of our own evils and let us give thanks for the good things revealed to us through 20temptations20. But that the 20temptations20 which happen are for the purpose of revealing who we are, or of discerning the things hidden in our heart, is shown by what is said by the Lord in Job and what is written in Deuteronomy, which are as follows: “Do you suppose I have responded to you for any other reason than that you might be revealed as righteous?” And in Deuteronomy thus: “He afflicted you and let you hunger and fed you with manna” “and He led you” “through the desert,” “where there is biting snake and scorpion and thirst,” “in order that” “the things in your heart might be known.” 29.18 But if we wish to be reminded also from history, it must be known that the easily-deceived nature <of Eve> and the unsoundness of her reasoning did not come into being when, disobeying God, she listened to the serpent, but, being present even before, was exposed, the serpent having approached her for this reason, since with its own shrewdness it perceived her weakness. Nor did wickedness begin to be in Cain when he “killed” “his brother” (for even before that “God who knows the heart” “did not have regard for Cain and his sacrifices”), but his evil came to light when he slew Abel. But also if Noah had not drunk of the “wine” he cultivated and become “drunk” and was naked, neither the rashness of Ham and his impiety toward his father would have been revealed, nor the modesty and reverence of his brothers toward their begetter. And Esau’s plot against Jacob seemed to have as its pretext the taking away of the “blessing,” but even before this his soul had the roots of being a “fornicator” and a “profane person”; and we would not have known the splendor of Joseph’s self-control, prepared as he was not to be caught by any desire, had his mistress not fallen in love with him. 29.19 For this reason, in the times between the succession of 20temptations20, standing firm against present circumstances, let us prepare ourselves for all possible eventualities, so that whatever may happen, we may not be convicted as unprepared but may be revealed as having composed ourselves with the utmost care; for what is lacking on account of human weakness, when we have done all things in our power, God will fulfill, who works “all things together for good for those who love” him, for those foreseen according to his unfailing foreknowledge, what they would become by their own doing. 30.1 It seems to me that Luke, through “bring us not into temptation,” has in effect also taught “deliver us from the evil one.” And it is likely that to the disciple, as one who had already benefited, the Lord spoke the more concise version, but to the majority, who needed clearer teaching, the more explicit one. God 20delivers “us”20 “from the evil one”20 not when the enemy in no way approaches to wrestle with 20us20 through any of his schemes and the servants of his will, but when we conquer, standing bravely against what happens. And so we have understood the verse, “many are the afflictions of the righteous, and out of them all He 20delivers20 them.” For God “delivers”20 from afflictions, not by afflictions no longer happening (since Paul also says, “in everything we are afflicted” as if never not “being afflicted”), but when, “being afflicted,” by the help of God we are <not> distressed, with ‘being afflicted’ signifying, according to a Hebrew custom, that which happens involuntarily from circumstances, and ‘being distressed’ signifying that which is voluntary, from being conquered by the affliction and having yielded to it. Whence Paul rightly says: “in everything we are afflicted but not distressed.” And I think that the verse in the Psalms is similar to this: “in affliction you have given me room.” For by the cooperation and presence of the Word of God who comforts and saves 20us20, the cheerfulness and good spirits of our mind, which come from God in time of trial, is called enlargement. 30.2 In the same way, therefore, must one understand being 20delivered20 “from the evil one.” God 20delivered20 <Job> not by <the devil> not having received authority to subject him to these specific 20temptations20

ἰδίων κακῶν καὶ εὐχαριστῶμεν ἐπὶ τοῖς φανερουμένοις ἡμῖν διὰ τῶν 20πειρασμῶν20 ἀγαθοῖς. ὅτι δὲ οἱ γενόμενοι 20πειρασμοὶ20 ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀναφανῆναι ἡμᾶς, οἵτινές ποτε ἐσμὲν, ἢ διαγνωσθῆναι τὰ ἐγκεκρυμμένα τῇ καρδίᾳ ἡμῶν γίνονται, παρίστησι τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ λεγόμενον καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ ∆ευτερονομίῳ γεγραμμένον, οὕ τως ἔχοντα· «οἴει δέ με ἄλλως σοι κεχρηματικέναι ἢ ἵνα ἀναφανῇς δίκαιος;» καὶ ἐν τῷ ∆ευτερονομίῳ οὕτως· «ἐκάκωσέ σε καὶ ἐλιμαγ χόνησέ σε καὶ ἐψώμισέ σε τὸ μάννα» «καὶ διήγαγέ σε» «ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ,» «οὗ ὄφις δάκνων καὶ σκορπίος καὶ δίψα,» «ὅπως» «διαγνωσθῇ τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου.» 29.18 εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας ἀναμνησθῆναι βουλόμεθα, ἰστέον ὅτι τὸ <τῆς Εὔας> εὐεξαπάτητον καὶ τὸ σαθρὸν τοῦ λογισμοῦ αὐτῆς οὐχ, ὅτε παρακούσασα τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὄφεως ἤκουσεν, ὑπέστη ἀλλὰ καὶ πρό τερον ὂν ἠλέγχθη, τοῦ ὄφεως διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῇ προσεληλυθότος, ἐπεὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ φρονιμότητι ἀντελάβετο τῆς ἀσθενείας αὐτῆς. ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ Κάϊν πονηρία ἤρξατο γίνεσθαι, ὅτε «ἀπέκτεινε» «τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ» (καὶ πρότερον γὰρ «ἐπὶ τῷ Κάϊν καὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν» «ὁ καρδιογνώστης θεὸς»), εἰς φανερὸν δὲ ἦλθεν ἡ κακία αὐτοῦ, ὅτε ἀνεῖλε τὸν Ἄβελ. ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰ μὴ πιὼν οὗ ἐγεώργησεν «οἴνου» «ἐμεθύσθη» ὁ Νῶε καὶ ἐ<γε>γύμνωτο, οὐκ ἂν ἀνεφάνη οὔτε ἡ τοῦ Χὰμ προπέτεια καὶ εἰς τὸν πατέρα ἀσέβεια οὔτε ἡ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ σεμνότης καὶ αἰδὼς πρὸς τὸν γεγεννηκότα. καὶ ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ τοῦ Ἠσαῦ ἐπιβουλὴ πρόφασιν ἔδοξεν ἐσχηκέναι τὴν «τῆς εὐλογίας» ἀφαίρεσιν, καὶ πρό τερον δὲ τούτου ῥίζας τοῦ «πόρνος» καὶ «βέβηλος» εἶναι εἶχεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ψυχή· τήν τε λαμπρότητα τῆς τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ σωφροσύνης, παρε σκευασμένου πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἁλῶναι ὑπό τινος ἐπιθυμίας, οὐκ ἂν ἐγνώ κειμεν, μὴ ἐρασθείσης αὐτοῦ τῆς δεσποίνης. 29.19 διὰ τοῦτο ἐν τοῖς μεταξὺ καιροῖς τῆς τῶν 20πειρασμῶν20 δια δοχῆς ἱστάμενοι πρὸς τὰ ἐνεστηκότα, παρασκευαζώμεθα πρὸς τὰ δυνατὰ πάντα συμβῆναι, ἵν' ὅ τι ποτ' ἂν γένηται, μὴ ἐλεγχθῶμεν ὡς ἀνέτοιμοι ἀλλὰ φανερωθῶμεν ὡς ἐπιμελέστατα ἑαυτοὺς συγκροτή σαντες· τὸ γὰρ ἐλλεῖπον διὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν, ἐπὰν πάντα τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιτελέσωμεν, πληρώσει ὁ θεὸς, ὁ «τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν» αὐτὸν «πάντα» συνεργῶν «εἰς ἀγαθὸν, τοῖς κατὰ» τὴν ἀψευδῆ πρό γνωσιν αὐτοῦ, ὅ τι ποτὲ ἔσονται παρ' αὑτοὺς, προεωραμένοις. 30.1 ∆οκεῖ δέ μοι ὁ Λουκᾶς διὰ τοῦ «0μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν20» δυνάμει δεδιδαχέναι καὶ τὸ «0ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ20.» καὶ εἰκός γε πρὸς μὲν τὸν μαθητὴν, ἅτε δὴ ὠφε λημένον, εἰρηκέναι τὸν κύριον τὸ ἐπιτομώτερον, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς πλείο νας, δεομένους τρανοτέρας διδασκαλίας, τὸ σαφέστερον. 20ῥύεται δ' «ἡμᾶς20» ὁ θεὸς «0ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ20» οὐχὶ, ὅτε οὐδαμῶς 20ἡμῖν20 πρόσ εισιν ἀντιπαλαίων ὁ ἐχθρὸς δι' οἵων δή ποτε μεθοδειῶν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ὑπηρετῶν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ὅτε νικῶμεν ἀνδρείως ἱστά μενοι πρὸς τὰ συμβαίνοντα. οὕτως δὲ ἐξειλήφαμεν καὶ τὸ «πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὐτῶν 20ῥύεται20 αὐτούς.» «0ῥύε ται20» γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν θλίψεων ὁ θεὸς, οὐχὶ μὴ γινομένων ἔτι θλίψεων (εἴ γε καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησι τό· «ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι» ὡς μηδὲ πώ ποτε οὐ «θλιβόμενοι»), ἀλλ' ὅτε «θλιβόμενοι» βοηθείᾳ θεοῦ <οὐ> μὴ στενοχωρούμεθα, τοῦ μὲν θλίβεσθαι κατά τι πάτριον παρ' Ἑβραίοις οὕτω σημαινομένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀπροαιρέτως συμβαίνοντος περιστατι κοῦ, τοῦ δὲ στενοχωρεῖσθαι ἐπὶ τοῦ προαιρετικοῦ, ὑπὸ τῆς θλίψεως νενικημένου καὶ ἐνδεδωκότος αὐτῇ. ὅθεν καλῶς ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· «ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι ἀλλ' οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι.» ὅμοιον δὲ τούτῳ εἶναι νομίζω καὶ τὸ ἐν ψαλμοῖς· «ἐν θλίψει ἐπλάτυνάς με.» συνεργίᾳ γὰρ καὶ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ παραμυθουμένου καὶ σῴζοντος 20ἡμᾶς20 λόγου θεοῦ τὸ τῆς διανοίας ἡμῶν ἱλαρὸν καὶ εὔθυμον ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν περιστατικῶν ἀπὸ θεοῦ γινόμενον πλατυσμὸς ὠνόμασται. 30.2 ὁμοίως οὖν νοητέον καὶ τὸ 20ῥυσθῆναί20 τινα «0ἀπὸ τοῦ πονη ροῦ.» ἐῤῥύσατο20 ὁ θεὸς <τὸν Ἰὼβ> οὐχὶ τῷ μὴ εἰληφέναι <τὸν διάβο λον> ἐξουσίαν τοῖσδέ τισι τοῖς 20πειρασμοῖς20 αὐτὸν