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Let this be the aim: to contribute to the glory of God, and let nothing be done by you that does not have this purpose. “So whether you eat, or drink, or whatever else you do, do all to the glory of God.” 6.9 And how is it possible, he says, to eat and drink to the glory of God? When sitting at the table you give thanks to the Giver, when you acknowledge the Provider, when you introduce no worldly conversation, but with much moderation having satisfied the body's need and avoided excess and gluttony, you rise and give thanks to the One who provided nourishment for our sustenance, then you have done all things to the glory of God. “For whether you eat,” he says, “or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 6.10 See for me how through this brief saying he has included our whole life; for by saying, “whatever you do,” he has enclosed our entire life in one phrase, wanting us to perform the works of virtue everywhere while looking to nothing for human glory. And not only this, but by saying, “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” he hints at another thing for us: to abstain completely from the works of evil and to do nothing that does not bring glory to the common Master of all. So whether we pursue virtue, let us consider this above all: to receive praise from God alone, and let there be no regard for us of the praise from men; and if we are lazy, let that frighten us and check our reasoning, I mean that incorruptible judgment seat, and the coming of that fearful day, and the fact that what is done by us tends to the blasphemy of God. Therefore, just as he says of those who pursue virtue, “Those who honor me I will honor,” so listen again to the prophet saying, “Woe to you, for because of you my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.” 6.11 Do you see how great the indignation of this saying is? And how is it possible to glorify God? By living to the glory of God and so letting our life shine, just as he also said elsewhere, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” For nothing so causes our Master to be glorified as an excellent way of life. For just as the light of the sun with its own rays illuminates the eyes of those who see, so also virtue, drawing all who see it to the sight of itself, moves those who are well-disposed to the praise of the Master. Therefore, whatever things we do, let us do them in such a way as to move each of those who see to praise; for he says, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 6.12 What do I mean? If you ever wish to meet with someone, do not be eager to attend to those who are in prosperity and worldly prominence, but to those in affliction, those in tribulations, those in prisons, those who are desolate on every side and enjoy no consolation. Value meeting with them highly; for you will receive much profit from them, and you will be more philosophical, and you will accomplish everything to the glory of God. And if you must visit orphans and widows, prefer those who are in great lowliness to those in glory and prominence. For he is the one who has said, “I am a father of orphans and a judge of widows.” And again, “Judge for the orphan and justify the widow, and come, let us reason together, says the Lord.” 6.13 And if you simply wish to be present in the marketplace, remember the apostolic exhortation that says, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”; do not spend your time in unprofitable and harmful associations, but make your way to the house of God, so that both your body and your soul may receive the greatest benefit. And if we converse with anyone, let us do this with gentleness and much meekness, and let us not tolerate extending worldly conversations that have no benefit, but converse about such things as will provide much benefit to those who hear and will free us from all blame. 6.14 I have not brought these things up simply now for your love, but that you might learn how much we

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ταύτην ἐχέτω τὸ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ συντείνειν καὶ μηδὲν γινέσθω παρὰ σοῦ ὃ μὴ ταύτην ἔχει τὴν ὑπόθεσιν. «Εἴτε οὖν ἐσθίετε, εἴτε πίνετε, εἴτε τι ἕτερον ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε.» 6.9 Καὶ πῶς ἔστι, φησίν, εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν; Ὅταν καθήμενος ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης εὐχαριστῇς τῷ δεδωκότι, ὅταν ἐπιγινώσκῃς τὸν χορηγόν, ὅταν μηδεμίαν βιωτικὴν ἐπεισαγάγῃς διάλεξιν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σωφροσύνης τὴν χρείαν τοῦ σώματος πληρώσας καὶ τὴν ἀμετρίαν καὶ τὴν ἀδηφαγίαν ἐκκλίνας, ἀναστὰς εὐχαριστήσῃς τῷ τὴν τροφὴν παρασχόντι εἰς σύστασιν ἡμετέραν, τότε εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ πάντα ἐποίησας. «Εἴτε γὰρ ἐσθίετε, φησίν, εἴτε πίνετε, εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε.» 6.10 Θέα μοι πῶς διὰ τῆς βραχείας ταύτης λέξεως πάντα τὸν βίον ἡμῶν συμπεριέλαβεν· εἰπὼν γάρ· εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πᾶσαν ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν ἑνὶ ῥήματι περιέκλεισε, βουλόμενος ἡμᾶς πανταχοῦ μηδὲν πρὸς ἀνθρωπίνην δόξαν ἀφορῶντας διαπράττεσθαι τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔργων. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλ' εἰπών· «εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε», καὶ ἕτερον ἡμῖν αἰνίττεται, τὸ πάντη τῶν τῆς κακίας ἔργων ἀπέχεσθαι καὶ μηδὲν πράττειν ὃ μὴ φέρει δόξαν τῷ κοινῷ πάντων δεσπότῃ. Κἄν τε οὖν ἀρετὴν μετίωμεν, τοῦτο σκοπῶμεν πρὸ πάντων τὸν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου Θεοῦ ἔπαινον κομίζεσθαι καὶ μηδεὶς ἡμῖν ἔσται λόγος τῆς παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εὐφημίας, κἄν τε ῥᾳθυμῶμεν, ἐκεῖνο ἡμᾶς φοβείτω καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν ἡμῶν συστελλέτω, τὸ κριτήριον ἐκεῖνο λέγω τὸ ἀδέκαστον, καὶ ἡ τῆς φοβερᾶς ἐκείνης ἡμέρας ἐπέλευσις καὶ τὸ εἰς βλασφημίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τείνειν τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν γινόμενα. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν τὴν ἀρετὴν μετιόντων φησί· «Τοὺς δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω», οὕτως ἄκουε πάλιν τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· «Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν ὅτι δι' ὑμᾶς τὸ ὄνομά μου βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν.» 6.11 Ὁρᾷς πόση τοῦ ῥήματος ἡ ἀγανάκτησις; Πῶς δὲ ἔστι δοξάσαι τὸν Θεόν; ∆ιὰ τοῦ εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ζῆν καὶ οὕτως ἡμῶν λάμπειν τὸν βίον καθάπερ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἔλεγε· «Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὅπως ἴδωσι τὰ καλὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.» Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω ποιεῖ δοξάζεσθαι τὸν δεσπότην τὸν ἡμέτερον ὡς ἀρίστη πολιτεία. Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ ἡλιακὸν φῶς ταῖς οἰκείαις ἀκτῖσι καταυγάζει τῶν ὁρώντων τὰς ὄψεις, οὕτω καὶ ἀρετὴ πάντας τοὺς ὁρῶντας ἐπισπωμένη πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῆς θέαν, εἰς δοξολογίαν κινεῖ τοῦ δεσπότου τοὺς εὖ φρονοῦντας. Πάντα τοίνυν ἅπερ ἂν πράττωμεν, οὕτως αὐτὰ πράττωμεν ὡς εἰς δοξολογίαν κινεῖν ἕκαστον τῶν ὁρώντων· φησὶ γάρ· «Εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε.» 6.12 Οἷόν τι λέγω; Κἂν συντυχεῖν τινί ποτε βουληθῇς, μὴ τοὺς ἐν εὐημερίαις καὶ τῇ περιφανείᾳ τῇ κατὰ τὸν κόσμον τυγχάνοντας θεραπεύειν σπούδαζε, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐν θλίψεσι, τοὺς ἐν περιστάσεσι, τοὺς ἐν δεσμωτηρίοις, τοὺς πανταχόθεν ἐρήμους καὶ μηδεμιᾶς ἀπολαύοντας παρακλήσεως. Ἐκείνων τὴν συντυχίαν περὶ πολλοῦ ποιοῦ· πολὺ γὰρ ἐξ ἐκείνων δέξῃ τὸ κέρδος καὶ φιλοσοφώτερος μᾶλλον ἔσῃ καὶ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ τὸ πᾶν ἐργάσῃ. Κἂν ἐπισκέπτεσθαι δέῃ ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας, καὶ τοὺς ἐν πολλῇ εὐτελείᾳ τυγχάνοντας μᾶλλον προτίμα τῶν ἐν δόξῃ καὶ περιφανείᾳ. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ εἰρηκώς· «Ἐγώ εἰμι πατὴρ ὀρφανῶν καὶ κριτὴς χηρῶν.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Κρίνατε ὀρφανῷ καὶ δικαιώσατε χήραν καὶ δεῦτε καὶ διαλεχθῶμεν, λέγει Κύριος.» 6.13 Κἂν ἁπλῶς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς παραγενέσθαι βούλῃ, μνημόνευε τῆς ἀποστολικῆς παραινέσεως τῆς λεγούσης· «Εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε»· μὴ εἰς ἀνονήτους καὶ ἐπιβλαβεῖς συνουσίας τὸν καιρὸν ἀνάλισκε, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ οἶκον τὸν δρόμον ποιοῦ ἵν' ὁμοῦ τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ μεγίστην δέξηται τὴν ὠφέλειαν. Κἂν διαλεγώμεθα πρός τινας, μετ' ἐπιεικείας καὶ πολλῆς τῆς πραότητος τοῦτο ποιῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀνεχώμεθα βιωτικὰς καὶ οὐδὲν ὄφελος ἐχούσας διαλέξεις ἀποτείνειν, ἀλλὰ τοιαῦτα διαλέγεσθαι ἃ καὶ τοῖς ἀκούουσι πολλὴν παρέξει τὴν ὠφέλειαν καὶ ἡμᾶς πάσης μέμψεως ἐλευθερώσει. 6.14 Ταῦτα οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐκίνησα νῦν ἐπὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης, ἀλλ' ἵνα μάθητε ὅσης ἡμῖν