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up to the firmament is two-thirds, so that a third of the whole height of heaven is left for me. 9.16 And with God's help I will state the reason for this snatching away. Since the invisible Powers at this height, where Paul was snatched away, ministering to the divine command for the sake of men, move the stars unceasingly and relentlessly night and day, for this reason also He snatched Paul away and led him up there, showing him their relentless ministry, which they perform for the sake of men, how rationally and orderly and rhythmically and wisely, serving with much toil and haste and care, they accomplish it, in a way comforting Paul, that he not give up when weary for the sake of the Church, but persevere in the ministry, just as he saw the angels doing. 9.17 Wherefore Paul was emboldened to speak also of their order, saying Principalities and Authorities and Powers and Thrones and Lordships. For some of them perform the work, others oversee those who work, others rule, commanding ranks and, simply put, all alike, groaning together and travailing in pain together with much forethought and care and rational order, perform the work, all together desiring to obtain freedom from the servitude they perform for the sake of men. 9.18 But concerning the snatching away into paradise, again with God working with us, I will speak. Since indeed after the departure from the body the souls of the just who are deemed worthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven are laid up in paradise, as we are taught from the case of the robber who was crucified with the Lord, until the resurrection as in a more choice and precious place, being kept by the invisible Powers with hymns and all honor, there again He snatched Paul away and shows him, for the time being partially comforting him with the prizes for his labors and the crowns for his contests; wherefore he was not able to relate the matters perfectly, saying rather that they happen to be unutterable and ineffable, but having been emboldened to write that, having completed the course of his ministry and kept the faith, there is laid up for him a crown of righteousness from the Lord; and not for him only, but also for all those like him. And these things we have said concerning the visions. 9.19 But it must be noted here that all the stars are below the firmament, under the two-thirds part of the heavenly height, being moved and turned about by the ministry and order of the invisible Powers; and from this we are taught that an angel does not pass beyond the stars. For if "all are ministering spirits sent forth for ministry for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation," let him who contradicts also state the ministry of the angel who passes beyond; but if he is not able to show it, let him rather be persuaded not by us, but by the divine Scripture. 9.20 For it is impossible for one who is still mortal or corruptible or mutable to go beyond the stars. Unless therefore we receive from God incorruptibility and immortality and immutability from the resurrection of the dead, and likewise the angels, being freed with us from servitude and casting the stars upon the earth, will themselves also receive immutability and freedom, we do not go beyond and cut through the firmament, entering into the heavenly kingdom; for the Apostle declares this, saying: "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God," meaning by "flesh" mortality, and by "blood" mutability; therefore he said it is impossible for one who is still mortal or mutable to inherit the kingdom of heaven; doubtless he adds: "Neither does corruption inherit incorruption"; again he also added this, declaring that not even anything corruptible can ascend there; for it is harmed rather than helped. 9.21 For just as we, being far off and perchance gazing at the disk of the sun, are not able to endure, being harmed rather and blinded than being helped, so also is the mortal man, or he who is still mutable or corruptible, seeking to pass beyond the boundaries and to approach the very path of the kingdom of heaven, while still being far from it.

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ἕως τοῦ στερεώματος τὸ δίμοιρον, ὡς περιλείπεσθαί μοι τοῦ παντὸς ὕψους τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ τρίτον. 9.16 Καὶ τί τὸ αἴτιον τῆς ἁρπαγῆς ταύτης σὺν Θεῷ λέξω. Ἐπειδὴ αἱ ἀόρατοι ∆υνάμεις κατὰ τὸ ὕψος τοῦτο, ἔνθα ὁ Παῦλος ἡρπάγη, διακονοῦσαι τῷ θείῳ προστάγματι διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους κινοῦσι τὰ ἄστρα ἀκαταπαύστως καὶ ἀνενδότως νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, τούτου ἕνεκα καὶ τὸν Παῦλον ἁρπάσας ἀνήγαγεν ἕως ἐκεῖ, δεικνύων αὐτῷ τὴν ἀνένδοτον αὐτῶν λειτουργίαν, ἣν διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ποιοῦσιν, ὡς λογικῶς καὶ εὐτάκτως καὶ εὐρύθμως καὶ σοφῶς μετὰ πολλοῦ κόπου καὶ σπουδῆς καὶ μερίμνης δουλεύοντες ἐκτελοῦσι, τρόπον τινὰ τὸν Παῦλον παραμυθούμενος μὴ ἀπειπεῖν κάμνοντα ὑπὲρ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἀλλ' ἐπιμένειν τῇ διακονίᾳ, καθάπερ καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους ἐθεάσατο ποιοῦντας. 9.17 Ὅθεν κατεθάρρησεν εἰπεῖν ὁ Παῦλος καὶ τὴν τούτων τάξιν, Ἀρχὰς λέγων καὶ Ἐξουσίας καὶ ∆υνάμεις καὶ Θρόνους καὶ Κυριότητας. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν τὸ ἔργον ἐκτελοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ τοῖς ἐργαζομένοις ἐπιστατοῦσιν, ἕτεροι κατεξουσιάζουσι ταξιαρχοῦντες καί, ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν, πάντες ὁμοίως συστενάζοντες καὶ συνωδινοῦντες μετὰ πολλῆς φροντίδος καὶ μερίμνης καὶ τάξεως λογικῆς τὸ ἔργον ἐκτελοῦσιν, ἐπιθυμοῦντες οἱ πάντες ὁμοῦ ἐλευθερίας τυχεῖν ἧς ποιοῦσι δουλείας διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. 9.18 Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἁρπαγῆς τῆς ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ πάλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῖν συνεργοῦντος λέξω. Ἐπειδήπερ μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν δικαίων τῶν ἀξιουμένων εἰσιέναι ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ ἐναποτίθενται, ὡς ἐκ τῶν κατὰ τὸν λῃστὴν τὸν τῷ Κυρίῳ συσταυρωθέντα διδασκόμεθα, ἄχρι τῆς ἀναστάσεως ὡς ἐν ἐξαιρετωτέρῳ καὶ τιμίῳ χωρίῳ, ὑπὸ τῶν ἀοράτων ∆υνάμεων διατηρούμεναι μετὰ ὕμνων καὶ πάσης τιμῆς, ἐκεῖ πάλιν ἁρπάσας τὸν Παῦλον δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ τέως μερικῶς παραμυθούμενος τὰ τῶν κόπων ἔπαθλα καὶ τῶν ἀγώνων τοὺς στεφάνους· ὅθεν διηγήσασθαι τελείως τὰ πράγματα οὐκ ἠδυνήθη, εἰπὼν μᾶλλον ἄρρητα αὐτὰ τυγχάνειν καὶ ἀνέφικτα, συγγράψαι δὲ καταθαρρήσας ὡς, τὸν δρόμον τῆς διακονίας πληρώσας καὶ τὴν πίστιν τηρήσας, ἀποκεῖσθαι αὐτῷ στέφανον δικαιοσύ νης παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου· οὐ μόνον δὲ αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὁμοίοις αὐτῷ. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν περὶ τῶν ὀπτασιῶν εἴπομεν. 9.19 Ἐπισημαντέον δὲ ἐνταῦθα ὅτι τὰ ἄστρα πάντα κάτωθέν εἰσι τοῦ στερεώματος, ὑπὸ τὸ δίμοιρον τοῦ οὐρανίου ὕψους, κινούμενα καὶ περιστρεφόμενα ὑπὸ τῆς λειτουργίας καὶ τάξεως τῶν ἀοράτων ∆υνάμεων· καὶ ἐκ τούτου διδασκόμεθα ἐπέκεινα τῶν ἄστρων ἄγγελον μὴ ὑπερβαίνειν. Εἰ γὰρ "πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν", ὁ ἀντιλέγων εἰπάτω καὶ τὴν λειτουργίαν τοῦ ὑπερβαίνοντος ἀγγέλου· εἰ δὲ μὴ εὐπορεῖ δεῖξαι, πειθέσθω μᾶλλον μὴ ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ. 9.20 Ἀδύνατον γὰρ θνητὸν ἔτι ὄντα ἢ φθαρτὸν ἢ τρεπτὸν ἐπέκεινα τῶν ἄστρων βαίνειν. Εἰ μὴ οὖν λάβομεν παρὰ Θεοῦ ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ ἀθανασίαν καὶ ἀτρεπτότητα ἐξ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν, ὁμοίως καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι μεθ' ἡμῶν ἐλευθερούμενοι τῆς δουλείας καὶ ῥίπτοντες τὰ ἄστρα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κομίσονται καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν ἀτρεπτότητα καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν, οὐ βαίνομεν ἐπέκεινα καὶ τέμνομεν τὸ στερέωμα εἰσερχόμενοι εἰς τὴν τῶν οὐρανίων βασιλείαν· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγων· "Σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύνανται", ἵνα εἴπῃ διὰ τοῦ "σὰρξ" θνητότης, καὶ διὰ τοῦ "αἵματος" τροπήν· ἀδύνατον οὖν εἶπε θνητὸν ἢ τρεπτὸν ἔτι ὄντα κληρονομεῖν τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν· ἀμέλει ἐπιφέρει· "Οὐδὲ ἡ φθορὰ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν κληρονομεῖ"· πάλιν καὶ τοῦτο προσέθηκε δηλῶν ὡς οὐδὲ φθαρτόν τι δύναται ἐκεῖ ἀνιέναι· βλάπτεται γὰρ ἤπερ ὠφελεῖται. 9.21 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡμεῖς μακρόθεν ὄντες καὶ προσέχοντες τυχὸν τῷ δίσκῳ τοῦ ἡλίου διαμεῖναι οὐκ ἰσχύομεν, βλαπτόμενοι μᾶλλον καὶ τυφλούμενοι ἤπερ ὠφελούμενοι, οὕτως ἐστὶ καὶ ὁ θνητὸς ἢ ὁ ἔτι τρεπτὸς ὢν ἢ φθαρτὸς ὑπερβῆναι τοὺς ὅρους ζητῶν καὶ προσεγγίσαι αὐτῇ τῇ ὁδῷ τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἔτι μακρόθεν αὐτῆς ὤν.