζεκίας, καὶ ἵνα ἀπὸ ἐπιβουλευόντων ἐχθρῶν τῶν πνευματικῶν τῆς πονηρίας ῥυσθῶμεν ὡς Μαρδοχαῖος καὶ Ἐσθὴρ καὶ Ἰουδήθ. καὶ ἐπεὶ κάμινός ἐστι σιδηρᾶ Αἴγυπτος, σύμβολον τυγχάνουσα παντὸς τοῦ περιγείου τόπου, πᾶς ὁ ἐκπεφευγὼς τὴν τοῦ βίου τῶν ἀνθρώπων κακίαν καὶ μὴ πεπυρωμένος ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μηδὲ ὡς κλίβανον πλήρη πυρὸς τὴν καρδίαν ἐσχηκὼς μὴ ἔλαττον εὐχαριστείτω τῶν ἐν πυρὶ «δρόσου» πεπειραμένων. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ εὔξασθαι καὶ εἰρηκέναι· «μὴ παραδῷς τοῖς θηρίοις ψυχὴν ἐξομολογουμένην σοι» ἐπακουσθεὶς καὶ μηδὲν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσπίδος καὶ τοῦ