they wished. 14 But if it was necessary to be amazed at what had happened, it was necessary to worship the physician of souls and bodies. But they grumbled. For they were descendants of grumblers, who twist good things into bad, who call bitter sweet, and sweet bitter. But Jesus with all economy worked on the Sabbath, working things that are above the Sabbath, so that the work might persuade. For since word battles with word, but a deed is unassailable, He healed on the Sabbath, teaching, so that the word might not become contentious, but the work might persuade those who saw. 15 They said: It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to take up your pallet. A lawgiver was present, and another was saying, "it is not lawful for you." Set a lawgiver over them, O Lord, has been said concerning the Savior. But he who had just been healed in both soul and body by wisdom, having received a wise word, immediately answers, not having a legalistic answer, but making his response concisely. You all know, he says, my long-standing illness and the many years of my confinement, the helplessness of my misery. None of you has ever shown concern by taking me and putting me first into the pool, so that I might be healed. And yet, though you showed no concern then, how have you now taken up the legalistic stance, saying, "it is not lawful for you to take up your pallet"? Therefore I make a most concise response to you: He who made me well, He said to me. If you despise me, turn your astonishment to the deed. He did not apply a plaster, nor did he use medical instruments or remedies. He spoke with a word, and the deed followed. He commanded, and I am carrying out the command. I have become obedient to the command of this one who healed by commands. For if the one who commanded had been powerless with his commands to heal, it would not be necessary to obey them. But since by words it was commanded that a manifest long-standing suffering should cease, I most justly listen to this one, whom even sickness, having listened, departed. He who made me well, He said to me, "Take up your pallet." 16 The one who was healed did not know who it was that healed him. The great freedom from vainglory of our Savior is demonstrated. For having healed, He slipped away, so that He might not be recognized for the healing. But we do the very opposite. If it should ever happen that we see dreams, or help with our hands, or cast out a demon by invocation, we are so far from hiding the accomplishment, that even when not asked, we boast. But Jesus, teaching us by His deeds not to speak about Himself, providing the healing, slipped away at the same time, so that He might not be recognized, withdrawing at the right time and being present at the right time. For when it was necessary that the praise of the accomplishment be concealed, then He withdraws. But when there has been a departure of the crowds, so that with the physical healing He might also bring about the healing of the soul, then being present He said: Behold, you have become well; sin no more. 17 But He is a manifold physician, sometimes first healing the soul, then the body, and sometimes the reverse. Sin no more, lest something worse happen to you. teaching many through one. For the word is not to that man alone, but also to all of us. For if ever we should fall into sufferings or sorrows or necessities, let no one attribute it to God. For God is untempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each of us, being bound by the chains of sins, is scourged. Sin no more, lest something worse happen to you. Let every person hear this saying, and let him who previously fornicated put away the passion, and let him who was previously covetous become merciful. Let the robber hear, "sin no more." Great also is God's forgiveness, abundant is His grace. But do not take the excess of His forbearance as a provision for contempt, nor because God is long-suffering, for this reason sin. But be healed henceforth of the fleshly passions, and you also say what was opportunely read. For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were through the law, were at work in our members if the apostle says, "when we were in the flesh," he did not mean this flesh, which we are clothed with, but the fleshly practices. For while still wearing flesh he said, "when we were in the flesh." But in the same way as one who is about to

ἤθελον. 14 Εἰ δὲ δέον ἐκπλαγῆναι τὸ συμβάν, δέον προσκυνῆσαι τῶν ψυχῶν καὶ σωμάτων ἰατρόν. οἱ δὲ ἐγόγγυζον. γογγυστῶν γὰρ ἦσαν ἀπόγονοι, οἱ τὰ καλὰ διαστρέφοντες εἰς κακά, οἱ λέγοντες τὸ πικρὸν γλυκύ, καὶ τὸ γλυκὺ πικρόν. Ἰησοῦς δὲ μετὰ πάσης οἰκονομίας εἰργάζετο ἐν σαββάτῳ, τὰ ὑπὲρ σάββατον ἐργαζόμενος, ἵνα ἡ ἐργασία πείσῃ. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ λόγος λόγῳ μάχεται, τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἄμαχον, ἐθεράπευεν ἐν σαββάτῳ, διδάσκων, ἵνα μὴ ὁ λόγος ἀντιλογικὸς γένηται, ἀλλ' ἡ ἐργασία πείσῃ τοὺς ὁρῶντας. 15 Ἔφασκον ἐκεῖνοι· σάββατόν ἐστιν, οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι ἆραι τὸν κράββατόν σου. νομοθέτης παρῆν, καὶ ἄλλος τὸ οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι ἔλεγεν. κατάστησον κύριε νομοθέτην ἐπ' αὐτούς, περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος εἴρηται. ὁ δὲ ἀρτίως καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἰατρευθεὶς παρὰ τῆς σοφίας σοφὸν λαβὼν λόγον εὐθὺς ἀποκρίνεται, οὐ νομικῶς ἀποκριθῆναι ἔχον, ἀλλὰ συντόμως ποιούμενος τὴν ἀπόκρισιν. Ἴστε μου, φησί, πάντες τὴν πολυχρόνιον νόσον καὶ τὸ πολυετὲς τῆς ἀνακλίσεως, τὸ ἀπερίστατον τῆς ταλαιπωρίας. οὐδεὶς ὑμῶν ποτε κηδεμονικὸν ἔδειξεν λαβών με καὶ πρῶτον ἐμβαλὼν εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν, ἵνα θεραπευθῶ. καίτοι τότε κηδεμονικὸν οὐκ ἐνδειξάμενοι πῶς νῦν τὸ νομοθετικὸν ἐλάβετε, οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι ἆραι τὸν κράββατόν σου, λέγοντες; Συντομωτάτην τοίνυν ποιοῦμαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὴν ἀπόκρισιν· ὁ ποιήσας με ὑγιῆ ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν. εἰ ἐμοῦ καταφρονεῖτε, πρὸς τὸ πρᾶγμα τὴν ἔκπληξιν λάβετε. οὐκ ἔμπλαστρον ἐπέθηκεν, οὐκ ἰατρικοῖς ἐχρήσατο μηχανήμασιν ἢ βοηθήμασιν. λόγῳ εἶπεν, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐπηκολούθησεν. προσέταξε, καὶ τὸ πρόσταγμα ἐγὼ ἐπιτελῶ. εὐπειθὴς γέγονα τούτου τῷ προσ τάγματι τοῦ διὰ προσταγμάτων θεραπεύσαντος. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὁ προστάξας πρὸς τὸ ἰαθῆναι ἀνίσχυρος ἦν τοῖς προστάγμασιν, οὐκ ἔδει τούτοις ὑπακούειν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ λόγοις προστέτακται ἐναργὲς πολυχρόνιον παῦσαι πάθημα, δικαιότατα ἀκούω τούτου, οὗ καὶ νόσος ἀκούσασα ἀπηλλάγη. ὁ ποιήσας με ὑγιῆ ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν, ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου. 16 Οὐκ ᾔδει ὁ θεραπευθείς, τίς ἐστιν ὁ θεραπεύων. πολὺ τὸ ἀκενόδοξον τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν παρίσταται. ἰατρεύσας γὰρ ἐξέκλινεν, ἵνα μὴ γνωρισθῇ ἐπὶ τῇ ἰατρείᾳ. ἡμεῖς δὲ πᾶν τοὐναντίον ποιοῦμεν. εἰ συμβῇ ποτε ὀνείρατα θεάσασθαι, ἢ διὰ χειρῶν βοηθῆσαι, ἢ δαίμονα δι' ἐπικλήσεως ἀπελάσαι, τοσοῦτον ἀπέχομεν τοῦ κρύψαι τὸ κατόρθωμα, ὥστε καὶ μὴ ἐρωτώμενοι καυχώμεθα. Ἰησοῦς δέ, τοῖς ἔργοις διδάσκων ἡμᾶς τὸ μὴ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγειν, τὴν ἴασιν παρέχων ἐξέκλινεν ἅμα, ἵνα μὴ γνωρίζηται, εὐκαίρως ἀναχωρῶν καὶ εὐκαίρως παρών. ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἐχρῆν κλεϊσθῆναι τὴν εὐφημίαν τοῦ κατορθώματος, τότε ἀναχωρεῖ. ὅτε δὲ τῶν ὄχλων ἀναχώρησις γέγονεν, ἵνα μετὰ τῆς σωματικῆς ἰατρείας ἐπαγάγῃ καὶ τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς τεθεραπευμένα, τότε παρὼν ἔλεγεν· ἴδε ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε. 17 Ποικίλος δέ ἐστιν ἰατρός, ποτὲ μὲν πρῶτον ψυχὴν θεραπεύων, εἶτα σῶμα, ποτὲ δὲ ἀντιστρόφως. μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε, ἵνα μὴ χεῖρόν σοί τι γένηται. διδάσκων δι' ἑνὸς πολλούς. οὐ γὰρ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον μὲν ὁ λόγος μόνον, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ πρὸς πάντας ἡμᾶς. εἴ ποτε γὰρ παθήμασιν περιπέσωμεν ἢ λύπαις ἢ ἀνάγκαις, μηδεὶς θεῷ προσγραφέτω. ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἀπείραστός ἐστι κακῶν, πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα. ἕκαστος δὲ ἡμῶν σειραῖς ἁμαρτιῶν σφιγγόμενος μαστιγοῦται. Μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε ἵνα μὴ χεῖρόν σοί τι γένηται. ἄκουε τοῦ ῥητοῦ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ὁ πρὸ τούτου πορνεύων ἀποτιθέσθω τὸ πάθος, καὶ ὁ πρὸ τούτου πλεονέκτης γενοῦ ἐλεήμων. ἀκουέτω ὁ ἅρπαξ, μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε. Πολλὴ καὶ θεοῦ ἡ ἀμνησικακία, δαψιλὴς ἡ χάρις. ἀλλὰ μὴ τὸ ὑπέρμετρον τῆς ἀνεξικακίας ἐφόδιον λάμβανε τῆς καταφρονήσεως, μηδ' ὅτι θεὸς μακρόθυμος, διὰ τοῦτο ἁμάρτανε. ἀλλὰ θεραπεύθητι λοιπὸν τὰ σαρκικὰ πάθη, καὶ λέγε καὶ σὺ τὸ εὐκαίρως ἀναγνωσθέν. ὅτε γὰρ ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί, τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐνηργεῖτο ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν ἐὰν δὲ λέγῃ ὁ ἀπόστολος, ὅτε ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί, οὐ ταύτην ἔλεγεν τὴν σάρκα, ἣν περιβεβλήμεθα, ἀλλὰ τὰς σαρκικὰς πράξεις. ἔτι γε σάρκα φορῶν ἔλεγεν, ὅτε ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί. ἀλλ' ὅνπερ τρόπον μέλλοντος