let us marvel if the world hates us. For no one who has not passed "from death to life" but remains in death can love those who have passed from the dark house of death, if I may so call it, to the buildings filled with living stones of the light of life. Jesus "laid down his life for us," and so let us lay it down, I will not say for him but for ourselves, and I think even for those who will be built up by our martyrdom. The time for Christians to boast is upon us; for it says, "not only so, but we also boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance, and endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope; and hope does not put to shame," only let "the love of God" be poured out "in our hearts through the holy spirit." Let Paul say, "If after the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus," but let us say, "If after the manner of men" I was slain in Germany. 42 If "as the sufferings of Christ abound," "so through Christ our consolation also abounds," let us most eagerly accept the sufferings of Christ, and let them abound in us, if we long for abundant consolation, by which all who "mourn" "shall be comforted," but perhaps not equally. For if the consolation were equal, it would not have been written: "as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds." The partakers of the sufferings, according to the proportion of the sufferings of which they are partakers with Christ, will also be partakers of the consolation; which you also learn from him who faithfully says such things: for we know, "as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the consolation." And God says through a prophet: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." What other acceptable time, then, than when for our piety toward God in Christ, we are led away under guard, parading in the world and triumphing rather than being triumphed over? For the martyrs in Christ strip off with him "the principalities and powers" and triumph with him, becoming partakers of his sufferings and thus also of his mighty deeds in his sufferings; among which is to triumph over "the principalities and powers," which you will shortly see conquered and put to shame. What other day of salvation is like the day of our departure from here in such a way? But I urge you: give "no offense in anything, so that" the presbytery or "the ministry may not be blamed" by you, "but in everything" commend "yourselves as ministers of God, in much endurance," saying: "and now what is my endurance? Is it not the Lord?" "in tribulations," being persuaded that "many are the tribulations of the righteous," "in necessities," that we may claim blessedness as necessary for us, "in distresses," that having continuously walked the narrow and afflicted way we may arrive at life. If it is necessary, let us commend ourselves also "in beatings and in imprisonments and in tumults and in labors and in watchings and in fastings." For behold the Lord, and "his reward" is in his hand "to give to each one," as his works are. 43 Now let us show that we have desired knowledge through works befitting knowledge. Let all purity from any defilement whatsoever in any sin at all be made manifest in us. As sons of a long-suffering God and brothers of a long-suffering Christ, let us be long-suffering in all that happens; "for a long-suffering man is great in understanding, but he who is faint-hearted is exceedingly foolish." If one must commend oneself "by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left," having commended ourselves "by glory" and not having become conceited by it, now let us also endure dishonor; but if we have also lived our lives worthily of good repute and have been well-spoken of, now let us also bear the ill repute from the impious. And further, if as true we have been admired by lovers of truth, now let us laugh at being called deceivers. In many dangers, from which we were delivered, many said that we were recognized by God; now let whoever wishes say that we

θαυμάζωμεν, εἰ μισεῖ ἡμᾶς ὁ κόσμος. οὐδεὶς γὰρ μὴ μεταβὰς «ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωὴν» ἀλλὰ μένων ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ δύναται ἀγαπᾶν τοὺς μεταβεβηκότας ἀπὸ σκοτεινῆς τῆς τοῦ θανάτου, ἵν' οὕτως ὀνομάσω, οἰκίας ἐπὶ τὰ πε πληρωμένα οἰκοδομήματα ἐκ λίθων ζώντων φωτὸς ζωῆς. «ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἔθηκεν» Ἰησοῦς «τὴν ψυχὴν», καὶ ἡμεῖς οὖν θῶμεν αὐτὴν, οὐκ ἐρῶ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν, οἶμαι δ' ὅτι κἂν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ ἡμῶν οἰκοδομηθησομένων. ἐνέστη ἡμῖν καιρὸς Χριστιανοῖς καυχή σεων· «οὐ μόνον», γάρ φησιν, «ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμενοι ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα· ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει», μόνον «ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ» ἐκκεχύσθω «ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου». Παῦ λος μὲν λεγέτω· «εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ», ἡμεῖς δέ· «εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον» ἀνῃρέθην ἐν Γερμανίᾳ. 42 Εἰ «καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ παθήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ», «οὕτω διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ περισσεύει καὶ ἡ παράκλησις», προθυμότατα παρα δεξώμεθα τὰ Χριστοῦ παθήματα, καὶ περισσευσάτω ἐν ἡμῖν, εἴπερ ὀρεγόμεθα περισσῆς παρακλήσεως, ἣν πάντες μὲν οἱ «πενθοῦντες» «παρακληθήσονται», τάχα δὲ οὐκ ἐπ' ἴσης. εἰ γὰρ ἐπ' ἴσης ἦν ἡ παρά κλησις, οὐκ ἂν ἐγέγραπτο τό· «καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ παθήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς, οὕτω περισσεύει καὶ ἡ παράκλησις ἡμῶν.» οἱ κοινωνοὶ τῶν παθημάτων κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῶν παθημάτων, ὧν εἰσι κοι νωνοὶ πρὸς Χριστὸν, κοινωνοὶ ἔσονται καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως· ἃ καὶ μανθάνετε ἀπὸ τοῦ πεπιστευμένως τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγοντος· οἴδαμεν γὰρ, «ὡς κοινωνοί ἐστε τῶν παθημάτων, οὕτως καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως.» φησὶ δὲ διὰ προφήτου ὁ θεός· «καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσά σου καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας ἐβοήθησά σοι.» ποῖος οὖν ἄλλος εὐπρόσδεκτος καιρὸς, ἢ ὅτε διὰ τὴν εἰς θεὸν ἐν Χριστῷ εὐσέβειαν ὑπὸ φρουρὰν πομπεύον τες ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ θριαμβεύοντες μᾶλλον ἤπερ θριαμβευόμενοι ἀπ αγόμεθα; οἱ γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ μάρτυρες συναπεκδύονται αὐτῷ «τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας» καὶ συνθριαμβεύουσιν ὡς κοινωνοὶ τῶν πα θημάτων αὐτοῦ γινόμενοι οὕτως καὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν αὐτοῦ ἀνδραγαθημάτων· ἐξ ὧν ἐστι καὶ τὸ θριαμβεῦσαι «τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας», ἃς μετ' ὀλίγον ὄψεσθε νενικημένας καὶ κατῃσχυμμένας. ποία ἄλλη οὕτως ἡμέρα σωτηρίας ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα τῆς τοιαύτης ἡμῶν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγῆς; ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ· «μηδεμίαν ἐν μηδενὶ» δῶτε «προσκοπὴν, ἵνα μὴ μωμηθῇ» ὑπὸ ὑμῶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον ἢ «ἡ διακονία, ἀλλὰ ἐν παντὶ ἑαυτοὺς» συστήσασθε «ὡς θεοῦ διάκονοι, ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ» λέγοντες· «καὶ νῦν τίς ἡ ὑπομονή μου; οὐχὶ ὁ κύριος;» «ἐν θλίψεσι» πειθόμενοι ὅτι «πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων», «ἐν ἀνάγκαις», ἵν' ὡς ἀναγκαίαν ἡμῖν τὴν μακαριότητα ἀπαιτήσωμεν, «ἐν στενοχωρίαις», ἵν' ὡς τὴν στενὴν καὶ τὴν τεθλιμμένην ἀπαραλείπτως ὁδεύσαντες κατ αντήσωμεν ἐπὶ τὴν ζωήν. ἐὰν δέον ᾖ, συστήσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς καὶ «ἐν πληγαῖς καὶ ἐν φυλακαῖς καὶ ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις καὶ ἐν κόποις καὶ ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις καὶ ἐν νηστείαις.» ἰδοὺ γὰρ κύριος, καὶ «ὁ μισθὸς αὐτοῦ» ἐν χειρὶ «ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ», ὡς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐστι. 43 Νῦν δείξωμεν ὅτι γνῶσιν διὰ ἔργα πρέποντα τῇ γνώσει ἐποθήσαμεν. πᾶσα ἁγνότης ἡ ἀπὸ παντὸς οὑτινοσοῦν τοῦ ἐν ὁποιω δήποτε ἁμαρτήματι μολυσμοῦ φανερωθήτω ἐν ἡμῖν. ὡς μακροθύμου θεοῦ υἱοὶ καὶ μακροθύμου Χριστοῦ ἀδελφοὶ μακροθυμήσωμεν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς συμβαίνουσι· «μακρόθυμος γὰρ ἀνὴρ, πολὺς ἐν φρονήσει, ὁ δὲ ὀλιγόψυχος ἰσχυρῶς ἄφρων.» εἰ δεῖ ἑαυτὸν συνιστάναι «διὰ τῶν ὅπλων τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ τῶν ἀριστερῶν», συστήσαν τες ἑαυτοὺς «διὰ δόξης» καὶ μὴ χαυνωθέντες ἐπ' αὐτῇ νῦν καὶ τὴν ἀτιμίαν ὑπομείνωμεν· ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ εὐφημίας ἀξίως ἐπολιτευσάμεθα καὶ εὐφημήθημεν, νῦν καὶ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν δυσσεβῶν δυσφημίας ἀνα σχώμεθα. ἔτι δὲ εἰ ὡς ἀληθεῖς παρὰ τοῖς φιλαλήθεσιν ἐθαυμάσθημεν, νῦν ἐπὶ τῷ λέγεσθαι ἡμᾶς πλανᾶσθαι γελάσωμεν. ἐπὶ πολλοῖς κιν δύνοις, ἀφ' ὧν ἐῤῥύσθημεν, πολλοὶ εἶπον ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἐπιγινώ σκεσθαι· νῦν ὁ βουλόμενος λεγέτω ἡμᾶς