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I said this then: Perhaps I have been cast out from the eyes of God, which discerning men see with the mind. 23 For this reason you heard the voice of my supplication. For this reason you heard, because I knew: as far as it pertained to my ignorance, I was cast away from the eyes of God. 24 Love the Lord, all you his saints. Saints are they who do what is right toward God, who keep what the Savior said: "Render to God the things that are God's." "Love the Lord"; consider for what purpose this was said: those from whom the mercy of God was hidden were fearful. And we took the saying of John and clarified it thus: "Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears has not been made perfect." Perfect love, therefore, is when one, by love for the good, flees what is evil; he does not remain apart from evil because of fear of punishment, but because he has a genuine love for the good. For opposites cannot coexist. 24 For the Lord seeks truths. The truth of God is only-begotten; for "I am the truth," says the Savior. But in those who partake, a certain truth comes to be. And just as it is with sciences and virtues—we do not say that each of the knowledgeable possesses all knowledge, but a certain knowledge, that is, an individual one. Therefore, as many knowledgeable men as there are, so many individual sciences there are, and as many as partake of the truth, so many are the truths as there are partakers. But I say these things before the end; for there it is not possible to speak either of many true ones or of many truths, not of many knowledgeable men, not of many knowledgeable women; for if from here among believers there comes to be "one heart and one soul" and being "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment"—even if not entirely, but to some extent—among all at the final desired end it is not possible to say that one knowledgeable person differs from another knowledgeable person. As if, hypothetically, all physicians possessed medicine insurpassably in all its parts, they would not be many physicians; many men, yes, but not many physicians. Since, therefore, truth is one—for "grace and truth" come "through Jesus Christ"—; therefore, truth becomes one through itself, not the individual truth through itself. They come to be through the one, as the particular virtues through the universal, and the individual sciences through the universal. These truths therefore the Lord seeks; wherefore be diligent, as you are able, to receive a certain truth; for God seeks these. And if you take the practical virtues, the truth of the practical virtues is judged from the disposition, if one pursues justice for the sake of justice itself. Since "justice, and only justice, you shall follow," pursue justice itself justly, pursue the practice of the just thing 156 with a disposition of righteousness. "Love the Lord, all you his saints." He has given a reason: since "the Lord seeks truths," "love the Lord," the bestower of truths. Thus we also hear of righteousnesses spoken of in the plural: "the Lord is righteous and he has loved righteousnesses." When, however, it speaks about universal righteousness, of the substance: "righteousness has looked down from heaven," here it calls the Savior righteousness. And he has become for us wisdom, and so also righteousness. 24 And he repays those who act with exceeding pride. Since he showed the smallness of those who are afraid—for he has also spoken of men who trouble them, certain sophists and deceivers—he called these men proud. And they act with exceeding pride. But it is also possible thus: all wickedness becomes superfluous, instead of 'in vain'. This at least is also said in Proverbs: "Do not be an enemy to a man without a cause"; for not even by being an enemy can you do anything to him, unless God should deliver him up. Therefore he does this in vain. But one must not be zealous for vain things. And these proud men, therefore, act with exceeding pride; for not all those against whom they exalt themselves will become subject to them, unless God delivers them up. 25 Be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened

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εἶπον οὖν τοῦτο ὅτι· τάχα ἔξω τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ γέγονα, τῶν διορατικῶν ἀνδρῶν καθορώντων τῇ διανοίᾳ. 23 διὰ τοῦτο εἰσήκουσας τῆς φωνῆς τῆς δεήσεώς μου. διὰ τοῦτο εἰσήκουσας ὅτι ἔγνων· τὸ ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς τὴν ἐμ̣ὴν ἄγνοιαν, ἀπερίφην ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ. 24 ἀγαπήσατε τὸν κύριον, πάντες οἱ ὅσιοι αὐτοῦ. ὅσιοί εἰσιν οἱ τὸ πρὸς θεὸν δίκαιον κατορθοῦντες, οἱ τηροῦντες ἐκεῖνο ὃ εἶπεν ὁ σωτήρ· "ἀπόδοτε τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ θεῷ". "ἀγαπήσατε τὸν κύριον"· σκόπει πρὸς τί εἴρηται τοῦτο· ἀφ' ὧν ἀπεκρύβη τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ θεοῦ, φοβούμενοι ἦσαν. καὶ ἐλάβομεν τὸ τοῦ Ἰωάννου ῥητὸν καὶ ἐσαφηνίσαμεν οὕτως τό· "ἡ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον, ὅτι ὁ φόβος κόλασιν ἔχει, ὁ δὲ φοβούμενος οὐ τετελείωται". ἡ τελεία οὖν ἀγάπη, ὅταν τις ἀγάπῃ τῇ πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν φεύγῃ τὸ κακόν· οὐ διὰ φόβον κολάσεως ἐκτὸς τοῦ κακοῦ μένει, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἔρωτα ἔχει γνήσιον πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθόν. ἀσυνύπαρκτα δέ ἐστιν τὰ ἐναντία. 24 ὅτι ἀληθείας ἐκζητεῖ κύριος. μονογενής ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλήθεια· "ἐγὼ" γάρ "εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια", ὁ σωτὴρ λέγει. γίνεται δὲ ἐν τοῖς μετέχουσιν ἀλήθειά τις. καὶ ὥσπερ ἔχει ἐπὶ ἐπιστημῶν καὶ ἀρετῶν -οὐχ ἕκαστον τῶν ἐπιστημόνων λέγομεν πᾶσαν ἔχειν τὴν ἐπιστήμην, ἀλλὰ ἐπιστήμην τινά, τουτέστιν ἄτομον. ὅσοι οὖν ἐὰν ὦσιν οἱ ἐπιστήμονες, τοσαῦται ἄτομοι ἐπιστῆμαί εἰσιν, καὶ ὅσοι ἐὰν ὦσιν μετέχοντες τῆς ἀληθείας, τοσοῦτοί εἰσιν ἢ τοσαῦταί εἰσιν αἱ ἀλήθειαι ὅσοι οἱ μετέχοντες. ταῦτα δὲ πρὸ τοῦ τέλους λέγω· οὐκ ἔνι γὰρ ἐκεῖ εἰπεῖν οὐδὲ πολλοὺς ἀληθεῖς οὐδὲ πολλὰς ἀληθείας, οὐ πολ λοὺς ἐπιστήμονας, οὐ πολλὰς ἐπιστήμονας· εἰ γὰρ ἀπεντεῦθεν τῶν πιστευόντων γίνεται "καρδία μία καὶ ψυχὴ μία" καὶ "κατηρτισμένοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ"-εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐξ ὅλων, ἀλλὰ κατά τι μᾶλλον-, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἐν τῷ τέλει τῷ ἐσχάτῳ ὀρεκτῷ οὐκ ἔνι εἰπεῖν ἐπιστήμονα ἐπιστήμονος διαφέρειν. ὡς εἰ καὶ κατ' ὑπόθεσιν πάντες οἱ ἰατροὶ κατὰ πάντα τὰ μέρη τῆς ἰατρικῆς εἶχον αὐτὴν ἀνυπερβλήτως, οὐκ ἦσαν πολλοὶ ἰατροί· πολλοὶ ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλ' οὐ πολλοὶ ἰατροί. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν μία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀλήθεια-"ἡ χάρις" γὰρ "καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια" παραγίνεται "διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ"-· μ̣ία οὖν δι' ἑαυτῆς ἡ ἀλήθεια γίνεται, οὐχὶ ἡ ὡς καθέκαστα ἀλήθεια δι' αὐτῆς. γίνονται διὰ τῆς μιᾶς, ὡς αἱ κατὰ μέρος ἀρεταὶ διὰ τῆς καθόλου καὶ αἱ καθέκαστα ἐπιστῆμαι διὰ τῆς καθόλου. ταύτας οὖν ἐκζητεῖ κύριος· διὸ σπουδάσατε ὡς οἷοί τέ ἐστε ἀλήθειάν τινα δέξασθαι· ταύτας γὰρ ἐκζητεῖ θεός. κἂν ἐπὶ τῶν πρακτικῶν ἀρετῶν λάβῃς, ἡ ἀλήθεια τῶν πρακτικῶν ἀρετῶν ἐκ τῆς διαθέσεως κρίνεται, εἰ δι' αὐτὸ τὸ δίκαιον μετέρχεταί τις αὐτό. ἐπεὶ τὸ "δικαίως τὸ δίκαιον διώξῃ", αὐτὸ τὸ δίκαιον δικαίως δίωξον, τὴν πρᾶξιν τοῦ δικαίου 156 δίωξον μετὰ διαθέσεως τῆς δικαιοσύνης. "ἀγαπήσατε τὸν κύριον, πάντες οἱ ὅσιοι αὐτοῦ". αἰτίαν δέδωκεν· ἐπεὶ "ἀληθείας ἐκζητεῖ κύριος", "ἀγαπήσατε κύριον", τὸν χορηγὸν τῶν ἀληθειῶν. οὕτω ἀκούομεν καὶ δικαιοσυνῶν πληθυντικῶς λεγομένων· "δίκαιος κύριος καὶ δικαιοσύνας ἠγάπησεν". ὅταν μέντοι περὶ τῆς καθό λου δικαιοσύνης, τῆς οὐσιώσεως λέγῃ· "δικαιοσύνη ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διέκυψεν", τὸν σωτῆρα ὧδε δικαιοσύνην λέγει. καὶ γέγονεν ἡμῖν ὥσπερ σοφία, οὕτω καὶ δικαιοσύνη. 24 καὶ ἀνταποδίδωσιν τοῖς περισσῶς ποιοῦσιν ὑπερηφανίαν. ἐπεὶ τὴν σμικρότητα ἔδειξεν τῶν φοβουμένων, εἴρηκεν γὰρ καὶ ἀνθρώπους ταράττοντας αὐτούς, σοφιστάς τινας καὶ ἀπατεῶνας, τούτους ὑπερηφάνους εἶπεν. πε̣ρισσῶς δὲ ποιοῦσιν τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν. δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ οὕτω· πᾶσα κακία περιττὴ γίνεται, ἀντὶ τοῦ ματαίω̣ς. τοῦτο̣ γοῦν καὶ ἐν Παροιμίαις λέγεται· "μὴ φιλεχθρήσῃς πρὸς ἄνθρωπον μάτην"· οὐδὲ γὰρ φιλεχθρήσας δύνῃ τι αὐτῷ, εἰ μὴ θεὸς παραδῷ. ματαίως οὖν τοῦτο ποιεῖ. οὐ δεῖ δὲ τὰ μάταια σπουδάζειν. καὶ οὗτοι οὖν οἱ ὑπερήφανοι περιττῶς ποιοῦσιν ὑπερηφανίαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντες καθ' ὧν ἐπαίρονται, ὑποχείριοι αὐτοῖς γενήσονται, εἰ μὴ θεὸς παραδῷ. 25 ἀνδρίζεσθε, καὶ κραταιούσθω ὑμῶν ἡ