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But if the wound is hollow, nourish it with plasters, so that when filled it may be made level with the sound flesh. But if it should break out, then cleanse it with a drying powder, that is, with a word of rebuke. But if it becomes swollen, level it with a harsh salve, with a threat of judgment. And if gangrene should set in, cauterize it and cut out the rottenness, having made it firm with fasts. But if you do these things and know that from feet to head there is no place to put a poultice, nor oil, nor bandages, but the gangrene spreads and anticipates every cure, as the gangrene rots every member, then with much consideration and counsel and other experienced physicians, cut off the corrupted member, so that the whole body of the Church may not be destroyed. Therefore, do not be readily at hand to cut off, nor rush quickly to the many-toothed saw, but first use a knife, lancing the abscesses, so that the internal cause of the pains, having been brought out, may keep the body free from pain. But if you see someone who is unrepentant and hardened, then with sorrow and mourning cut off from the Church him who is incurably sick; "For you shall put away the evil one from among you," and, "Make the sons of Israel reverent," and again, "You shall not show partiality in judgment to a rich man," and, "You shall not pity a poor man in judgment, for the judgment is the Lord's." But if the accusation of slander is false and you the shepherds with the deacons accept the falsehood as truth, either because of partiality or for the exchange of gifts, wishing to do what is pleasing to the devil, and you cast out of the Church the one who is accused, but is innocent of the charge, you will give an account on the day of the Lord, for it is written: "You shall not kill the innocent and righteous. You shall not take gifts to smite a soul; for gifts blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous." And again: "Those who justify the wicked for the sake of gifts and take away the right of the righteous." Take heed therefore, lest, having become respecters of persons, you fall under this word of the Lord. Beware therefore of condemning any unjustly and of advocating for the wicked; "For woe to him who calls evil good and good evil, bitter sweet and sweet bitter, who puts light for darkness and darkness for light." For if you condemn others unjustly, you pronounce against yourselves, because the Lord says: "With what judgment you judge, you shall be judged, and as you condemn, you shall be condemned."

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δὲ κοῖλον ᾖ τὸ τραῦμα, θρέψον αὐτὸ δι' ἐμπλάστρων, ἵνα γεμισθὲν ἶσον τῷ ἀρτίῳ ἀποτελεσθῇ· ἐὰν δὲ ·υπανθῇ, τότε κάθαρον ξηρίῳ, τοῦτ' ἔστιν λόγῳ ἐπιτιμητικῷ· ἐὰν δὲ ὑπέρογκον γένηται, δριμεῖ κολλυρίῳ ἐξομάλισον αὐτό, ἀπειλῇ κρίσεως· κἂν νομὴ γένηται, καυτηρίασον αὐτὸ καὶ τὴν σηπεδόνα ἔκκοψον, στιβώσας νηστείαις. Ἐὰν δὲ ταῦτα ποιήσῃς καὶ γνῷς ὅτι ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς οὐκ ἔστι μάλαγμα ἐπιθεῖναι οὔτε ἔλαιον οὔτε καταδέσμους, ἀλλ' ἐπεκτείνεται ἡ νομὴ καὶ προλαμβάνει πᾶσαν ἴασιν, ὡς ἡ γάγγραινα πᾶν μέλος σήπουσα, τότε μετὰ πολλῆς σκέψεως καὶ συμβουλίας καὶ ἑτέρων ἰατρῶν ἐμπείρων ἀπόκοψον τὸ διασαπὲν μέλος, ἵνα μὴ τὸ πᾶν φθαρῇ σῶμα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Μὴ ῥᾳδίως οὖν ἴσθι πρόχειρος εἰς τὸ ἀποκόπτειν, μηδὲ ταχέως εἰς τὸν μυριόδοντα πρίονα ὅρμα, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον χρῶ σμίλῃ, τὰ ἀποστήματα διαιρῶν, ὅπως τὸ ἐντὸς ἐγκεί μενον αἴτιον τῶν πόνων ποιῶν ἐκκριθὲν ἀναλγὲς τὸ σῶμα τηρήσῃ. Ἐὰν δέ τινα ἀμετανοήτως ἔχοντα βλέπῃς καὶ ἀπεσκληκότα, τότε μετὰ λύπης καὶ πένθους ἀνιάτως ἔχοντα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἀπόκοπτε· «Ἐξαρεῖτε γὰρ τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν», καί· «Eὐλαβεῖς ποιήσατε τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ», καὶ πάλιν· «Oὐ λήψῃ πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει πλουσίου», καί· «Πένητα οὐκ ἐλεήσεις ἐν κρίσει, ὅτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ κρίσις.» Ἐὰν δὲ ψευδὴς ᾖ ἡ κατηγορία τῆς διαβολῆς καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ ποιμένες σὺν τοῖς διακόνοις τὸ ψεῦδος ὡς ἀλήθειαν παραδέξησθε ἢ διὰ προσωποληψίαν ἢ διὰ δώρων ἐξαλλαγήν, βουλόμενοι τὸ ἀρεστὸν τῷ διαβόλῳ ποιεῖν, τὸν κατηγορού μενον μέν, ἀλλότριον ὑπάρχοντα δὲ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος, ἀπώσησθε τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, λόγον ὑφέξετε ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ Κυρίου, ὅτι γέγραπται· «Ἀθῶον καὶ δίκαιον οὐκ ἀποκτε νεῖς· οὐ λήψῃ δῶρα πατάξαι ψυχήν· τὰ γὰρ δῶρα ἐκτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς σοφῶν καὶ λυμαίνεται ·ήματα δικαίων». Καὶ πάλιν· «Oἱ δικαιοῦντες τὸν ἀσεβῆ ἕνεκεν δώρων καὶ τὸ δίκαιον τοῦ δικαίου αἴροντες.» Προσέχετε οὖν, μήπως προσωπολῆπται γενόμενοι ὑποπέσητε τῇ φωνῇ τοῦ Κυρίου ταύτῃ. Φυλάσσεσθε οὖν τὸ κατακρίνειν τινὰς ἀδίκως καὶ συνηγορεῖν τοῖς πονηροῖς· «Oὐαὶ γὰρ τῷ λέγοντι τὸ πονηρὸν καλὸν καὶ τὸ καλὸν πονηρόν, τὸ πικρὸν γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ γλυκὺ πικρόν, τῷ τιθέντι τὸ φῶς σκότος καὶ τὸ σκότος φῶς.» Ἐὰν γὰρ ἑτέρους ἀδίκως κατακρίνητε, καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἀποφαίνεσθε, ὅτι λέγει ὁ Κύριος· «Ὣι κρίματι κρίνετε, κριθήσεσθε, καὶ ὡς καταδικάζετε, καταδικα σθήσεσθε.»