heavenly Father will do, unless you 20forgive20 each his brother from your hearts.” They say, however, that we 20must forgive20 those who have sinned against us when they repent, even if our 20debtor20 does this often. “For if he sins seven times in the day,” he says, “against you” “your brother” “and seven times turns saying: I repent, you 20shall forgive20 him.” But we are not harsh toward those who do not repent, but such men are wicked to themselves; “for he who rejects instruction hates himself”; nevertheless even in the case of such men the healing must be sought by every means to be brought about for the one who is completely perverted, so as not even to be aware of his own evils but to be drunk with a drunkenness more destructive than that “from wine,” that from the darkening of wickedness. 28.8 But Luke, saying: “0Forgive us our sins20” (since sins consist of 20our owing20 and not repaying) says the same thing as Matthew, who does not seem to give occasion to one who wishes 20to forgive20 only those 20who owe20 who repent, saying that it was legislated by the Savior that we must add in the prayer: “0for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us20.” However, we all <have> authority 20to forgive20 things sinned against us; which is clear both from the “0as we also forgive our debtors20” and from the “0for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us20.” But he who has been inspired by Jesus as the apostles were and can be known “by the fruits,” as having received the Holy Spirit and having become spiritual by being led by the Spirit in the manner of a son of God in each of the things that must be done according to reason, 20forgives20 what 20God forgives20 and retains the incurable sins, ministering, just as the prophets in speaking not their own things but those of the divine will, so also he himself to God who alone has authority 20to forgive20. 28.9 But in the gospel according to John, the words concerning the forgiveness effected by the apostles are as follows: “Receive the Holy Spirit; if you 20forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven20 them; if you retain any, they are retained.” But if anyone takes these words without examination, one might blame the apostles for not 20forgiving20 all, so that all might 20be forgiven20, but for retaining “the sins of some20,” so that through them they are also retained by God. But it is useful to take an example from the law in order to understand the forgiveness of sins for men which is effected by God through men. The priests according to the law are forbidden to offer a sacrifice for certain sins, in order that the trespasses of those, for whom the sacrifices are, might 20be forgiven20. And surely the priest, having authority for the offering concerning certain involuntary sins or trespasses, does not then also for adultery or voluntary murder or some other more grievous offense offer a “burnt offering and for sin.” So in this way therefore both the apostles and those made like the apostles, being priests according to the “great” “high priest,” having received the knowledge of the therapy of God, know, being taught by the Spirit, for which sins it is necessary to offer sacrifices and when and in what manner, and they know for which it is not necessary to do this. At any rate, the priest Eli, knowing that his sons Hophni and Phinehas were sinning, as being able to do nothing to cooperate in the forgiveness of their sins, also confesses his despair that this would happen through what he says: “If a man sinning sins against a man, they will also pray for him; but if he sins against the Lord, who will pray for him?” 28.10 I do not know how some, having permitted themselves things beyond the priestly dignity, perhaps not even understanding precisely the priestly science, boast that they are able to pardon even idolatry and 20to forgive20 adultery and fornication, as if through their prayer for those who have dared these things even 20the20 “sin unto death” 20is loosed20; for they do not read the verse, “There is a 20sin20 unto death; I do not say that one should ask concerning that one.” One must not pass over in silence also the most courageous Job offering a sacrifice for his sons, saying: “Lest perhaps my sons in their thought evil

οὐράνιος ποιήσει, ἐὰν μὴ 20ἀφῆτε20 ἕκαστος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν.» λέγουσι μέντοι γε μετανοεῖν τοῖς εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡμαρτηκόσιν 20ἀφετέον20, κἂν πολλάκις τοῦτο ὁ 20ὀφειλέτης20 ἡμῶν ποιῇ «ἐὰν» γὰρ «ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ἁμάρτῃ,» φησὶν, «εἰς σὲ» «ὁ ἀδελφός σου» «καὶ ἑπτάκις ἐπι στρέψῃ λέγων· μετανοῶ, 20ἀφήσεις20 αὐτῷ.» οὐχ ἡμεῖς δὲ χαλεποὶ πρὸς τοὺς μὴ μετανοοῦντας, ἀλλ' ἑαυτοῖς οἱ τοιοῦτοί εἰσι πονηροί· «ὁ» γὰρ «ἀπωθούμενος παιδείαν μισεῖ ἑαυτόν»· πλὴν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τοι ούτων τὴν θεραπείαν παντὶ τρόπῳ ζητητέον ἐγγενέσθαι τῷ τὰ πάντα διαστραφέντι, ὡς μηδὲ συναισθέσθαι τῶν ἰδίων κακῶν με θύειν δὲ μέθην ὀλεθριωτέραν τῆς «ἀπὸ οἴνου,» τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ σκο τισμοῦ τῆς κακίας. 28.8 ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς εἰπών· «0ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν20» 28.8 (ἐπεὶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα 20ὀφειλόντων ἡμῶν20 καὶ μὴ ἀποδιδόντων συν ίσταται) τὸ αὐτὸ λέγει τῷ Ματθαίῳ, ὅστις οὐκ ἔοικε χώραν δι δόναι τῷ βουλομένῳ μετανοοῦσιν 20ἀφιέναι20 τοῖς 20ὀφείλουσι20 μόνον, λέγων ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος νενομοθετῆσθαι τὸ ἡμᾶς δεῖν ἐν τῇ εὐχῇ προστιθέναι· «0καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ ἀφίεμεν παντὶ ὀφείλοντι ἡμῖν20.» πάντες μέντοι γε ἐξουσίαν <ἔχομεν> 20ἀφιέναι20 τὰ εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡμαρτημένα· ὅπερ δῆλόν ἐστιν ἔκ τε τοῦ «0ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφει λέταις ἡμῶν20» καὶ ἐκ τοῦ «0καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ ἀφίεμεν παντὶ ὀφεί λοντι ἡμῖν20.» ὁ δὲ ἐμπνευσθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὡς οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ «ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν» γινώσκεσθαι δυνάμενος, ὡς χωρήσας τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ γενόμενος πνευματικὸς τῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ἄγεσθαι τρόπον υἱοῦ θεοῦ ἐφ' ἕκαστον τῶν κατὰ λόγον πρακτέων, 20ἀφίησιν20 ἃ ἐὰν 20ἀφῇ ὁ θεὸς20 καὶ κρατεῖ τὰ ἀνίατα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ὑπηρετῶν ὥσπερ οἱ προφῆται ἐν τῷ λέγειν οὐ τὰ ἴδια ἀλλὰ τὰ τοῦ θείου βουλήματος τῷ θεῷ οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς τῷ μόνῳ ἐξουσίαν ἔχοντι 20ἀφιέναι20 θεῷ. 28.9 ἔχουσι δὲ ἐν τῷ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγελίῳ αἱ περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων γινομένης ἀφέσεως φωναὶ οὕτως· «λάβετε πνεῦμα ἅγιον· ἄν τινων 20ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται20 αὐτοῖς· ἄν τινων κρα τῆτε, κεκράτηνται.» εἰ δέ τις ἀβασανίστως ἐκλαμβάνει ταῦτα, ἐγκα λέσαι τις ἂν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις μὴ πᾶσιν 20ἀφιεῖσιν20, ἵνα πᾶσιν 20ἀφεθῇ20, ἀλλά «τινων» «0τὰς ἁμαρτίας20» κρατοῦσιν, ὡς δι' αὐτοὺς καὶ παρὰ θεῷ κρατεῖσθαι αὐτάς. χρήσιμον δὲ παράδειγμα ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου λαβεῖν πρὸς τὸ νοηθῆναι τὴν δι' ἀνθρώπων ἄφεσιν ὑπὸ θεοῦ γινο μένην ἀνθρώποις ἁμαρτημάτων. οἱ κατὰ νόμον ἱερεῖς κωλύονται περί τινων προσφέρειν ἁμαρτημάτων θυσίαν, ἵνα 20ἀφεθῇ20 τοῖς, περὶ ὧν αἱ θυσίαι, τὰ πλημμελήματα. καὶ οὐ δή που τὴν περί τινων ἐξουσίαν ὁ ἱερεὺς ἀκουσίων ἢ πλημμελημάτων ἀναφορὰν ἔχων ἤδη καὶ περὶ μοιχείας ἢ ἑκουσίου φόνου ἤ τινος ἄλλου χαλεπωτέρου πταίσματος προσφέρει «ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας.» οὕτω τοι γαροῦν καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ὡμοιωμένοι, ἱερεῖς ὄντες κατὰ τὸν «μέγαν» «ἀρχιερέα,» ἐπιστήμην λαβόντες τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ θεραπείας, ἴσασιν, ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος διδασκόμενοι, περὶ ὧν χρὴ ἀναφέρειν θυσίας ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ πότε καὶ τίνα τρόπον, καὶ γι νώσκουσι, περὶ ὧν οὐ χρὴ τοῦτο ποιεῖν. ὁ γοῦν ἱερεὺς Ἠλεὶ ἁμαρ τάνοντας ἐπιστάμενος τοὺς υἱοὺς Ὀφνεὶ καὶ Φινεὲς, ὡς μηδὲν δυνά μενος εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτημάτων αὐτοῖς συνεργῆσαι, καὶ τὸ ἀπογινώ σκειν τοῦτ' ἔσεσθαι ὁμολογεῖ δι' ὧν φησιν· «ἐὰν ἁμαρτάνων ἁμάρτῃ ἀνὴρ εἰς ἄνδρα, καὶ προσεύξονται περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἐὰν δὲ εἰς κύριον ἁμάρτῃ, τίς προσεύξεται περὶ αὐτοῦ;» 28.10 οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως ἑαυτοῖς τινες ἐπιτρέψαντες τὰ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἱερατι κὴν ἀξίαν, τάχα μηδὲ ἀκριβοῦντες τὴν ἱερατικὴν ἐπιστήμην, αὐχοῦσιν ὡς δυνάμενοι καὶ εἰδωλολατρείας συγχωρεῖν μοιχείας τε καὶ πορνείας 20ἀφιέναι20, ὡς διὰ τῆς εὐχῆς αὐτῶν περὶ τῶν ταῦτα τετολμηκότων λυομένης καὶ 20τῆς20 «πρὸς θάνατον» 20ἁμαρτίας20· οὐ γὰρ ἀναγινώσκουσι τὸ «ἔστιν 20ἁμαρτία20 πρὸς θάνατον· οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω ἵνα τις ἐρω τήσῃ.» οὐκ ἀποσιωπητέον καὶ τὸν ἀνδρειότατον Ἰὼβ περὶ τῶν υἱῶν ἀναφέροντα θυσίαν, λέγοντα· «μή ποτε οἱ υἱοί μου ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτῶν κακὰ