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in prayer they dispel their passion, and they refer the whole matter to Him, and they say He is the cause of their boldness. Do you see how they ask all things through God, and nothing for their own glory or ambition? For their own part, then, they promise that they will not be dismayed; but they ask that signs may be done. By stretching forth Your 60.96 hand, he says, to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done. Rightly; for without these things, even if they showed immense zeal, they would have done all in vain. He assented to their prayer, and made this plain by shaking the place, showing that He is present to their prayers. For when they had prayed, he says, the place was shaken. And that it was for this reason, hear the prophet saying: “Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble;” and again, “At the presence of the Lord the earth was shaken, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” And God does this both for greater fear, and to lead them into courage after those threats, and to anoint them for greater boldness. For since it was the beginning, and they needed a sensible sign in order for them to be believed, but after this it nowhere happens; thus they received great comfort from the prayer. And reasonably they ask for signs; for they had no other way to show that He was risen, except from the signs. So that they sought not only their own safety, but [also] not to be put to shame, but to speak with boldness. The place was shaken, and it strengthened them the more. This is sometimes a sign of wrath, and sometimes of visitation and providence, but now of wrath. But at the time of the saving Passion it happened strangely and contrary to nature. [For then the whole earth was shaken. And the Savior Himself said: “Then there will be famines and plagues, and earthquakes in various places.” Besides, it was also a sign of wrath against those men; for these He filled with the Spirit. See, the apostles also are filled with the Spirit after the prayer. And great grace, it says, was upon them all; for there was not any among them that lacked.] Do you see that the power of the matter is great, where there was so great a need for it. For this is the foundation of good things, which he also mentions a second time, exhorting all to despise money; above saying, “Neither did any of them say that any of the things which he possessed was his own;” and here, “for there was not any among them that lacked.” 3. For that which was done was not of the signs only, but also of their own will, Sapphira and Ananias make clear. And they showed the testimony of the resurrection not in word, but also in power; just as Paul also says: “And my preaching was not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” And not simply with power, but, “with great power.” And well did he say, “Grace was upon all.” For this was the grace, that no one was in need; that is, from the great zeal of those who gave, no one was in need. For they did not give in part, and in part keep back; nor did they give everything, yet as if it were their own. They removed inequality from their midst, and lived in great abundance; and they did this with great honor. For they did not dare to give it into their hands, nor did they offer it with ostentation, but they brought it to their feet, and they let them become stewards, and made them masters, so that it might henceforth be spent as from common funds, and not as from private property. This also 60.97 contributed to their not being vainglorious. If this also happened now, we would live with greater pleasure, both rich and poor. And this would have brought pleasure not more to the poor than to the rich. And if you wish, let us at least sketch it out in words, and in this way enjoy the pleasure, since you do not wish for it in deeds. For it is especially clear from what happened then, that those who sold were not in need, but they also made the poor rich. But nevertheless, let us now sketch this out in words, and let everyone sell all their things, and bring them into the common stock, I speak in word; let no one be alarmed, neither rich nor poor. How much gold do you think would be collected? I conjecture (for it is not indeed possible to speak with accuracy), that if all the men and women here emptied out their money, and

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τῇ εὐχῇ διαιροῦσι τὸ πάθος, καὶ τὸ πᾶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἀνατιθέασι, καὶ τῆς παῤῥησίας αὐτὸν αἴτιον εἶναι λέγουσιν. Εἶδες, πῶς πάντα διὰ τὸν Θεὸν αἰτοῦσι, καὶ οὐδὲν εἰς οἰκείαν δόξαν οὐδὲ φιλοτιμίαν; Τὸ μὲν οὖν αὐτῶν ἐπαγγέλλονται, ὅτι οὐ καταπλαγήσονται· ἀξιοῦσι δὲ σημεῖα γενέσθαι. Ἐν τῷ τὴν 60.96 χεῖρά σου, φησὶν, ἐκτείνειν εἰς ἴασιν, καὶ σημεία καὶ τέρατα γίνεσθαι. Καλῶς· χωρὶς γὰρ τούτων, εἰ μυρίαν ἐπεδείξαντο προθυμίαν, εἰκῆ πάντα ἐποίουν. Ἐπένευσεν αὐτῶν τῇ δεήσει, καὶ δῆλον τοῦτο ἐποίησε σείσας τὸν τόπον, ὅτι πάρεστι ταῖς εὐχαῖς αὐτῶν. ∆εηθέντων γὰρ αὐτῶν, φησὶ, ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος. Ὅτι δὲ διὰ τοῦτο ἐγένετο, ἄκουε τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· Ὁ ἐπιβλέπων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ποιῶν αὐτὴν τρέμειν· καὶ πάλιν, Ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ, ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἰακώβ. Ποιεῖ δὲ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς καὶ διὰ φόβον μείζονα, καὶ εἰς θάρσος αὐτοὺς ἐνάγων μετὰ τὰς ἀπειλὰς ἐκείνας, καὶ εἰς παῤῥησίαν πλείονα ἀλείφων. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἀρχὴ ἦν, καὶ αἰσθητοῦ ἐδέοντο σημείου πρὸς τὸ πιστευθῆναι αὐτοὺς, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα οὐδαμοῦ τοῦτο γίνεται· πολλῆς οὕτω παρακλήσεως ἔτυχον ἀπὸ τῆς εὐχῆς. Εἰκότως δὲ καὶ σημείων χάριν αἰτοῦσιν· οὐδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν εἶχον γὰρ ἐπιδεῖξαι, ὅτι ἀνέστη, ἀλλ' ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν σημείων. Ὥστε οὐ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ἐζήτουν τὴν αὐτῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ [καὶ] τὸ μὴ καταισχυνθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ φθέγγεσθαι. Ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος, καὶ αὐτοὺς μᾶλλον ἐστερέωσε. Τοῦτο δὲ ποτὲ μὲν ὀργῆς ἐστι δεῖγμα, ποτὲ δὲ ἐπισκέψεως καὶ προνοίας, νυνὶ δὲ ὀργῆς. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους ξένως καὶ παρὰ φύσιν γέγονε. [Καὶ γὰρ τότε πᾶσα ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἔλεγε· Τότε ἔσονται λιμοὶ καὶ λοιμοὶ, καὶ σεισμοὶ κατὰ τόπους. Ἄλλως δὲ καὶ ὀργῆς τῆς κατ' ἐκείνων ἦν· τούτους γὰρ Πνεύματος ἐνέπλησεν. Ὅρα, καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν Πνεύματος πληροῦνται. Καὶ χάρις μεγάλη ἦν, φησὶν, ἐπὶ πάντας αὐτούς· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδεής τις ὑπῆρχεν ἐν αὐτοῖς.] Ὁρᾷς, ὅτι πολλὴ τοῦ πράγματος ἡ δύναμις, ὅπου γε καὶ ἐκεῖ ταύτης ἔδει. Αὕτη γὰρ ἡ ὑπόθεσις τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἧς καὶ δεύτερον μέμνηται, παραινῶν πᾶσι τὴν τῶν χρημάτων ὑπεροψίαν· ἀνωτέρω μὲν λέγων, ὅτι Οὐδὲ εἷς τι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ ἔλεγεν ἴδιον εἶναι· ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐνδεής τις ὑπῆρχεν ἐν αὐτοῖς. γʹ. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ τῶν σημείων ἦν τὸ γινόμενον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς αὐτῶν προαιρέσεως, δηλοῖ ἡ Σάπφειρα καὶ ὁ Ἀνανίας. Οὐ λόγῳ δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δυνάμει τὸ μαρτύριον τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐδείκνυσαν· καθάπερ καὶ Παῦλος λέγει· Καὶ τὸ κήρυγμά μου οὐκ ἐν πειθοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις, ἀλλ' ἐν ἀποδείξει Πνεύματος καὶ δυνάμεως. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς δυνάμει, ἀλλὰ, μεγάλῃ δυνάμει. Καλῶς δὲ εἶπε, Χάρις ἦν ἐπὶ πάντας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ χάρις, ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἦν ἐνδεής· τουτέστιν, ἀπὸ τῆς πολλῆς προθυμίας τῶν ἐπιδιδόντων οὐδεὶς ἦν ἐνδεής. Οὐ γὰρ μέρει μὲν ἐδίδοσαν, μέρει δὲ ἐταμιεύοντο· οὐδὲ πάντα μὲν, ὡς ἴδια δέ. Τὴν ἀνωμαλίαν ἐκ μέσου ἐξήγαγον, καὶ ἐν ἀφθονίᾳ ἔζων πολλῇ· καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς δὲ τῆς τιμῆς τοῦτο ἐποίουν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰς τὰς χεῖρας ἐτόλμων δοῦναι, οὐδὲ τετυφωμένως παρεῖχον, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοὺς πόδας ἔφερον, καὶ αὐτοὺς οἰκονόμους ἠφίεσαν γίνεσθαι, καὶ κυρίους ἐποίουν, ἵνα ὡς ἐκ κοινῶν λοιπὸν ἀναλίσκηται, ἀλλὰ μὴ ὡς ἐξ ἰδίων. Τοῦτο καὶ 60.97 πρὸς τὸ μὴ κενοδοξεῖν αὐτοὺς συνεβάλλετο. Τοῦτο εἰ καὶ νῦν γέγονε, μετὰ πλείονος ἂν τῆς ἡδονῆς ἐβιώσαμεν, καὶ πλούσιοι καὶ πένητες. Οὐ τοῖς πένησι δὲ μᾶλλον, ἢ τοῖς πλουσίοις τοῦτο ἔφερεν ἂν τὴν ἡδονήν. Καὶ εἰ βούλει, τέως ὑπογράψωμεν αὐτὸ τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ ταύτῃ καρπωσώμεθα τὴν ἡδονὴν, ἐπειδὴ ἐν ἔργοις οὐ βούλεσθε. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἐξ ἐκείνων δῆλον τῶν τότε γενομένων, ὅτι πωλοῦντες οὐκ ἦσαν ἐνδεεῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς πένητας πλουσίους ἐποίουν. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν ὑπογράψωμεν τοῦτο τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ πάντες τὰ αὐτῶν πωλείτωσαν πάντα, καὶ φερέτωσαν εἰς μέσον, τῷ λόγῳ λέγω· μηδεὶς θορυβείσθω, μήτε πλούσιος, μήτε πένης. Πόσον οἴει χρυσίον συνάγεσθαι; Ἐγὼ στοχάζομαι (οὐ γὰρ δὴ μετὰ ἀκριβείας δυνατὸν εἰπεῖν), ὅτι εἰ πάντες καὶ πᾶσαι τὰ αὐτῶν ἐνταῦθα ἐκένωσαν χρήματα, καὶ