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they have renounced the world, having devised for themselves delicate and quiet crafts, so that they might not live an idle life nor 3.525 eat their bread as a burden. But most train themselves in continuous psalmody and prayers, and in readings of the holy scriptures and memorizations. 24. And concerning hospitality and philanthropy and almsgiving to all, the rule of this holy catholic and apostolic church has been proclaimed to all. And it has the bath in Christ instead of the old circumcision, and it rests on the great sabbath instead of the little sabbath. It abstains from communion with all heresies; it renounces fornication and adultery and licentiousness and idolatry and murder and all lawlessness and magic and sorcery, astrology, omens, observations of twitchings, incantations, amulets, what are indeed called phylacteries. it renounces theaters and hunts and horse races, and musical contests and all evil-speaking and slander and all fighting and blasphemy, and injustice and greed and usury. It does not accept merchants, but considers them inferior to all. It receives offerings from those who do not commit injustice nor transgress the law, but live justly. And it commands that prayers be continuously sent up to God with all frequency and earnestness and kneeling at the appointed hours by night and by day. And in some places they also hold assemblies on the sabbaths, but not everywhere; but among the most excellent is observed the practice of not swearing at all nor reviling nor cursing, from the command of the Savior himself, nor indeed to lie, as far as possible. And most sell their possessions and give to the poor. 25. This is the character of this our holy mother, along with the faith declared before, and these are the regulations that are related in her. For this is the character of the church, gathered from the law and prophets and apostles and evangelists, like a good antidote from many ointments, prepared for the salvation of those who use it, by the will of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. These are the characters of this venerable bride of Christ, this is the dowry and testament of inheritance and the will 3.526 of her bridegroom and heavenly king, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom and with whom to the Father be glory, honor, power, with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. All the brothers with us greet your honor, especially Anatolius, who was deemed worthy to write and correct the work against these heresies, the eighty I mean, through notes and drafts, with much labor and the finest zeal, and at the same time also Hypatius the most honorable fellow-deacon, who made the transcription from the drafts into notebooks, on whose behalf also deign to pray, most honorable and most longed-for brothers indeed. The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the grace, and the truth according to his command be with you all, most beauty-loving, beloved brothers. Amen.

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ἀπετάξαντο τῷ βίῳ, τέχνας λεπτὰς καὶ ἀπράγμονας ἑαυτοῖς ἐπινοήσαντες, ἵνα μὴ ἀργὸν βίον διατελῶσι μηδὲ 3.525 τὸν ἄρτον βεβαρημένον ἐσθίωσιν. ἐν ψαλμῳδίαις δὲ οἱ πλείους καὶ εὐχαῖς διηνεκέσιν, ἀναγνώσεσί τε γραφῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἀποστηθισμοῖς ἀσκοῦνται. 24. Περὶ δὲ ξενοδοχίας καὶ φιλανθρωπίας ἐλεημοσύνης τε εἰς πάντας πᾶσιν ὁ τῆς ἁγίας ταύτης καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας θεσμὸς κεκήρυκται. τὸ δὲ λουτρὸν ἔχει ἀντὶ τῆς παλαιωθείσης περιτομῆς ἐν Χριστῷ, διαναπαύεταί τε ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ σαββάτῳ ἀντὶ τοῦ μικροῦ σαββάτου. ἀπέχεται κοινωνίας ἁπάντων αἱρέσεων· ἀποκηρύττει πορνείαν καὶ μοιχείαν καὶ ἀσέλγειαν καὶ εἰδωλολατρείαν καὶ φόνον καὶ πᾶσαν παρανομίαν καὶ μαγείαν καὶ φαρμακείαν ἀστρονομίαν κληδονισμοὺς παλμῶν παρατηρήσεις ἐπαοιδὰς περίαπτα, τὰ δὴ καλούμενα φυλακτήρια. ἀποκηρύσσει θέατρα καὶ κυνήγια καὶ ἱππικοὺς ἀγῶνας, μουσικούς τε καὶ πᾶσαν κακολογίαν καὶ καταλαλιὰν καὶ πᾶσαν μάχην καὶ βλασφημίαν, ἀδικίαν τε καὶ πλεονεξίαν καὶ τοκοληψίαν. πραγματευτὰς οὐκ ἀποδέχεται, ἀλλὰ ὑποδεεστέρους πάντων ἡγεῖται. προσφορὰς λαμβάνει παρὰ τῶν οὐκ ἀδικούντων οὐδὲ παρανομούντων, ἀλλὰ δικαίως βιούντων. εὐχὰς δὲ ἐνδελεχῶς προστάσσεται μετὰ πάσης πυκνότητος καὶ ἐκτενείας καὶ γονυκλισίας ἐν ταῖς τεταγμέναις ὥραις νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν ἀναπέμπειν θεῷ. ἔν τισι δὲ τόποις καὶ ἐν τοῖς σάββασι συνάξεις ἐπιτελοῦσιν, οὐ πάντη δέ· ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῖς ἀκρέμοσι φυλάσσεται τὸ μὴ ὀμνύναι ὅλως μηδὲ λοιδορήσασθαι μηδὲ καταρᾶσθαι, ἐκ προστάγματος αὐτοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος, μήτε μὴν ψεύσασθαι ὅσον κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν. οἱ πλείους δὲ πιπράσκουσι τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ διδόασι πτωχοῖς. 25. Οὗτος ὁ χαρακτὴρ ταύτης τῆς ἁγίας μητρὸς ἡμῶν μετὰ τῆς προδηλωθείσης πίστεως καὶ οὗτοι οἱ θεσμοὶ ἐν αὐτῇ ἀναφέρονται. οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἀπὸ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν συνηγμένος, ὥσπερ ἐκ πολλῶν μύρων ἀντίδοτος ἀγαθὴ τοῖς χρωμένοις εἰς σωτηρίαν κατεσκευασμένη, ἐκ θελήματος πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος. οὗτοι οἱ χαρακτῆρες τῆς σεμνῆς ταύτης νύμφης Χριστοῦ, αὕτη ἡ προὶξ καὶ διαθήκη κληρονομίας καὶ βού3.526 λημα τοῦ αὐτῆς νυμφίου καὶ ἐπουρανίου βασιλέως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ πατρὶ δόξα τιμὴ κράτος σὺν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων. ἀμήν. Πάντες οἱ παρ' ἡμῖν ἀδελφοὶ προσαγορεύουσιν ὑμῶν τὴν τιμιότητα, μάλιστα Ἀνατόλιος, ὁ διά τε σημείων καὶ σχεδαρίων τὰ κατὰ τῶν αἱρέσεων τούτων, τῶν ὀγδοήκοντά φημι, μετὰ πολλοῦ καμάτου καὶ προαιρέσεως καλλίστης γράψαι καὶ διορθώσασθαι καταξιωθείς, ἅμα τε καὶ Ὑπάτιος ὁ τιμιώτατος συνδιάκονος, ὁ τὴν μεταγραφὴν ἀπὸ τῶν σχεδαρίων ἐν τετράσι ποιησάμενος, ὑπὲρ ὧν καὶ εὔχεσθαι καταξιώσατε, τιμιώτατοι καὶ ποθεινότατοι ἀδελφοὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς. ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡ χάρις, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια κατὰ τὸ αὐτοῦ πρόσταγμα μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν, φιλοκαλώτατοι ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί. ἀμήν.