[That It is Better to Afford, Though It Be Inconsiderable and Few, Contributions to the Widows from Our Own Labours, Than Those Which are Many and Large Received from the Ungodly; For It is Better to Perish by Famine Than to Receive an Oblation from the Ungodly. ]

VIII. But if ye say that those who give alms are such as these, and if we do not receive from them, whence shall we administer to the widows? And whence shall the poor among the people be maintained? Ye shall hear from us, that therefore have ye received the gift of the Levites, the oblations of your people, that ye might have enough for yourselves, and for those that are in want; and that ye might not be so straitened as to receive from the wicked. But if the churches be so straitened, it is better to perish than to receive anything from the enemies of God, to the reproach and abuse of His friends. For of such as these the prophet speaks: “Let not the oil of a sinner moisten my head.”  22  Ps. cxli. 5 Do ye therefore examine such persons, and receive from such as walk holily, and supply the afflicted. But receive not from those that are excommunicated, until they are thought worthy to become the members of the Church. But if a gift be wanting, inform the brethren, and make a collection from them, and thence minister to the orphans and widows in righteousness.

[8] Ἀλλ' ἐὰν λέγητε, ὅτι οἱ διδόντες τὰς ἐλεημοσύνας οὗτοί εἰσιν, κἂν μὴ λάβωμεν παρ' αὐτῶν, πόθεν αἱ χῆραι ὑπηρετηθήσονται παρ' ἡμῶν καὶ οἱ ἐνδεεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ διατραφῶσιν; Ἀκούσεσθε παρ' ἡμῶν, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἐλάβετε δόματα λευϊτῶν, τὴν καρποφορίαν τοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν λαοῦ, ἵνα ἐπαρκῆτε καὶ ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις, καὶ μὴ ἐνδείᾳ συνεχόμενοι παρὰ πονηρῶν λαμβάνητε. Εἰ δὲ οὕτως ἀποροῦσιν αἱ ἐκκλησίαι, λυσιτελεῖ τινα διαφθαρῆναι, ἢ παρ' ἐχθρῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ λαβεῖν τι ἐφ' ὕβρει καὶ χλεύῃ τῶν αὐτοῦ φίλων: περὶ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων καὶ ὁ προφήτης λέγει: «Ἔλαιον ἁμαρτωλῶν μὴ λιπανάτω τὴν κεφαλήν μου.» Δοκιμασταὶ οὖν γίνεσθε τῶν τοιούτων: καὶ παρὰ μὲν τῶν ὁσίως περιπατούντων λαμβάνετε καὶ τοῖς θλιβομένοις χορηγεῖτε, παρὰ δὲ ἀποσυναγώγων μὴ λαμβάνετε, πρὶν ἂν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἶναι μέλη καταξιωθῶσιν. Εἰ δὲ ἐπιλείποι δόμα, προσάγγελλε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν συλλογὴν ποιησάμενος διακόνει τοῖς ὀρφανοῖς καὶ ταῖς χήραις ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ.