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I have not shunned, he says. Through these words he shows at once his generosity and his indefatigability. And of the things that were profitable. He rightly said this; for there were things which it was not necessary to learn. For just as to conceal some things is a mark of envy, so to say everything is a mark of folly. For this reason he added, Of the things that were profitable, showing that, I not only spoke, but also taught; not as acquitting himself of this very duty, he says. But that this is what he is showing, hear what follows; for he added: Publicly and from house to house; demonstrating his long toil, and his great zeal and his endurance. Testifying both to Jews and Greeks. Not to you only, he says, but also to the Greeks. Here is the boldness; and that, Even if we do no good, one must speak; for to testify is this, when we speak to those who do not pay attention; for to testify, for the most part, is this. I call to witness, says Moses, heaven and earth; and now he himself, Testifying both to Jews and Greeks repentance toward God. 2. What do you testify? So that they should take care of their life; so that they should repent and come to God. For not even the Jews knew Him, both because they were ignorant of the Son, and because they did not have faith in the Lord Jesus on account of their works. For what reason, then, do you say these things? For what reason do you remind them of these things? What has happened? Do you have some complaint? Having first shaken their mind, he then adds: And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I make no account of anything; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God. Why does he say these things? Preparing them to be always ready for dangers both manifest and unseen, and to obey the Spirit in all things. And he shows that he is being led away to great things. Save that the Holy Spirit, he says, testifies to me in every city, saying. That he might show that he departs willingly, and that you might not think it a bond or a necessity, he said, In every city. Then he adds, that I do not hold my life dear, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus. Do you see that the words were not of one lamenting, but of one being moderate and instructing them and sympathizing with what was happening? He did not say, We feel pain, but it is necessary to bear it; nor even, I consider. This he says again, not exalting himself, but teaching them, through the former things humility, and through these courage, boldness; as if he were saying: I do not love it before this; I consider it more precious to finish the course, to testify. And he did not say, To preach, To teach; but what? To testify to the Gospel of the grace of God. He is about to say something more 60.310 burdensome, that I am pure from the blood of all; for this reason he prepares the way, and shows that nothing is lacking. Since, therefore, he was about to lay upon them the whole weight and the burden, he first softened their minds, saying: And now, behold, I know that you will see my face no more. Then at that point he added, I am pure from the blood of all. The grief is twofold: both that, they would see his face no more, and that, all of them. For you will see my face no more, he says, all of you, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom. Wherefore I testify to you, since I will be present no more, That I am pure from the blood of all. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Do you see how he frightens them, and wears down their souls that are already pained and afflicted? Rightly, because it was necessary. For I have not shunned to declare to you, he says, the whole counsel of God. Therefore, he who does not speak is responsible for the blood; that is, for the slaughter. Nothing is more fearful than this. He shows that they too, if they do not do so, are responsible for the blood. And while he seems to be defending himself, he is frightening them. Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the

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οὐδὲν ὑπεστειλάμην, φησί. Τὸ ἄφθονον δείκνυσι διὰ τούτων ὁμοῦ, καὶ τὸ ἄοκνον. Καὶ τῶν συμφερόντων. Καλῶς οὕτως εἶπεν· ἦν γὰρ ἃ οὐκ ἔδει μαθεῖν. Ὥσπερ δὲ τὸ τινὰ ἀποκρύπτεσθαι, φθόνου· οὕτω τὸ πάντα λέγειν, ἀνοίας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο προσέθηκε, Τῶν συμφερόντων, δηλῶν, ὅτι Οὐκ εἶπον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐδίδαξα· οὐχ ὡς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἀφοσιούμενος, φησίν. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ἄκουε τὸ ἑξῆς· ἐπήγαγε γάρ· ∆ημοσίᾳ καὶ κατ' οἴκους· τὴν μακρὰν ταλαιπωρίαν, καὶ τὴν πολλὴν σπουδὴν καὶ τὴν καρτερίαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος. ∆ιαμαρτυρόμενος Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ Ἕλλησιν. Οὐχὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, φησὶ, μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς Ἕλληνας. Ἐνταῦθα ἡ παῤῥησία· καὶ ὅτι, Κἂν μηδὲν ὠφελῶμεν, λέγειν δεῖ· τὸ γὰρ διαμαρτύρασθαι τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅταν πρὸς τοὺς μὴ προσέχοντας λέγωμεν· τὸ γὰρ διαμαρτύρασθαι, ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τοῦτό ἐστι. ∆ιαμαρτύρομαι, φησὶν ὁ Μωϋσῆς, τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν· καὶ νῦν αὐτὸς, ∆ιαμαρτυρόμενος Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ Ἕλλησι τὴν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν μετάνοιαν. βʹ. Τί διαμαρτύρῃ; Ὥστε βίου ἐπιμεληθῆναι· ὥστε μετανοῆσαι καὶ προσελθεῖν τῷ Θεῷ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι ᾔδεσαν αὐτὸν, διά τε τὸν Υἱὸν ἀγνοεῖν, διά τε τὰ ἔργα καὶ πίστιν μὴ ἔχειν τὴν εἰς τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ταῦτα λέγεις; τίνος ἕνεκεν ταῦτα ὑπομιμνήσκεις; τί γέγονε; μή τι ἔχεις ἐγκαλεῖν; Πρότερον κατασείσας αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν, τότε ἐπάγει· Καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δεδεμένος τῷ Πνεύματι πορεύομαι εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ συναντήσοντά μοι μὴ εἰδώς· πλὴν ὅτι τὸ Πνεῦμά μοι τὸ ἅγιον κατὰ πόλιν διαμαρτύρεται, λέγον, ὅτι δεσμά με καὶ θλίψεις μένουσιν. Ἀλλ' οὐδενὸς λόγον ποιοῦμαι· οὐδὲ ἔχω τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν ἐμαυτῷ, ὡς τελειῶσαι τὸν δρόμον μου μετὰ χαρᾶς, καὶ τὴν διακονίαν, ἣν ἔλαβον παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, διαμαρτύρασθαι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ. ∆ιὰ τί ταῦτα λέγει; Παρασκευάζων αὐτοὺς ἀεὶ ἑτοίμους εἶναι πρὸς κινδύνους καὶ δήλους καὶ ἀδήλους, καὶ πάντα τῷ Πνεύματι πείθεσθαι. ∆είκνυσι δὲ, ὅτι ἐπὶ μεγάλοις ἀπάγεται. Πλὴν ὅτι τὸ Πνεῦμά μοι, φησὶ, τὸ ἅγιον κατὰ πόλιν διαμαρτύρεται, λέγον. Ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι ἑκὼν ἀπέρχεται, καὶ ἵνα μὴ δεσμὸν ἢ ἀνάγκην νομίσῃς, τὸ Κατὰ πόλιν εἶπεν. Εἶτα ἐπάγει, ὅτι Οὐκ ἔχω τιμίαν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ψυχὴν, ὡς τελειῶσαι τὸν δρόμον μου μετὰ χαρᾶς, καὶ τὴν διακονίαν, ἢν ἔλαβον παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι οὐκ ἀποδυρομένου ἦν τὰ ῥήματα, ἀλλὰ μετριάζοντος καὶ παιδεύοντος ἐκείνους καὶ συμπάσχοντος τοῖς γινομένοις; Οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἀλγῶμεν, ἀνάγκη δὲ φέρειν· ἀλλ' οὐδὲ, Ἡγοῦμαι. Τοῦτο πάλιν λέγει, οὐκ ἐπαίρων ἑαυτὸν, ἀλλ' ἐκείνους διδάσκων, διὰ μὲν τῶν προτέρων τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην, διὰ δὲ τούτων τὴν ἀνδρείαν, τὴν παῤῥησίαν· ὡσεὶ ἔλεγεν· Οὐ φιλῶ αὐτὴν πρὸ ταύτης· προτιμότερον ἡγοῦμαι τὸ τελέσαι τὸν δρόμον, τὸ διαμαρτύρασθαι. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Κηρῦξαι, ∆ιδάξαι· ἀλλὰ τί; ∆ιαμαρτύρασθαι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μέλλει τι φορ 60.310 τικώτερον λέγειν, ὅτι Καθαρὸς ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος πάντων· διὰ τοῦτο προκατασκευάζει, καὶ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἐλλείπεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔμελλεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιθέναι τὸ βάρος ἅπαν καὶ τὸ φορτίον, πρότερον κατεμάλαξεν αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν, λέγων· Καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ οἶδα, ὅτι οὐκ ἔτι ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου. Εἶτα τότε ἐπήγαγε τὸ, Καθαρὸς ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος πάντων. ∆ιπλῆ ἡ λύπη· τό τε, Τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔτι ὄψεσθαι, καὶ τὸ, Αὐτοὺς πάντας. Οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ, φησὶν, ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ὑμεῖς πάντες, ἐν οἷς διῆλθον κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν. Ὥστε εἰκότως διαμαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν, ἅτε μηκέτι παραγινόμενος, Ὅτι καθαρὸς ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος πάντων. Οὐ γὰρ ὑπεστειλάμην τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν πᾶσαν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς φοβεῖ, καὶ πεπονημένας αὐτῶν τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ τεθλιμμένας ἐπιτρίβει; Καλῶς, ὅτι ἀναγκαῖον ἦν. Οὐ γὰρ ὑπεστειλάμην τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν, φησὶ, πᾶσαν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἄρα ὁ μὴ λέγων, ὑπεύθυνός ἐστι τοῦ αἵματος· τουτέστι, τῆς σφαγῆς. Οὐδὲν τούτου φοβερώτερον. ∆είκνυσιν, ὅτι κἀκεῖνοι, ἂν μὴ ποιῶσιν, ὑπεύθυνοί εἰσι τοῦ αἵματος. Καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν ἀπολογεῖσθαι, ἐκείνους δὲ φοβεῖ. Προσέχετε οὖν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ