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must be... as things dedicated to God. But indeed also of the poor, O bishop, be mindful and stretching out a hand of help to them and taking thought for them, as God's steward distributing to each at the right time what is needed, to widows and orphans and the destitute and those tested in affliction. For what if some are not widows or widowers, but need help on account of poverty or on account of sickness or on account of raising children? It is necessary for you to oversee all and to take care of all. For those who give gifts do not give them off-hand to the widows, but contribute them simply, calling them freewill offerings, so that you, knowing those who are afflicted, may accurately as a good steward distribute to them from the gift; for God knows the one who has given, even if in his absence it is distributed by you to those in need; and he has the reward for his good deed, but you have the blessing for your conscientious stewardship. And tell them also who has given, so that they may pray for him by name. For it is necessary to do good to all people, not making distinctions as to who this one or that one is; for the Lord says: "Give to everyone who asks you." It is clear, however, that it is to the one who is truly in need, whether he be friend or enemy, whether relative or stranger, whether unmarried or married. For in all Scripture the Lord exhorts concerning the poor, saying through Isaiah: "Break your bread for the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; if you see the naked, cover him, and you shall not overlook the kindred of your own seed." And through Daniel he says to the ruler: "Therefore, O king, let my counsel be pleasing to you, and atone for your sins with alms and your iniquities with mercy to the poor." And through Solomon he says: "By alms and faith sins are purged away." And through David he says again: "Blessed is he who considers the poor and needy, in the evil day the Lord will deliver him." And again: "He has scattered, he has given to the poor, his righteousness endures forever." And Solomon says: "He who has mercy on the poor lends to the Lord, and according to his gift it will be repaid to him." And next: "Whoever stops his ears from hearing the poor, he too will call and there will be no one to hear him." And let every widow be gentle, quiet, mild, guileless, not given to anger, not a great talker, not clamorous, not forward of speech, not a slanderer, not a newsmonger, not double-tongued, not a busybody; seeing something crooked or even hearing it be

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νεσθαι χρὴ ὡς Θεῷ ἀνακειμένων. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τῶν πενήτων, ὦ ἐπίσκοπε, μνημόνευε καὶ αὐτοῖς χεῖρα ὀρέγων ἐπικουρίας καὶ πρόνοιαν αὐτῶν ποιούμενος, ὡς Θεοῦ οἰκο νόμος εὐκαίρως ἑκάστῳ διανέμων τὰ πρόσφορα, χήραις καὶ ὀρφανοῖς καὶ ἀπεριστάτοις καὶ τοῖς ἐν θλίψει ἐξεταζομένοις. Τί γὰρ εἴ τινες μή εἰσιν χῆραι ἢ χῆροι, βοηθείας δὲ χρῄζουσιν διὰ πενίαν ἢ διὰ νόσον ἢ διὰ τεκνοτροφίαν; Πάντας σε δεῖ ἐφορᾶν καὶ πάντων ἐπιμελεῖσθαι. Oἱ γὰρ τὰ δόματα διδόντες οὐκ αὐτοσχεδίως αὐτὰ διδόασιν ταῖς χήραις, ἀλλὰ συνεισφέρουσιν ἁπλῶς, ἑκούσια αὐτὰ ὀνομά ζοντες, ὅπως σύ, ἐπιστάμενος τοὺς θλιβομένους, ἀκριβῶς ὡς ἀγαθὸς οἰκονόμος μερίζῃς αὐτοῖς ἐκ τοῦ δόματος· ὁ γὰρ θεὸς γινώσκει τὸν δεδωκότα, κἂν ἀπόντος αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ σοῦ τοῖς δεομένοις μερίζηται· καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἔχει τὸν τῆς εὐποιΐας μισθόν, σὺ δὲ τὸν τῆς εὐσυνειδήτου οἰκονομίας μακαρισμόν. Λέγε δὲ αὐτοῖς καί, τίς ὁ δεδωκώς, ἵνα καὶ ἐξ ὀνόματος ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ προσεύχωνται. Χρὴ γὰρ εὖ ποιεῖν πάντας ἀνθρώπους, μὴ φιλοκρινοῦντα τοῦτον ὅστις ᾖ ἢ ἐκεῖνον· ὁ γὰρ Κύριός φησι· «Παντὶ τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.» ∆ῆλον δὲ ὡς τῷ χρῄζοντι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, κἂν φίλος ᾖ κἂν ἐχθρός, κἂν συγγενὴς κἂν ἀλλότριος, κἂν ἄγαμος κἂν γεγαμηκὼς ὑπάρχῃ. Ἐν πάσῃ γὰρ γραφῇ ὁ Κύριος περὶ τῶν πενήτων παραινεῖ, λέγων διὰ μὲν Ἡσαΐου· «∆ιάθρυπτε πεινῶντι τὸν ἄρτον σου καὶ πτωχοὺς ἀστέγους εἰσάγαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου· ἐὰν ἴδῃς γυμνόν, περίβαλε, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων τοῦ σπέρματός σου οὐχ ὑπερόψῃ.» Καὶ διὰ τοῦ ∆ανιὴλ λέγει τῷ δυνάστῃ· «∆ιό, βασιλεῦ, ἡ βουλή μου ἀρεσάτω σοι, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐν ἐλεημοσύναις λύτρωσαι καὶ τὰς ἀδικίας σου ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς πενήτων.» Καὶ διὰ Σολο μῶνός φησιν· «Ἐλεημοσύναις καὶ πίστεσιν ἀποκαθαίρονται ἁμαρτίαι.» Καὶ διὰ τοῦ ∆αυὶδ πάλιν λέγει· «Μακάριος ὁ συνιῶν ἐπὶ πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πονηρᾷ ῥύσεται αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Ἐσκόρπισεν, ἔδωκεν τοῖς πένησιν, ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.» Καὶ ὁ Σολομών φησιν· «Ὁ ἐλεῶν πτωχὸν Κυρίῳ δανείζει, κατὰ δὲ τὸ δόμα αὐτοῦ ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ.» Καὶ ἑξῆς· «Ὃς φράσσει τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ εἰσακοῦσαι τοῦ πένητος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικαλέσεται καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ εἰσακούων αὐτοῦ.» Ὑπαρχέτω δὲ πᾶσα χήρα πραεῖα, ἥσυχος, ἐπιεικής, ἄκακος, ἀόργητος, μὴ πολύλαλος, μὴ κραύγασος, μὴ πρό γλωσσος, μὴ κατάλαλος, μὴ λεξίθηρος, μὴ δισσόλογος, μὴ φιλοπράγμων· βλέπουσά τι σκολιὸν ἢ καὶ ἀκούουσα γινό