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”I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.” 2.276 He calls ‘little children’ those who have just received the forgiveness of sins, whatever their age may be according to the outer man, naming ‘fathers’ those who know what is from the beginning of theology, and ‘young men’ those who have strength because the word abides in them, which urges them to remain unconquerable, even if their struggle is “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil.” For how are they not strong, who have received from the all-sovereign Savior “authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy,” being harmed not at all? For “nothing will harm you” is the same as “nothing will injure you.” 2.277 At once, then, concerning the one who has received the authority to tread upon venomous creatures and all the power of the enemy, a victory hymn is offered up, which runs word for word thus: “You will tread on the asp and the basilisk; you will trample the lion and the dragon.” 2.278 Since enough has been said on the proposed text, let us set forth what follows. 2.279Zach. VIII, 6: Thus says the Lord Almighty: If it will be impossible in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be impossible in my sight? says the Lord Almighty. 2.280 When the perceptible and lower Jerusalem had endured destruction by enemies, so that its citizens suffered great captivity, they disbelieved the promises concerning its restoration, seeing it had become a ruin, and considering it impossible for it to be gloriously populated again, so that the hill country and the plain would have inhabitants, and in its streets old men and old women would yet sit, while a multitude of boys and girls played in them. But since “all things are possible with God,” and He brings spaciousness from confinement, and abundance from want, even if it seems impossible before the remnant of the people who still survive here, though many have died, what seems impossible to them is not impossible for God. 2.281 Just as, then, when the metropolis of Judea was captured and endured extreme desolation, people who had no elevation of soul considered it impossible for it to be restored to its former glory and prosperity, although God had promised and was able to bring to fulfillment what had been foretold, so also the unbelieving and poor in spirit, seeing the Church utterly ravaged in the persecutions against the Christians, so that it seemed to have fallen a fall from which it could not be raised, thought it impossible for it to be restored, receiving a deep peace from him who said to his disciples, “My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you.” 2.282 Therefore, instilling courage in those to whom he promised stability and serene peace, “Take heart,” he said, “I have overcome the world”; therefore, even if you have tribulation now, be bold enough to expect relief. For truth is precious. 2.283 Those who set themselves against the Church and Christianity became so savage as to tear down the places of assembly to the ground and to consume the sacred books with fire. When such great cruelty prevailed for a short time, the small-minded supposed it impossible for it to recover to its glorious state. 2.284 But if what happened seemed impossible and unattainable to them, what was despaired of has been shown to be possible and easy. So one can see the places then torn down raised up to a height more glorious than they were before, with golden roofs and shining with all sought-after ornaments, and the books consumed by fire, being made with gold lettering and gold binding, dedicated in the imperial courts. 2.285 And the power and paradox of God appears, in that through which

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»γράφω ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς· γράφω ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι ἰσχυροί ἐστε καὶ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν μένει, καὶ νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.» 2.276 Παιδία δὲ λέγει τοὺς ἄρτι ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτιῶν τετυχηκότας, οἵας ποτ' ἂν ὦσιν ἡλικίας κατὰ τὸν ἔξω ἄνθρωπον, πατέρας ὀνομάζων τοὺς τὸ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς τῆς θεολογίας ἐπισταμένους, καὶ νεανίσκους τοὺς ἰσχὺν ἔχοντας ἐμμένοντος ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῦ λόγου τοῦ προτρεπομένου μένειν ἀκαταμαχήτους, κἂν ὁ ἀγὼν ᾖ αὐτοῖς «πρὸς ἀρχάς, πρὸς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας». Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἰσχυροὶ οἱ ὑπὸ τοῦ παμβασιλέως Σωτῆρος εἰληφότες «ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ», ἥκιστα βλαπτομένους; ταὐτὸν γὰρ τό· «οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς ἀδικήσει», τῷ· «οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς βλάψει». 2.277 Αὐτίκα γοῦν περὶ τοῦ τὴν ἐξουσίαν λαβόντος πατεῖν τὰ ἰοβόλα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, ἐπινίκιος ὕμνος ἀναπέμπεται κατὰ λέξιν ὧδε ἔχον· «Ἐπ' ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσει, καταπατήσεις λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα.» 2.278 Ἀρκούντως εἰρημένων εἰς τὸ προκείμενον ῥητόν, ἐκθώμεθα τὰ ἑξῆς. 2.279Zach. VIII, 6: Τάδε λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ· Εἰ ἀδυνατήσει ἐνώπιον τῶν καταλοίπων τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, μὴ καὶ ἐνώπιόν μου ἀδυνατήσει; λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ. 2.280 Κατασκαφὴν ὑπὸ πολεμίων ὑπομεινάσης τῆς αἰσθητῆς καὶ κάτω Ἰερουσαλήμ, ὡς ὑποστῆναι πολλὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τοὺς πολίτας αὐτῆς, ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις περὶ ἀποκαταστάσεως αὐτῆς ἀπιστοῦντας, ἐρείπιον αὐτὴν γενομένην ὁρῶντας, ἀδύνατον ἡγουμένους ἔτι λαμπρῶς πολισθῆναι αὐτήν, ὡς τὴν ὀρεινὴν καὶ πεδιάδα οἰκητῆρας ἔχειν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις αὐτῆς ἔτι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ τὰς πρεσβυτέρας καθεσθῆναι, πληθυνόντων ἐν αὐταῖς παιζόντων παιδαρίων καὶ κορασίων. Ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ «πάντα Θεῷ δυνατά», καὶ ἀπὸ στενότητος πλατύτητα, καὶ ἐξ ἀπόρων εὐπορίαν ἄγειν, κἂν ἐπίπροσθεν τῶν καταλοίπων τοῦ λαοῦ τῶν περιόντων εἰσέτι δεῦρο πολλῶν τεθνηκότων, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀδύνατον Θεῷ τὸ ἐκείνοις ἀδύνατον φαινόμενον. 2.281 Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐπὶ τῆς μητροπόλεως τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἁλούσης καὶ ἐσχάτην ἐρημίαν ὑπομενούσης, ἀδύνατον ἡγοῦντο οἱ ἀνάστημα ψυχῆς οὐκ ἔχοντες ἄνθρωποι τὸ ἀποκαταστῆναι αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν προτέραν δόξαν καὶ εὐετηρίαν, καίτοι Θεοῦ ἐπαγγειλαμένου καὶ εἰς πέρας ἀγαγεῖν δυναμένου τὰ προθεσπισθέντα, οὕτω οἱ ἄπιστοι καὶ πτωχοὶ τὴν διάνοιαν, ἐν τοῖς κατὰ χριστιανῶν διωγμοῖς ὁρῶντες τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν πορθηθεῖσαν ἐσχάτως, ὡς δοκεῖν πτῶμα ἀνέγερτον πεπτωκέναι, ἀδύνατον εἶναι ἀποκαταστῆναι αὐτήν, εἰρήνην βαθεῖαν ἀπολαμβάνουσαν πρὸς τοῦ εἰρηκότος τοῖς γνωρίμοις· «Εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν ἀφίημι ὑμῖν.» 2.282 Θάρσος οὖν ἐμποιῶν οἷς δώσειν ὑπέσχετο τὴν εὐστάθειαν καὶ γαληνιῶσαν εἰρήνην· «Θαρσεῖτε, ἔφη, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον»· διὸ κἂν θλῖψιν νῦν ἔχητε, ἄνεσιν προσδοκῆσαι θαρσήσατε. Φίλη γὰρ ἡ ἀλήθεια. 2.283 Οἱ κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τοῦ χριστιανισμοῦ ἐπιτεθειμένοι εἰς τοσοῦτον ἐξηγριώθησαν ὡς τοὺς συνακτηρίους τόπους εἰς ἔδαφος κατασπάσαι καὶ τὰς ἱερὰς βίβλους πυρὶ δαπανῆσαι. Τῆς τοσαύτης ὠμότητος πρὸς ὀλίγον κρατησάσης, οἱ μικροφυεῖς ἐτόπασαν ἀδύνατον εἶναι ἔτι αὐτὴν εἰς τὸ ἔνδοξον ἀνακάμψαι. 2.284 Ἀλλ' εἰ κἀκείνοις ἄπορον καὶ ἀκατόρθωτον τὸ συμβὰν ἔδοξεν, ἀλλὰ δυνατὸν καὶ εὔκολον τὸ ἀπελπισθὲν ἀποδέδεικται. Ἔστιν γοῦν ἰδεῖν τοὺς τότε κατασπασθέντας τόπους εἰς ὕψος ἐγηγερμένους ἐνδοξοτέρους ἢ πρότερον ἦσαν, χρυσορόφους καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς περισπουδαστοῖς προκοσμήμασιν διαπρέπειν, καὶ τὰς πυρὶ ἀναλωθείσας βίβλους, διαχρύσους καὶ χρυσοκόλλους κατασκευαζομένας, ἐν ταῖς βασιλικαῖς αὐλαῖς ἀνακειμένας. 2.285 Τὸ δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ παράδοξον τοῦ Θεοῦ φαίνεται, ὅτι δι' ὧν