Clement of Rome, The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

Let us then also pray for those who have fallen into any sin, that meekness and humility may be given to them, so that they may submit, not unto us, but to the will of God. For in this way they shall secure a fruitful and perfect remembrance from us, with sympathy for them, both in our prayers to God, and our mention of them to the saints.301 Literally, “there shall be to them a fruitful and perfect remembrance, with compassions both towards God and the saints.” Let us receive correction, beloved, on account of which no one should feel displeased. Those exhortations by which we admonish one another are both good [in themselves], and highly profitable, for they tend to unite302 Or “they unite.” us to the will of God. For thus saith the holy Word: “The Lord hath severely chastened me, yet hath not given me over to death.”303 Ps. cxviii. 18. “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”304 Prov. iii. 12; Heb. xii. 6. “The righteous,”305 I. κύριος (Lord). saith it, “shall chasten me in mercy, and reprove me; but let not the oil of sinners make fat my head.”306 Ps. cxli. 5. And again he saith, “Blessed is the man whom the Lord reproveth, and reject not thou the warning of the Almighty. For He causes sorrow, and again restores [to gladness]; He woundeth, and His hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, in the seventh no evil shall touch thee. In famine He shall rescue thee from death, and in war He shall free thee from the power307 Literally, “hand.” of the sword. From the scourge of the tongue will He hide thee, and thou shalt not fear when evil cometh. Thou shalt laugh at the unrighteous and the wicked, and shalt not be afraid of the beasts of the field. For the wild beasts shall be at peace with thee: then shalt thou know that thy house shall be in peace, and the habitation of thy tabernacle shall not fail.308 Literally, “err” or “sin.” Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thy children like the grass of the field. And thou shalt come to the grave like ripened corn which is reaped in its season, or like a heap of the threshing-floor which is gathered together at the proper time.”309 Job v. 17–26. Ye see, beloved, that310 I. βλέπετε πόσος (ye see how great). “protection is afforded to those that are chastened of the Lord; for since God is good,311 I. (δεσπότου) πατὴρ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ὤν (being a good father). He corrects us, that we may be admonished”312 I. ἐλεηθῆναι (be pitied). by His holy chastisement.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΝϚ’. Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὖν ἐντύχωμεν περὶ τῶν ἔν τινι παραπτώματι ὑπαρχόντων, ὅπως δοθῇ αὐτοῖς ἐπιείκεια καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνη εἰς τὸ εἶξαι αὐτοὺς μὴ ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ τῷ θελήματι τοῦ θεοῦ· οὕτως γὰρ ἔσται αὐτοῖς ἔγκαρπος καὶ τελεία ἡ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους μετ' οἰκτιρμῶν μνεία. Ἀναλάβωμεν παιδείαν, ἐφ' ᾗ οὐδεὶς ὀφείλει ἀγανακτεῖν, ἀγαπητοί. Ἡ νουθέτησις, ἣν ποιούμεθα εἰς ἀλλήλους, καλή ἐστιν καὶ ὑπεράγαν ὠφέλιμος· κολλᾷ γὰρ ἡμᾶς τῷ θελήματι τοῦ θεοῦ. Oὕτως γάρ φησιν ὁ ἅγιος λόγος· «Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέν με ὁ κύριος, καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ οὐ παρέδωκέν με.» «Ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ κύριος, παιδεύει· μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱόν, ὃν παραδέχεται.» «Παιδεύσει με γάρ, φησίν, δίκαιος ἐν ἐλέει καὶ ἐλέγξει με· ἔλαιον δὲ ἁμαρτωλῶν μὴ λιπανάτω τὴν κεφαλήν μου.» Καὶ πάλιν λέγει· «Μακάριος ἄνθρωπος, ὃν ἤλεγξεν ὁ κύριος· νουθέτημα δὲ παντοκράτορος μὴ ἀπαναίνου· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀλγεῖν ποιεῖ, καὶ πάλιν ἀποκαθίστησιν· ἔπαισεν, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἰάσαντο. Ἑξάκις ἐξ ἀναγκῶν ἐξελεῖταί σε, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ οὐχ ἅψεταί σου κακόν. Ἐν λιμῷ ῥύσεταί σε ἐκ θανάτου, ἐν πολέμῳ δὲ ἐκ χειρὸς σιδήρου λύσει σε· καὶ ἀπὸ μάστιγος γλώσσης σε κρύψει, καὶ οὐ μὴ φοβηθήσῃ κακῶν ἐπερχομένων. Ἀδίκων καὶ ἀνόμων καταγελάσῃ, ἀπὸ δὲ θηρίων ἀγρίων οὐ μὴ φοβηθῇς· θῆρες γὰρ ἄγριοι εἰρηνεύσουσίν σοι. Eἶτα γνώσῃ, ὅτι εἰρηνεύσει σου ὁ οἶκος· ἡ δὲ δίαιτα τῆς σκηνῆς σου οὐ μὴ ἁμάρτῃ. Γνώσῃ δέ, ὅτι πολὺ τὸ σπέρμα σου, τὰ δὲ τέκνα σου ὥσπερ τὸ παμβότανον τοῦ ἀγροῦ. Ἐλεύσῃ δὲ ἐν τάφῳ ὥσπερ σῖτος ὥριμος κατὰ καιρὸν θεριζόμενος, ἢ ὥσπερ θημωνιὰ ἅλωνος καθ' ὥραν συγκομισθεῖσα.» Βλέπετε, ἀγαπητοί, πόσος ὑπερασπισμός ἐστιν τοῖς παιδευομένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ δεσπότου· πατὴρ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ὢν παιδεύει εἰς τὸ ἐλεηθῆναι ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς ὁσίας παιδείας αὐτοῦ.