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Hence they insist, saying: We who ate and drank with him. But that this is not said to please, the Spirit bears witness to the things that are said. These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be offended; that is, when you see many disobeying, and you suffering terrible things. They will put you out of the synagogues. For they have already agreed that if anyone confesses Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. But the hour is coming, that whoever kills you will think that he is offering service to God. Thus they will pursue your murder as a pious thing, and pleasing to God. Then he adds the consolation again: And these things they will do, because they have not known the Father, nor me. It is sufficient for your consolation to suffer these things for my sake and the Father's. Here he reminds them again of the beatitude, which he spoke in the beginning: Blessed are you, when they reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. These things I have spoken to you, that when the hour comes, you may remember them; so that from these things you may also believe the rest. For you will not be able to say that, flattering you, I said only what was pleasing, not that the things said were deceit; for 59.418 one who intended to deceive would not have foretold to you these things which deter. For this reason, therefore, I told you beforehand, that when they happen unexpectedly they may not trouble you; and for another reason, that you may not say, 'I did not know these things were going to happen.' Remember therefore, that I have told you. For they always put a wicked appearance on their persecution, as though driving out pests. But this did not trouble the disciples, who had heard beforehand and knew for whose sake they were suffering; for the cause of what was happening was sufficient to raise them up. For this reason he turns it everywhere, saying: They have not known me, and, that They will do it for my sake, and for my name's sake, and for the Father's sake, and, that I suffered first, and, that they dare these things not from a just cause. 4. Let us also turn these things over in our temptations, when we suffer anything from wicked men, looking to the author and finisher of our faith, and that it is from evil men, and for virtue's sake, and for His sake. For if we consider these things, all things will be very easy and bearable. For if one suffering for loved ones even prides himself; if anyone suffers anything for God's sake, what sense of troubles will he have? For if He Himself called a reproachful thing, the cross, a glory for our sakes; much more ought we to be so disposed. For if we are thus able to despise sufferings, much more money and greed. Is it necessary, then? when we are about to suffer anything unpleasant, not to consider the labors, but also the crowns. For just as merchants reckon not only the seas, but also the profits; so ought we also to consider heaven, and the confidence toward God. And if it seems pleasant to be greedy, consider that Christ does not wish it, and it will immediately seem unpleasant. Again, if it be burdensome to give to the poor, do not let your reasoning stop at the expense, but immediately transfer your thought from the sowing to the harvest. And when it is burdensome to despise the love of another man's wife, consider the crown from the labor, and you will easily bear the labor. For if the fear of men turns us away from improper things, much more the desire for Christ. Virtue is hard; but let us place upon its face the greatness of the promise of things to come. For the virtuous, even without these things, see it as beautiful in itself. and for this reason they pursue it, and for what is pleasing to God, they do not work for a reward; and they consider it a great thing to be temperate, not in order to avoid being punished, but because God has commanded it. But if anyone is weaker, let him also consider the prizes. So let us also do in the case of almsgiving, and let us have mercy on our fellow men, let us not overlook them perishing from hunger. For how is it not absurd, for them to sit at the table laughing and living in luxury, while hearing others passing by through the street lamenting, not even to turn toward the wailing, but even to be annoyed and to call them a deceiver? What are you saying, man? for one loaf of bread someone

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ἐντεῦθεν διισχυρίζονται, λέγοντες· Οἵτινες συνεφάγομεν καὶ συνεπίομεν αὐτῷ. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ πρὸς χάριν εἴρηται, ἐπιμαρτυρεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῖς λεγομένοις. Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῆτε· τουτέστιν, ὅταν ἴδητε πολλοὺς ἀπειθοῦντας, καὶ δεινὰ πάσχοντας ὑμᾶς. Ἀποσυναγώγους ποιήσουσιν ὑμᾶς. Ἤδη γὰρ συνέθεντο, ἐάν τις ὁμολογήσῃ τὸν Χριστὸν, ἵνα ἀποσυνάγωγος γένηται. Ἀλλ' ἔρχεται ὥρα, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας ὑμᾶς δόξῃ λατρείαν προσφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ. Οὕτω τὸν ὑμέτερον διώξουσι φόνον, ὡς πρᾶγμα εὐσεβὲς, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ ἀρέσκον. Εἶτα τὴν παραμυθίαν ἐπάγει πάλιν· Καὶ ταῦτα ποιήσουσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὸν Πατέρα, οὐδὲ ἐμέ. Ἀρκεῖ ὑμῖν εἰς παράκλησιν τὸ δι' ἐμὲ καὶ τὸν Πατέρα ταῦτα πάσχειν. Ἐνταῦθα ἀναμιμνήσκει πάλιν αὐτοὺς μακαρισμοῦ, ὃν ἀρχόμενος ἔλεγε· Μακάριοί ἐστε, ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς, καὶ διώξωσι, καὶ εἴπωσι πᾶν πονηρὸν ῥῆμα καθ' ὑμῶν ψευδόμενοι, ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ. Χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἡ ὥρα, μνημονεύητε τούτων· ὥστε ἀπὸ τούτων καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πιστὰ ἡγεῖσθε. Οὐ γὰρ ἕξετε εἰπεῖν, ὅτι κολακεύων ὑμᾶς τὰ πρὸς χάριν ἔλεγον μόνον, οὐχ ὅτι ἀπάτης ἦν τὰ εἰρημένα· οὐ γὰρ 59.418 ἂν ὁ μέλλων ἀπατᾷν, καὶ ταῦτα προεῖπεν ὑμῖν τὰ ἀποτρέποντα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὖν προεῖπον, ἵνα μὴ ἀπροσδόκητα προσπεσόντα ὑμᾶς διαταράξῃ· καὶ δι' ἑτέραν δὲ αἰτίαν, ἵνα μὴ λέγητε, ὅτι οὐ προῄδειν ἐσόμενα ταῦτα. Μνημονεύετε οὖν, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν. Καὶ γὰρ ἀεὶ περιετίθησαν σχῆμα τῇ διώξει αὐτῶν πονηρὸν, ὡς λυμεῶνας ἐλαύνοντες. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐθορύβει τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦτο, προακούσαντας καὶ εἰδότας ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔπασχον· ἱκανὴ γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἡ αἰτία τῶν γινομένων ἀναστῆσαι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν πανταχοῦ περιστρέφει λέγων· Οὐκ ἔγνωσάν με, καὶ, ὅτι ∆ι' ἐμὲ ποιήσουσι, καὶ διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ διὰ τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ, ὅτι Ἐγὼ πρῶτος ἔπαθον, καὶ, ὅτι Οὐκ ἀπὸ δικαίας αἰτίας ταῦτα τολμῶσι. δʹ. Ταῦτα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς στρέφωμεν, ὅταν παρὰ πονηρῶν τι πάσχωμεν ἀνθρώπων, εἰς τὸν ἀρχηγὸν ἡμῶν ὁρῶντες καὶ τελειωτὴν τῆς πίστεως, καὶ ὅτι παρὰ φαύλων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ὅτι δι' ἀρετὴν, καὶ ὅτι δι' αὐτόν. Ἂν γὰρ ταῦτα ἐννοῶμεν, ἅπαντα ῥᾷστα ἔσται καὶ φορητά. Εἰ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἀγαπητῶν τις πάσχων καὶ ἐναβρύνεται· διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἐάν τις πάθῃ τι, ποίαν λήψεται αἴσθησιν τῶν δεινῶν; Εἰ γὰρ αὐτὸς πρᾶγμα ἐπονείδιστον, τὸν σταυρὸν, δόξαν ἐκάλει δι' ἡμᾶς· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς οὕτω διακεῖσθαι χρή. Εἰ γὰρ παθῶν οὕτω δυνάμεθα καταφρονεῖν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον χρημάτων καὶ πλεονεξίας. ∆εῖ τοίνυν; ὅταν τι μέλλωμεν πάσχειν ἀηδὲς, μὴ τοὺς πόνους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους ἐννοεῖν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἔμποροι οὐ τὰ πελάγη μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ κέρδη λογίζονται· οὕτω καὶ ἡμᾶς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν παῤῥησίαν ἀναλογίζεσθαι χρή. Κἂν ἡδὺ φανῇ τὸ πλεονεκτεῖν, ἐννόησον ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς οὐ βούλεται, καὶ ἀηδὲς εὐθέως φανεῖται. Πάλιν ἂν ἐπαχθὲς ᾖ τὸ πένησι διδόναι, μὴ μέχρι τῆς δαπάνης στήσῃς τὸν λογισμὸν, ἀλλ' εὐθέως μετάγαγε τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀμητὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ σπόρου. Καὶ ὅταν φορτικὸν ᾖ τὸ καταφρονεῖν ἔρωτος γυναικὸς ἀλλοτρίας, λογίζου τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου στέφανον, καὶ ῥᾳδίως οἴσεις τὸν πόνον. Εἰ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων φόβος ἀποτρέπει τῶν ἀτόπων πραγμάτων, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πόθος. Σκληρὰ ἡ ἀρετή· ἀλλὰ περιθῶμεν αὐτῆς τῇ ὄψει τῆς τῶν μελλόντων ἐπαγγελίας τὸ μέγεθος. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐνάρετοι, καὶ χωρὶς τούτων αὐτὴν καθ' ἑαυτὴν ὡραίαν ὁρῶσι. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν μετέρχονται, καὶ διὰ τὸ τῷ Θεῷ δοκοῦν, οὐκ ἐπὶ μισθῷ ἐργάζονται· καὶ μέγα ἡγοῦνται τὸ σωφρονεῖν, οὐ διὰ τὸ μὴ κολάζεσθαι, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπέταξεν. Εἰ δέ τις ἀσθενέστερος, καὶ τὰ βραβεῖα ἐννοείτω. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης ποιῶμεν, καὶ ἐλεῶμεν τοὺς ὁμοφύλους, μὴ δὴ περιορῶμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ φθειρομένους. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἄτοπον, αὐτοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης καθέζεσθαι γελῶντας καὶ τρυφῶντας, ἑτέρων δὲ διὰ τοῦ ἀμφόδου παριόντων ἀκούοντας ὀλοφυρομένων, μηδὲ ἐπιστρέφεσθαι πρὸς τὴν ὀλολυγὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δυσχεραίνειν καὶ ἀπατεῶνα καλεῖν; Τί λέγεις, ἄνθρωπε; δι' ἄρτον ἕνα τις