Steadfastness and the Marks of True Piety
Therefore, if your power is able to set aside the delay by itself and without necessity, so that I may find you ready for the gift when I arrive, so that after my arrival, things for fellowship may become well-disposed. So he wrote this letter to the Corinthians while in Ephesus. And he says there to remain for a reasonable cause; for a door, surpassing all and being very active toward the hearers, has been opened to him; from which he had many opposing demons, liars, and sorcerers and deceivers; for the evil ones become many in opposing, when they see the word of faith prevailing among those receiving it; and it is his custom to call the door of the boldness of the word of piety (1 Kor 16:8-9).
When those being instructed are firm and immovable concerning piety, the teachers arrive to them without fear, not having received that some laziness might exist among the hearers. Therefore he says: take care of yourselves, so that Timothy may dare to come to you, not being afraid, lest you be turned away (1 Kor 16:10-11). By this being indicated, he persisted in the fearing, and in the sixth letter he said: I fear lest, just as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts might be corrupted. For this Timothy, about whom I write the following things, is a genuine servant of God, working the work of the master similarly to me. Therefore let him not be treated lightly among you, but let him be received with genuineness and with love, and also let him be sent forward; for I am waiting in Asia until he returns to me with the brothers.
Since Apollos was a bishop of Corinth, he departed from them because of the schisms among them, and he was with Paul, and now having been invited, he did not stay with the letter; and he says the cause for which he did not depart: that it was not the will (1 Kor 16:12). Then, cheering them up, he writes; and he will come when he has opportunity, providing the opportunity of his stay with you, when there are no longer schisms among you (1 Kor 16:13). It follows that which is due to one properly watching in the not being...
Give sleep to the eyes and no lingering to the eyelids, to stand firmly in faith, which is followed by becoming manly and being strengthened as a soldier and athlete of Christ, who does all things with love toward God and neighbor (1 Cor 16:14-16).
They are called firstfruits either because they believed before others, or because they excel in piety, or because they are prominent in lineage; these, because of the humility existing in them, were not ordained, but being led by their own intention toward this, they set themselves to service. Therefore subject yourselves to such, having them as an icon and a pattern, so that you too may set yourselves to the service of the saints (1 Cor 16:14-16).
Along with Stephanos, Fortunatus and Achaios fulfilled what was lacking to you, being of that same intention as he, and they refreshed your spirit and mine (1 Cor 16:17-18). But the Spirit refreshes him who thinks and does the things of piety; for the Spirit seeks the good things of being; regarding faults, it is called soul, but regarding the saints, it is called Spirit, which surpasses by desiring the beautiful. Therefore, those living piously and thinking piously must be recognized as thinking and doing the same. Thus also Origen glorifies the Spirit as having more than the soul in virtue, even if it is Spirit and the soul.
He writes that the churches of Asia greet you, and all the holy and pious men dwelling in it, sufficiently rousing them toward love (1 Cor 16:19).
Lest they be deceived by some writing from outside the apostle's designation, this sign is made: that he has engraved it with his own hand, but that which is written is with his holy right hand (1 Cor 16:21). If anyone does not love our Lord, let him be anathema. Maranatha. But he who does not love the Lord does not keep his commandments; therefore also anathema is he who, knowing that the Lord came who judges the works of men, says: 'I love those who love me.' But if he loves those who love him, what will he find to scrutinize among those who do not love?
Greek
οὖν παρ' ἑαυτοῖς ὃ ἐὰν ἡ δύναμις ὑμῶν ἀποθέσθαι δύναται, ἀλύπως καὶ ἄνευ ἀνάγκης, ἵνα ἑτοίμους ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὴν δόσιν ἐπιδημήσας εὕρω, ἵνα μὴ ἐληλυθότος μου ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐτρεπίζειν τὰ πρὸς τὴν κοινωνίαν γένηται. 1 Kor 16,8-9 Ἐν Ἐφέσῳ οὖν ταύτην ἔγραψε Κορινθίοις τὴν ἐπιστολήν. λέγει δὲ ἐκεῖ περιμένειν διὰ εὔλογον αἰτίαν· θύρα γὰρ ὑπερέχουσα καὶ πάνυ ἐνεργοῦσα εἰς τοὺς ἀκροατὰς ἀνέῳκται αὐτῷ· ὅθεν πολλοὺς εἶχε τοὺς ἀντικειμένους δαίμονας ἀλητηρίους καὶ ἀνθρώπους γόητας καὶ ἀπαταιῶνας· τότε γὰρ οἱ πονηροὶ πολλοὶ γίνονται ἐν τῷ ἀντικεῖσθαι, ὅταν ὁρῶσιν ἰσχύοντα τὸν λόγον τῆς πίστεως ἐν τοῖς παραδεχομένοις· ἔθος δὲ αὐτῷ τὴν παρρησίαν τοῦ τῆς εὐσεβείας λόγου θύραν καλεῖν. 1 Kor 16,10-11 Ὅταν βέβαιοι καὶ ἀμετακίνητοι ὦσι περὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν οἱ παιδευόμενοι, ἀφόβως ἐπιδημοῦσιν αὐτοῖς οἱ διδάσκαλοι, οὐ δεδεκότες μή τις ῥᾳθυμία περὶ τοὺς ἀκροατὰς ὑπάρχῃ. διό φησι· προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς, ἵνα θαρρήσῃ Τιμόθεος ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, οὐ φοβηθείς, μὴ μετατραπῆτε. τούτῳ τῷ σημαινομένῳ ἐκ τοῦ φοβεῖσθαι συνεχρήσατο, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἑξῆς ἐπιστολῇ εἶπεν· φοβοῦμαι μή πως, ὡς ὁ ὄφις ἐξηπάτησε τὴν Εὔαν ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτοῦ, οὕτως φθαρῇ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν. Ἔστι γὰρ ὁ Τιμόθεος οὗτος περὶ οὗ γράφω τὰ προκείμενα, τῶν γνησίων τοῦ θεοῦ δοῦλος, τὸ ἔργον τοῦ δεσπότου παραπλησίως ἐμοὶ ἐργαζόμενος. διὸ μὴ εὐτελιζέσθω παρ' ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ γνησίως μετ' ἀγάπης ὑποδεχθήτω, ἀλλὰ καὶ προπεμφθήτω· περιμένω γὰρ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ ἕως ἐπανέλθῃ πρός με μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν. 1 Kor 16,12 Ἐπειδὴ ὁ Ἀπολλῶς ἐπίσκοπος ἦν Κορίνθου, ἀπέστη ἐξ αὐτῶν διὰ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς σχίσματα καὶ ἦν σὺν τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ νῦν παρακληθεὶς οὐ συνεξεδήμησε τῇ ἐπιστολῇ· καὶ λέγει τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν οὐκ ἀπῆλθεν· 13 ὅτι οὐκ ἦν θέλημα. εἶτα εὐθυμοποιῶν αὐτοὺς γράφει· ἐλεύσεται δὲ ὅταν εὐκαιρήσῃ, τὴν εὐκαιρίαν τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπιδημίας αὐτοῦ ὑμῶν παρεχόντων, ὅταν μηκέτι ᾖ ἐν ὑμῖν σχίσματα. 1 κορ 16,13 Ἕπεται τῷ δεόντως ἐγρηγορότι ἐν τῷ μὴ διδόναι ὕπνον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μηδὲ ἐπινυσταγμὸν τοῖς βλεφάροις τὸ ἑστάναι βεβαίως ἐν τῇ πίστει, μεθ' ὃ ἕπεται τὸ ἀνδρίζεσθε καὶ κραταιοῦσθε ὡς ἀθλητῇ καὶ στρατιώτῃ Χριστοῦ, τῷ πάντα ποιοῦντι σὺν ἀγάπῃ τῇ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τὸν πλησίον. 1 Kor 16,14-16 Ἀπαρχὴ λέγονται ἢ διὰ τὸ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων πεπιστευκέναι ἢ διὰ τὸ ὑπερέχειν ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ ἢ διὰ τὸ προύχειν ἐν γένει, οἵτινες διὰ τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσαν αὐτοῖς ταπεινοφροσύνην οὐ χειροτονηθέντες, ἀλλὰ προθέσει ἰδίᾳ ὑφ' ἑαυτῶν εἰς τοῦτο ἠγμένοι, ἔταξαν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς διακονίαν. διὸ ὑποτάσσεσθε τοῖς τοιούτοις, εἰκόνα καὶ ὑπογραμμὸν αὐτοὺς ἔχοντες, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἑαυτοὺς τάξητε εἰς τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ὑπηρεσίαν. 1 Kor 16,17-18 Σὺν τῷ Στεφανᾷ τὸ παραλειφθὲν ὑμῖν ἀνεπλήρωσαν Φουρτουνᾶτος καὶ Ἀχαϊκὸς τῆς αὐτῆς ἐκείνῳ προαιρέσεως ὄντες, καὶ ἀνέπαυσαν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ὑμῶν καὶ τὸ ἐμόν. ἀναπαύει δὲ πνεῦμα ἁγίου ὁ φρονῶν καὶ πράττων τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας· τὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα τὰ ἀγαθὰ ζητεῖ ὡς εἶναι· ἐπὶ μὲν φαύλων ψυχήν, ἐπὶ δὲ ἁγίων πνεῦμα λέγεσθαι τὸ ὑπερπηδοῦν ἐν τῷ τὰ καλὰ θέλειν. τοὺς οὖν εὐβιοῦντας καὶ φρονοῦντας ἐπιγινώσκειν δεῖ τῷ τὰ αὐτὰ φρονεῖν καὶ πράττειν. οὕτω καὶ ὁ Ὠριγένης δοξάζει τὸ πνεῦμα πλείω τι ἔχειν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν ἀρετῇ, εἰ καὶ πνεῦμα καὶ ἡ ψυχή. 1 Kor 16,19- Ἱκανῶς αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀγάπην διεγείρων γράφει τὸ ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῆς Ἀσίας καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐν αὐτῇ διατρίβοντες ἅγιοι καὶ εὐλαβεῖς ἄνδρες. 1 Kor 16,21 Ἵνα μὴ ἀπατῶνται γραφόντων τινῶν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ 4 ἀποστόλου προσηγορίας, σημεῖον τοῦτο τῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολῶν ποιεῖται τὸ 14 χειρὶ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κεχαρακέναι, ἔστι δὲ τὸ γραφόμενον τῇ ἁγίᾳ αὐτοῦ δεξιᾷ. εἴ τις οὐ φιλεῖ τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν, ἤτω ἀνάθεμα. μαρὰν ἀθά. οὐ φιλεῖ δὲ τὸν κύριον ὁ μὴ τηρῶν αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐντολάς· διὸ καὶ ἀνάθεμα οὗτος εἰδὼς ὅτι ὁ κύριος ἦλθεν ὃς κρίνει τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων, λέγων· ἐγὼ τοὺς φιλοῦντάς με ἀγαπῶ. εἰ δὲ ἀγαπᾷ τοὺς φιλοῦντας, τοὺς μὴ φιλοῦντας τί καταλήψεται σκόπει. 5
About this text
Didymus the Blind explains Paul's gospel, revealing how Christ's resurrection and reign bring salvation and defeat evil.
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- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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