[A Constitution, that If Any One of the Ungodly by Force Will Cast Money to the Priests, They Spend It in Wood and Coals, But Not in Food. ]

X. But if at any time you be forced unwillingly to receive money from any ungodly person, lay it out in wood and coals, that so neither the widow nor the orphan may receive any of it, or be forced to buy with it either meat or drink, which it is unfit to do. For it is reasonable that such gifts of the ungodly should be fuel for the fire, and not food for the pious. And this method is plainly appointed by the law,  25  Lev. xix. 6 when it calls a sacrifice kept too long a thing not fit to be eaten, and commands it to be consumed with fire. For such oblations are not evil in their nature, but on account of the mind of those that bring them. And this we ordain, that we may not reject those that come to us, as knowing that the common conversation of the pious has often been very profitable to the ungodly, but religious communion with them is alone hurtful. And so much, beloved, shall suffice to have spoken to you in order to your security.

[Sec. II.—On Domestic and Social Life.]

[10] Ἐὰν δέ ποτε ἀνάγκη γένηται καὶ παρά τινος ἀνοσίου δέξασθαι ἄκοντας ἀργύριον, εἰς ξύλα καὶ ἀνθρακιὰν αὐτὸ δαπανήσατε, ἵνα μὴ λαβοῦσα ἡ χήρα ἐξ αὐτοῦ τι ἢ ὁ ὀρφανὸς ἀναγκασθῇ ὠνήσασθαι τροφὴν ἢ πόμα παρὰ τὸ προσῆκον: δίκαιον γὰρ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ταῦτα πυρὸς εἶναι κατανάλωμα, οὐκ εὐσεβῶν βρῶμα. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ὁ νόμος διαγορεύει, θυσίαν ὀψισθεῖσαν ἄβρωτον ἀποκαλῶν καὶ πυρὶ ταύτην ἀναλίσκεσθαι κελεύων. Οὐ γὰρ τῇ φύσει φαῦλα τὰ προσφερόμενα, ἀλλὰ τῇ γνώμῃ τῶν προσκομιζόντων αὐτά. Τοῦτο δὲ προστάσσομεν ἐπὶ τῷ μὴ ἀποστρέφειν τοὺς πλησιάζοντας ὑμῖν, εἰδότες καὶ τὴν συντυχίαν πολλάκις ἐπωφελῆ τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν γεγενῆσθαι τὴν πρὸς τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς, ἐπιβλαβῆ δὲ μόνην τὴν κατὰ τὴν θρησκείαν κοινωνίαν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν, ἀγαπητοί, ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον εἰρήσθω ὑμῖν πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν ὑμῶν.