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will the things from these seem small? For from being crucified with, and living with, and being glorified with, and reigning with, it comes to be; but from presenting oneself to God, it is to be transferred from human nature and dignity to the angelic; for thus says Daniel that "A thousand thousands stood by him." But he who has taken hold of the true priesthood and has aligned himself with the great high priest "certainly remains a priest forever, no longer being hindered by death from continuing in perpetuity." But of being deemed worthy to see God himself, there is no other fruit than this very thing, to be deemed worthy to see God; for this is the summit of all hope and the achievement of all desire, both the blessing of God and of every promise, and the end and consummation of the ineffable good things believed to be beyond both perception and knowledge, which also Moses longed to see and many prophets and kings desired; but only the pure in heart are deemed worthy, who for this reason are truly blessed, both being so and being called so, because they themselves will see God, of whom we wish you also to become one, "crucified with Christ," having presented to God a holy priest and a pure sacrifice, having become so in all purity, having prepared yourself through holiness for the presence of God, so that you also may "see God in a pure heart" according to the promise of God and our savior Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
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μικρὰ καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τούτων δόξει; Ἐκ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ συσταυρωθῆναι, καὶ συζῆσαι καὶ συνδοξασθῆναι καὶ συμβασιλεῦσαι προσγίνε-ται· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἑαυτὸν παραστῆσαι τῷ θεῷ, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνθρω πίνης φύσεως καὶ ἀξίας εἰς τὴν ἀγγελικήν ἐστι μετατά-ξασθαι· οὕτω γάρ φησι ὁ ∆ανιὴλ ὅτι «Χίλιαι χιλιάδες παρειστήκεισαν αὐτῷ.» Ὁ δὲ τῆς ἀληθινῆς ἱερωσύνης λαβόμενος καὶ τῷ μεγάλῳ ἀρχιερεῖ ἑαυτὸν συντάξας «μένει πάντως καὶ αὐτὸς ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, οὐκέτι θανάτῳ παραμένειν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς κωλυόμενος». Τοῦ δὲ τὸν θεὸν αὐτὸν καταξιωθῆναι ἰδεῖν οὐκ ἄλλος τίς ἐστιν ὁ καρπὸς ἢ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ καταξιωθῆναι τὸν θεὸν ἰδεῖν· πάσης γὰρ ἐλπίδος ἡ κορυφὴ καὶ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας κατόρ-θωμα, εὐλογίας τε θεοῦ καὶ ἐπαγγελίας πάσης καὶ τῶν ἀρρήτων ἀγαθῶν τῶν ὑπὲρ αἴσθησίν τε καὶ γνῶσιν εἶναι πεπιστευμένων τὸ πέρας καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἰδεῖν ἐπεπόθησε καὶ πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ βασιλεῖς ἐπεθύμησαν· ἀξιοῦνται δὲ μόνοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, οἱ διὰ τοῦτο ὄντως μακάριοι καὶ ὄντες καὶ ὀνομαζόμενοι, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται, ὧν ἕνα καὶ σὲ βουλόμεθα γενέσθαι, «συσταυρωθέντα Χριστῷ», παραστάν-τα θεῷ ἁγνὸν ἱερέα καὶ καθαρὸν θῦμα γενόμενον ἐν πάσῃ καθαρότητι διὰ τῆς ἁγνείας ἑαυτὸν ἑτοιμάσαντα τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ παρουσίᾳ, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς «ἴδῃς τὸν θεὸν ἐν καθαρᾷ τῇ καρδίᾳ» κατὰ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.