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of sins, makes the punishment there more severe; thus for sinners to enjoy much ease and prosperity becomes for them a provision and a ground for greater punishment. If he who calls his brother a fool is worthy of the final punishment; how much of the fire of Gehenna will he who accuses him of being an evildoer, and malicious, and countless other such things, gather for himself? For "Fool," is much lighter than the things mentioned as a word of insult. Therefore, Christ, omitting those, set down this, so that you might learn, that if the 63.749 more tolerable thing, when said, draws down Gehenna upon the one who says it, much more will the very heavy and intolerable things do this. But if some, condemning the word as an exaggeration, think that this threat was said only to frighten, it is time for them also to release adulterers and idolaters from the said punishment. For if He threatened revilers for the sake of fear, it is clear that He did so to them too; for having gathered them all together, He thus brought on their expulsion from the kingdom. What then, he says, will the reviler be placed with the adulterer and the effeminate? Whether he will receive the same penalty as them, this is for another time to investigate; but that he will likewise be cast out of the kingdom, I am persuaded by Paul when he says, or rather by Christ working in him, that neither these, nor those, will inherit the kingdom of God. If a secret deed of any one of us were brought to light today in the church alone, would he not perish and pray that the earth would rather open up for him, than have so many witnesses to his wickedness? What then shall we suffer, when everything is brought into the open before the whole world in so magnificent and conspicuous a theater, with all, both those known and unknown to us, looking on? what will become of us, when, having been bound, we are led away into the outer darkness? or rather, what shall we do (which is more dreadful than all) when we offend God? For if anyone has perception and understanding, he has already endured Gehenna, when he is out of God's sight. For we ought to feel pain, not when we are being punished, but when we sin; for to offend God is more grievous than to be punished. But now we are in so wretched a state, that if there were not the fear of Gehenna, we would not even readily choose to do anything good. Therefore, if for no other reason, for this reason at least we would be worthy of Gehenna, for fearing Gehenna more than God. For those who stumble much and are not punished, ought to fear and be afraid; for their punishment is increased through their lack of punishment and the long-suffering of God. When, therefore, you see someone unjustly growing rich and prospering, do not call him blessed, but weep for such a one; for this wealth is to him an addition of punishment. For just as those who have sinned much and are unwilling to repent, treasure up for themselves a treasure of wrath; so those who, besides not being punished, also enjoy prosperity, will undergo a greater punishment. For the punishments are not the same for all sins, but many and various, and according to times, and persons, and dignities, and understanding. For if there are two wicked men, not having enjoyed the same things here, but one in wealth, and the other in poverty, they will not be punished alike there, but the more prosperous one more severely. For this reason God does not demand a penalty from all here, so that you may not give up on the resurrection, and despair of the judgment, as if all give an account here; nor does He let all depart unpunished, so that you may not again think that all things are without providence. Do not many now commit the same things as those who were punished for their sins before? Indeed; for when you slay not a carnal, but a spiritual brother, as Cain did, have you not done the same things? For what if it is not with a sword, but in another way? Has no one, then, envied his brother now? Has no one surrounded him with 63.750 dangers? But here they have not paid the penalty. But they will pay it. For if he who had heard neither written laws nor prophets, nor seen great signs, pays so great a penalty, will he who afterwards did the same things, and was not even made wise by so many examples, be unpunished? And where is the justice of God?

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ἁμαρτημάτων, χαλεπωτέραν ἐκεῖ ποιεῖ τὴν τιμωρίαν· οὕτω τὸ πολλῆς ἀνέσεως ἀπολαύειν ἁμαρτάνοντας καὶ εὐπορίας, ἐφόδιον τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι καὶ ὑπόθεσις κολάσεως μείζονος γίνεται. Εἰ ὁ μωρὸν λέγων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, τῆς ἐσχάτης κολάσεώς ἐστιν ἄξιος· ὁ κακοῦργον, καὶ βάσκανον, καὶ μυρία ἄλλα τοιαῦτα κατηγορῶν, πόσον ἑαυτῷ τὸ τῆς γεέννης συνάξει πῦρ; τὸ γὰρ, Μωρὲ, τῶν εἰρημένων πολλῷ κουφότερον εἰς ὕβρεως λόγον ἐστί. ∆ιόπερ ἐκεῖνα παρεὶς, τοῦτο ἔθηκεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι εἰ τὸ 63.749 φορητότερον λεχθὲν τὴν γέενναν ἐπισπᾶται κατὰ τοῦ λέγοντος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ βαρύτατα καὶ ἀφορητότερα τοῦτο ἐργάσεται. Εἰ δέ τινες ὑπερβολὴν τοῦ λόγου καταγινώσκοντες, ὑπὲρ τοῦ φοβῆσαι μόνον ταύτην εἰρῆσθαι τὴν ἀπειλὴν νομίζουσιν, ὥρα αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς μοιχοὺς καὶ εἰδωλολάτρας τῆς εἰρημένης ἀπαλλάττειν κολάσεως. Εἰ γὰρ φόβου ἕνεκεν τοῖς λοιδόροις ἠπείλησε, δῆλον ὅτι κἀκείνοις· ὁμοῦ γὰρ ἅπαντας συναγαγὼν, οὕτως ἐπήγαγε τῆς βασιλείας τὴν ἔκπτωσιν. Τί οὖν, φησὶν, ὁ λοίδορος μετὰ τοῦ μοιχοῦ καὶ μαλακοῦ κείσεται; Εἰ μὲν τὴν αὐτὴν αὐτοῖς δώσει δίκην, ἑτέρου τοῦτο ζητῆσαι καιροῦ· ὅτι δὲ τῆς βασιλείας ὁμοίως ἐκπεσεῖται ἐκεῖνος, τῷ Παύλῳ πείθομαι λέγοντι, μᾶλλον δὲ τῷ ἐνεργοῦντι ἐν αὐτῷ Χριστῷ, ὅτι οὔτε οὗτοι, οὔτε ἐκεῖνοι βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν. Εἴ τινος ἡμῶν πρᾶγμα κρυπτὸν εἰς μέσον ἠνέχθη τήμερον ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας μόνης, οὐκ ἂν ἀπώλετο καὶ τὴν γῆν εὔξατο αὐτῷ διαστῆναι μᾶλλον ἂν, ἢ τοσούτους μάρτυρας κακίας ἔχειν; Τί οὖν τότε πεισόμεθα, ὅταν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης εἰς μέσον ἅπαντα φέρηται ἐν οὕτω θεάτρῳ λαμπρῷ καὶ περιφανεῖ, καὶ τῶν γνωρίμων καὶ τῶν ἀγνώστων ἡμῖν ἅπαντα κατοπτευόντων; τίνος ἐσόμεθα, ὅταν δεθέντες εἰς τὸ ἐξώτερον ἀπαγώμεθα σκότος; μᾶλλον δὲ τί ποιήσομεν (ὃ πάντων ἐστὶ φοβερώτερον) ὅταν τῷ Θεῷ προσκρούσωμεν; Εἰ γάρ τις αἴσθησιν ἔχει καὶ νοῦν, ἤδη καὶ τὴν γέενναν ὑπέμεινεν, ὅταν ἐξ ὄψεως γένηται τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐχρῆν, οὐχ ὅταν κολαζώμεθα, ἀλγεῖν, ἀλλ' ὅταν ἁμαρτάνωμεν· τὸ γὰρ προσκροῦσαι τῷ Θεῷ τοῦ κολασθῆναι χαλεπώτερον. Νῦν δ' οὕτως ἀθλίως διακείμεθα, ὡς, εἰ μὴ γεέννης φόβος ἦν, μηδὲ ἂν ἑλέσθαι ταχέως ποιῆσαί τι καλόν. ∆ιόπερ εἰ καὶ μηδενὸς ἕνεκεν ἑτέρου, τούτου γε ἕνεκεν γεέννης ἂν εἴημεν ἄξιοι, τὴν γέενναν μᾶλλον τοῦ Θεοῦ φοβούμενοι. Οἱ γὰρ πολλὰ πταίοντες καὶ μὴ κολαζόμενοι, φοβεῖσθαι καὶ δεδοικέναι ὀφείλουσιν· αὔξεται γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ τῆς τιμωρίας, διὰ τῆς ἀτιμωρησίας καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδῃς ἀδίκως πλουτοῦντα καὶ εὐημεροῦντά τινα, μὴ μακαρίσῃς, ἀλλὰ δάκρυσον τὸν τοιοῦτον· καὶ γὰρ προσθήκη κολάσεως ὁ πλοῦτος οὗτος αὐτῷ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ πολλὰ ἁμαρτόντες, καὶ μὴ βουλόμενοι μετανοεῖν, θησαυρίζουσιν ἑαυτοῖς θησαυρὸν ὀργῆς· οὕτως οἱ μετὰ τοῦ μηδὲ κολάζεσθαι καὶ εὐπραγίας ἀπολαύοντες, μείζονα ὑποστήσονται τὴν τιμωρίαν. Οὐ γὰρ πάντων τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων αἱ αὐταὶ κολάσεις, ἀλλὰ πολλαὶ καὶ διάφοροι, καὶ ἀπὸ χρόνων, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπων καὶ ἀπὸ ἀξιωμάτων, καὶ ἀπὸ συνέσεως. Καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ὦσι πονηροὶ δύο, οὐ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐνταῦθα ἀπολαύσαντες, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἐν πλούτῳ, ὁ δὲ ἐν πενίᾳ, οὐχ ὁμοίως ἐκεῖ τιμωρηθήσονται, ἀλλ' ὁ εὐπορώτερος χαλεπώτερα. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὐδὲ πάντας ἐνταῦθα ἀπαιτεῖ δίκην ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα μὴ ἀπογνῷς τὴν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ ἀπελπίσῃς τὴν κρίσιν, ὡς πάντων ἐνταῦθα διδόντων λόγων· οὔτε πάντας ἀφίησιν ἀτιμωρητὶ ἀπελθεῖν, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἀπρονόητα εἶναι τὰ πάντων νομίσῃς. Ἆρά γε οὐχὶ τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς πρὶν δι' ἁμαρτήματα τιμωρηθεῖσι πράττουσι καὶ νῦν πολλοί; Καὶ πάνυ· ὅταν γὰρ μὴ σαρκικὸν, ἀλλὰ πνευματικὸν ἀνέλῃς ἀδελφὸν, ὡς ὁ Κάϊν, οὐ ταὐτὰ εἰργάσω; Τί γὰρ, εἰ καὶ μὴ ξίφει, ἀλλ' ἑτέρῳ τρόπῳ; οὐδεὶς οὖν ἐφθόνησε νῦν τῷ αὐτοῦ ἀδελφῷ; οὐδεὶς περιέβαλε 63.750 κινδύνοις; Ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα οὐκ ἔδοσαν δίκην. Ἀλλὰ δώσουσιν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ μήτε νόμων ἀκούσας γραπτῶν μήτε προφητῶν, μήτε σημεῖα θεασάμενος μεγάλα, τοσαύτην δίδωσι τιμωρίαν, ὁ ὑστέρως ταὐτὰ δεδρακὼς, καὶ μηδὲ τοσούτοις παραδείγμασι σωφρονιζόμενος, ἀτιμώρητος ἔσται; καὶ ποῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ δίκαιον;