[That We are to Avoid Intercourse with False Brethren When They Continue in Their Wickedness.]
II. But if any one who calls himself a brother is seduced by the evil one, and acts wickedness, and is convicted and condemned to death as an adulterer, or a murderer, depart from him, that ye may be secure, and none of you may be suspected as a partner in such an abominable practice; and that no evil report may be spread abroad, as if all Christians took a pleasure in unlawful actions. Wherefore keep far from them. But do you assist with all diligence those that for the sake of Christ are abused by the ungodly and shut up in prison, or who are given over to death, or bonds, or banishment, in order to deliver your fellow-members from wicked hands. And if any one who accompanies with them is caught, and falls into misfortune, he is blessed, because he is partaker with the martyr, and is one that imitates the sufferings of Christ; for we ourselves also, when we oftentimes received stripes from Caiaphas, and Alexander, and Annas, for Christ’s sake, “went out rejoicing that we were counted worthy to suffer such things for our Saviour.” 3 Ecclus. xxx. 12 Ecclus. xxx. 12 Do you also rejoice when ye suffer such things, for ye shall be blessed in that day. 4 Ecclus. xxx. 11 Ecclus. xxx. 11
[2] Εἰ δέ τις, ἀδελφὸν λέγων ἑαυτὸν εἶναι, ἀπατηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ κακοποιήσῃ καὶ ἐλεγχθεὶς κατακριθῇ θανάτῳ ὡς μοιχὸς ἢ ὡς φονεύς, χωρίζεσθε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ἦτε ἄσυλοι, καὶ μή τις ὑμῶν ὡς κοινωνὸς τοῦ μύσους ὑποπτευθῇ καὶ καταχέηται βλασφημίαν, ὡς πάντων χριστιανῶν χαιρόντων ἐπὶ τοῖς παρανόμοις ἔργοις: διὸ μακρὰν ἀπ' αὐτῶν χωρεῖτε. Τοῖς μέντοι διὰ Χριστὸν κατ' ἐπήρειαν παρὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν συγκλειομένοις εἰς φυλακὴν ἢ πρὸς θάνατον ἐκδιδομένοις ἢ πρὸς δεσμὰ καὶ ἐξορίαν πάσῃ σπουδῇ βοηθεῖτε, τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν ῥυόμενοι ἐκ χειρὸς ἀθέσμων. Καὶ ἐάν τις αὐτοῖς συγκείμενος κρατηθῇ καὶ αἰκίαις ὑποπέσῃ, μακάριός ἐστιν, ὅτι κοινωνὸς μαρτύρων ἐγένετο καὶ μιμητὴς τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ παθημάτων. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς πολλάκις ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ὑπὸ Καϊάφα καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Ἄννα πληγὰς λαβόντες, χαίροντες ἐξῄειμεν, ὅτι κατηξιώθημεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν τοιαῦτα παθεῖν: καὶ ὑμεῖς χαίρετε τοιαῦτα πάσχοντες, ὅτι μακάριοι γενήσεσθε ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ.