155

to scatter the words of the poor in judgment. He who pursues contract-work will fall into judgment. Concerning a matter for which you have no need, do not provoke. TITLE 17. -Concerning good bishops, and those who keep the commandments of God.

Every man in whom there is a blemish shall not approach to offer. A man who is blind, or lame, 95.1537 or with a mutilated nose, or with a severed part, or who has a broken hand or foot, or is a hunchback, or has a speck in his eyes, or is bald, or in whom there is a wild scab, or lichen, or is a eunuch, shall not draw near to bring sacrifices to the Lord, because there is a blemish in him. He shall eat of the holy gifts, but he shall not approach the veil, and he shall not draw near to my altar. They shall not take a woman who is a prostitute or defiled, because they are holy. Your priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and your saints shall rejoice with gladness. You shall surely know the souls of your flock, and you will set your heart on your herds. Shepherd the sheep for the slaughter, which their owners slaughtered and did not repent, and those selling them said: Blessed be the Lord, and we have become rich, and their shepherds felt nothing for them. Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel, and you shall hear a word from my mouth, and you shall warn them from me. When I say to the lawless man to turn from his ways so that he may live; if that lawless man dies in his iniquity, I will require his blood from your hand. And if you warn the lawless man, and he does not turn from his lawlessness, he shall die in his iniquity, and you will save your soul. And when a righteous man turns, and commits a transgression, he shall die in his sins, because his righteous deeds shall not be remembered, and I will require his blood from your hand. But if you warn the righteous man not to sin, you will save your own soul. No priest shall drink wine when he enters into the inner court. From all your first-fruits shall be for the priests. Those who keep holy things in a holy way will be made holy, and those who have been taught them will find a defense. Do not seek leadership from the Lord, nor a seat of glory from a king. With all your soul revere the Lord, and marvel at his priests, With all your strength glorify him who made you, and do not forsake his ministers. Fear the Lord, and glorify the priest, and give their portion, as he commanded you. Have they made you a leader? Do not be lifted up. Be among them as one of them. Take care of them, and so sit down, and having done all your duty, recline, that you may rejoice because of them, and for your good favor receive the crown. When Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, and the rest. The Lord said to Peter: Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? A dispute arose among the disciples, as to which of them was considered to be the greatest. But Jesus said to them: The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and 95.1540 those who have authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; but let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is greater, the one reclining at table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one reclining at table; But I am among you as one who serves. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching. Truly I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them recline at table, and will come and serve them. And the Lord said: Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give the portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, will find so doing. Truly I say to you, that he will set him over all his possessions. I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all of you. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the Church of God, which

155

διασκεδάσαι λόγους πενήτων ἐν κρίσει. Ὁ διώκων ἐργολάβειαν, ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κρίσιν. Περὶ πράγματος οὗ οὐκ ἔστι σοι χρεία, μὴ ἐρέθιζε. ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΖʹ. -Περὶ ἐπισκόπων χρηστῶν, καὶ φυλαττόντων τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, ᾧ ἂν ᾖ μῶμος ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐ προσελεύσεται προσφέρειν. Ἄνθρωπος τυφλὸς, ἢ χωλὸς, 95.1537 ἢ κολοβόριν, ἢ ἀπότμητος, ἢ ᾧ ἂν ᾖ σύντριμμα χειρὸς ἢ ποδὸς, ἢ κυρτὸς, ἢ ἔφηλος τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἢ πτιλλὸς, ἢ ᾧ ἂν ᾖ ἐν αὐτῷ ψώρα ἀγρία, ἢ λειχὴν, ἢ μονόρχις, οὐ προσεγγιεῖ τοῦ προσενεγκεῖν θυσίας Κυρίῳ, ὅτι μῶμος ἐν αὐτῷ. Ἀπὸ τῶν δώρων τῶν ἁγίων φάγεται, πλὴν πρὸς τὸ καταπέτασμα οὐ προσελεύσεται, καὶ πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριόν μου οὐκ ἐγγίζει. Γυναῖκα πόρνην καὶ βεβηλωμένην οὐ λήψονται, ὅτι ἅγιοι εἰσίν. Οἱ ἱερεῖς σου ἐνδύσονται δικαιοσύνην, καὶ οἱ ὅσιοί σου ἀγαλλιάσει ἀγαλλιάσονται. Γνωστῶς ἐπιγνώσῃ ψυχὰς ποιμνίου σου, καὶ ἐπιστήσεις καρδίαν σου σαῖς ἀγέλαις. Ποιμαίνετε τὰ πρόβατα τῆς σφαγῆς, ἃ οἱ κτησάμενοι κατέσφαζον, καὶ οὐ μετεμελοῦντο, καὶ οἱ πωλοῦντες αὐτὰ ἔλεγον· Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος, καὶ πεπλουτήκαμεν, καὶ οἱ ποιμένες αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔπασχον οὐδὲν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς. Υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, σκοπὸν δέδωκά σε τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου λόγον, καὶ διαστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς παρ' ἐμοῦ. Ἐν τῷ λέγειν με τῷ ἀνόμῳ, ἀποστρέψαι ἀπὸ τῶν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζῇν αὐτόν· ἐὰν ὁ ἄνομος ἐκεῖνος τῇ ἀδικίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀποθάνηται, τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου ἐκζητήσω. Καὶ σὺ ἐὰν διαστείλῃ τῷ ἀνόμῳ, καὶ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀποθανεῖται, καὶ σὺ τὴν ψυχήν σου ῥύσῃ. Καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέφειν δίκαιον, καὶ ποιήσει παράπτωμα, ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτοῦ ἀποθανεῖται, διότι οὐ μὴ μνησθῶσιν αἱ δικαιοσύναι αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου ἐκζητήσω. Ἐὰν δὲ διαστείλῃ τῷ δικαίῳ τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν, σὺ τὴν σεαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ῥύσῃ. Οἶνον οὐ μὴ πίωσι πᾶς ἱερεὺς ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαι αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν ἐσωτέραν. Ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἀπαρχῶν ὑμῶν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἔσται. Οἱ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια, ὁσιωθήσονται, καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ, εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν. Μὴ ζήτει παρὰ κυρίου κηδεμονίαν, μηδὲ παρὰ βασιλέως καθέδραν δόξης. Ἐν ὅλῃ ψυχῇ σου εὐλαβοῦ τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ θαύμαζε, Ἐν ὅλῃ δυνάμει σου δόξαζε τὸν ποιήσαντά σε, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς. Φοβοῦ τὸν Κύριον, καὶ δόξασον ἱερέα, καὶ δὸς τὴν μερίδα αὐτῶν, καθὼς ἐνετείλατό σοι. Ἡγούμενόν σε κατέστησαν; μὴ ἐπαίρου. Γίνου ἐν αὐτοῖς ὡς εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν. Φρόντισον αὐτῶν, καὶ οὕτως κάθισον, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν χρείαν σου ποιήσας ἀνάπεσον, ἵνα εὐφρανθῇς δι' αὐτοὺς, καὶ εὐδοκίας χάριν λάβῃς τὸν στέφανον. Ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὰ μέρη Καισαρείας τῆς Φιλίππου, καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Πέτρῳ· Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ, ἀγαπᾷς με; Ἐγένετο φιλονείκεια ἐν τοῖς μαθηταῖς, τίς αὐτῶν δοκεῖ εἶναι μείζων. Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Οἱ βασιλεῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν, καὶ 95.1540 οἱ ἐξουσιάζοντες αὐτῶν εὐεργέται καλοῦνται. Ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως· ἀλλὰ ὁ μείζων ἐν ὑμῖν γενέσθω ὡς ὁ νεώτερος, καὶ ὁ ἡγούμενος ὡς ὁ διακονῶν. Τίς γὰρ μείζων, ὁ ἀνακείμενος, ἢ ὁ διακονῶν; οὐχὶ ὁ ἀνακείμενος· Ἐγὼ δέ εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν ὡς ὁ διακονῶν. Μακάριοι οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος εὑρήσει γρηγοροῦντας. Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι περιζώσεται, καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ αὐτοὺς, καὶ παρελθὼν διακονήσει αὐτοῖς. Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος· Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς οἰκονόμος καὶ φρόνιμος, ὃν καταστήσει ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς θεραπείας αὐτοῦ τοῦ δοῦναι ἐν καιρῷ τὸ σιτομέτριον; Μακάριος ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος, αὐτὸν εὑρήσει ποιοῦντα οὕτως. Ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτοῦ καταστήσει αὐτόν. ∆ιαμαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡμέρᾳ, ὅτι καθαρός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος πάντων ὑμῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ὑπεστειλάμην τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν πᾶσαν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Προσέχετε οὖν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ παντὶ τῷ ποιμνίῳ, ἐν ᾧ ὑμᾶς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔθετο ἐπισκόπους ποιμαίνειν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἣν