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they bring out. See everywhere the persecutions working great good things, and the persecutors being defeated, but making the persecuted glorious. For having come to Lystra, he works a great wonder, raising the lame man, and with a loud voice; and how, listen. And a certain man, it says, in Lystra, powerless in his feet, was sitting, being lame from his mother's womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Who, gazing at him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice: Stand upright on your feet. And he leaped up and walked. Why with a loud voice? So that the crowds might believe. See, he was paying close attention to the things being said by Paul; for this is what "He heard" means. Have you seen philosophy? He was in no way hindered by his lameness with respect to his eagerness for hearing. Who, gazing at him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed. He was already well-disposed in his will; and yet in the case of others the contrary happened. For previously, having healed the bodies, then they treated the souls; but this man not so. It seems to me that Paul looked into his soul. And he leaped up, it says, and walked. The leaping was a proof of the perfect health. But the crowds, seeing what Paul did, lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods, having become like men, have come down to us. And they called Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was before their city, having brought bulls and garlands to the gates, wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But this was not yet clear; for they were speaking in their own tongue, saying, that the gods, having become like men, have come down to us; for this reason they said nothing to them. But when they saw the garlands, then going out, they tore their clothes. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the crowd, crying out and saying: Men, why are you doing this? We also are men of like passions with you. See them everywhere pure from glory, not only not desiring it, but also rejecting it when given; just as Peter also said: Why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? And these say the same thing. And Joseph also said concerning the dreams: Is not the interpretation of them from God? and Daniel likewise: And to me also this was not revealed by any wisdom that I have. And Paul everywhere says this, as when he says: And who is sufficient for these things? And again, Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. But let us look at what was said above. The crowds were not simply added to them; but how? They asked that the same things be spoken to them again, and by their deeds they showed their eagerness. See them everywhere exhorting, not simply accepting, nor flattering. For this reason it said: Who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. Why did they not contradict before this? Because for a time those who were persuading them were quiet. Do you see that everywhere they were moved by passion? And not only did they contradict, but they also blasphemed; and 60.224 for evil never stops. But see the boldness. To you, he says, it was necessary that the word should first be spoken; but since you thrust it from you. Nothing insulting. Which indeed they also did in the case of the prophets. Do not speak to us, he says, with speaking. But since you thrust him away, he says, not us; for the insult from you is not against us. For lest anyone should think that "You judge yourselves unworthy" was an expression of reverence, for this reason he first said: You thrust him away; and then, We turn to the Gentiles. The saying is full of much gentleness. He did not say, We abandon you, showing that it is possible to turn back here again; and this has not happened because of your insult; for so it has been commanded us. The Gentiles, then, had to hear; but this, which ought to have been for you first, came about not from us, but from you. For so the Lord has commanded us: I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation; that is, for the knowledge which leads to salvation; and not simply of the Gentiles, but

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ἐξάγουσιν. Ὅρα πανταχοῦ τοὺς διωγμοὺς μεγάλα ἐργαζομένους ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τοὺς μὲν διώκοντας ἡττωμένους, τοὺς δὲ διωκομένους λαμπροὺς ἀποφαίνοντας. Ἐλθὼν γὰρ ἐν Λύστροις, ποιεῖται θαῦμα μέγα, τὸν χωλὸν ἀναστήσας, καὶ μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ· καὶ πῶς, ἄκουε. Καί τις, φησὶν, ἀνὴρ ἐν Λύστροις ἀδύνατος τοῖς ποσὶν ἐκάθητο, χωλὸς ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ ὑπάρχων, ὃς οὐδέποτε περιπεπατήκει. Οὗτος ἤκουσε τοῦ Παύλου λαλοῦντος. Ὃς ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ, καὶ ἰδὼν ὅτι πίστιν ἔχει τοῦ σωθῆναι, εἶπε μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ· Ἀνάστηθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου ὀρθός. Καὶ ἥλατο καὶ περιεπάτει. ∆ιὰ τί μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ; Ὥστε τοὺς ὄχλους πιστεῦσαι. Ὅρα δὲ, προσεῖχεν ἀκριβῶς τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ Ἤκουσεν. Εἶδες φιλοσοφίαν; Οὐδὲν ὑπὸ τῆς χωλείας πρὸς τὴν σπουδὴν τῆς ἀκροάσεως παρεβλάβη. Ὃς ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ, καὶ ἰδὼν ὅτι πίστιν ἔχει τοῦ σωθῆναι. Ἤδη ᾠκείωτο τὴν προαίρεσιν· καίτοι ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων τοὐναντίον ἐγίνετο. Πρότερον γὰρ ἰώμενοι τὰ σώματα, τότε τὰς ψυχὰς ἐθεραπεύοντο· οὗτος δὲ οὐχ οὕτως. Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν ἰδεῖν τὴν αὐτοῦ τὸν Παῦλον. Καὶ ἥλατο, φησὶ, καὶ περιεπάτει. Τεκμήριον τῆς ὑγείας τῆς ἀκριβοῦς τὸ ἅλλεσθαι. Οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι, ἰδόντες ὃ ἐποίησε Παῦλος, ἐπῆραν αὐτῶν τὴν φωνὴν, λυκαονιστὶ λέγοντες· Οἱ θεοὶ, ὁμοιωθέντες ἀνθρώποις, κατέβησαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Ἐκάλουν δὲ τὸν μὲν Βαρνάβαν ∆ία, τὸν δὲ Παῦλον Ἑρμῆν, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ λόγου. Ὅ τε ἱερεὺς τοῦ ∆ιὸς, τοῦ ὄντος πρὸ τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν, ταύρους καὶ στέμματα ἐπὶ τοὺς πυλῶνας ἐνέγκας, σὺν τοῖς ὄχλοις ἤθελε θύειν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἦν τοῦτο οὐδέπω δῆλον· τῇ γὰρ οἰκείᾳ φωνῇ ἐφθέγγοντο, λέγοντες, ὅτι Οἱ θεοὶ, ὁμοιωθέντες ἀνθρώποις, κατέβησαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς· διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἔλεγον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶδον τὰ στέμματα, τότε ἐξελθόντες, διέῤῥηξαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι Βαρνάβας καὶ Παῦλος, διαῤῥήξαντες ἱμάτια αὐτῶν εἰσεπήδησαν εἰς τὸν ὄχλον, κράζοντες καὶ λέγοντες· Ἄνδρες, τί τοῦτο ποιεῖτε; καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς ἐσμεν ὑμῖν ἄνθρωποι. Ὅρα αὐτοὺς πανταχοῦ δόξης καθαροὺς, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐφιεμένους, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδομένην διακρουομένους· ὥσπερ καὶ Πέτρος ἔλεγε· Τί ἡμῖν ἀτενίζετε, ὡς ἰδίᾳ δυνάμει ἢ εὐσεβείᾳ πεποιηκόσι τοῦ περιπατεῖν αὐτόν; Καὶ οὗτοι τὸ αὐτό φασι. Καὶ Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ἔλεγεν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐνυπνίων· Οὐχὶ διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ διασάφησις αὐτῶν; καὶ ὁ ∆ανιὴλ ὁμοίως· Καὶ ἐμοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀπεκαλύφθη. Καὶ Παῦλος πανταχοῦ τοῦτό φησι, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ· Καὶ πρὸς ταῦτα τίς ἱκανός; Καὶ πάλιν, Οὐχ ὅτι ἱκανοί ἐσμεν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν λογίσασθαι, ὡς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλ' ἡ ἱκανότης ἡμῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν ἄνωθεν τὰ εἰρημένα. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς αὐτοῖς προσετέθησαν οἱ ὄχλοι· ἀλλὰ πῶς; Ἠξίουν λαληθῆναι αὐτοῖς τὰ αὐτὰ πάλιν, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπεδείξαντο τὴν σπουδήν. Ὅρα πανταχοῦ παρακαλοῦντας, οὐκ ἀποδεχομένους ἁπλῶς, οὐδὲ κολακεύοντας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν· Οἵτινες προσλαλοῦντες αὐτοῖς, ἔπειθον προσμένειν τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ. ∆ιὰ τί πρὸ τούτου μὴ ἀντέλεγον; Ὅτι τέως οἱ ἀναπείθοντες ἡσύχαζον. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι πανταχοῦ πάθει ἐκινοῦντο; Καὶ οὐκ ἀντέλεγον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐβλασφήμουν· καὶ 60.224 γὰρ ἡ κακία οὐδαμοῦ ἵσταται. Ἀλλ' ὅρα παῤῥησίαν. Ὑμῖν ἦν, φησὶν, ἀναγκαῖον πρῶτον λαληθῆναι τὸν λόγον· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀπωθεῖσθε αὐτόν. Οὐδὲν ὑβριστικόν. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἐποίουν. Μὴ λαλεῖτε ἡμῖν, φησὶ, λαλιᾷ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀπωθεῖσθε αὐτὸν, φησὶν, οὐχ ἡμᾶς· οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡ ὕβρις ἡ παρ' ὑμῶν. Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις εὐλαβείας εἶναι νομίσῃ τὸ, Οὐκ ἀξίους κρίνετε ἑαυτοὺς, διὰ τοῦτο πρῶτον εἶπεν· Ἀπωθεῖσθε αὐτόν· καὶ τότε, Στρεφόμεθα εἰς τὰ ἔθνη. Πολλῆς ἐπιεικείας γέμει τὸ ῥῆμα. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐγκαταλιμπάνομεν ὑμᾶς, δεικνὺς, ὅτι δυνατὸν καὶ ἐνταῦθα πάλιν στραφῆναι· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ὕβρεως γέγονεν· οὕτω γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν. Ἔδει μὲν οὖν ἀκοῦσαι τὰ ἔθνη· πλὴν τοῦτο οὐ παρ' ἡμῶν, παρ' ὑμῶν δὲ γέγονε τὸ πρὸ ὑμῶν ὀφεῖλον. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος· Τέθεικά σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν, τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν· τουτέστιν, εἰς γνῶσιν τὴν ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ· καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐθνῶν, ἀλλὰ