Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 43.1–46.5 (Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection))

Anonymous

Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 43.1–46.5

Anonymous · Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) · compiled ca. 450-500 (sayings 4th-5th century) · place unknown · 53 passages

Authorship disputed: Anonymous collection of sayings and stories of the Egyptian desert monks of the 4th and 5th centuries, arranged by the Greek alphabet of the monks' names and compiled in its present form in the late 5th or 6th century. The sayings are attributed to the named monks and were handed down orally and in smaller collections; the compiler is unknown.

Greek text: PG 65.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 43

43.1PG 65:203

Διηγήσαντο περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ κολοβοῦ, ὅτι ἀναχωρήσας πρὸς Θηβαῖον γέροντα εἰς Σκῆτιν, ἐκάθητο ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Λαβὼν δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς αὐτοῦ ξύλον ξηρὸν, ἐφύτευσε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Καθ' ἡμέραν πότιζε τοῦτο λαγύνιον ὕδατος, ἕως καρπὸν ποιήσει. Ἦν δὲ μακρὰν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν τὸ ὕδωρ, ὡς ἀπὸ ὀψὲ ἀπελθεῖν καὶ ἐλθεῖν πρωΐ. Μετὰ δὲ τρία ἔτη, ἔζησε καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησε· καὶ λαβὼν ὁ γέρων τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ, ἤνεγκεν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, λέγων τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· Λάβετε, φάγετε καρπὸν ὑπακοῆς.

Diēgēsanto peri tou abba Iōannou tou kolobou, hoti anachōrēsas pros Thēbaion geronta eis Skētin, ekathēto en tę̄ erēmǭ. Labōn de ho abbas autou xylon xēron, ephyteuse kai eipen autǭ; Kath' hēmeran potize touto lagynion hydatos, heōs karpon poiēsei. Ēn de makran ap᾿ autōn to hydōr, hōs apo opse apelthein kai elthein prōï. Meta de tria etē, ezēse kai karpon epoiēse; kai labōn ho gerōn ton karpon autou, ēnenken eis tēn ekklēsian, legōn tois adelphois; Labete, phagete karpon hypakoēs.

They related of abba John the Dwarf that he withdrew to a Theban old man at Scetis and lived in the desert. His abba took a dry stick, planted it, and said to him, “Water this every day with a jar of water until it bears fruit.” The water was far from them, so that he had to leave in the evening and return in the morning. After three years it came to life and bore fruit; and the old man took its fruit and brought it to the church, saying to the brothers, “Take, eat the fruit of obedience.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John the Dwarf waters a dry stick for three years until it bears the fruit of obedience.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): κολο βοῦ → κολοβοῦ.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.1 (PG 65:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.2PG 65:203–205

Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ κολοβοῦ, ὅτι εἶπέ ποτε τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ τῷ μειζοτέρῳ· Ἤθελον ἀμέριμνος εἶναι, ὡς οἱ ἄγγελοι ἀμέριμνοί εἰσι, μηδὲν ἐργαζόμενοι, ἀλλ' ἀδιαλείπτως λατρεύοντες τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ ἀποδυσάμενος τὸ ἱμάτιον, ἐξῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον· καὶ ποιήσας ἑβδομάδα μίαν ἀνέκαμψε πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὡς ἔκρουσε τὴν θύραν, ὑπήκουσεν αὐτῷ πρὶν ἀνοίξει, λέγων· Σὺ τίς εἶ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀδελφός σου. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἰωάννης γέγονεν ἄγγελος, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐστίν. Ὁ δὲ παρεκάλει, λέγων· Ἐγώ εἰμι. Καὶ οὐκ ἤνοιξεν αὐτῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ἕως πρωΐ θλίβεσθαι· ὕστερον δὲ ἀνοίξας αὐτῷ, λέγει· Ἄνθρωπος εἶ, χρείαν ἔχεις πάλιν ἐργάζεσθαι ἵνα τραφῆς. Καὶ ἔβαλε μετάνοιαν, λέγων· Συγχώρησόν μοι.

Elegon peri tou abba Iōannou tou kolobou, hoti eipe pote tǭ adelphǭ autou tǭ meizoterǭ; Ēthelon amerimnos einai, hōs hoi angeloi amerimnoi eisi, mēden ergazomenoi, all' adialeiptōs latreuontes tǭ Theǭ. Kai apodysamenos to himation, exēlthen eis tēn erēmon; kai poiēsas hebdomada mian anekampse pros ton adelphon autou. Kai hōs ekrouse tēn thyran, hypēkousen autǭ prin anoixei, legōn; Sy tis ei? Ho de eipen; Egō eimi Iōannēs ho adelphos sou. Kai apokritheis eipen autǭ; Iōannēs gegonen angelos, kai ouk eti en anthrōpois estin. Ho de parekalei, legōn; Egō eimi. Kai ouk ēnoixen autǭ, all᾽ aphēken auton heōs prōï thlibesthai; hysteron de anoixas autǭ, legei; Anthrōpos ei, chreian echeis palin ergazesthai hina traphēs. Kai ebale metanoian, legōn; Synchōrēson moi.

They said of abba John the Dwarf that he once said to his elder brother, “I would like to be free of care as the angels are free of care, doing no work but serving God unceasingly.” And taking off his cloak, he went out into the desert; and after spending a week he came back to his brother. When he knocked on the door, his brother answered before opening, saying, “Who are you?” He said, “I am John, your brother.” And he answered him, “John has become an angel and is no longer among men.” He begged him, saying, “It is I.” But he did not open to him, and left him in distress until morning; and afterward, opening to him, he says, “You are a man; you need to work again to be fed.” And he made a prostration, saying, “Forgive me.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John tries to live like an angel without work and is taught by his brother that a man must work to eat.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.2 (PG 65:203–205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.3PG 65:205

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης ὁ κολοβός, ὅτι ἐὰν θελήσῃ βασιλεὺς πόλιν παραλαβεῖν ἐχθρῶν, τὸ ὕδωρ πρῶτον κρατεῖ καὶ τὴν τροφὴν, καὶ οὕτως οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἐκ τοῦ λιμοῦ ἀπολλύμενοι ὑποτάσσονται αὐτῷ. Οὕτως καὶ τὰ πάθη τῆς σαρκός· ἐὰν ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ λιμῷ πολιτεύσηται ἄνθρωπος, οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἐξασθενοῦσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ.

Eipen ho abbas Iōannēs ho kolobos, hoti ean thelēsę̄ basileus polin paralabein echthrōn, to hydōr prōton kratei kai tēn trophēn, kai houtōs hoi echthroi ek tou limou apollymenoi hypotassontai autǭ. Houtōs kai ta pathē tēs sarkos; ean en nēsteią kai limǭ politeusētai anthrōpos, hoi echthroi exasthenousin apo tēs psychēs autou.

Abba John the Dwarf said that if a king wants to take a city of enemies, he first controls the water and the food, and so the enemies, perishing from hunger, submit to him. So it is with the passions of the flesh: if a man lives in fasting and hunger, the enemies weaken in his soul.

Notes and citation

Summary: Fasting starves the passions as a besieging king starves a city.

Topics: Fasting

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.3 (PG 65:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.4PG 65:205

Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι ὁ χορταζόμενος καὶ λαλῶν μετὰ παιδίου, ἤδη ἐπόρνευσε τῷ λογισμῷ μετ' αὐτοῦ.

Eipe palin, hoti ho chortazomenos kai lalōn meta paidiou, ēdē eporneuse tǭ logismǭ met' autou.

He also said that one who eats his fill and talks with a boy has already committed sexual immorality with him in his thought.

Matt 5:28 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John warns that satiety and familiar talk with a boy already amount to sin in thought.

The saying warns monks against the temptation of attraction to boys; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): ἐπόονευσε → ἐπόρνευσε.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.4 (PG 65:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-4

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.5PG 65:205

Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι Ἀνερχόμενός ποτε τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς Σκήτεως μετὰ τῆς σειρᾶς, εἶδον τὸν καμηλίτην λαλοῦντα, καὶ κινοῦντά με εἰς ὀργήν· καὶ ἐάσας τὰ σκεύη, ἔφυγον.

Eipe palin, hoti Anerchomenos pote tēn hodon tēs Skēteōs meta tēs seiras, eidon ton kamēlitēn lalounta, kai kinounta me eis orgēn; kai easas ta skeuē, ephygon.

He also said, “Once as I was going up the road of Scetis with my rope, I saw the camel driver talking and moving me to anger; and leaving my goods, I fled.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John abandons his goods and flees rather than be provoked to anger.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): Εἶπε πόλιν → Εἶπε πάλιν.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.5 (PG 65:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-5

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.6PG 65:205

"Αλλοτε πάλιν εἰς τὸ θέρος, ἤκουσεν ἀδελφοῦ λαλοῦντος τῷ πλησίον μετ᾿ ὀργῆς, καὶ λέγοντος, Αἷ, καὶ σύ; Καὶ ἑάσας τὸν θερισμὸν, ἔφυγεν.

"Allote palin eis to theros, ēkousen adelphou lalountos tǭ plēsion met᾿ orgēs, kai legontos, Hai, kai sy? Kai heasas ton therismon, ephygen.

Another time, at harvest, he heard a brother speaking angrily to his neighbor and saying, “Ha, you too?” And leaving the harvest, he fled.

Notes and citation

Summary: Hearing anger at the harvest, John leaves the work and flees.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.6 (PG 65:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-6

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.7PG 65:205

Εὐκαίρησάν τινες γέροντες εἰς Σκῆτιν ἐσθίοντες μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων· ἦν δὲ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης. Καὶ ἀνέστη τις πρεσβύτερος μέγας δοῦναι τὸ καυκάλιον τοῦ νεροῦ· καὶ οὐδεὶς κατεδέξατο λαβεῖν αὐτὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ, εἰ μὴ μόνος Ἰωάννης ὁ κολοβός. Ἐθαύμασαν οὖν, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· Πῶς σὺ μικρότερος ὅλως ὢν, ἐτόλμησας ὑπηρετηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ ὅτε ἐγείρομαι δοῦναι τὸ βαυκάλιον, χαίρω ἐὰν πάντες λάβωσιν, ἵνα ἔχω μισθόν· κἀγὼ οὖν διὰ τοῦτο ἐδεξάμην, ἵνα ποιήσω αὐτῷ μισθόν· μήπως λυπηθῇ, ὡς μηδενὸς δεξαμένου παρ' αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῦ εἰπόντος, ἐθαύμασαν, καὶ ὠφελήθησαν ἐπὶ τῇ διακρίσει αὐτοῦ.

Eukairēsan tines gerontes eis Skētin esthiontes met᾿ allēlōn; ēn de met᾿ autōn kai ho abbas Iōannēs. Kai anestē tis presbyteros megas dounai to kaukalion tou nerou; kai oudeis katedexato labein auto par' autou, ei mē monos Iōannēs ho kolobos. Ethaumasan oun, kai eipon autǭ; Pōs sy mikroteros holōs ōn, etolmēsas hypēretēthēnai para tou presbyterou? Kai legei autois; Egō hote egeiromai dounai to baukalion, chairō ean pantes labōsin, hina echō misthon; kagō oun dia touto edexamēn, hina poiēsō autǭ misthon; mēpōs lypēthę̄, hōs mēdenos dexamenou par' autou. Kai tauta autou eipontos, ethaumasan, kai ōphelēthēsan epi tę̄ diakrisei autou.

Some old men happened to be at Scetis eating together, and abba John was with them. And a great presbyter got up to give the jug of water; and no one would accept it from him except John the Dwarf alone. So they marveled and said to him, “How did you, the very youngest, dare to be served by the presbyter?” And he says to them, “When I get up to give the jug, I am glad if everyone accepts, so that I may have a reward; so I accepted for this reason, to give him a reward, lest he be grieved that no one accepted from him.” When he said this, they marveled and were helped by his discernment.

Notes and citation

Summary: John alone accepts water from a great presbyter so as not to deprive him of his reward.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.7 (PG 65:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-7

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.8PG 65:205

Καθημένου αὐτοῦ ποτε ἔμπροσθεν τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἐκύκλωσαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ ἐξήταζον αὐτὸν τοὺς λογισμοὺς αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἰδών τις τῶν γερόντων, καὶ πολεμηθεὶς εἰς φθόνον, λέγει αὐτῷ· Τὸ βαυκάλιόν σου, Ἰωάννη, φάρμακον γέμει. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Οὕτως ἐστὶν, ἀββᾶ· καὶ τοῦτο εἶπας, ὅτι τὰ ἔξω βλέπεις μόνον· εἰ δὲ ἔβλεπες τὰ ἔσω, τί εἶχες εἰπεῖν;

Kathēmenou autou pote emprosthen tēs ekklēsias, ekyklōsan auton hoi adelphoi, kai exētazon auton tous logismous autōn. Kai idōn tis tōn gerontōn, kai polemētheis eis phthonon, legei autǭ; To baukalion sou, Iōannē, pharmakon gemei. Legei autǭ ho abbas Iōannēs; Houtōs estin, abba; kai touto eipas, hoti ta exō blepeis monon; ei de eblepes ta esō, ti eiches eipein?

Once when he was sitting in front of the church, the brothers surrounded him and were consulting him about their thoughts. And one of the old men, seeing it and attacked by envy, says to him, “Your jug is full of poison, John.” Abba John says to him, “It is so, abba; and you say this because you see only the outside; if you saw the inside, what would you have to say?”

Notes and citation

Summary: Accused of being full of poison, John agrees and says his inside is worse still.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.8 (PG 65:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-8

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.9PG 65:205–207

Ἔλεγον οἱ Πατέρες, ὅτι ἐσθιόντων ποτὲ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐγέλασεν εἷς ἀδελφὸς ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης. Καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ἔκλαυσε, λέγων· Τί ἄρα ἔχει ὁ ἀδελφὸς οὗτος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐγέλασεν, ὀφείλων μᾶλλον κλαῦσαι, ὅτι ἀγάπην ἐσθίει;

Elegon hoi Pateres, hoti esthiontōn pote tōn adelphōn en agapę̄, egelasen heis adelphos epi tēs trapezēs. Kai idōn auton ho abbas Iōannēs, eklause, legōn; Ti ara echei ho adelphos houtos en tę̄ kardią autou, hoti egelasen, opheilōn mallon klausai, hoti agapēn esthiei?

The Fathers said that once when the brothers were eating at a love-feast, one brother laughed at table. And when abba John saw him, he wept, saying, “What can this brother have in his heart, that he laughed, when he ought rather to weep, because he is eating at a love-feast?”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: John weeps at a brother who laughed at a love-feast.

Variant notes are removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”, “Ap.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ΑΙ. πάντων. Απ. ὅλων? φαρμάκου. → .

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.9 (PG 65:205–207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-9

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.10PG 65:207

Ἦλθόν ποτέ τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν πειράσαι αὐτόν· ὅτι οὐκ ἤφιε τὸν λογισμὸν αὐτοῦ ῥεμβασθῆναι, οὐδὲ ἐλάλει πρᾶγμα τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου· καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι ἔβρεξεν ἐπ᾿ ἔτος πολλά, καὶ ἔπιον οἱ φοίνικες, καὶ ἐκβάλλουσι λευκάδας, καὶ εὑρίσκουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὸ ἐργόχειρον αὐτῶν. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Οὕτως ἐστὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· ὅταν καταβῇ εἰς τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀνανεοῦνται, καὶ ἐκβάλλουσι λευκάδας ἐν τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Ēlthon pote tines tōn adelphōn peirasai auton; hoti ouk ēphie ton logismon autou rhembasthēnai, oude elalei pragma tou aiōnos toutou; kai legousin autǭ; Eucharistoumen tǭ Theǭ, hoti ebrexen ep᾿ etos polla, kai epion hoi phoinikes, kai ekballousi leukadas, kai heuriskousin hoi adelphoi to ergocheiron autōn. Legei autois ho abbas Iōannēs; Houtōs esti to Pneuma to hagion; hotan katabę̄ eis tas kardias tōn anthrōpōn ananeountai, kai ekballousi leukadas en tǭ phobǭ tou Theou.

Once some of the brothers came to test him, because he did not let his thought wander, nor speak of any matter of this age; and they say to him, “We thank God that it rained a great deal this year, and the palms have drunk and are putting out shoots, and the brothers are finding their handiwork.” Abba John says to them, “So it is with the Holy Spirit: when he comes down into the hearts of men, they are renewed and put out shoots in the fear of God.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John turns talk of rain and palm shoots into a word about the Holy Spirit renewing hearts.

A displaced line belonging to the end of the next saying (“his thought being occupied with contemplation”) is moved there.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line displaced from the end of the next saying (restored there)): λογισμὸς αὐτοῦ σχολάζων τῇ θεωρίᾳ.. → .

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.10 (PG 65:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-10

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.11PG 65:207

Ἔλεγον περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἔπλεξέ ποτε σειρὰν δύο σπυρίδων, καὶ ἔῤῥαψεν αὐτὴν μίαν σπυρίδα, καὶ οὐκ ἐνόησεν, ἕως προσήγγισε τῷ τοίχῳ. Ἦν γὰρ ὁ λογισμὸς αὐτοῦ σχολάζων τῇ θεωρίᾳ.

Elegon peri autou, hoti eplexe pote seiran dyo spyridōn, kai errhapsen autēn mian spyrida, kai ouk enoēsen, heōs prosēngise tǭ toichǭ. Ēn gar ho logismos autou scholazōn tę̄ theōrią.

They said of him that once he plaited rope for two baskets and sewed it into one basket, and did not notice until he reached the wall. For his thought was occupied with contemplation.

Notes and citation

Summary: Absorbed in contemplation, John sewed two baskets’ worth of rope into one.

The end of the sentence is displaced in the scan to the end of the previous saying (43.10) and is restored here.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (words displaced by the OCR into the previous saying restored (same words as in the scan)): Ἧν γὰρ ὁ → Ἦν γὰρ ὁ λογισμὸς αὐτοῦ σχολάζων τῇ θεωρίᾳ..

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.11 (PG 65:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-11

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.12PG 65:207

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ὅτι Ὅμοιός εἰμι ἀνθρώπῳ καθημένῳ ὑποκάτω δένδρου μεγάλου, καὶ θεωροῦντι θηρία πολλὰ καὶ ἑρπετὰ ἐρχόμενα πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ ὅταν μὴ δυνηθῇ στῆναι κατ' αὐτῶν, τρέχει ἄνω εἰς τὸ δένδρον, καὶ σώζεται. Οὕτως κἀγώ· καθέζομαι ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ μου, καὶ θεωρῶ τοὺς πονηροὺς λογισμοὺς ἐπάνω μου· καὶ ὅτε μὴ ἰσχύσω πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καταφεύγω πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν διὰ τῆς προσευχῆς, καὶ σώζομαι ἐκ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ.

Eipen ho abbas Iōannēs, hoti Homoios eimi anthrōpǭ kathēmenǭ hypokatō dendrou megalou, kai theōrounti thēria polla kai herpeta erchomena pros auton; kai hotan mē dynēthę̄ stēnai kat' autōn, trechei anō eis to dendron, kai sōzetai. Houtōs kagō; kathezomai en tǭ kelliǭ mou, kai theōrō tous ponērous logismous epanō mou; kai hote mē ischysō pros autous, katapheugō pros ton Theon dia tēs proseuchēs, kai sōzomai ek tou echthrou.

Abba John said, “I am like a man sitting under a great tree, who sees many wild beasts and reptiles coming toward him; and when he cannot stand against them, he runs up into the tree and is saved. So it is with me: I sit in my cell and see the evil thoughts coming upon me; and when I am not strong enough against them, I flee to God by prayer, and I am saved from the enemy.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John flees to God in prayer as a man climbs a tree to escape beasts.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split and words run together): ἀν θρώπῳκαθημένῳ → ἀνθρώπῳ καθημένῳ.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.12 (PG 65:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-12

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.13PG 65:207

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ κολοβοῦ, ὅτι παρεκάλεσε τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἤρθη τὰ πάθη ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ γέγονεν ἀμέριμνος. Καὶ ἀπελθὼν, εἶπέ τινι γέροντι· Ὁρῶ ἐμαυτὸν ἀναπαυόμενον, καὶ μηδένα πόλεμον ἔχοντα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε, παρακάλεσον τὸν Θεὸν, ὥστε τὸν πόλεμόν σοι ἐλθεῖν, καὶ ἣν εἶχες πρότερον συντριβὴν καὶ ταπείνωσιν· διὰ γὰρ τῶν πολέμων προκόπτει ἡ ψυχή. Παρεκάλεσεν οὖν, καὶ ἐλθόντος τοῦ πολέμου, οὐκ ἔτι εὔξατο ἀρθῆναι αὐτὸν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔλεγε· Δός μοι, Κύριε, ὑπομονὴν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις.

Eipen ho abbas Poimēn peri tou abba Iōannou tou kolobou, hoti parekalese ton Theon, kai ērthē ta pathē ap᾿ autou, kai gegonen amerimnos. Kai apelthōn, eipe tini geronti; Horō emauton anapauomenon, kai mēdena polemon echonta. Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Hypage, parakaleson ton Theon, hōste ton polemon soi elthein, kai hēn eiches proteron syntribēn kai tapeinōsin; dia gar tōn polemōn prokoptei hē psychē. Parekalesen oun, kai elthontos tou polemou, ouk eti euxato arthēnai auton ap᾿ autou, all᾽ elege; Dos moi, Kyrie, hypomonēn en tois polemois.

Abba Poemen said of abba John the Dwarf that he prayed to God and the passions were taken away from him, and he became free from care. And he went and said to an old man, “I find myself at rest and having no war.” And the old man says to him, “Go, pray to God that the war may come to you, and the contrition and humility you had before; for it is through wars that the soul makes progress.” So he prayed, and when the war came, he no longer prayed that it be taken away from him, but said, “Lord, give me endurance in the wars.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Freed from temptation, John is told to pray for the battle to return, since the soul grows through it.

Variant notes are removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ΑΙ. ἁγίων. ΑΙ. μέρους. → .

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.13 (PG 65:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-13

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.14PG 65:207

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ὅτι εἶδέ τις τῶν γερόντων ἐν ἐκστάσει· Καὶ ἰδοὺ τρεῖς μοναχοὶ ἕστηκαν πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης· καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ ἄλλου πέραν λέγουσα· Λάβετε πτερὰ πυρὸς, καὶ δεῦτε πρὸς μέ. Καὶ οἱ μὲν δύο ἔλαβον, καὶ ἐπετάσθησαν εἰς τὸ ἄλλο πέραν· ὁ δὲ ἄλλος ἔμεινε, καὶ ἔκλαιε σφόδρα καὶ ἔκραζεν. Ὕστερον δὲ ἐδόθησαν καὶ αὐτῷ πτερὰ, οὐ μέντοι πυρὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀσθενῆ καὶ ἀδύναμα· καὶ μετὰ καμάτου καταποντιζόμενος καὶ ἀνιστάμενος, μετὰ θλίψεως πολλῆς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ πέραν. Οὕτως καὶ ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη, εἰ καὶ λαμβάνει πτερὰ, οὐ μέντοι πυρὸς, ἀλλὰ μόλις ἀσθενῆ καὶ ἀδύναμα λαμβάνει.

Eipen ho abbas Iōannēs, hoti eide tis tōn gerontōn en ekstasei; Kai idou treis monachoi hestēkan peran tēs thalassēs; kai egeneto phōnē pros autous ek tou allou peran legousa; Labete ptera pyros, kai deute pros me. Kai hoi men dyo elabon, kai epetasthēsan eis to allo peran; ho de allos emeine, kai eklaie sphodra kai ekrazen. Hysteron de edothēsan kai autǭ ptera, ou mentoi pyros, all᾽ asthenē kai adynama; kai meta kamatou katapontizomenos kai anistamenos, meta thlipseōs pollēs ēlthen eis to peran. Houtōs kai hē genea hautē, ei kai lambanei ptera, ou mentoi pyros, alla molis asthenē kai adynama lambanei.

Abba John said that one of the old men saw in ecstasy: and look, three monks were standing on the shore of the sea; and a voice came to them from the other shore, saying, “Take wings of fire and come to me.” Two of them took them and flew to the other shore; but the third stayed and wept greatly and cried out. Afterward wings were given to him too, not of fire, but weak and powerless; and with labor, sinking and rising again, with much affliction he came to the other shore. So too this generation: even if it receives wings, they are not of fire, but it barely receives weak and powerless ones.

Notes and citation

Summary: A vision of monks crossing the sea on wings shows that the present generation receives only weak wings.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.14 (PG 65:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-14

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.15PG 65:207–209

Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην, λέγων· Πῶς ἡ ψυχή μου ἔχουσα τραύματα, οὐκ αἰσχύνεται καταλαλεῖν τοῦ πλησίον; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων παραβολὴν διὰ τὴν καταλαλιάν· "Ανθρωπός τις ἦν πτωχός, καὶ εἶχε γυναῖκα εἶδε δὲ καὶ ἄλλην πιθανὴν, καὶ ἔλαβε ταύτην· ἦσαν δὲ ἀμφότεραι γυμναί. Γενομένης δὲ πανηγύρεως ἐν τινὶ τόπῳ, παρεκάλεσαν αὐτὸν λέγουσαι· Ἆρον ἡμᾶς μετὰ σοῦ. Καὶ λαβὼν τὰς δύο, ἔβαλεν εἰς πίθον· καὶ ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον, ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν τόπον. Ὅτε δὲ γέγονε καῦμα, καὶ ἡσύχασαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἀναβλέψασα ἡ μία, καὶ μηδένα ἰδοῦσα, ἐξεπήδησεν εἰς τὴν κοπρίαν, καὶ συνάξασα παλαιά ῥάκη, ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῇ περίζωμα, καὶ λοιπὸν μετὰ παρρησίας περιεπάτει. Ἡ δὲ ἄλλη ἔσω καθημένη γυμνή, ἔλεγεν Ἰδοὺ αὕτη ἡ πόρνη οὐκ αἰσχύνεται περιπατοῦσα γυμνή. Διαπονηθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς εἶπεν· Ὦ θαῦμα· αὕτη κἂν σκέπει τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς· σὺ δὲ ὅλη γυμνὴ εἶ, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ αἰσχύνῃ λαλοῦσα Οὕτως ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ τῆς καταλαλιᾶς.

Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Iōannēn, legōn; Pōs hē psychē mou echousa traumata, ouk aischynetai katalalein tou plēsion? Legei autǭ ho gerōn parabolēn dia tēn katalalian; "Anthrōpos tis ēn ptōchos, kai eiche gynaika eide de kai allēn pithanēn, kai elabe tautēn; ēsan de amphoterai gymnai. Genomenēs de panēgyreōs en tini topǭ, parekalesan auton legousai; Aron hēmas meta sou. Kai labōn tas dyo, ebalen eis pithon; kai embas eis ploion, ēlthen eis ton topon. Hote de gegone kauma, kai hēsychasan hoi anthrōpoi, anablepsasa hē mia, kai mēdena idousa, exepēdēsen eis tēn koprian, kai synaxasa palaia rhakē, epoiēsen heautę̄ perizōma, kai loipon meta parrēsias periepatei. Hē de allē esō kathēmenē gymnē, elegen Idou hautē hē pornē ouk aischynetai peripatousa gymnē. Diaponētheis de ho anēr autēs eipen; Ō thauma; hautē kan skepei tēn aschēmosynēn autēs; sy de holē gymnē ei, kai tauta ouk aischynę̄ lalousa Houtōs esti kai to tēs katalalias.

A brother asked abba John, saying, “How is it that my soul, though it has wounds, is not ashamed to slander my neighbor?” The old man told him a parable about slander: “There was a poor man who had a wife; and he saw another, attractive one, and took her too; and both were naked. When a festival was held in a certain place, they begged him, saying, ‘Take us with you.’ And taking the two, he put them in a jar; and boarding a boat, he came to the place. When it became hot and people were resting, one of them peeped out, and seeing no one, she jumped out onto the rubbish heap, gathered old rags, made herself a loincloth, and then walked about confidently. But the other, sitting inside naked, said, ‘Look, this harlot is not ashamed to walk about naked!’ Her husband, vexed, said, ‘What a marvel! She at least covers her shame; but you are entirely naked, and you are not ashamed to say these things!’ So it is with slander.”

Matt 7:3 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John’s parable of two naked wives shows the slanderer condemning others while more exposed himself.

The parable is told as written; the man’s taking a second wife is part of the story, not a teaching on marriage.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slips): πειθανὴν, καὶ έλαβε → πιθανὴν, καὶ ἔλαβε.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.15 (PG 65:207–209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-15

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.16PG 65:209

Ἔλεγε δὲ πάλιν τῷ ἀδελφῷ ὁ γέρων περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τῆς θελούσης μετανοῆσαι· Πόρνη ἦν ὡραῖα ἐν τινὶ πόλει, καὶ πολλοὺς φίλους εἶχεν. Ἐλθὼν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν εἷς ἄρχων, εἶπεν αὐτῇ Σύνθου μοι σωφρονεῖν, κἀγώ σε λαμβάνω εἰς γυναῖκα. Ἡ δὲ συνέθετο αὐτῷ. Καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὴν ἀπήγαγεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. Οἱ δὲ φίλοι αὐτῆς, ζητοῦντες αὐτὴν, ἔλεγον· Ὁ δεῖνα ὁ ἄρχων ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ· ἐὰν οὖν ἀπέλθωμεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, καὶ μάθῃ, τιμωρεῖται ἡμᾶς. Ἀλλὰ δεῦτε ὀπίσω τῆς οἰκίας, καὶ συρίσωμεν αὐτῇ καὶ γνωρίζουσα τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ συριγμοῦ, καταβαίνει πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀναίτιοι εὑρισκόμεθα. Ακούσασα οὖν τοῦ συριγμοῦ, ἐσφράγισε" τὰ ὦτα αὐτῆς, καὶ εἰσεπήδησεν εἰς τὸν ἐνδότερον κοιτῶνα, καὶ ἔκλεισε τὰς θύρας. Ἔλεγε δὲ, τὴν πόρνην εἶναι τὴν ψυχὴν· οἱ δὲ φίλοι αὐτῆς εἰσι τὰ πάθη καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι· ὁ δὲ ἄρχων ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστός· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἡ ἐσωτέρα ἐστὶν ἡ αἰωνία μονή. Οἱ δὲ συρίζοντες αὐτῇ εἰσιν οἱ πονηροὶ δαίμονες· αὐτὴ δὲ διαπαντὸς φεύγει πρὸς τὸν Κύριον.

Elege de palin tǭ adelphǭ ho gerōn peri tēs psychēs tēs thelousēs metanoēsai; Pornē ēn hōraia en tini polei, kai pollous philous eichen. Elthōn de pros autēn heis archōn, eipen autę̄ Synthou moi sōphronein, kagō se lambanō eis gynaika. Hē de synetheto autǭ. Kai labōn autēn apēgagen eis ton oikon autou. Hoi de philoi autēs, zētountes autēn, elegon; Ho deina ho archōn elaben autēn eis ton oikon autou; ean oun apelthōmen eis ton oikon autou, kai mathę̄, timōreitai hēmas. Alla deute opisō tēs oikias, kai syrisōmen autę̄ kai gnōrizousa tēn phōnēn tou syrigmou, katabainei pros hēmas, kai hēmeis anaitioi heuriskometha. Akousasa oun tou syrigmou, esphragise" ta ōta autēs, kai eisepēdēsen eis ton endoteron koitōna, kai ekleise tas thyras. Elege de, tēn pornēn einai tēn psychēn; hoi de philoi autēs eisi ta pathē kai hoi anthrōpoi; ho de archōn estin ho Christos; hē de oikia hē esōtera estin hē aiōnia monē. Hoi de syrizontes autę̄ eisin hoi ponēroi daimones; autē de diapantos pheugei pros ton Kyrion.

The old man also told the brother about the soul that wants to repent: “There was a beautiful prostitute in a city, and she had many lovers. A magistrate came to her and said to her, ‘Promise me to live chastely, and I will take you as my wife.’ She promised him. And taking her, he brought her into his house. Her lovers, looking for her, said, ‘That magistrate has taken her into his house; if we go to his house and he finds out, he will punish us. But come, let us go behind the house and whistle to her; and recognizing the sound of the whistle, she will come down to us, and we shall be found blameless.’ But when she heard the whistle, she stopped her ears, ran into the inner chamber, and shut the doors.” He said that the prostitute is the soul; her lovers are the passions and men; the magistrate is Christ; the inner house is the eternal dwelling; those who whistle to her are the evil demons; but she always flees to the Lord.

Notes and citation

Summary: John’s parable of a reformed prostitute who shuts out her old lovers pictures the repentant soul fleeing to Christ.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.16 (PG 65:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-16

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.17PG 65:209–211

Ἀναβαίνοντός ποτε τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου ἀπὸ Σκήτεως μετ' ἄλλων ἀδελφῶν, ἐπλανήθη ὁ ὁδηγῶν αὐτοὺς· ἦν γὰρ νύξ. Καὶ λέγουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τῷ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννῃ· Τί ποιήσομεν, άββᾶ, ὅτι ἐπλανήθη ὁ ἀδελφὸς τὴν ὁδὸν, μήπως ἀποθάνωμεν πλανώμενοι; Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν εἴπωμεν αὐτῷ, λυπεῖται καὶ αἰσχύνεται. Ἀλλ᾿ ἰδοὺ ποιῶ ἐμαυτὸν ἀσθενοῦντα, καὶ λέγω, Οὐ δύναμαι ὁδεῦσαι, ἀλλὰ μένω ὧδε ἕως πρωΐ. Καὶ ἐποίησεν οὕτως. Οἱ δὲ λοιποί εἶπον· Οὐδὲ ἡμεῖς ὑπάγομεν, ἀλλὰ καθήμεθα μετὰ σοῦ. Καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἕως πρωΐ· καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὐκ ἐσκανδάλισαν. τη΄. Γέρων τις ἦν ἐν Σκήτει, πονικὸς μὲν ἐν τῷ σωματικῷ, οὐκ ἀκριβὴς δὲ ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς. Ἀπῆλθεν οὖν πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην, ἐρωτῆσαι αὐτὸν περὶ τῆς λήθης· καὶ ἀκούσας παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ λόγον, ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς τὴν κέλλαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπελάθετο ὃ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης. Καὶ ἀπῆλθε πάλιν ἐρωτῆσαι αὐτόν· ἀκούσας δὲ παρ' αὐτοῦ ὁμοίως τὸν λόγον, ὑπέστρεψεν. Ὡς δὲ ἔφθασε τὸ ἴδιον κελλίον πάλιν ἐπελάθετο, καὶ οὕτω δὲ πλειστάκις ἀπερχόμενος, ἐν τῷ ὑποστρέφειν κατακυριεύετο ὑπὸ τῆς λήθης. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀπαντήσας τῷ γέροντι, εἶπεν· Οἶδας, ἀββᾶ, ὅτι ἐπελαθόμην πάλιν ὅ μοι εἴρηκας; ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ ὀχλήσω σοι, οὐκ ἦλθον Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης Ὕπαγε, ἄψον λύχνον. Καὶ ἦψεν. Εἶπε καὶ αὐτῷ πάλιν· Φέρε ἄλλους λύχνους, καὶ ἅψον ἐξ αὐτοῦ. Ἐποίησε δὲ ὁμοίως. Καὶ εἶπεν ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης τῷ γέροντι· Μή τί ποτε ἐβλάβη ὁ λύχνος, ὅτι ἀνήψας ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἄλλους λύχνους; Λέγει· Οὐχί. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ γέρων· Οὕτως οὐδὲ Ἰωάννης· ἐὰν ἡ Σκῆτις ἔρχηται πρὸς μὲ ὅλη, οὐ μή με ἐμποδίσει ἀπὸ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Τοίνυν, ὅτε θέλεις, ἔρχου, μηδὲν διακρινόμενος. Καὶ οὕτω δι᾽ ὑπομονῆς ἀμφοτέρων, ἦρε τὴν λήθην ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ γέροντος. Αὕτη δὲ ἦν ἐργασία τῶν Σκητιωτῶν, διδόναι προθυμίαν τοῖς πολεμουμένοις· καὶ βιαζομένους ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸ κερδῆσαι ἀλλήλους εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν.

Anabainontos pote tou abba Iōannou apo Skēteōs met' allōn adelphōn, eplanēthē ho hodēgōn autous; ēn gar nyx. Kai legousin hoi adelphoi tǭ abba Iōannę̄; Ti poiēsomen, abba, hoti eplanēthē ho adelphos tēn hodon, mēpōs apothanōmen planōmenoi? Legei autois ho gerōn; Ean eipōmen autǭ, lypeitai kai aischynetai. All᾿ idou poiō emauton asthenounta, kai legō, Ou dynamai hodeusai, alla menō hōde heōs prōï. Kai epoiēsen houtōs. Hoi de loipoi eipon; Oude hēmeis hypagomen, alla kathēmetha meta sou. Kai ekathisan heōs prōï; kai ton adelphon ouk eskandalisan. tē΄. Gerōn tis ēn en Skētei, ponikos men en tǭ sōmatikǭ, ouk akribēs de en tois logismois. Apēlthen oun pros ton abban Iōannēn, erōtēsai auton peri tēs lēthēs; kai akousas par᾿ autou logon, hypestrepsen eis tēn kellan autou, kai epelatheto ho eipen autǭ ho abbas Iōannēs. Kai apēlthe palin erōtēsai auton; akousas de par' autou homoiōs ton logon, hypestrepsen. Hōs de ephthase to idion kellion palin epelatheto, kai houtō de pleistakis aperchomenos, en tǭ hypostrephein katakyrieueto hypo tēs lēthēs. Meta de tauta apantēsas tǭ geronti, eipen; Oidas, abba, hoti epelathomēn palin ho moi eirēkas? all᾽ hina mē ochlēsō soi, ouk ēlthon Legei autǭ ho abbas Iōannēs Hypage, apson lychnon. Kai ēpsen. Eipe kai autǭ palin; Phere allous lychnous, kai hapson ex autou. Epoiēse de homoiōs. Kai eipen abbas Iōannēs tǭ geronti; Mē ti pote eblabē ho lychnos, hoti anēpsas ex autou tous allous lychnous? Legei; Ouchi. Eipe de ho gerōn; Houtōs oude Iōannēs; ean hē Skētis erchētai pros me holē, ou mē me empodisei apo tēs charitos tou Christou. Toinyn, hote theleis, erchou, mēden diakrinomenos. Kai houtō di᾽ hypomonēs amphoterōn, ēre tēn lēthēn ho Theos apo tou gerontos. Hautē de ēn ergasia tōn Skētiōtōn, didonai prothymian tois polemoumenois; kai biazomenous heautous eis to kerdēsai allēlous eis to agathon.

Once abba John was going up from Scetis with other brothers, and the one guiding them lost the way, for it was night. And the brothers say to abba John, “What shall we do, abba, since the brother has lost the way? Are we to die wandering?” The old man says to them, “If we tell him, he will be grieved and ashamed. But look, I will pretend to be ill and say, ‘I cannot walk, but I will stay here until morning.’” And he did so. And the others said, “We will not go on either, but will sit with you.” And they sat until morning; and they did not offend the brother. [18] There was an old man at Scetis, hard-working in the body but not exact in his thoughts. So he went to abba John to ask him about forgetfulness; and hearing a word from him, he returned to his cell and forgot what abba John had said to him. And he went again to ask him; and hearing the word from him likewise, he returned. When he reached his own cell, he forgot again; and so, going many times, on the way back he was overcome by forgetfulness. After this, meeting the old man, he said, “Do you know, abba, that I forgot again what you told me? But so as not to trouble you, I did not come.” Abba John says to him, “Go, light a lamp.” And he lit it. He said to him again, “Bring other lamps and light them from it.” He did so. And abba John said to the old man, “Was the lamp harmed at all because you lit the other lamps from it?” He says, “No.” And the old man said, “So neither is John; even if all Scetis comes to me, it will not hinder me from the grace of Christ. So whenever you want, come, without hesitating.” And so, through the patience of both, God took the forgetfulness away from the old man. This was the work of the monks of Scetis: to give encouragement to those under attack, and to force themselves to win one another to the good.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: John feigns illness to spare a lost guide’s shame; then (saying 18) he cures a forgetful monk by patience, likening himself to a lamp that lights others.

The scan runs John 18 (τηʹ) into this saying; marked [18]. A variant note is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (variant note (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus; accent of the relative restored): ὁ ΑΙ. τὴν θύραν. εἶπεν → ὃ εἶπεν.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.17 (PG 65:209–211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-17

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.19PG 65:211

Ἠρώτησεν ἀδελφὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην, λέγων· Τί ποιήσω; ὅτι πολλάκις ἔρχεται ἀδελφὸς λαβεῖν με εἰς ἔργον, καὶ ἐγὼ ταλαίπωρός εἰμι καὶ ἀσθενὴς, καὶ κοπιῶ εἰς τὸ πρᾶγμα· τί οὖν ποιήσω διὰ τὴν ἐντολήν; Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ γέρων εἶπε· Χάλεβ εἶπε τῷ Ἰησοῦ υἱῷ Ναυῆ· Τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν ἤμην, ὅτε ἀπέστειλε Μωϋσῆς ὁ δοῦλος Κυρίου ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου ἐμὲ καὶ σὲ εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην· καὶ νῦν εἰμι ἐτῶν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε. Ως τότε ἤμην, καὶ νῦν ἰσχύω εἰσελθεῖν καὶ ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον· ὥστε οὖν καὶ σὺ, εἰ δύνασαι ἵνα ὡς ἐξέρχῃ οὕτως καὶ εἰσέρχῃ, ὕπαγε· εἰ δὲ οὐ δύνασαι οὕτως ποιῆσαι, κάθου εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου κλαίων τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου· καὶ ἐὰν εὑρῶσί σε πενθοῦντα, οὐκ ἀναγκάζουσί σε ἐξελθεῖν.

Ērōtēsen adelphos ton abban Iōannēn, legōn; Ti poiēsō? hoti pollakis erchetai adelphos labein me eis ergon, kai egō talaipōros eimi kai asthenēs, kai kopiō eis to pragma; ti oun poiēsō dia tēn entolēn? Kai apokritheis ho gerōn eipe; Chaleb eipe tǭ Iēsou huiǭ Nauē; Tessarakonta etōn ēmēn, hote apesteile Mōÿsēs ho doulos Kyriou ek tēs erēmou eme kai se eis tēn gēn tautēn; kai nyn eimi etōn ogdoēkonta pente. Ōs tote ēmēn, kai nyn ischyō eiselthein kai exelthein eis ton polemon; hōste oun kai sy, ei dynasai hina hōs exerchę̄ houtōs kai eiserchę̄, hypage; ei de ou dynasai houtōs poiēsai, kathou eis to kellion sou klaiōn tas hamartias sou; kai ean heurōsi se penthounta, ouk anankazousi se exelthein.

A brother asked abba John, saying, “What shall I do? A brother often comes to take me to work, and I am wretched and weak, and I grow tired in the task; so what shall I do for the sake of the commandment?” And the old man answered, “Caleb said to Joshua the son of Nun, ‘I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me and you from the desert into this land; and now I am eighty-five. As I was then, so now I am strong to go in and go out to war.’ So you too, if you can go out and come in the same way, go; but if you cannot do so, sit in your cell weeping for your sins; and if they find you mourning, they will not force you to go out.”

Josh 14:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Josh 14:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Josh 14:11 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John counsels a weak brother to help others only if he can return unharmed, like Caleb.

Quotation of Josh 14:7, 10–11 in John’s own form.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.19 (PG 65:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-19

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.20PG 65:211

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Τίς πέπρακε τὸν Ἰωσήφ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη τις ἀδελφὸς, λέγων· Οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Οὐχί· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ταπείνωσις αὐτοῦ πέπρακεν αὐτόν. Ἠδύνατο γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἀδελφὸς αὐτῶν εἰμι, καὶ ἀντιλέξαι· ἀλλὰ σιωπῶν, τῇ ταπεινώσει ἑαυτὸν πέπρακε· καὶ ἡ ταπείνωσις κατέστησεν αὐτὸν ἡγούμενον εἰς Αἴγυπτον.

Eipen ho abbas Iōannēs; Tis peprake ton Iōsēph? Kai apekrithē tis adelphos, legōn; Hoi adelphoi autou. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ouchi; all᾽ hē tapeinōsis autou pepraken auton. Ēdynato gar eipein, hoti Adelphos autōn eimi, kai antilexai; alla siōpōn, tę̄ tapeinōsei heauton peprake; kai hē tapeinōsis katestēsen auton hēgoumenon eis Aigypton.

Abba John said, “Who sold Joseph?” And a brother answered, “His brothers.” The old man says to him, “No; his humility sold him. For he could have said, ‘I am their brother,’ and objected; but by keeping silent he sold himself by humility; and humility made him ruler in Egypt.”

Gen 37:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 41:41 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John says Joseph’s humility, not his brothers, sold him, and raised him to rule Egypt.

Gen 37:28; 41:41.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.20 (PG 65:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-20

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.21PG 65:211

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Τὸ ἐλαφρὸν φορτίον ἑάσαντες, τουτέστι τὸ ἑαυτοὺς μέμφεσθαι, τὸ βαρὺ ἐβαστάσαμεν, τουτέστι τὸ δικαιοῦν ἑαυτούς.

Eipen ho abbas Iōannēs; To elaphron phortion heasantes, toutesti to heautous memphesthai, to bary ebastasamen, toutesti to dikaioun heautous.

Abba John said, “We have abandoned the light burden, that is, blaming ourselves, and taken up the heavy one, that is, justifying ourselves.”

Matt 11:30 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Self-blame is the light burden; self-justification the heavy one.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.21 (PG 65:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-21

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.22PG 65:211

Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπεν· Ἡ ταπεινοφροσύνη καὶ ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὑπεράνω εἰσὶ πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν.

Ho autos eipen; Hē tapeinophrosynē kai ho phobos tou Theou, hyperanō eisi pasōn tōn aretōn.

The same said, “Humility and the fear of God are above all the virtues.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Humility and the fear of God surpass all virtues.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.22 (PG 65:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-22

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.23PG 65:211–213

Ὁ αὐτὸς ἐκάθητό ποτε εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ἐστέναξεν, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι ἐστί τις ὅπισθεν αὐτοῦ. τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ἡ ταπείνωσις, καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν διὰ πολλῶν ὕβρεων καὶ θλίψεων χαίροντες εἰσῆλθαν δι᾿ αὐτῆς εἰς τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Γνοὺς οὖν, ἔβαλε μετάνοιαν, λέγων· Συγχώρησόν μοι, ἀββᾶ· οὔπω γὰρ κατηχήθην.

Ho autos ekathēto pote eis tēn ekklēsian, kai estenaxen, agnoōn hoti esti tis hopisthen autou. tou Theou estin hē tapeinōsis, kai hoi pateres hēmōn dia pollōn hybreōn kai thlipseōn chairontes eisēlthan di᾿ autēs eis tēn polin tou Theou. Gnous oun, ebale metanoian, legōn; Synchōrēson moi, abba; oupō gar katēchēthēn.

The same was once sitting in the church, and he sighed, not knowing that someone was behind him. … [The door] of God is humility, and our fathers, through many insults and afflictions, entered rejoicing by it into the city of God. So when he realized it, he made a prostration, saying, “Forgive me, abba; for I have not yet been instructed.”

Acts 14:22 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John apologizes for sighing aloud in church; a line on humility as the door to God’s city is joined to it.

The scan joins this saying to a line from another saying of John (in other copies: “The door of God is humility …”); words are lost between them (“…”), not supplied.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.23 (PG 65:211–213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-23

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.24PG 65:213

Ὁ αὐτὸς ἔλεγε τῷ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ· Τιμήσωμεν τὸν ἕνα, καὶ πάντες τιμῶσιν ἡμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ καταφρονήσωμεν τοῦ ἑνὸς, ὅς ἐστι Θεὸς, καταφρονοῦσιν ἡμῶν πάντες, καὶ εἰς ἀπώλειαν ὑπάγομεν.

Ho autos elege tǭ mathētę̄ autou; Timēsōmen ton hena, kai pantes timōsin hēmas; ean de kataphronēsōmen tou henos, hos esti Theos, kataphronousin hēmōn pantes, kai eis apōleian hypagomen.

The same said to his disciple, “Let us honor the One, and all will honor us; but if we despise the One, who is God, all will despise us, and we go to destruction.”

1 Sam 2:30 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Honoring God brings honor from all; despising him brings ruin.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.24 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-24

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.25PG 65:213

Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου, ὅτι ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν εἰς Σκῆτιν· καὶ ἀκούσας ἀντιλογίας τινῶν ἀδελφῶν, ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς τὴν κέλλαν αὐτοῦ· καὶ κυκλεύσας αὐτὴν τρίτον, οὕτως εἰσῆλθεν. Ἀδελφοὶ δὲ τινες ἰδόντες αὐτὸν, ἠπόρησαν διατί τοῦτο ἐποίησε, καὶ ἐλθόντες ἠρώτων αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τὰ ὦτά μου εἶχον ἀπὸ τῆς ἀντιλογίας μεστά· ἐκύκλωσα οὖν, ἵνα καθαρίσω αὐτὰ, καὶ οὕτως εἰσέλθω ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ τοῦ νοός μου εἰς τὸ κελλίον μου.

Elegon peri tou abba Iōannou, hoti ēlthen eis tēn ekklēsian eis Skētin; kai akousas antilogias tinōn adelphōn, hypestrepsen eis tēn kellan autou; kai kykleusas autēn triton, houtōs eisēlthen. Adelphoi de tines idontes auton, ēporēsan diati touto epoiēse, kai elthontes ērōtōn auton. Ho de legei autois; Ta ōta mou eichon apo tēs antilogias mesta; ekyklōsa oun, hina katharisō auta, kai houtōs eiselthō en hēsychią tou noos mou eis to kellion mou.

They said of abba John that he came to the church at Scetis; and hearing some brothers disputing, he returned to his cell; and he walked around it three times, and then went in. Some brothers, seeing him, wondered why he did this, and came and asked him. He says to them, “My ears were full of the dispute; so I walked around to cleanse them, and so to enter my cell with stillness of mind.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John walks around his cell three times to cleanse his ears of a quarrel.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.25 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-25

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.26PG 65:213

Ἦλθέ ποτε ἀδελφὸς εἰς τὴν κέλλαν τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου ὀψὲ, σπουδάζων ἀπελθεῖν· καὶ λαλούντων αὐτῶν περὶ ἀρετῶν, γέγονε πρωΐ, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν. Καὶ ἐξῆλθε προπέμψαι αὐτόν· καὶ ἔμειναν λαλοῦντες ἕως ἕκτης ὥρας. Καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν· καὶ γευσάμενος, οὕτως ἀπῆλθεν.

Ēlthe pote adelphos eis tēn kellan tou abba Iōannou opse, spoudazōn apelthein; kai lalountōn autōn peri aretōn, gegone prōï, kai ouk egnōsan. Kai exēlthe propempsai auton; kai emeinan lalountes heōs hektēs hōras. Kai eisēnenken; kai geusamenos, houtōs apēlthen.

Once a brother came to abba John’s cell in the evening, eager to leave; and as they talked about virtues, morning came, and they did not notice. And John went out to see him off; and they stayed talking until the sixth hour. And he brought him in; and after eating, he left.

Notes and citation

Summary: John and a visitor talk of virtues through the night until noon without noticing.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.26 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-26

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.27PG 65:213

Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ὅτι φυλακή ἐστι, τὸ καθίσαι ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ, καὶ μνημονεύειν τοῦ Θεοῦ πάντοτε Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ, Ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην, καὶ ἤλθετε πρὸς μέ.

Elegen ho abbas Iōannēs, hoti phylakē esti, to kathisai en tǭ kelliǭ, kai mnēmoneuein tou Theou pantote Kai touto esti to, En phylakę̄ ēmēn, kai ēlthete pros me.

Abba John said, “To sit in the cell and remember God always: that is prison. And this is the meaning of ‘I was in prison, and you came to me.’”

Matt 25:36 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John calls the cell a prison where one remembers God, and applies Christ’s words to visiting it.

Quotation of Matt 25:36.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.27 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-27

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.28PG 65:213

Εἶπε πάλιν· Τίς ἰσχυρὸς ὡς ὁ λέων; καὶ διὰ τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ ἐμπίπτει εἰς παγίδα, καὶ ὅλη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ταπεινοῦται.

Eipe palin; Tis ischyros hōs ho leōn? kai dia tēn koilian autou empiptei eis pagida, kai holē hē ischys autou tapeinoutai.

He also said, “Who is as strong as the lion? And yet because of his belly he falls into the trap, and all his strength is brought low.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Even the strong lion is trapped through its belly.

Topics: Fasting

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.28 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-28

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.29PG 65:213

Ἔλεγε πάλιν, ὅτι ἐσθίοντες οἱ Πατέρες τῆς Σκήτεως ἄρτον καὶ ἅλας, ἔλεγον· Μὴ ἀναγκάσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς ἄλας καὶ ἄρτον. Καὶ οὕτως ἰσχυροὶ ἦσαν πρὸς τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Elege palin, hoti esthiontes hoi Pateres tēs Skēteōs arton kai halas, elegon; Mē anankasōmen heautous eis alas kai arton. Kai houtōs ischyroi ēsan pros to ergon tou Theou.

He also said that the Fathers of Scetis, eating bread and salt, used to say, “Let us not force ourselves to bread and salt.” And so they were strong for the work of God.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Fathers of Scetis ate simply without forcing themselves, and stayed strong for God’s work.

The sense of the saying is uncertain (perhaps “let us not burden ourselves even with bread and salt”); translated literally.

Topics: Fasting

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.29 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-29

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.30PG 65:213

Ἦλθεν ἀδελφός τις λαβεῖν σπυρίδας παρὰ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν λέγει αὐτῷ· Τί θέλεις, ἀδελφέ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Σπυρίδας, ἀββᾶ. Εἰσελθὼν δὲ ἐκβαλεῖν, ἐπελάθετο· καὶ ἐκάθισε ῥάπτων. Πάλιν ἔκρουσε· καὶ ὡς ἐξῆλθε, λέγει αὐτῷ· Φέρε τὴν σπυρίδα, ἀββᾶ. Εἰσελθὼν δὲ πάλιν ἐκάθισε ῥάπτειν. Καὶ πάλιν ἐκεῖνος ἔκρουσε. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν λέγει αὐτῷ· Τί θέλεις, ἀδελφέ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Τὴν σπυρίδα, ἀββᾶ. Καὶ κρατήσας αὐτοῦ τὴν χεῖρα, εἰσήνεγκεν αὐτὸν ἔσω, λέγων· Εἰ σπυρίδας θέλεις, λάβε καὶ περιπάτει· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐ σχολάζω.

Ēlthen adelphos tis labein spyridas para tou abba Iōannou. Kai exelthōn legei autǭ; Ti theleis, adelphe? Ho de eipe; Spyridas, abba. Eiselthōn de ekbalein, epelatheto; kai ekathise rhaptōn. Palin ekrouse; kai hōs exēlthe, legei autǭ; Phere tēn spyrida, abba. Eiselthōn de palin ekathise rhaptein. Kai palin ekeinos ekrouse. Kai exelthōn legei autǭ; Ti theleis, adelphe? Ho de eipe; Tēn spyrida, abba. Kai kratēsas autou tēn cheira, eisēnenken auton esō, legōn; Ei spyridas theleis, labe kai peripatei; egō gar ou scholazō.

A brother came to get baskets from abba John. And he came out and says to him, “What do you want, brother?” He said, “Baskets, abba.” Going in to bring them out, he forgot, and sat down sewing. Again the brother knocked; and when he came out, he says to him, “Bring the basket, abba.” Going in again, he sat down to sew. And again the brother knocked. And coming out he says to him, “What do you want, brother?” He said, “The basket, abba.” And taking him by the hand, he brought him inside, saying, “If you want baskets, take them and go; for I have no time.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Absorbed in God, John keeps forgetting the baskets until he brings the buyer in to take them himself.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.30 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-30

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.31PG 65:213

Ηλθέ ποτε καμηλίτης, ἵνα λάβῃ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέλθῃ εἰς ἄλλον τόπον. Ὁ δὲ εἰσελθὼν ἐνέγκαι αὐτῷ τὴν σειρὰν, ἐπέλαθετο, τεταμένην ἔχων τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Πάλιν οὖν ὤχλησεν ὁ καμηλίτης κρούων τὴν θύραν, καὶ πάλιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης εἰσερχόμενος, ἐπελάθετο. Τὸ δὲ τρίτον κρούσαντος τοῦ καμηλίτου, εἰσερχόμενος ἔλεγε· Σειρὰ κάμηλος, σειρὰ κάμηλος

Ēlthe pote kamēlitēs, hina labę̄ ta skeuē autou, kai apelthę̄ eis allon topon. Ho de eiselthōn enenkai autǭ tēn seiran, epelatheto, tetamenēn echōn tēn dianoian pros ton Theon. Palin oun ōchlēsen ho kamēlitēs krouōn tēn thyran, kai palin ho abbas Iōannēs eiserchomenos, epelatheto. To de triton krousantos tou kamēlitou, eiserchomenos elege; Seira kamēlos, seira kamēlos

Once a camel driver came to take his goods and go to another place. And going in to bring him the rope, he forgot, having his mind stretched toward God. So again the camel driver troubled him by knocking at the door, and again abba John, going in, forgot. When the camel driver knocked the third time, he went in saying, “Rope, camel; rope, camel.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John repeats “rope, camel” to himself so as not to forget the camel driver again.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.31 (PG 65:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-31

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.32PG 65:213–215

Ὁ αὐτὸς γέγονε ζέων τῷ πνεύματι. Παραβαλὼν οὖν τις αὐτῷ, ἐπήνεσεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον· εἰργάζετο δὲ σειράν· καὶ ἐσιώπησε. Πάλιν ἐκεῖνος ἐκίνησεν αὐτῷ λόγον· καὶ πάλιν ἐσιώπα. Τὸ τρίτον, λέγει τῷ παραβαλόντι· Ἀφ' οὗ εἰσῆλθες ἐνταῦθα, ἔβαλες τὸν Θεὸν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ.

Ho autos gegone zeōn tǭ pneumati. Parabalōn oun tis autǭ, epēnesen autou to ergon; eirgazeto de seiran; kai esiōpēse. Palin ekeinos ekinēsen autǭ logon; kai palin esiōpa. To triton, legei tǭ parabalonti; Aph' hou eisēlthes entautha, ebales ton Theon ap᾿ emou.

The same was fervent in spirit. Someone visiting him praised his work (he was making rope); and he kept silent. Again the man started a conversation with him, and again he kept silent. The third time, he says to the visitor, “Since you came in here, you have driven God away from me.”

Rom 12:11 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John tells a chattering visitor that he has driven God away from him.

“Fervent in spirit”: Rom 12:11.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.32 (PG 65:213–215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-32

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.33PG 65:215

Ἦλθέ τις γέρων εἰς τὴν κέλλαν τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου, καὶ εὖρεν αὐτὸν καθεύδοντα, καὶ ἄγγελον παριστάμενον καὶ ῥιπίζοντα αὐτόν. Καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν ἰδών. Ὡς δὲ ἀνέστη, λέγει τῷ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ· Ἦλθέ τις ὧδε κοιμωμένου μου; Λέγει· Ναί· ὁ δεῖνα ὁ γέρων. Καὶ ἔγνω ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ὅτι τῶν μέτρων αὐτοῦ ἦν ὁ γέρων, καὶ εἶδε τὸν ἄγγελον.

Ēlthe tis gerōn eis tēn kellan tou abba Iōannou, kai euren auton katheudonta, kai angelon paristamenon kai rhipizonta auton. Kai anechōrēsen idōn. Hōs de anestē, legei tǭ mathētę̄ autou; Ēlthe tis hōde koimōmenou mou? Legei; Nai; ho deina ho gerōn. Kai egnō ho abbas Iōannēs, hoti tōn metrōn autou ēn ho gerōn, kai eide ton angelon.

An old man came to abba John’s cell and found him sleeping, and an angel standing beside him and fanning him. And seeing this, he withdrew. When John got up, he says to his disciple, “Did someone come here while I was sleeping?” He says, “Yes, such-and-such an old man.” And abba John knew that the old man was of his own measure, and had seen the angel.

Notes and citation

Summary: A visiting elder sees an angel fanning John as he sleeps.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.33 (PG 65:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-33

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.34PG 65:215

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Ἐγὼ θέλω μεταλαβεῖν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, μικρὸν ἐκ πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν. Τοίνυν ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας, διανιστάμενος τῷ πρωί, ἐπιλαβοῦ ἀρχὴν εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν, καὶ ἐντολὴν Θεοῦ, ἐν μεγίστῃ ὑπομονῇ, μετὰ φόβου καὶ μακροθυμίας, ἐν ἀγάπη Θεοῦ, μετὰ πάσης προθυμίας ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος, καὶ ταπεινώσεως πολλῆς, ἐν ὑπομονῇ θλίψεως καρδίας καὶ φυλακῆς, ἐν προσευχῇ πολλῇ καὶ πρεσβείαις, μετὰ στεναγμοῦ ἐ, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ γλώσσης, καὶ φυλακῇ ὀφθαλμῶν ἀτιμαζόμενος, καὶ μὴ ὀργιζόμενος· εἰρηνεύων, καὶ μὴ ἀνταποδιδοὺς κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ· μὴ προσέχων πταίσμασιν ἑτέρων· μὴ ἑαυτὸν μετρῶν, ὑποκάτω πάσης τῆς κτίὧν· ἐν ἀποταξίᾳ ὕλης καὶ τῶν κατὰ σάρκα, ἐν σταυρῷ, ἐν ἀγῶνι, ἐν πτωχείᾳ πνεύματος, ἐν προαιρέσει καὶ ἀσκήσει πνευματικῇ, ἐν νηστείᾳ, ἐν μετανοίᾳ καὶ κλαυθμῷ, ἐν ἀγῶνι πολέμου, ἐν διακρίσει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ ψυχῆς, ἐν μεταλήψει χρηστῇ· ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ τὸ ἐργόχειρον ἐν ταῖς νυκτεριναῖς ἀγρυπνίαις, ἐν πείνῃ καὶ δίψῃ, ἐν ψύχει καὶ γυμνότητι, ἐν πόνοις· ἀποκλείων σου τὸν τάφον, ὡς ἤδη τελευτήσας· ὡς νομίζειν εἶναί σου τὸν θάνατον ἐγγὺς πᾶσαν τὴν ὥραν

Eipen ho abbas Iōannēs; Egō thelō metalabein ton anthrōpon, mikron ek pasōn tōn aretōn. Toinyn eph᾽ hekastēs hēmeras, dianistamenos tǭ prōi, epilabou archēn eis pasan aretēn, kai entolēn Theou, en megistę̄ hypomonę̄, meta phobou kai makrothymias, en agapē Theou, meta pasēs prothymias psychēs kai sōmatos, kai tapeinōseōs pollēs, en hypomonę̄ thlipseōs kardias kai phylakēs, en proseuchę̄ pollę̄ kai presbeiais, meta stenagmou e, en hagneią glōssēs, kai phylakę̄ ophthalmōn atimazomenos, kai mē orgizomenos; eirēneuōn, kai mē antapodidous kakon anti kakou; mē prosechōn ptaismasin heterōn; mē heauton metrōn, hypokatō pasēs tēs ktiōn; en apotaxią hylēs kai tōn kata sarka, en staurǭ, en agōni, en ptōcheią pneumatos, en proairesei kai askēsei pneumatikę̄, en nēsteią, en metanoią kai klauthmǭ, en agōni polemou, en diakrisei, en hagneią psychēs, en metalēpsei chrēstę̄; en hēsychią to ergocheiron en tais nykterinais agrypniais, en peinę̄ kai dipsę̄, en psychei kai gymnotēti, en ponois; apokleiōn sou ton taphon, hōs ēdē teleutēsas; hōs nomizein einai sou ton thanaton engys pasan tēn hōran

Abba John said, “I want a man to take a little from all the virtues. So each day, getting up early, make a beginning in every virtue and commandment of God: in very great patience, with fear and long-suffering, in the love of God, with all eagerness of soul and body, and much humility; in endurance of affliction of heart, and watchfulness; in much prayer and intercession, with groaning; in purity of tongue and guarding of the eyes; being dishonored and not angry; keeping peace and not repaying evil for evil; not attending to others’ faults; not measuring yourself, being beneath all creation; in renunciation of matter and of the things of the flesh; in the cross, in struggle, in poverty of spirit, in purpose and spiritual asceticism; in fasting, in repentance and weeping; in the struggle of war, in discernment, in purity of soul, in good sharing; in stillness, handiwork; in night vigils, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, in labors; shutting your tomb, as though already dead, so as to think your death near every hour.”

Rom 12:17 (echo, low confidence) · 2 Cor 11:27 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John lists the virtues to begin each day, ending with constant remembrance of death.

The scan garbles a few words (“κτίὧν”, taken as “creation”); translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark inside a word; OCR: word split with stray letters): μακροσεως θυμίας → μακροθυμίας; ἀγρυ“πνίαις → ἀγρυπνίαις.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.34 (PG 65:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-34

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.35PG 65:215

Ἔλεγον περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου, ὅτι ὡς ἤρχετο ἐκ τοῦ θέρους, ἢ παραβάλλων γέρουσιν, εἰς τὴν εὐχὴν καὶ εἰς τὴν μελέτην καὶ εἰς τὴν ψαλμῳδίαν ἐσχόλαζεν, ἕως οὗ ἀποκατεστάθη ὁ λογισμός αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν τάξιν τὴν ἀρχαίαν.

Elegon peri autou tou abba Iōannou, hoti hōs ērcheto ek tou therous, ē paraballōn gerousin, eis tēn euchēn kai eis tēn meletēn kai eis tēn psalmǭdian escholazen, heōs hou apokatestathē ho logismos autou eis tēn taxin tēn archaian.

They said of abba John that when he came back from the harvest or from visiting old men, he gave himself to prayer, meditation, and psalmody until his thought was restored to its former order.

Notes and citation

Summary: After any outing John prayed until his mind regained its order.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.35 (PG 65:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-35

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.36PG 65:215

Εἶπέ τις τῶν Πατέρων περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι Τίς ἐστιν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ὅτι διὰ τῆς ταπεινώσεως αὐτοῦ, ἐκρέμασεν ὅλην τὴν Σκῆτιν ἐν τῷ μικρῷ αὐτοῦ δακτύλῳ;

Eipe tis tōn Paterōn peri autou, hoti Tis estin ho Iōannēs, hoti dia tēs tapeinōseōs autou, ekremasen holēn tēn Skētin en tǭ mikrǭ autou daktylǭ?

One of the Fathers said of him, “Who is this John, who by his humility has all Scetis hanging on his little finger?”

Notes and citation

Summary: John’s humility holds all Scetis on his little finger.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.36 (PG 65:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-36

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.37PG 65:215

Ἐρώτησέ τις τῶν Πατέρων τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην τὸν κολοβὸν, τί ἐστι μοναχός; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Κόπος. Ὅτι ὁ μοναχὸς εἰς πᾶν ἔργον κοπιᾷ. Οὕτως ὁ μοναχός.

Erōtēse tis tōn Paterōn ton abban Iōannēn ton kolobon, ti esti monachos? Ho de eipe; Kopos. Hoti ho monachos eis pan ergon kopią. Houtōs ho monachos.

One of the Fathers asked abba John the Dwarf, “What is a monk?” He said, “Toil. For the monk toils at every work. That is what a monk is.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John defines a monk as toil.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: margin letter inside a split word): ἸωάνΒ. νην → Ἰωάννην.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.37 (PG 65:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-37

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.38PG 65:215–217

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης ὁ κολοβός, ὅτι γέρων τις πνευματικός, ἀπέκλεισεν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἦν ἐπίσημος ἐν τῇ πόλει, καὶ δόξαν πολλὴν ἔχων. Ἐδηλώθη δὲ τούτῳ, ὅτι Μέλλει τις τῶν ἁγίων ἀναλύειν, δεῦρο, ἄσπασαι αὐτὸν πρὶν κοιμηθῇ. Καὶ ἐνεθυμήθη ἐν ἑαυτῷ, ὅτι Ἐὰν ἐξέλθω ἡμέρας, ἐπιτρέχουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ πολλή μοι δόξα γίνεται, καὶ οὐκ ἀναπαύομαι εἰς ταῦτα. Ἀπέρχομαι οὖν ὀψὲ τῇ σκοτία, καὶ λανθάνω πάντας. Ὀψὲ οὖν ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τοῦ κελλίου ὡς θέλων λαθεῖν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καταπέμπονται δύο ἄγγελοι μετὰ λαμπάδων, παραφαίνοντες αὐτῷ· καὶ λοιπὸν πᾶσα ἡ πόλις κατέδραμε βλέπουσα τὴν δόξαν. Καὶ ὅσον ἔδοξε φεύγειν τὴν δόξαν, πλέον ἐδοξάσθη. Ἐν τούτοις πληροῦται τὸ γεγραμμένον· Πᾶς ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν, ὑψωθήσεται.

Eipen ho abbas Iōannēs ho kolobos, hoti gerōn tis pneumatikos, apekleisen heauton, kai ēn episēmos en tę̄ polei, kai doxan pollēn echōn. Edēlōthē de toutǭ, hoti Mellei tis tōn hagiōn analyein, deuro, aspasai auton prin koimēthę̄. Kai enethymēthē en heautǭ, hoti Ean exelthō hēmeras, epitrechousin hoi anthrōpoi, kai pollē moi doxa ginetai, kai ouk anapauomai eis tauta. Aperchomai oun opse tę̄ skotia, kai lanthanō pantas. Opse oun exelthōn ek tou kelliou hōs thelōn lathein; kai idou ek tou Theou katapempontai dyo angeloi meta lampadōn, paraphainontes autǭ; kai loipon pasa hē polis katedrame blepousa tēn doxan. Kai hoson edoxe pheugein tēn doxan, pleon edoxasthē. En toutois plēroutai to gegrammenon; Pas ho tapeinōn heauton, hypsōthēsetai.

Abba John the Dwarf said that a spiritual old man had shut himself in, and he was well known in the city and had much glory. It was revealed to him, “One of the saints is about to depart; come and greet him before he falls asleep.” And he thought to himself, “If I go out by day, people will run after me and I shall have much glory, and I find no rest in that. So I will go in the evening, in the dark, and escape everyone’s notice.” So he went out of his cell in the evening, wanting to escape notice; and look, two angels were sent from God with torches to light his way; and then the whole city ran together to see the glory. And the more he thought he was fleeing glory, the more he was glorified. In this is fulfilled what is written, “Everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Luke 14:11 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: An elder who goes out by night to avoid fame is lit by angels with torches and glorified the more.

Variant notes are removed. Quotation of Luke 14:11.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): δε ΑΙ. ἔλαβες. ΑΙ. ἀρχῆς. ΑΙ. στεναγμῶν. ΑΙ. ἐν. σοῦ, Αἱ ἡμέραν. → .

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.38 (PG 65:215–217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-38

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.39PG 65:217

Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης ὁ κολοβός· Οὐ δυνατὸν οἰκοδομῆσαι τὸν οἶκον ἄνωθεν ἐπὶ τὸ κάτω, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ θεμελίου ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνω. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Τίς ἐστιν ὁ λόγος οὗτος; Λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ὁ θεμέλιος, ὁ πλησίον ἐστὶν, ἵνα αὐτὸν κερδάνῃς καὶ ὀφείλει πρῶτον Εἰς αὐτὸν γὰρ κρέμανται πᾶσαι αἱ ἐντολαὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Elegen ho abbas Iōannēs ho kolobos; Ou dynaton oikodomēsai ton oikon anōthen epi to katō, all᾽ ek tou themeliou epi to anō. Legousin autǭ; Tis estin ho logos houtos? Legei autois; Ho themelios, ho plēsion estin, hina auton kerdanę̄s kai opheilei prōton Eis auton gar kremantai pasai hai entolai tou Christou.

Abba John the Dwarf said, “It is not possible to build a house from the top down, but from the foundation up.” They say to him, “What does this saying mean?” He says to them, “The foundation is your neighbor, that you may win him, and he ought to come first … For on him hang all the commandments of Christ.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 22:40 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John calls the neighbor the foundation of the spiritual house, on whom all Christ’s commandments hang.

Words are lost in the scan after “come first” (“…”); not supplied. Cf. Matt 22:40.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.39 (PG 65:217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-39

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

43.40PG 65:217–219

Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου, ὅτι τινὸς νεωτέρας ἐτελεύτησαν οἱ γονεῖς, καὶ ὑπελείφθη ὀρφανή ὄνομα δὲ αὐτῇ, Παησία. Ἐλογίσατο οὖν ποιῆσαι τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς ξενοδοχεῖον, εἰς λόγον τῶν Πατέρων τῆς Σκήτεως. Ἔμεινεν οὖν οὕτως ξενοδοχοῦσα ἐπὶ χρόνον ἱκανὸν, καὶ θεραπεύουσα τοὺς Πατέρας. Μετὰ δὲ χρόνον, ὡς ἀνηλώθη τὰ πράγματα, ἀρχὴν ἐποίησεν ὑστερεῖσθαι. Ἐκολλήθησαν οὖν αὐτῇ διάστροφοι ἄνθρωποι, καὶ μετέστησαν αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ σκοποῦ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ λοιπὸν ἤρξατο διάγειν κακῶς, ὥστε φθάσαι αὐτὴν εἰς τὸ πορνεύειν. Ἥκουσαν δὲ οἱ Πατέρες, καὶ πάνυ ἐλυπήθησαν, καὶ προσκαλεσάμενοι τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην τὸν κολοβὸν, λέγουσιν αὐτῷ ὅτι, Ἠκούσαμεν περὶ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἐκείνης, ὅτι διάγει κακῶς καὶ αὐτὴ ὅτε ἡδύνατο, τὴν ἀγάπην αὐτῆς εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐνεδείξατο· καὶ νῦν ἡμεῖς ἐπιδειξώμεθα εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν ἀγάπην, καὶ βοηθήσωμεν αὐτῇ. Σκύλθητι οὖν πρὸς αὐτήν καὶ κατὰ τὴν σοφίαν ἣν ἔδωκέ σοι ὁ Θεὸς, οἰκονόμησον τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτήν. Ἦλθεν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης πρὸς αὐτὴν, καὶ λέγει τῇ γραΐδι τῆ θυρωρῷ· Μήνυσόν με πρὸς τὴν κυρίαν σου. δὲ ἀπεπέμψατο αὐτὸν λέγουσα· Ὑμεῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατεφάγετε τὰ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἥδε πτωχή ἐστι. Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Εἰπὲ αὐτῇ. Πάνυ γὰρ ἔχω αὐτὴν ὠφελῆσαι. Οἱ δὲ παῖδες αὐτῆς ὑπομειδιῶντες λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Τί γὰρ ἔχεις δοῦναι αὐτῇ, ὅτι θέλεις αὐτῇ συντυχεῖν; Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη λέγων· Πόθεν γὰρ οἴδατε τί μέλλω αὐτῇ παρασχεῖν; Ανελθοῦσα οὖν ἡ γραῦς, εἶπεν αὐτῇ περὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ ἡ νεωτέρα Οὗτοι οἱ μοναχοὶ ἀεὶ διακινοῦσι παρὰ τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν, καὶ εὑρίσκουσι μαργαρίτας. Ο Κοσμήσασα οὖν ἑαυτὴν λέγει, Θέλησον ἀνενέγκαι πρὸς μέ. Ὡς οὖν ἀνῆλθε, προλαβοῦσα ἐκαθέσθη εἰς τὴν κλίνην. Ἐλθὼν δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ἐκαθέσθη ἐγγὺς αὐτῆς. Προσχὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς, λέγει αὐτῇ Τί κατέγνως τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι εἰς τοῦτο ἦλθες; Ἀκούσασα δὲ, ἀπεπάγη ὅλη. Καὶ κλίνας κάτω τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ἤρξατο κλαίειν σφοδρῶς. Λέγει αὐτῷ αὐτή Ἀββᾶ, τί κλαίεις; Ὡς δὲ ἀνένευσε, πάλιν ἔκλινεν ἑαυτὸν κλαίων, καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ· Βλέπω ὅτι ὁ Σατανᾶς παίζει εἰς τὴν ὄψιν σου, καὶ οὐ μὴ κλαύσω; Ακούσασα δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἔνι μετάνοια, ἀββᾶ; λέγει αὐτῇ Ναί. Λέγει αὐτῷ· Λάβε με ὅπου θέλεις. Λέγει αὐτῇ· Ἄγωμεν. Καὶ ἀνέστη ἀκολουθῆσαι αὐτῷ. Προσέσχε δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης ὅτι οὐδὲν διετάξατο ἢ ἐλάλησε περὶ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐθαύμασεν. Ὡς οὖν ἔφθασαν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, βράδιον ἐγένετο. Καὶ ποιήσας ἐκτῆς ἄμμου μικρὸν προσκέφαλα αὐτῆς, καὶ σφραγισάμενος, λέγει αὐτῇ· Καθεύδησον ἐνταῦθα. Ποιήσας δὲ καὶ ἑαυτῷ ἀπὸ μικροῦ διαστήματος, καὶ πληρώσας τὰς εὐχὰς αὐτοῦ, ἀνεκλίθη. Περὶ δὲ τὸ μεσονύκτιον διϋπνισθεὶς, βλέπει ὁδόν τινα φωτεινὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕως αὐτῆς ἐστηριγμένην· καὶ εἶδε τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀναφέροντας τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῆς. Ἀναστὰς οὖν καὶ ἀπελθὼν, ἔνυξεν αὐτὴν τῷ ποδί. Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν, ἔρριψεν ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον δεόμενος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἤκουσεν, ὅτι ἡ μία ὥρα τῆς μετανοίας αὐτῆς, προσεδέχθη ὑπὲρ μετάνοιαν πολλῶν χρονιζόντων, καὶ μὴ ἐνδεικνυμένων τὸ θερμὸν τῆς τοιαύτης μετανοίας.

Elegon peri tou abba Iōannou, hoti tinos neōteras eteleutēsan hoi goneis, kai hypeleiphthē orphanē onoma de autę̄, Paēsia. Elogisato oun poiēsai ton oikon autēs xenodocheion, eis logon tōn Paterōn tēs Skēteōs. Emeinen oun houtōs xenodochousa epi chronon hikanon, kai therapeuousa tous Pateras. Meta de chronon, hōs anēlōthē ta pragmata, archēn epoiēsen hystereisthai. Ekollēthēsan oun autę̄ diastrophoi anthrōpoi, kai metestēsan autēn apo tou skopou tou agathou kai loipon ērxato diagein kakōs, hōste phthasai autēn eis to porneuein. Hēkousan de hoi Pateres, kai pany elypēthēsan, kai proskalesamenoi ton abban Iōannēn ton kolobon, legousin autǭ hoti, Ēkousamen peri tēs adelphēs ekeinēs, hoti diagei kakōs kai autē hote hēdynato, tēn agapēn autēs eis hēmas enedeixato; kai nyn hēmeis epideixōmetha eis autēn tēn agapēn, kai boēthēsōmen autę̄. Skylthēti oun pros autēn kai kata tēn sophian hēn edōke soi ho Theos, oikonomēson ta kat᾿ autēn. Ēlthen oun ho abbas Iōannēs pros autēn, kai legei tę̄ graïdi tē thyrōrǭ; Mēnyson me pros tēn kyrian sou. de apepempsato auton legousa; Hymeis ex archēs katephagete ta autēs, kai hēde ptōchē esti. Legei autę̄ ho abbas Iōannēs; Eipe autę̄. Pany gar echō autēn ōphelēsai. Hoi de paides autēs hypomeidiōntes legousin autǭ Ti gar echeis dounai autę̄, hoti theleis autę̄ syntychein? Ho de apekrithē legōn; Pothen gar oidate ti mellō autę̄ paraschein? Anelthousa oun hē graus, eipen autę̄ peri autou. Kai legei autę̄ hē neōtera Houtoi hoi monachoi aei diakinousi para tēn Erythran thalassan, kai heuriskousi margaritas. O Kosmēsasa oun heautēn legei, Thelēson anenenkai pros me. Hōs oun anēlthe, prolabousa ekathesthē eis tēn klinēn. Elthōn de ho abbas Iōannēs, ekathesthē engys autēs. Proschōn de eis to prosōpon autēs, legei autę̄ Ti kategnōs tou Iēsou, hoti eis touto ēlthes? Akousasa de, apepagē holē. Kai klinas katō tēn kephalēn autou ho abbas Iōannēs, ērxato klaiein sphodrōs. Legei autǭ autē Abba, ti klaieis? Hōs de aneneuse, palin eklinen heauton klaiōn, kai legei autę̄; Blepō hoti ho Satanas paizei eis tēn opsin sou, kai ou mē klausō? Akousasa de legei autǭ; Eni metanoia, abba? legei autę̄ Nai. Legei autǭ; Labe me hopou theleis. Legei autę̄; Agōmen. Kai anestē akolouthēsai autǭ. Prosesche de ho abbas Iōannēs hoti ouden dietaxato ē elalēse peri tou oikou autēs, kai ethaumasen. Hōs oun ephthasan eis tēn erēmon, bradion egeneto. Kai poiēsas ektēs ammou mikron proskephala autēs, kai sphragisamenos, legei autę̄; Katheudēson entautha. Poiēsas de kai heautǭ apo mikrou diastēmatos, kai plērōsas tas euchas autou, aneklithē. Peri de to mesonyktion diÿpnistheis, blepei hodon tina phōteinēn apo tou ouranou heōs autēs estērigmenēn; kai eide tous angelous tou Theou anapherontas tēn psychēn autēs. Anastas oun kai apelthōn, enyxen autēn tǭ podi. Hōs de eiden hoti apethanen, erripsen heauton epi prosōpon deomenos tou Theou. Kai ēkousen, hoti hē mia hōra tēs metanoias autēs, prosedechthē hyper metanoian pollōn chronizontōn, kai mē endeiknymenōn to thermon tēs toiautēs metanoias.

They said of abba John that the parents of a certain young woman died, and she was left an orphan; her name was Paësia. She decided to make her house a hostel for the use of the Fathers of Scetis. So she continued for a considerable time giving hospitality and caring for the Fathers. But after a time, when her means were used up, she began to be in want. Then perverse men attached themselves to her and turned her from her good purpose; and from then on she began to live badly, so that she came to practice prostitution. The Fathers heard of it and were very grieved; and calling abba John the Dwarf, they say to him, “We have heard about that sister, that she is living badly; and she, when she could, showed her love to us; and now let us show love to her and help her. So take the trouble to go to her, and according to the wisdom God has given you, manage her affairs.” So abba John came to her and says to the old woman at the door, “Announce me to your mistress.” She sent him away, saying, “You monks ate up her property from the beginning, and now she is poor.” Abba John says to her, “Tell her. For I have something very helpful for her.” Her servants, smiling, say to him, “What have you to give her, that you want to meet her?” He answered, “How do you know what I am going to give her?” So the old woman went up and told her about him. And the young woman says to her, “These monks are always going about by the Red Sea and finding pearls.” So adorning herself, she says, “Kindly bring him up to me.” When he came up, she sat down first on the bed. Abba John came and sat near her. Looking into her face, he says to her, “What fault did you find with Jesus, that you have come to this?” When she heard it, she froze entirely. And abba John, bowing his head, began to weep bitterly. She says to him, “Abba, why are you weeping?” And he looked up, then bowed again, weeping, and says to her, “I see Satan playing in your face, and shall I not weep?” Hearing this, she says to him, “Is there repentance, abba?” He says to her, “Yes.” She says to him, “Take me wherever you wish.” He says to her, “Let us go.” And she got up to follow him. Abba John noticed that she gave no instructions and said nothing about her house, and he marveled. When they reached the desert, it was evening. And making a small pillow of sand for her and making the sign of the cross, he says to her, “Sleep here.” And making one for himself a little way off, and finishing his prayers, he lay down. About midnight, waking up, he sees a shining road set from heaven down to her; and he saw the angels of God carrying up her soul. So he got up and went and nudged her with his foot. When he saw that she was dead, he threw himself on his face, praying to God. And he heard that one hour of her repentance had been accepted above the repentance of many who persevere a long time and do not show the fervor of such repentance.

Notes and citation

Summary: Paësia, a benefactress of the monks who fell into prostitution, repents at John’s tears and dies that night, accepted by God.

The scan moves part of the last sentence into the middle of the story; the words are put back in order. The story is told as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR inserted part of the last sentence inside a word (restored below at its place); OCR: breathing lost; OCR: word split; displaced words of the last sentence restored to their place (same words as in the scan)): όρφανή → ὀρφανή; προσκαλε σάμενοι → προσκαλεσάμενοι; ἀκοὥρα τῆς μετανοίας αὐτῆς, προσεδέχθη ὑπὲρ μετάνοιαν τῆς τοιαύτης μετανοίας. λουθῆσαι → ἀκολουθῆσαι; ὅτι ἡ μία πολλῶν χρονιζόντων, καὶ μὴ ἐνδεικνυμένων τὸ θερμὸν → ὅτι ἡ μία ὥρα τῆς μετανοίας αὐτῆς, προσεδέχθη ὑπὲρ μετάνοιαν πολλῶν χρονιζόντων, καὶ μὴ ἐνδεικνυμένων τὸ θερμὸν τῆς τοιαύτης μετανοίας.; ἐθαύμα σεν → ἐθαύμασεν.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 43.40 (PG 65:217–219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/43-40

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-43-40) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 44

44.1PG 65:219

Ἀδελφὸς ἦν οἰκῶν ἐν κοινοβίῳ, καὶ πάνυ κρατῶν ἄσκησιν. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἀδελφοὶ εἰς Σκῆτιν περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἦλθον ἰδεῖν αὐτόν. Καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸν τόπον ὅπου αὐτὸς εἰργάζετο. Καὶ ἀσπασάμενος αὐτοὺς, ἐπιστραφεὶς ἤρξατο ἐργάζεσθαι. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ὃ ἐποίησε, λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἰωάννη, τίς ἔβαλέ σοι τὸ σχῆμα; ἢ τίς ἐποίησε σε μοναχόν; καὶ οὐκ ἐδίδαξέ σε λαβεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὸ μηλωτάριον, καὶ λέγειν αὐτοῖς Εὔξασθε, ἢ Καθίσατε. Λέγει αὐτοῖς Ἰωάννης ἁμαρτωλὸς οὐ σχολάζει εἰς ταῦτα.

Adelphos ēn oikōn en koinobiǭ, kai pany kratōn askēsin. Akousantes de adelphoi eis Skētin peri autou, ēlthon idein auton. Kai eisēlthon eis ton topon hopou autos eirgazeto. Kai aspasamenos autous, epistrapheis ērxato ergazesthai. Idontes de hoi adelphoi ho epoiēse, legousin autǭ; Iōannē, tis ebale soi to schēma? ē tis epoiēse se monachon? kai ouk edidaxe se labein apo tōn adelphōn to mēlōtarion, kai legein autois Euxasthe, ē Kathisate. Legei autois Iōannēs hamartōlos ou scholazei eis tauta.

There was a brother living in a community who practiced great asceticism. Brothers at Scetis heard about him and came to see him. They went into the place where he was working. And greeting them, he turned back and began to work. Seeing what he did, the brothers say to him, “John, who gave you the habit? Or who made you a monk? Did he not teach you to take the brothers’ sheepskins and say to them, ‘Pray,’ or ‘Sit down’?” John says to them, “A sinner has no time for these things.”

Notes and citation

Summary: John of the community keeps working when visitors come, saying a sinner has no time for courtesies.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): ἀδελφοὶ δ᾽ ἐποίησε → ἀδελφοὶ ὃ ἐποίησε.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 44.1 (PG 65:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/44-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/44-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 45

45.1PG 65:219

Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰσιδώρου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τῆς Σκήτεως, ὅτι εἴ τις εἶχεν ἀδελφὸν ἀσθε-τὸν ἔξω, ἔλεγε Φέρε μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε. Καὶ ἐλάμβανεν αὐτὸν, καὶ διὰ τῆς μακροθυμίας αὐτοῦ ἔσωσεν αὐτον ο.

Elegon peri tou abba Isidōrou tou presbyterou tēs Skēteōs, hoti ei tis eichen adelphon asthe-ton exō, elege Phere moi auton hōde. Kai elambanen auton, kai dia tēs makrothymias autou esōsen auton o.

They said of abba Isidore, the presbyter of Scetis, that if anyone had a brother who was weak … outside, he would say, “Bring him here to me.” And he would take him, and through his long-suffering he saved him.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore took in difficult brothers others expelled and saved them by patience.

Words are lost in the scan (“…”; in other copies: a brother who was sick, or careless, or abusive, whom others wanted to expel); not supplied.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.1 (PG 65:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

45.2PG 65:219

Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησεν αὐτὸν, λέγων· Διατί οἱ δαίμονες οὕτως σε φοβοῦνται σφόδρα Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Ὅτι ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐγενόμην μοναχὸς, ἀσκῶ, μὴ συγχωρῶν τὴν ὀργὴν προαναβῆναι τῷ λάρυγγί μου.

Adelphos ērōtēsen auton, legōn; Diati hoi daimones houtōs se phobountai sphodra Legei autǭ ho gerōn Hoti aph᾿ hēs egenomēn monachos, askō, mē synchōrōn tēn orgēn proanabēnai tǭ laryngi mou.

A brother asked him, saying, “Why are the demons so very afraid of you?” The old man says to him, “Because from the time I became a monk I have practiced not letting anger rise as far as my throat.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Demons fear Isidore because he never let anger reach his throat.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.2 (PG 65:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

45.3PG 65:219

Ἔλεγε πάλιν, τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔτος ἔχειν, ἀφ᾿ οὗ αἰσθάνεται τῆς κατὰ διάνοιαν ἁμαρτίας, μηδέποτε δὲ συγκαταθέσθαι, μήτε ἐπιθυμίας, μήτε θυμοῦ.

Elege palin, tessarakoston etos echein, aph᾿ hou aisthanetai tēs kata dianoian hamartias, mēdepote de synkatathesthai, mēte epithymias, mēte thymou.

He also said that it was the fortieth year since he had been aware of sin in thought, yet he had never consented either to desire or to anger.

Notes and citation

Summary: For forty years Isidore felt sinful thoughts but never consented to them.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.3 (PG 65:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

45.4PG 65:219

Εἶπε πάλιν Ἐγὼ ὅτε ἤμην νεώτερος, καὶ ἐκαθήμην εἰς τὸ κελλίον μου, μέτρον συνάξεως οὐκ εἶχον· ἡ νύξ μοι καὶ ἡμέρα, σύναξις ἦν.

Eipe palin Egō hote ēmēn neōteros, kai ekathēmēn eis to kellion mou, metron synaxeōs ouk eichon; hē nyx moi kai hēmera, synaxis ēn.

He also said, “When I was young and lived in my cell, I had no measure for the office; night and day were office for me.”

Notes and citation

Summary: In his youth Isidore made all day and night his prayer.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letter): οὐκ Ο εἶχον → οὐκ εἶχον.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.4 (PG 65:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-4

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

45.5PG 65:219–221

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰσιδώρου, ὅτι ἔπλεκε δέμα θαλλίων κατὰ νύκτα καὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ, λέγοντες Ἀνάπαυσον σεαυτὸν ὀλίγον, ὅτι λοιπὸν ἐγήρασας. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι Ἐὰν καύσωσιν Ἰσίδωρον, καὶ τὴν σποδὸν αὐτοῦ ἀνέμῳ σκορπίσωσιν, οὐδὲ μία μοι χάρις ἀκμὴν, ὅτι ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὧδε ἦλθε δι᾽ ἡμᾶς.

Eipen ho abbas Poimēn peri tou abba Isidōrou, hoti epleke dema thalliōn kata nykta kai parekaloun auton hoi adelphoi, legontes Anapauson seauton oligon, hoti loipon egērasas. Kai elegen autois, hoti Ean kausōsin Isidōron, kai tēn spodon autou anemǭ skorpisōsin, oude mia moi charis akmēn, hoti ho Huios tou Theou hōde ēlthe di᾽ hēmas.

Abba Poemen said of abba Isidore that he plaited a bundle of palm leaves every night; and the brothers begged him, saying, “Rest yourself a little, since you have grown old.” And he said to them, “If they burn Isidore and scatter his ashes to the wind, I have still given no thanks at all, since the Son of God came here for us.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore says that even burned to ashes he could not repay Christ’s coming for us.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): Ἰσιδώ ρου → Ἰσιδώρου.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.5 (PG 65:219–221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-5

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

45.6PG 65:221

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος ὅτι, Ἀπῆλθόν ποτε ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ πωλῆσαι σκεύη μικρά· καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν ὀργὴν ἐγγίζουσάν μοι, ἑάσας τὰ σκεύη ἔφυγον.

Eipen ho abbas Isidōros hoti, Apēlthon pote en tę̄ agorą pōlēsai skeuē mikra; kai idōn tēn orgēn engizousan moi, heasas ta skeuē ephygon.

Abba Isidore said, “Once I went to the market to sell small articles; and seeing anger coming near me, I left the articles and fled.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore abandons his wares and flees when he feels anger approach.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: breathing lost): όργὴν → ὀργὴν.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.6 (PG 65:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-6

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

45.8PG 65:221

Ἀπῆλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Θεόφιλον τὸν ἀρχιεπίσκοπον Ἀλεξανδρείας· καὶ ὡς ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς Σκῆτιν, ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀδελφοί· Πῶς ἡ πόλις; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Φύσει, ἀδελφοὶ, ἐγὼ πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου οὐκ εἶδον, εἰ μὴ μόνον τοῦ ἀρχιεπισκόπου. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ἐταράχθησαν, λέγοντες· Ἆρα ἐχαώθησαν, ἀββᾶ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Οὐχ οὕτως ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐνίκησέ με ὁ λογισμὸς τοῦ ἰδεῖν τινα. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύμασαν, καὶ ἐστηρίχθησαν ἵνα φυλάττωσιν ἀπὸ μετεωρισμοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν.

Apēlthe pote ho abbas Isidōros pros ton abban Theophilon ton archiepiskopon Alexandreias; kai hōs hypestrepsen eis Skētin, ērōtēsan auton hoi adelphoi; Pōs hē polis? Ho de eipe; Physei, adelphoi, egō prosōpon anthrōpou ouk eidon, ei mē monon tou archiepiskopou. Hoi de akousantes etarachthēsan, legontes; Ara echaōthēsan, abba? Ho de eipen Ouch houtōs all᾽ ouk enikēse me ho logismos tou idein tina. Hoi de akousantes ethaumasan, kai estērichthēsan hina phylattōsin apo meteōrismou tous ophthalmous autōn.

Once abba Isidore went to abba Theophilus, archbishop of Alexandria; and when he returned to Scetis, the brothers asked him, “How is the city?” He said, “Truly, brothers, I saw no human face except that of the archbishop.” Hearing this, they were troubled, saying, “Were they destroyed, abba?” He said, “Not so; but the thought of looking at anyone did not overcome me.” Hearing this, they marveled, and were strengthened to guard their eyes from wandering.

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore visits Alexandria and sees no one’s face but the archbishop’s.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.8 (PG 65:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-8

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

45.9PG 65:221

Ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος εἶπεν· Ἡ σύνεσις τῶν ἁγίων αὕτη ἐστὶ, τὸ ἐπιγνῶναι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πάντων γὰρ περιγίνεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ τῆς ἀληθείας, ὅτι εἰκὼν καὶ ὁμοίωμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστι. Πάντων δὲ πνεύματων δεινόν ἐστι τὸ ἀκολουθεῖν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ καρδίᾳ, τουτέστι τῷ ἰδίῳ λογισμῷ καὶ μὴ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ὕστερον γίνεται αὐτῷ εἰς πένθος, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω τὸ μυστήριον, οὐδὲ εὖρε τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν ἁγίων ἐργάζεσθαι ἐν αὐτῇ. Νῦν οὖν καιρὸς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι σωτηρία ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως· ὅτι γέγραπται· Ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσασθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν.

Ho autos abbas Isidōros eipen; Hē synesis tōn hagiōn hautē esti, to epignōnai to thelēma tou Theou. Pantōn gar periginetai ho anthrōpos en tę̄ hypakoę̄ tēs alētheias, hoti eikōn kai homoiōma tou Theou esti. Pantōn de pneumatōn deinon esti to akolouthein tę̄ heautou kardią, toutesti tǭ idiǭ logismǭ kai mē tǭ nomǭ tou Theou; kai hysteron ginetai autǭ eis penthos, hoti ouk egnō to mystērion, oude eure tēn hodon tōn hagiōn ergazesthai en autę̄. Nyn oun kairos tou poiēsai tǭ Kyriǭ, hoti sōtēria en kairǭ thlipseōs; hoti gegraptai; En tę̄ hypomonę̄ hymōn ktēsasthe tas psychas hymōn.

The same abba Isidore said, “This is the understanding of the saints: to know the will of God. For in obedience to the truth man surpasses all things, because he is the image and likeness of God. But of all the spirits the most dreadful is to follow one’s own heart, that is, one’s own thought, and not the law of God; and afterward it becomes grief to him, because he did not know the mystery nor find the way of the saints to work in it. So now is the time to act for the Lord, for salvation is in the time of affliction; for it is written, ‘By your endurance you will gain your souls.’”

Gen 1:26 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 119:126 (118:126 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 33:2 (echo, low confidence) · Luke 21:19 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore warns against following one’s own heart instead of God’s will, urging endurance.

Gen 1:26; Ps 119:126 (LXX 118:126); Luke 21:19.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 45.9 (PG 65:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/45-9

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 46

46.1PG 65:221

Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος ὁ Πηλουσιώτης, ὅτι Βίος ἄνευ λόγου [μᾶλλον] ὠφελεῖν πέφυκεν, ἢ λόγος ἄνευ βίου. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, καὶ σιγῶν ὠφελεῖ ὁ δὲ καὶ βοῶν ἐνοχλεῖ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ λόγος καὶ βίος συνδράμοι, ἓν φιλοσοφίας ἁπάσης ἀποτελοῦσιν ἄγαλμα.

Elegen ho abbas Isidōros ho Pēlousiōtēs, hoti Bios aneu logou [mallon] ōphelein pephyken, ē logos aneu biou. Ho men gar, kai sigōn ōphelei ho de kai boōn enochlei. Ei de kai logos kai bios syndramoi, hen philosophias hapasēs apotelousin agalma.

Abba Isidore of Pelusium said, “Life without speech is by nature [more] beneficial than speech without life. For the one helps even when silent, while the other annoys even when shouting. But if speech and life run together, they make one statue of all philosophy.”

Notes and citation

Summary: A good life without words helps more than words without a good life; together they form true philosophy.

“More” is in square brackets in the printed text (a word supplied by the editor).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark): συνδράμοι", → συνδράμοι,.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 46.1 (PG 65:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

46.2PG 65:221

Ὁ αὐτὸς ἔλεγε· Τὰς ἀρετὰς τίμα μὴ τὰς εὐημερίας θεράπευε· αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀθάνατόν εἰσι χρῆμα· αἱ δὲ ῥᾳδίως σβέννυνται.

Ho autos elege; Tas aretas tima mē tas euēmerias therapeue; hai men gar athanaton eisi chrēma; hai de rhądiōs sbennyntai.

The same said, “Honor the virtues; do not court prosperity; for the virtues are an immortal possession, while prosperity is easily extinguished.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Virtue is immortal; prosperity soon fades.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 46.2 (PG 65:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

46.3PG 65:221–223

Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι Πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὀρέγονται μὲν ἀρετῆς, τὴν δὲ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν φέρουσαν ὁδὸν ὀκνοῦσιν ἰέναι ἄλλοι δὲ οὐδὲ ἀρετὴν εἶναι ἡγοῦνται. Χρὴ οὖν τοὺς μὲν πεῖσαι, τὸν ὄκνον ἀποθέσθαι· τοὺς δὲ διδάξαι ὅτι ὄντως ἀρετή ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετή.

Eipe palin, hoti Polloi tōn anthrōpōn oregontai men aretēs, tēn de ep᾿ autēn pherousan hodon oknousin ienai alloi de oude aretēn einai hēgountai. Chrē oun tous men peisai, ton oknon apothesthai; tous de didaxai hoti ontōs aretē estin hē aretē.

He also said, “Many people desire virtue but are reluctant to walk the road that leads to it; and others do not even think there is such a thing as virtue. So we must persuade the former to put away their reluctance, and teach the latter that virtue truly is virtue.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Some shrink from the road to virtue; others deny it exists; both must be taught.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters inside a split word): ὀρέγονγοιεν. ται → ὀρέγονται.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 46.3 (PG 65:221–223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

46.4PG 65:223

Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι ἡ κακία, καὶ Θεοῦ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀπέστησε, καὶ ἀλλήλων διέστησε. Ταύτην οὖν προτροπάδην φεύγειν χρὴ, καὶ διώκειν τὴν ἀρετὴν, τὴν καὶ Θεῷ προσάγουσαν καὶ ἀλλήλοις συνάπτουσαν. Ἀρετῆς δὲ καὶ φιλοσοφίας ὅρος, τὸ μετὰ συνέσεως ἄπλαστον.

Eipe palin, hoti hē kakia, kai Theou tous anthrōpous apestēse, kai allēlōn diestēse. Tautēn oun protropadēn pheugein chrē, kai diōkein tēn aretēn, tēn kai Theǭ prosagousan kai allēlois synaptousan. Aretēs de kai philosophias horos, to meta syneseōs aplaston.

He also said, “Wickedness has separated men from God and divided them from one another. So we must flee it headlong and pursue virtue, which brings us to God and unites us with one another. And the definition of virtue and philosophy is simplicity joined with understanding.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Wickedness divides people from God and each other; virtue reunites them.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἀνθρώ πους → ἀνθρώπους.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 46.4 (PG 65:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-4

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

46.5PG 65:223

Ἔλεγε πάλιν· Ἐπειδὴ μέγα τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης τὸ ὕψος, καὶ τῆς ἀλαζονείας τὸ πτῶμα, συμβουλεύω ὑμῖν, ἐκεῖνο μὲν ἀσπάσασθαι, τούτῳ δὲ μὴ περιπεσεῖν. Γ΄. Εἶπε πάλιν Ὁ δεινὸς καὶ πάντολμος τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ἔρως, κόρον οὐκ εἰδὼς, ἐπὶ τὸ ἔσχατον τῶν κακῶν, τὴν ἁλοῦσαν ψυχὴν ἐλαύνει. Οὐκοῦν μάλιστα αὐτὸν ἐν προοιμίοις ἐλάσωμεν. Κρατήσας γὰρ, ἀχείρωτος ἔσται.

Elege palin; Epeidē mega tēs tapeinophrosynēs to hypsos, kai tēs alazoneias to ptōma, symbouleuō hymin, ekeino men aspasasthai, toutǭ de mē peripesein. G΄. Eipe palin Ho deinos kai pantolmos tēs philochrēmatias erōs, koron ouk eidōs, epi to eschaton tōn kakōn, tēn halousan psychēn elaunei. Oukoun malista auton en prooimiois elasōmen. Kratēsas gar, acheirōtos estai.

He also said, “Since the height of humility is great, and the fall of arrogance is great, I advise you to embrace the one and not to fall into the other.” [6] He also said, “The terrible and all-daring love of money, knowing no satiety, drives the soul it has captured to the extremity of evils. So let us drive it out above all at the start; for once it has prevailed, it will be unconquerable.”

1 Tim 6:10 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore urges humility over arrogance and resisting greed from its first approach.

The scan runs Isidore of Pelusium 6 (its numeral misread as Γʹ) into this saying; marked [6].

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 46.5 (PG 65:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/46-5

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-46-5) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.