[That Sinners are Privately to Be Reproved, and the Penitent to Be Received, According to the Constitution of Our Lord.]
XXXVIII. If, therefore, he be persuaded by the mouth of you three, it is well. But if any one hardens himself, “tell it to the Church: but if he neglects to hear the Church, let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican;” 186 Matt. xviii. 17. and receive him no longer into the Church as a Christian, but reject him as an heathen. But if he be willing to repent, receive him. For the Church does not receive an heathen or a publican to communion, before they every one repent of their former impieties; for our Lord Jesus, the Christ of God, has appointed place for the acceptance of men upon their repentance.
[38] Σὺ οὖν πρόσεχε τῷ κατηγορηθέντι, ἐν σοφίᾳ παρατηρῶν τὴν ἀναστροφὴν αὐτοῦ, τίς καὶ ὁποία τυγχάνει: καὶ εἰ εὕροις αὐτὸν ἀληθεύοντα, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου διδαχὴν ποίησον, καὶ μόνον παραλαβὼν τὸν κατηγορηθέντα ἔλεγξον αὐτόν, ὅπως μεταγνῷ, μηδενός σοι συμπαρόντος. Εἰ δὲ οὐ πεισθείη, γενόμενος δεύτερος ἢ τρίτος, οὕτως αὐτῷ ὑπόδειξον τὸ πλημμέλημα, νουθετήσας αὐτὸν ἐν πραότητι καὶ παιδείᾳ, ὅτι »Ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀγαθῇ ἀναπαύσεται σοφία, ἐν δὲ καρδίᾳ ἀφρόνων οὐ διαγινώσκεται.« Ἐὰν οὖν πεισθῇ ἐπὶ στόματος τῶν τριῶν ὑμῶν, εὖ ἂν ἔχοι. Εἰ δέ τι σκληρύνοιτο, εἰπὲ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ: ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ταύτης παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὡς ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης, καὶ μηκέτι αὐτὸν ὡς Χριστιανὸν παραδέχου ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐθνικὸν παραιτοῦ. Εἰ δὲ βούλοιτο μετανοεῖν, προσλαμβάνου: οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν ἐθνικὸν ἢ τὸν τελώνην εἰς κοινωνίαν παραδέχῃ, πρὶν ἢ μεταγνῷ ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἐκ τῶν προτέρων ἀσεβημάτων: τοῖς γὰρ μεταμελομένοις τόπον μετανοίας ὥρισεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.