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to receive something from the enemies of God for the insult and mockery of his friends; for concerning such things the prophet also says: "Let not the oil of sinners anoint my head." Therefore, be examiners of such things; and from those who walk piously receive, and supply it to the afflicted, but from those cast out of the synagogue, do not receive, until they are deemed worthy to be members of the Church. But if a gift should fail, report it to the brothers, and having made a collection from them, minister to the orphans and the widows in righteousness. But say to the people under you what Solomon the wise also says: "Honor the Lord from your righteous labors and offer firstfruits to him from your fruits of righteousness, so that your storehouses may be filled with an abundance of grain, and your winepresses may gush forth with wine." Therefore from the righteous labor of the faithful feed and clothe those who are in need, and the money collected from them, as we have said before, you should appoint while ministering for the ransoming of the saints, rescuing slaves, captives, prisoners, those who are mistreated, those who have come from condemnation by tyrants to single combat and death on account of the name of Christ; for the scripture says: "Rescue those being led away to death, and redeem those being slain; do not hold back." But if ever a necessity should arise and you should unwillingly receive money from some unholy person, spend it for wood and charcoal, so that a widow or an orphan, having received something from it, may not be forced to buy food or drink contrary to what is fitting; for it is just that these things from the impious should be consumed by fire, not food for the pious. And the law proclaims these things, calling a sacrifice kept too long uneatable and commanding it to be consumed by fire. For the things offered are not vile by nature, but by the intention of those who bring them. And we command this so that you may not turn away those who approach you, knowing that an encounter with the pious has often been beneficial to the impious, but only fellowship in worship is harmful. Therefore, beloved, let these things have been said to you to this extent for your security. Moreover, you fathers, raise your children in the Lord, bringing them up in the training and admonition of the Lord, and teach them suitable and fitting trades for the word, so that not, having grown wanton through opportunity and having remained unreproved by their parents, having obtained liberty before the proper time, they may become unruly against what is good. Therefore do not hesitate

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ἐχθρῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ λαβεῖν τι ἐφ' ὕβρει καὶ χλεύῃ τῶν αὐτοῦ φίλων· περὶ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων καὶ ὁ προφήτης λέγει· «Ἔλαιον ἁμαρτωλῶν μὴ λιπανάτω τὴν κεφαλήν μου.» ∆οκιμασταὶ οὖν γίνεσθε τῶν τοιούτων· καὶ παρὰ μὲν τῶν ὁσίως περιπατούντων λαμβάνετε καὶ τοῖς θλιβομένοις χορηγεῖτε, παρὰ δὲ ἀποσυναγώγων μὴ λαμβάνετε, πρὶν ἂν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἶναι μέλη καταξιωθῶσιν. Eἰ δὲ ἐπιλείποι δόμα, προσάγγελλε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν συλλογὴν ποιησάμενος διακόνει τοῖς ὀρφανοῖς καὶ ταῖς χήραις ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ. Λέγε δὲ τῷ ὑπὸ σὲ λαῷ ἃ καὶ Σολομὼν ὁ σοφός· «Τίμα τὸν Κύριον ἀπὸ σῶν δικαίων πόνων καὶ ἀπάρχου αὐτῷ ἀπὸ σῶν καρπῶν δικαιοσύνης, ἵνα πιμπλᾶται τὰ ταμιεῖά σου πλησμονῆς σίτου, οἴνῳ δὲ αἱ ληνοί σου ἐκβλύ ζωσιν.» Ἐκ τοῦ δικαίου οὖν κόπου τῶν πιστῶν τρέφετε καὶ ἀμφιέννυτε τοὺς ὑστερουμένους, καὶ τὰ ἐξ αὐτῶν, ὡς προειρήκαμεν, ἀθροιζόμενα χρήματα διατάσσετε διακονοῦντες εἰς τοὺς ἀγορασμοὺς τῶν ἁγίων, ·υόμενοι δούλους, αἰχμα λώτους, δεσμίους, ἐπηρεαζομένους, ἥκοντας ἐκ καταδίκης διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπὸ τυράννων εἰς μονομαχίαν καὶ θάνατον· λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή· «Ῥῦσαι ἀγομένους εἰς θάνατον καὶ ἐκπρίου κτεινομένους, μὴ φείσῃ.» Ἐὰν δέ ποτε ἀνάγκη γένηται καὶ παρά τινος ἀνο σίου δέξασθαι ἄκοντας ἀργύριον, εἰς ξύλα καὶ ἀνθρακιὰν αὐτὸ δαπανήσατε, ἵνα μὴ λαβοῦσα ἡ χήρα ἐξ αὐτοῦ τι ἢ ὁ ὀρφανὸς ἀναγκασθῇ ὠνήσασθαι τροφὴν ἢ πόμα παρὰ τὸ προσῆκον· δίκαιον γὰρ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ταῦτα πυρὸς εἶναι κατα νάλωμα, οὐκ εὐσεβῶν βρῶμα. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ὁ νόμος διαγορεύει, θυσίαν ὀψισθεῖσαν ἄβρωτον ἀποκαλῶν καὶ πυρὶ ταύτην ἀναλίσκεσθαι κελεύων. Oὐ γὰρ τῇ φύσει φαῦλα τὰ προσφερόμενα, ἀλλὰ τῇ γνώμῃ τῶν προσκομιζόντων αὐτά. Τοῦτο δὲ προστάσσομεν ἐπὶ τῷ μὴ ἀποστρέφειν τοὺς πλησιάζοντας ὑμῖν, εἰδότες καὶ τὴν συντυχίαν πολλάκις ἐπωφελῆ τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν γεγενῆσθαι τὴν πρὸς τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς, ἐπιβλαβῆ δὲ μόνην τὴν κατὰ τὴν θρησκείαν κοινωνίαν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν, ἀγαπητοί, ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον εἰρήσθω ὑμῖν πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν ὑμῶν. Oἱ μέντοι πατέρες παιδεύετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἐκτρέφοντες αὐτὰ ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου, καὶ διδάσκετε αὐτὰ ἐπιτηδείους καὶ ἁρμοζούσας τῷ λόγῳ τέχνας, ἵνα μὴ διὰ τῆς εὐκαιρίας καταστρηνιάσαντα καὶ ἀνεπιτίμητα ὑπὸ τῶν γονέων μείναντα, πρὸ ὥρας ἀνέσεως τυχόντα, ἀφηνιάσωσιν τοῦ καλοῦ. ∆ιὸ μὴ εὐλαβεῖσθε