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they are not silent. But what? We also are men of like passions with you, they say. Straightway from the outset they overturned the evil. They did not say simply, Men, but, Like you. Then, lest they should seem to honor the gods, hear what they add: bringing good tidings to you to turn from these vanities to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them. See how they nowhere make mention of the prophets, nor say for what reason He, being the Creator of all, let the Gentiles go their own ways. Who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways. That He suffered it, he says, but why He suffered it, he does not yet say; for the present he addresses himself to the urgent matter, nowhere putting the name of Christ. And yet He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good from heaven, giving us rains and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. See, he does not wish to increase their accusation, but rather teaches them to bring everything to God. For they learned that one must not be so zealous to say something worthy of God, as to say what is profitable for the hearers. See how he covertly makes the accusation. And yet if He did this, they ought to be punished 60.228 for enjoying so many good things and not even recognizing Him as their nourisher; but he does not say it openly, but hints at it, saying, Giving us rains from heaven. So also David said: They were increased from the fruit of their corn and wine and oil; and in many places when discoursing about creation, he brings these things forward. And Jeremiah also speaks of creation first, then of providence through the rains; so that having been taught from thence he discourses. Filling, he says, with food and gladness. The food is with munificence, not only for sufficiency, nor for need. And saying these things, they scarcely restrained the multitudes from sacrificing to them. And by this they were admired all the more. Do you see that they addressed themselves to this, so as to overturn that madness? But there came Jews from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. Truly children of the devil; doing these things not only in their own cities, but also outside of them, and making as much effort to pull down the preaching as the apostles hastened to set it up. And having persuaded, he says, the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city. Here is fulfilled that, My grace is sufficient for you: for my power is made perfect in weakness. This is greater than raising the lame man. The Gentiles then thought them gods, but these dragged him, having persuaded the multitudes; for it was not likely that all admired them. And see, in that very city in which they were so admired, in it they suffer terrible things. And this too was profitable to those who saw. But that it was permitted for this reason also that he should suffer, hear him declaring this very thing and saying: lest any man should account of me above that which he sees me to be, or hears anything from me. But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and entered into the city. Do you see his eagerness? Do you see his desire, fervent and fiery? He entered again into that very city, so that it might be shown that if anywhere he withdrew 60.229, it was because he wished to sow the word, and because it was not right to inflame their anger. These things made them no less brilliant than the signs, and prepared them to rejoice the more. But nowhere does it say that they returned rejoicing because they had worked signs, but because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for his name. For this they were taught by Christ, who said: Rejoice not, that the demons are subject to you. For this is the true and sincere joy, to suffer something for Christ's sake. Then they went to all the cities in which they had been in danger. And on the next day he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe, and when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. 2. This

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ἡσυχάζουσιν, ἀλλὰ τί; Καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς ὑμῖν ἐσμεν, φασὶν, ἄνθρωποι. Εὐθέως ἐκ προοιμίων ἀνέτρεψαν τὸ κακόν. Οὐκ εἶπον ἁπλῶς, Ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλὰ, Καθ' ὑμᾶς. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξωσι τιμᾷν τοὺς θεοὺς, ἄκουσον τί ἐπάγουσιν· Εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν ματαίων ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ζῶντα, ὃς ἐποίησε τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς. Ὅρα οὐδαμοῦ τῶν προφητῶν μνημονεύοντας αὐτοὺς, οὐδὲ λέγοντας, τίνος ἕνεκεν, πάντων δημιουργὸς ὢν, τὰ ἔθνη ἀφῆκεν αὐτόνομα; Ὃς ἐν ταῖς παρῳχημέναις γενεαῖς εἴασε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη πορεύεσθαι ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν. Ὅτι μὲν εἴασε λέγει, διὰ τί δὲ εἴασεν, οὐκ ἔτι· τέως πρὸς τὸ κατεπεῖγον ἵσταται, οὐδαμοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ ὄνομα τιθείς. Καίτοι γε οὐκ ἀμάρτυρον ἑαυτὸν ἀφῆκεν, ἀγαθοποιῶν οὐρανόθεν, ἡμῖν ὑετοὺς διδοὺς καὶ καιροὺς καρποφόρους, ἐμπιπλῶν τροφῆς καὶ εὐφροσύνης τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν. Ὅρα, οὐ βούλεται τὴν κατηγορίαν αὐτῶν αὐξῆσαι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν τὸ πᾶν ἄγειν αὐτοὺς παιδεύει. Ἔμαθον γὰρ, ὅτι οὐχ οὕτω σπουδάζειν δεῖ ἄξιόν τι εἰπεῖν περὶ Θεοῦ, ὡς τὸ τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ὠφέλιμον. Ὅρα πῶς λανθανόντως τὴν κατηγορίαν τίθησι. Καὶ μὴν εἰ τοῦτο ἐποίει, ἔδει κολα 60.228 σθῆναι αὐτοὺς τοσούτων ἀπολαύοντας ἀγαθῶν, καὶ μηδὲ ὡς τροφέα γνωρίσαντας· ἀλλ' οὐ λέγει φανερῶς, ἀλλ' αἰνίττεται, Οὐρανόθεν ἡμῖν, λέγων, ὑετοὺς διδούς. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ ∆αυῒδ ἔλεγεν· Ἀπὸ καρποῦ σίτου καὶ οἴνου καὶ ἐλαίου αὐτῶν ἐπληθύνθησαν· καὶ πολλαχοῦ περὶ δημιουργίας διαλεγόμενος, ταῦτα τίθησιν εἰς μέσον. Καὶ ὁ Ἱερεμίας δὲ τὴν δημιουργίαν πρώτην, εἶτα τὴν πρόνοιαν τὴν διὰ τῶν ὑετῶν φησιν· ὥστε ἐκεῖθεν πεπαιδευμένος διαλέγεται· Ἐμπιπλῶν, φησὶ, τροφῆς καὶ εὐφροσύνης. Μετὰ φιλοτιμίας ἡ τροφὴ, οὐ μόνον πρὸς αὐτάρκειαν, οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντες, μόλις κατέπαυσαν τοὺς ὄχλους τοῦ μὴ θύειν αὐτοῖς. Καὶ τούτῳ μάλιστα ἐθαυμάσθησαν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι πρὸς τοῦτο ἵσταντο, ὥστε ἀνατρέψαι τὴν μανίαν ἐκείνην; Ἐπῆλθον δὲ ἀπὸ Ἀντιοχείας καὶ Ἰκονίου Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ πείσαντες τοὺς ὄχλους, καὶ λιθάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον, ἔσυραν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, νομίσαντες αὐτὸν τεθνάναι. Ὄντως διαβόλου τέκνα· οὐκ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔξω τούτων ταῦτα ποιοῦντες, καὶ τοσαύτην ποιούμενοι σπουδὴν καθελεῖν τὸ κήρυγμα, ὅσην οἱ ἀπόστολοι στῆσαι ἐπειγόμενοι. Καὶ πείσαντες, φησὶ, τοὺς ὄχλους, καὶ λιθάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον, ἔσυραν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως. Ἐνταῦθα πληροῦται τὸ, Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. Μεῖζον τοῦτο τοῦ τὸν χωλὸν ἐγεῖραι. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐθνικοὶ ὡς θεοὺς ἐνόμιζον, οὗτοι δὲ ἔσυρον πείσαντες τοὺς ὄχλους· οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντας εἰκὸς ἦν θαυμάζειν αὐτούς. Καὶ ὅρα, ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ πόλει, ἐν ᾗ οὕτως ἐθαυμάσθησαν, ἐν αὐτῇ τὰ δεινὰ πάσχουσι. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τοὺς ὁρῶντας ὠφέλει. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο συνεχωρεῖτο πάσχειν, ἄκουε τοῦτο αὐτὸ δηλοῦντος καὶ λέγοντος· Ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηταί τις ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με, ἢ ἀκούει τι ἐξ ἐμοῦ. Κυκλωσάντων δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτὸν, ἀναστὰς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. Ὁρᾷς προθυμίαν; ὁρᾷς πόθον ζέοντα καὶ πεπυρωμένον; Εἰς αὐτὴν πάλιν τὴν πόλιν εἰσῆλθεν, ὥστε δειχθῆναι, ὅτι εἴ που καὶ ὑπεχώ 60.229 ρει, διὰ τὸ τὸν λόγον βούλεσθαι σπεῖραι, καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ δεῖν ἐκκαίειν αὐτῶν τὸν θυμόν. Ταῦτα τῶν σημείων οὐχ ἧττον καὶ λαμπροτέρους ἐποίει, καὶ μᾶλλον χαίρειν παρεσκεύαζεν. Οὐδαμοῦ δὲ λέγει, ὅτι ὑπέστρεψαν χαίροντες, ὅτι σημεῖα ἐποίησαν, ἀλλ' ὅτι κατηξιώθησαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ἀτιμασθῆναι. Καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐδιδάχθησαν λέγοντος· Μὴ χαίρετε, ὅτι τὰ δαιμόνια ὑμῖν ὑποτάσσεται. Ἡ γὰρ ὄντως χαρὰ καὶ εἰλικρινὴς αὕτη ἐστὶ, τὸ πάσχειν τι διὰ Χριστόν. Εἶτα τὰς πόλεις πάσας ἐπῄεσαν, ἐν αἷς ἐκινδύνευσαν. Καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον ἐξῆλθε σὺν τῷ Βαρνάβᾳ εἰς ∆έρβην, εὐαγγελισάμενοί τε τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην, καὶ μαθητεύσαντες ἱκανοὺς, ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς Λύστραν καὶ Ἰκόνιον καὶ Ἀντιόχειαν, ἐπιστηρίζοντες τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν μαθητῶν, παρακαλοῦντες ἐμμένειν τῇ πίστει, καὶ ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. βʹ. Τοῦτο