Letters 1.174–1.212 (Letters)

Isidore of Pelusium

Letters 1.174–1.212

Isidore of Pelusium · Letters · ca. 393-ca. 435 · Pelusium · 31 passages

Greek text: PG 78.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 1

1.174PG 78 78:295

ΚΥΡΗΝΙΩ ΗΓΕΜΟΝΙ. Χάρτην ἡμῖν οἱ πολῖται πεπόμφασι, προπαγέντα τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὡς ἔφησαν, πρὶν ἐπιβῇ τῆς πόλεως· ὃς καὶ ἀπολογίας πάντας γυμνοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ φυγῆς. Ὅπερ οὐ μόνον ἀπηνείας ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσεβείας ἔχει ὑπόνοιαν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀπολογίας οὐ μεταδιδοὺς, οὐδὲ φυγὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἐνδιδοὺς, καὶ συκοφάντας ἐστόμωσας, καὶ ἀδικίας ἐπλήθυνας· πῶς οὖν φωράσεις τὸ δίκαιον; πῶς σώσεις τὸν ἀδικούμενον; ὃς ἵνα μὴ ἔργον δυνατοῦ γένηται ἀπορῶν δικαστοῦ τοῦ ἀμύνοντος, πρὸς τὸν ἀχείρωτον ἔδραμε σηκόν. Ἡ δὲ σκῆψίς ἐστι, τῆς τοῦ δικαστηρίου πράσεως ἡ ἀπόφασις, ὑπόβηθι τὴν ἀπήνειαν, καὶ ἔξεις τὸ πρατήριον εὑμαρέστατον. Καὶ τα μέτρα ἑαυτῶν ἐπιστάμεθα, καὶ ἐλέγχειν τοὺς πονηροὺς προβεβλήμεθα. Εἰ δὲ τὴν φράσιν φεύγεις ὧν πράττεις, παῦσαι τὴν πρᾶξιν, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἡ φράσις. Ὁ γάρ τις ποιεῖν οὐκ αἰσχύνεται, τοῦτο μὴ ἀλυέτω καλούμενος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μόνη ἡ κλῆσις ὕβρεώς ἐστιν ἕξις, ταύτης ἡ πρᾶξις [πῶς] οὐκ ἂν γενήσεται ὕβρις; Ὁ καλὸς Κυρήνιος αὖθις κατακοσμεῖ τὸ πρατήριον. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν φαίην κριτήριον, εἰ μὴ δοκίμου καὶ ἀκιβδήλου νομίσματος μόνον, ὁ ὑπὲρ κλεμμάτων κομίζεται. Πράξετε τοίνυν βελτίονα, αὐτῷ μὲν πόρους μὴ φέροντες, ἑαυτοῖς δὲ βρόχους μὴ πλέκοντες. Ἡ γὰρ ὑμετέρα εὐπραγία, ἔστω αὐτῷ δυσπραγία.

KYRĒNIŌ ĒGEMONI. Chartēn hēmin hoi politai pepomphasi, propagenta tēs ekklēsias, hōs ephēsan, prin epibę̄ tēs poleōs; hos kai apologias pantas gymnou, kai tēs en ekklēsią phygēs. Hoper ou monon apēneias estin, alla kai asebeias echei hyponoian. Ei gar apologias ou metadidous, oude phygēn pros Theon endidous, kai sykophantas estomōsas, kai adikias eplēthynas; pōs oun phōraseis to dikaion? pōs sōseis ton adikoumenon? hos hina mē ergon dynatou genētai aporōn dikastou tou amynontos, pros ton acheirōton edrame sēkon. Hē de skēpsis esti, tēs tou dikastēriou praseōs hē apophasis, hypobēthi tēn apēneian, kai exeis to pratērion heumarestaton. Kai ta metra heautōn epistametha, kai elenchein tous ponērous probeblēmetha. Ei de tēn phrasin pheugeis hōn pratteis, pausai tēn praxin, kai ouk estai hē phrasis. Ho gar tis poiein ouk aischynetai, touto mē alyetō kaloumenos. Ei de kai monē hē klēsis hybreōs estin hexis, tautēs hē praxis [pōs] ouk an genēsetai hybris? Ho kalos Kyrēnios authis katakosmei to pratērion. Ou gar an phaiēn kritērion, ei mē dokimou kai akibdēlou nomismatos monon, ho hyper klemmatōn komizetai. Praxete toinyn beltiona, autǭ men porous mē pherontes, heautois de brochous mē plekontes. Hē gar hymetera eupragia, estō autǭ dyspragia.

To Cyrenius the governor. The citizens have sent us a paper, posted, as they said, on the church before you entered the city, which strips everyone both of defense and of refuge in the church. This is not only harsh but carries a suspicion of impiety. For if, by not granting defense or allowing refuge with God, you have both sharpened the mouths of slanderers and multiplied injustices, how will you detect what is just? How will you save the one who is wronged, who, so as not to become the prey of the powerful, lacking a judge to defend him, ran to the inviolable sanctuary? The pretext is the prohibition of the sale of the court: lay aside your harshness, and you will find the salesroom most convenient. [Letter 1.175] We both know our own measure and have been appointed to reprove the wicked. If you flee the description of what you do, stop the deed, and the description will not exist. For what one is not ashamed to do, let him not be distressed to be called. But if even the name alone is a habit of insult, how will the deed itself not be an insult? [Letter 1.176] The fine Cyrenius is once again adorning his salesroom; for I would not call it a court of justice, unless it is a salesroom only of genuine and unalloyed coin, which is brought in to cover thefts. Do better, then: do not bring him revenues, and do not weave nooses for yourselves. Let your well-doing be his ill-faring.

Notes and citation

Summary: A governor who forbade refuge in the church is rebuked for leaving the wronged without defense; further letters defend Isidore's right to reprove him and urge citizens not to feed his corrupt court.

The right of asylum in churches was recognized in imperial law of the time. The sentence beginning "The pretext is …" is garbled in the scan; translated by sense.
The staging places Letters 1.175 and 1.176 within this passage, since their headings were not recovered; the breaks marked here are judged from the content and are uncertain.

Topics: Rulers and the state, Church buildings

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.174 (PG 78 78:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-174). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-174

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.177PG 78 78:297

ΕΥΣΕΒΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Νῦν πονηρῶς πράττει τὰ Πηλουσιωτῶν, ὅτε καὶ τῶν πολιτικῶν ἡ διοίκησις ὁμοίαν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν νόσον˙ περιεβάλετο. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ θαυμαστὸς Κυρήνιος κατέπτη τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐνημμένος · καὶ ὁ περιβόητος Εὐσέβιος τὴν ποιμαντικὴν ἐμπεπίστευται· καὶ Μάρων οἰκονομεῖ, καὶ Πανσόφιος ἀρχιδιακονεῖ. ὁ μὲν, τὰς κρίσεις ἀπεμπωλῶν, ὁ δὲ τὰς χρήσεις διαπωλῶν· οἱ δὲ ὑπουργοὶ ὄντες καὶ σπουδασταί. Καὶ μακάριός ἐστιν ὃς ἐὰν μὴ σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ὑμῖν. Φείσασθε οὖν ἀπρόσοχοι, μὴ καὶ τὸν ἔξω δικαστὴν ἀπολύητε τῆς αἰτίας εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀφορῶντα, καὶ τῶν κερδῶν ἀφειδοῦντα.

EUSEBIŌ EPISKOPŌ. Nyn ponērōs prattei ta Pēlousiōtōn, hote kai tōn politikōn hē dioikēsis homoian tōn ekklēsiastikōn noson˙ periebaleto. Kai gar kai ho thaumastos Kyrēnios kateptē tēn archēn enēmmenos ; kai ho periboētos Eusebios tēn poimantikēn empepisteutai; kai Marōn oikonomei, kai Pansophios archidiakonei. ho men, tas kriseis apempōlōn, ho de tas chrēseis diapōlōn; hoi de hypourgoi ontes kai spoudastai. Kai makarios estin hos ean mē skandalisthę̄ en hymin. Pheisasthe oun aprosochoi, mē kai ton exō dikastēn apolyēte tēs aitias eis hymas aphorōnta, kai tōn kerdōn apheidounta.

To Eusebius the bishop. Now the affairs of the Pelusiotes are in a bad way, since the civil administration too has caught a disease like that of the church. For the admirable Cyrenius has swooped down, girded with office; the notorious Eusebius has been entrusted with the pastorate; Maron is steward and Pansophius archdeacon: the one selling judgments, the other selling sacred uses; the others being assistants and partisans. "And blessed is he who is not scandalized" in you. Take care, then, you heedless men, lest you even acquit the outside judge of blame, who looks at you and spares nothing in his gains.

Matt 11:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Pelusium suffers under a corrupt governor and a corrupt clergy, each feeding the other's example.

Matt 11:6, adapted. "Selling sacred uses" probably refers to the sale of ordinations and church services.

Topics: Church office, Rulers and the state, Ordination

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.177 (PG 78 78:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-177). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-177

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.178PG 78 78:297

ΡΟΥΦΙΝΩ. Ἢ τὰ Πηλουσιωτῶν ἁμαρτήματα, ἢ τὰ Ῥωμαίων μέγιστα πράγματα ἃ διέπεις εὐμενῶς, λαθεῖν σε τὸν παναρκῆ εὐεργέτην ἐποίησεν, ὅπως Κυρήνιος τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐπελάβετο, καὶ πράττει τὰ ἐνταῦθα πάλιν χαλεπῶς. Αἱ γὰρ πράσεις σφοδραὶ, αἱ πτωχεῖαι πολλαι, αἱ ἀδικίαι συχναὶ, ἡ Ἐκκλησία οὐχ οἷα βοηθεῖν. ᾿Απέβη τὸ δίκαιον, ὁ νόμος ἠγνόηται· ὁ φόβος τοῖς μὴ παρέχουσι, τὸ μῆκος ὅπλον ἔχει ὧν δρᾷ· ἢ παῦσον αὐτὸν τῆς δυνάμεως, ἢ ἴσθι συναπολαύσων αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ κρίματος.

ROUPhINŌ. Ē ta Pēlousiōtōn hamartēmata, ē ta Rhōmaiōn megista pragmata ha diepeis eumenōs, lathein se ton panarkē euergetēn epoiēsen, hopōs Kyrēnios tēs archēs epelabeto, kai prattei ta entautha palin chalepōs. Hai gar praseis sphodrai, hai ptōcheiai pollai, hai adikiai sychnai, hē Ekklēsia ouch hoia boēthein. ᾿Apebē to dikaion, ho nomos ēgnoētai; ho phobos tois mē parechousi, to mēkos hoplon echei hōn drą; ē pauson auton tēs dynameōs, ē isthi synapolausōn autǭ epi tou Theou kai krimatos.

To Rufinus. Either the sins of the Pelusiotes, or the very great affairs of the Romans which you graciously administer, have made it escape your notice, all-sufficient benefactor, how Cyrenius took up his office and is again handling affairs here harshly. For the exactions are severe, the poverty is widespread, the injustices frequent, and the church is not able to help. Justice has departed, the law is ignored; fear falls on those who do not pay, and the length of his tenure is the weapon for what he does. Either stop his power, or know that you will share with him before God and his judgment.

Notes and citation

Summary: A high official is asked to remove the governor Cyrenius, whose exactions oppress Pelusium, or share his guilt before God.

Rufinus was praetorian prefect of the East under Arcadius (392–395); the identification is probable but not certain. The clause about the "length of his tenure" is obscure; translated by sense.

Topics: Rulers and the state, Wealth and poverty

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.178 (PG 78 78:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-178). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-178

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.179PG 78 78:299

ΛΥΚΑΙΝΗ. Εἰ τῇ χηρείᾳ ἐγκαρτερεῖς, μὴ πρᾶττε νεώτερα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ κόσμον περίκεισαι, καὶ πένθους ὄνομα κέκτησαι, οὐ συμβαίνει τὰ πράγματα. Η θάτερον οὖν ἀπόλιπε, ἢ τὴν αἰδὼ μὴ καθύβριζε. "Οτι διὰ τῆς πράξεως γνωρίζονται αἱ ἀρεταὶ, ἤπερ διὰ λόγου. Οὐ ῥημάτων ἀπαγγελία, ἀλλὰ πραγμάτων διακονία τὸν τῆς θείας παιδεύσεως ζηλωτὴν ἀποφαίνει. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ ἀρχαῖος ἀντάρτης, ἐπειδὴ τῶν θείων χρησμῶν ἐμέμνητο πειράζων τὸν Κύριον, ἐπαινετὸς ἦν ἄρα τῆς τούτων μαθήσεως, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπόκριτος καὶ ἀπόβλητος, ὅτι τὴν γνῶσιν ἔχων, τὴν πρᾶξιν ἀρνεῖται. Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ κοῦφος φαίνεσθαι βούλει, καὶ ἐπὶ γλώττης μόνης ἔχων τὴν παίδευσιν, ἔργῳ ἐπίδειξον ταύτην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τῆς ἔξωθεν ὁπλοφορίας ὁ Γολιάθ ἀπώνατό τι, τοῖς ἔσωθεν ἀσθενῶν βοηθήμασιν.

LYKAINĒ. Ei tę̄ chēreią enkartereis, mē pratte neōtera. Ei de kai kosmon perikeisai, kai penthous onoma kektēsai, ou symbainei ta pragmata. Ē thateron oun apolipe, ē tēn aidō mē kathybrize. "Oti dia tēs praxeōs gnōrizontai hai aretai, ēper dia logou. Ou rhēmatōn apangelia, alla pragmatōn diakonia ton tēs theias paideuseōs zēlōtēn apophainei. Oude gar ho archaios antartēs, epeidē tōn theiōn chrēsmōn ememnēto peirazōn ton Kyrion, epainetos ēn ara tēs toutōn mathēseōs, all᾿ apokritos kai apoblētos, hoti tēn gnōsin echōn, tēn praxin arneitai. Ei toinyn mē kouphos phainesthai boulei, kai epi glōttēs monēs echōn tēn paideusin, ergǭ epideixon tautēn. Oude gar tēs exōthen hoplophorias ho Goliath apōnato ti, tois esōthen asthenōn boēthēmasin.

To Lycaena. If you persevere in widowhood, do not act like the younger women. But if you both wear ornaments and bear the name of mourning, the two do not agree. Either give up one of them, then, or do not outrage modesty. [Letter 1.180] [That virtues are known by action rather than by word.] It is not the recital of words but the service of deeds that shows the zealot for divine instruction. For neither was the ancient rebel praiseworthy for his learning of the divine oracles because he quoted them when tempting the Lord; rather he was rejected and cast out, because, having the knowledge, he denies it in practice. If, then, you do not wish to appear light, having instruction only on your tongue, show it in deed. For Goliath gained nothing from his outward armor, being weak in his inner resources.

1 Tim 5:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 5:6 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 4:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 17:5 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A widow is told that ornaments do not fit mourning; a second letter says knowledge of Scripture is worthless without deeds, as the devil's quoting of Scripture shows.

1 Tim 5:11–14.
Letter 1.180 begins at "[That virtues are known …]"; its heading (addressee) was not recovered from the scan. Matt 4:6; 1 Sam 17.

Topics: Widows and consecrated virgins, Dress and adornment, The Christian life

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.179 (PG 78 78:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-179). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-179

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.181PG 78 78:299

ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ. "Οτι οὐκ ἀπονοίας ἦν ἡ κατὰ ᾿Ανανίου καὶ Σαπφείρης ἀγανάκτησις τοῦ ἀποστόλου Πέτρου, ἀλλὰ χρήσιμος τῇ ἀρχῇ τοῦ κηρύγματος. Οὐκ ἀπονοίας ἐστὶν, ὦ φιλολογώτατε, ὁ κατὰ τῶν πταισάντων φόνος τοῦ σοφωτάτου Πέτρου, ἀλλὰ διδασκαλίας προγνωστικῆς, τὰ πολλὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων προϊωμένης ἁμαρτήματα. Τότε γὰρ ἀρξάμενοι τὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου καταβάλλεσθαι σπέρματα · καὶ εὐθὺς παρανατείλαντα ἑωρακότες ζιζάνια, σοφῶς αὐτὰ παραχρῆμα ἐξέτιλαν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ σίτῳ συναυξηθέντα, τῷ μέλλοντι πρὸς καῦσιν πυρὶ φυλαχθῇ. Οὕτω καὶ Μωσῆς ὁ θεσπέσιος τὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐκ προοιμίων παραβαθέντα θεώμενος, εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ βραχεῖ ἁμαρτήματι καταλευσθῆναι ἐν σαββάτῳ ξυλολογοῦντα ἐκέλευσε, τοῦτο Θεὸν γεγραφὼς ἀποφήνασθαι. Ἐπὶ μικρῷ γὰρ καὶ μείζονι ἡ παράβασις κρίνεται. Ὡς καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι τοῦ γένους προπάτορες ξύλου γεύσει τὸν πολυώδυνον κατεδικάσθησαν καὶ βίον καὶ θάνατον.

ŌRIŌNI MONAChŌ. "Oti ouk aponoias ēn hē kata ᾿Ananiou kai Sappheirēs aganaktēsis tou apostolou Petrou, alla chrēsimos tę̄ archę̄ tou kērygmatos. Ouk aponoias estin, ō philologōtate, ho kata tōn ptaisantōn phonos tou sophōtatou Petrou, alla didaskalias prognōstikēs, ta polla tōn anthrōpōn proïōmenēs hamartēmata. Tote gar arxamenoi ta tou Euangeliou kataballesthai spermata ; kai euthys paranateilanta heōrakotes zizania, sophōs auta parachrēma exetilan, hina mē tǭ sitǭ synauxēthenta, tǭ mellonti pros kausin pyri phylachthę̄. Houtō kai Mōsēs ho thespesios ta tou nomou ek prooimiōn parabathenta theōmenos, ei kai epi brachei hamartēmati kataleusthēnai en sabbatǭ xylologounta ekeleuse, touto Theon gegraphōs apophēnasthai. Epi mikrǭ gar kai meizoni hē parabasis krinetai. Hōs kai hoi prōtoi tou genous propatores xylou geusei ton polyōdynon katedikasthēsan kai bion kai thanaton.

To Orion the monk. [That the apostle Peter's indignation against Ananias and Sapphira was not due to arrogance, but useful at the beginning of the preaching.] The death of the offenders at the hands of the most wise Peter was not from arrogance, most learned man, but from foreseeing instruction, which prevented many sins of men. For at that time, as they began to cast the seeds of the Gospel and saw tares springing up at once, they wisely pulled them up immediately, lest, growing up with the wheat, they be kept for the fire to come. So also the divine Moses, seeing the law transgressed at the outset, ordered the man gathering wood on the Sabbath to be stoned, even for a small sin, having written that God so declared. For transgression is judged in small and greater things alike; as the first forefathers of our race were condemned to a life and death full of pain for tasting of a tree.

Acts 5:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 5:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 15:35 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:17 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Peter's judgment on Ananias and Sapphira was a necessary severity at the Gospel's beginning, like the stoning of the Sabbath-breaker under Moses.

Acts 5:1–11; Matt 13:24–30; Num 15:32–36; Gen 3.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split by OCR): ἁμαρτήματι και ταλευσθῆναι → ἁμαρτήματι καταλευσθῆναι.

Topics: Church discipline and penance, Interpreting Scripture, The Lord's day and the Sabbath

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.181 (PG 78 78:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-181). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-181

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.182PG 78 78:301

ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Διὰ τί λέγεται ὁ Κύριος μαργαρίτης, καὶ διὰ τί ἐμπόρῳ ζητοῦντι καλοὺς μαργαρίτας ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀπεικάσθη. Ὁ τὸν πολυτίμητον μαργαρίτην ζητήσας, καὶ πάντων αὐτῷ τῶν προσόντων ἀντισταθμίσας, ὁ νέος ἐστὶ τοῦ Κυρίου λαὸς, τῆς πατρώας καὶ οὐσίας καὶ θρησκείας καταφρονῶν, καὶ τὸν Κύριον τῆς δόξης ζητῶν. Μαργαρίτης δὲ κέκληται, ἐπειδὴ τῷ βυθῷ τῆς θεότητος ἤνωται, καὶ μόνοις τοῖς ἁλιεῦσι καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ ὑποφήταις ἐγνώρισται ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Οἱ καταβαίνοντες εἰς θάλασσαν ἐν πλοίοις, ποιοῦντες ἐργασίαν ἐν ὕδασι πολλοῖς, οἱ τοῦ Κυρίου τυγχάνουσι θεοφόροι ἀπόστολοι, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ προτέρου τοῦτο ὄντες ἐπιτηδεύματος, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐν τῷ βίῳ ζωγρευτικῆς ἐργασίας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὡς κυμάτων ἐπανάστασις φλεγμαίνει καὶ κατευνάζεται τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ πράγματα, εἰκότως θάλασσαν τὴν τούτων ἀνωμαλίαν οἱ θεῖοι καλοῦσι χρησμοί. Οἱ δὲ ταύτην γαληνεύσαντες, ἐν ὕδασι πολλοῖς πεποιῆσθαι τὴν ἐργασίαν ἐῤῥήθησαν

ĒRAKLEIDĒ EPISKOPŌ. Dia ti legetai ho Kyrios margaritēs, kai dia ti emporǭ zētounti kalous margaritas hē basileia tōn ouranōn apeikasthē. Ho ton polytimēton margaritēn zētēsas, kai pantōn autǭ tōn prosontōn antistathmisas, ho neos esti tou Kyriou laos, tēs patrōas kai ousias kai thrēskeias kataphronōn, kai ton Kyrion tēs doxēs zētōn. Margaritēs de keklētai, epeidē tǭ bythǭ tēs theotētos ēnōtai, kai monois tois halieusi kai tois autou hypophētais egnōristai TŌ AUTŌ. Hoi katabainontes eis thalassan en ploiois, poiountes ergasian en hydasi pollois, hoi tou Kyriou tynchanousi theophoroi apostoloi, kai ek tou proterou touto ontes epitēdeumatos, kai ek tēs en tǭ biǭ zōgreutikēs ergasias. Epeidē gar hōs kymatōn epanastasis phlegmainei kai kateunazetai tōn anthrōpōn ta pragmata, eikotōs thalassan tēn toutōn anōmalian hoi theioi kalousi chrēsmoi. Hoi de tautēn galēneusantes, en hydasi pollois pepoiēsthai tēn ergasian errhēthēsan

To Heraclides the bishop. [Why the Lord is called a pearl, and why the kingdom of heaven was likened to a merchant seeking fine pearls.] The one who sought the precious pearl and gave all he had in exchange for it is the Lord's new people, which despises its ancestral substance and religion and seeks the Lord of glory. He is called a pearl because he is united to the depth of the Godhead, and is known only to the fishermen and his interpreters. [Letter 1.183] To the same. "Those who go down to the sea in ships, doing business in many waters" are the Lord's God-bearing apostles, both from their former occupation and from their life's work of catching men alive. For since human affairs swell and subside like a rising of waves, the divine oracles rightly call their unevenness a sea. And those who calmed it are said to have done their business in many waters.

Matt 13:45 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:46 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 107:23 (106:23 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 5:10 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The merchant who buys the pearl is the new people of God, the pearl Christ; a second letter applies "those who go down to the sea in ships" to the apostles, fishers of men who calmed the sea of human affairs.

Matt 13:45–46.
Letter 1.183 begins at "To the same"; the scan prints its numeral in Cyrillic look-alike letters (ΡΠΓʹ, 183), removed. Ps 107:23 (106:23 LXX); Matt 4:19; Luke 5:10.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR repetition; end-of-line repetition in the OCR; letter numeral from the heading (Cyrillic look-alike letters); word split by OCR): βασι λεία → βασιλεία; τὸν Κι Κύριον → τὸν Κύριον; РПГ'. → ; γαληνεύσαν- σαντες → γαληνεύσαντες.

Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Christology, The church

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.182 (PG 78 78:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-182). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-182

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.184PG 78 78:301

ΖΩΣΙΜΟ. Εἰ τῆς ἀνοχῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας, ὦ τάλας, καταφρονεῖς, κἂν τὰ παρόντα αἰδέσθητι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα ἀβλεπτοῦντες τὰς ἐνταῦθα ἐκκλίνουσι κωμῳδίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα κἀκεῖνα καταφρονεῖς, ἐνταῦθα γελασθήσῃ, κἀκεῖ θρηνηθήσῃ. ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Ἠδύνασο ἐπικουρεῖν τοῖς βοηθείας προσδεομένοις, εἰ μὴ σαυτὸν προκατέλυσας αἰσχροῖς λήμμασι καὶ προβλήμασιν. Οἱ γὰρ ὁρῶντές σε Πανσοφίου ἡττώμενον, ἀνθρώπου μὴ μόνον τὸν θεῖον ὑβρίσαντος Στέφανον, οὗ τὴν λειτουργίαν ἀκρίτως ἐδέξατο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἐκ τοῦ σεμνοῦ χοροῦ προπηλακίσαι σπουδάζοντος, ποίας ἄν σε τιμῆς ἀξιώσειαν ; Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτον κωλύσειας, καὶ σαυτὸν διορθώσειας καὶ τὰ ἐνταῦθα πάντως φανεῖταί σοι χρηστά, καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖθαν πάντως ἀνεκτά.

ZŌSIMO. Ei tēs anochēs tou Theou, kai tēs makrothymias, ō talas, kataphroneis, kan ta paronta aidesthēti. Polloi gar pros ta mellonta ableptountes tas entautha ekklinousi kōmǭdias. Ei de kai tauta kakeina kataphroneis, entautha gelasthēsę̄, kakei thrēnēthēsę̄. EUSEBIO EPISKOPŌ. Ēdynaso epikourein tois boētheias prosdeomenois, ei mē sauton prokatelysas aischrois lēmmasi kai problēmasin. Hoi gar horōntes se Pansophiou hēttōmenon, anthrōpou mē monon ton theion hybrisantos Stephanon, hou tēn leitourgian akritōs edexato, alla kai pasan aretēn ek tou semnou chorou propēlakisai spoudazontos, poias an se timēs axiōseian ? Ei de kai touton kōlyseias, kai sauton diorthōseias kai ta entautha pantōs phaneitai soi chrēsta, kai ta ekeithan pantōs anekta.

To Zosimus. If you despise God's forbearance and long-suffering, wretched man, at least respect present things. For many who are blind to the future avoid being mocked here. But if you despise both this and that, you will be laughed at here and wept for there. [Letter 1.185] To Eusebius the bishop. You could help those who need assistance, if you had not first undone yourself with shameful gains and candidates. For those who see you overcome by Pansophius, a man who not only insulted the divine Stephen, whose ministry he took over without discernment, but is eager to drive all virtue out of the venerable company, what honor would they think you worthy of? But if you restrain him and correct yourself, both things here will surely appear good to you, and things there surely bearable.

Rom 2:4 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Zosimus is told that despising God's patience brings mockery here and grief hereafter; a second letter urges the bishop Eusebius to restrain his archdeacon Pansophius and correct himself.

Rom 2:4.
Letter 1.185 begins at "To Eusebius the bishop"; the scan prints its numeral in Cyrillic look-alike letters (ΡΠΕʹ, 185), removed. Stephen is presumably Pansophius's predecessor as archdeacon, or the deacon Stephen of Acts 6–7 as the pattern of the office; uncertain.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (letter numeral from the heading (Cyrillic look-alike letters)): РПЕ. – → .

Topics: Repentance, Church office, Ordination

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.184 (PG 78 78:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-184). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-184

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.186PG 78 78:303

ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ. "Οτι δεῖ τοὺς καρποφοροῦντας ἁπλῶς τὰ δῶρα προσάγειν Θεῷ, καὶ μὴ κρίνειν τὸν τούτων μεσίτην, τουτέστι τὸν ἱερέα. Μὴ λογοποίει τὰ δῶρα, ἀλλὰ πρόσφερε μόνον Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ σοὶ [προσ]κομίσας τι, περιεργάζεται, ὅποι καὶ ὅπως χρήσαιο τούτῳ· ἀρκεῖ γὰρ μόνον τὸ δοῦναι καὶ σοὶ τιμὴν, καὶ ἑαυτῷ παῤῥησίαν ὀρέξαι.

SERĒNŌ TRIBOUNŌ. "Oti dei tous karpophorountas haplōs ta dōra prosagein Theǭ, kai mē krinein ton toutōn mesitēn, toutesti ton hierea. Mē logopoiei ta dōra, alla prosphere monon Oude gar ho soi [pros]komisas ti, periergazetai, hopoi kai hopōs chrēsaio toutǭ; arkei gar monon to dounai kai soi timēn, kai heautǭ parrhēsian orexai.

To Serenus the tribune. [That those who bring offerings should simply present their gifts to God and not judge the intermediary, that is, the priest.] Do not make an account of your gifts; just offer them. For one who brings you something does not inquire where and how you will use it; it is enough simply to give, and so to offer you honor and himself freedom of speech.

Notes and citation

Summary: Offerings should be given freely without scrutinizing how the priest uses them.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR repetition): καρποφορού καρποφοροῦντας → καρποφοροῦντας.

Topics: Almsgiving and care for the poor, Support of the clergy

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.186 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-186). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-186

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.187PG 78 78:303

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Εἰ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ ὑπόδικοι, ὡς ἔφης, οἱ κακῶς χρώμενοι τοῖς ἱεροῖς τυγχάνουσιν ἱερεῖς, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς τοῦτο ἀγνοεῖς· μὴ καὶ τὴν πρόθεσιν τῆς δωροφορίας ὑβρίσῃς, τὸν τρόπον τῆς δαπάνης αὐτῆς ἐρευνῶν, ὡς ἐπὶ τούτῳ δεδωκώς, ἵν᾿ εὐθύνας αὐτῆς ἀπαιτῇς, κἀκείνους τοῦ μέλλοντος ἐξέλῃ λογοθεσίου. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἐπιδεικτικῶς εὖ ποιοῦντες, τοῖς ἐνταῦθα κρότοις τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀμοιβὴν ζημιοῦνται· οὕτως οἱ τοῖς ἐκεῖσε δίκην χρεωστοῦντες, ἐνταῦθα προεξετάζοντες, τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἀφιᾶσιν αἰτίας καὶ τιμωρίας.

TŌ AUTŌ. Ei kai tǭ Theǭ hypodikoi, hōs ephēs, hoi kakōs chrōmenoi tois hierois tynchanousin hiereis, all᾽ autos touto agnoeis; mē kai tēn prothesin tēs dōrophorias hybrisę̄s, ton tropon tēs dapanēs autēs ereunōn, hōs epi toutǭ dedōkōs, hin᾿ euthynas autēs apaitę̄s, kakeinous tou mellontos exelę̄ logothesiou. Hōsper gar hoi epideiktikōs eu poiountes, tois entautha krotois tēn ekeithen amoibēn zēmiountai; houtōs hoi tois ekeise dikēn chreōstountes, entautha proexetazontes, tēs ekeithen aphiasin aitias kai timōrias.

To the same. Even if priests who misuse sacred things are answerable to God, as you said, still you, do not be ignorant of this: do not also insult the purpose of your offering by investigating how it is spent, as though you had given it on condition of demanding an account of it, and so rescuing them from the reckoning to come. For as those who do good for show lose the reward there through the applause here, so those who examine beforehand, here, men who owe a penalty there, release them from the charge and punishment there.

Matt 6:2 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Givers should not audit the clergy's use of offerings; God will judge misuse, and examining it here only forfeits the giver's reward.

Matt 6:2. The argument is that the giver who demands an account takes on himself the judgment that belongs to God.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin look-alike letter in the OCR; word split by OCR): χρώμε νοι → χρώμενοι; cἱ ἐπιδεικτικῶς → οἱ ἐπιδεικτικῶς.

Topics: Almsgiving and care for the poor, Support of the clergy, The last judgment

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.187 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-187). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-187

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.188PG 78 78:303

ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ. Περὶ ἀμελούντων τῆς φοβερᾶς ἡμέρας. Εἰ [ὁ] οὐρανὸς ὡς βιβλίον ἑλίσσεται, καὶ τὰ ἄστρα πίπτει, καὶ Ὠρίων, καὶ γῆ, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ κατακαίεται, καὶ πάντα γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τῇ μεγάλῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίας ἑτοιμάζεται · τοῦ χάριν αὐτὸς ἀμελεῖς, καὶ οὐχ ὡς εὐθύνας ὑφέξων εὐτρεπίζῃ, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀνέγκλητος λησόμενος, ἀναβάλλῃ τὴν μεταμέλειαν; Ὅρα οὖν μὴ τότε σοι ἐπέλθῃ ἡ μετάγνωσις, ὅτε μόνη πάρεστιν ἡ ἀπόγνωσις.

ASKLĒPIŌ. Peri amelountōn tēs phoberas hēmeras. Ei [ho] ouranos hōs biblion helissetai, kai ta astra piptei, kai Ōriōn, kai gē, kai ta en autę̄ katakaietai, kai panta gymna kai tetrachēlismena tę̄ megalę̄ hēmerą tēs tou Kyriou parousias hetoimazetai ; tou charin autos ameleis, kai ouch hōs euthynas hyphexōn eutrepizę̄, all' hōs anenklētos lēsomenos, anaballę̄ tēn metameleian? Hora oun mē tote soi epelthę̄ hē metagnōsis, hote monē parestin hē apognōsis.

To Asclepius. [On those who neglect the fearful day.] If heaven is rolled up like a scroll, and the stars fall, and Orion, and the earth and what is in it are burned up, and all things are being prepared, naked and laid bare, for the great day of the Lord's coming, why are you careless, and do not prepare as one who will give account, but put off repentance as though you will escape notice as blameless? See, then, that repentance does not come to you when only despair is present.

Isa 34:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 13:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rev 6:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Pet 3:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 4:13 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Since the world will be dissolved at the Lord's coming and all laid bare, repentance must not be put off until it is too late.

Isa 34:4; 13:10 (Orion, LXX); Rev 6:13–14; 2 Pet 3:10; Heb 4:13.

Topics: Second coming of Christ, The last judgment, Repentance

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.188 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-188). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-188

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.189PG 78 78:303

ΣΕΡΗΝΩ. Καλὸν μὲν τὸ τιμᾶν τοὺς μάρτυρας τῆς εὐσεβείας τοῖς ἀναθήμασιν, ὅπερ αὐτὸς πεποίηκας. Κρείττον δὲ τὸ θεραπεύειν αὐτοὺς οἷς ἐποίησαν κατορθώμασιν. Οἷς τοίνυν προσενήνοχας τὸν κόσμον, καρποφόρησον αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸν τρόπον.

SERĒNŌ. Kalon men to timan tous martyras tēs eusebeias tois anathēmasin, hoper autos pepoiēkas. Kreitton de to therapeuein autous hois epoiēsan katorthōmasin. Hois toinyn prosenēnochas ton kosmon, karpophorēson autois kai ton tropon.

To Serenus. It is good to honor the martyrs of godliness with offerings, as you have done; but it is better to serve them by the achievements they performed. To those, then, on whom you have bestowed adornment, offer also the fruit of your way of life.

Notes and citation

Summary: Honoring martyrs with gifts is good; imitating their lives is better.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split by OCR): καρπο·φόρησον → καρποφόρησον.

Topics: Martyrs' shrines and relics, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.189 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-189). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-189

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.190PG 78 78:303

ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ. Ὁ παῖς ὁ πεφευγώς σε δι' εὐχέρειαν ἀκοῆς λόγοις φαύλοις φθαρεὶς, ἧκέ σοι δι' εὐπείθειαν, εὔνοιαν παρ' ἡμῶν διδαχθείς. Δέχου τοίνυν εὐμενῶς, καὶ ἡμῖν καὶ σαυτῷ χαριούμενος· ἡμῖν τὴν ἀγάπην, σαυτῷ δὲ τὴν χρείαν.

PALLADIO. Ho pais ho pepheugōs se di' euchereian akoēs logois phaulois phthareis, hēke soi di' eupeitheian, eunoian par' hēmōn didachtheis. Dechou toinyn eumenōs, kai hēmin kai sautǭ charioumenos; hēmin tēn agapēn, sautǭ de tēn chreian.

To Palladius. The slave who ran away from you, corrupted by bad talk through his readiness to listen, has come back to you through obedience, having been taught good will by us. Receive him, then, kindly, doing a favor both to us and to yourself: to us, love; to yourself, service.

Phlm 1:12 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore sends back a runaway slave and asks his master to receive him kindly.

Compare Paul's letter to Philemon.

Topics: Slavery

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.190 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-190). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-190

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.191PG 78 78:305

ΚΑΛΛΙΟΠΙΩ. Ὅτι καλὸν τὸ φεύγειν καὶ πρὸς ἄρχοντας. | Ἡμεῖς τὰς πόλεις ὡς θορυβώδεις πεφεύγαμεν, καὶ θορύβους ἐπὶ τῆς ἐσχατιᾶς εὐρήκαμεν. Οἱ γὰρ ἡγεμόνες τῆς πολιτείας, οἱ τὰς πόλεις ἠρεμεῖν παρασκευάζειν ὀφείλοντες, νῦν τὰς ἐρημίας πολίζουσι, τοὺς οἰκοῦντας αὐτὰς τρέποντες εἰς φυγάδας καὶ ἡμῖν δακρυώδεις ἐπαντλοῦντες φωνάς. Ὅτι δὲ θεῖον τὸ συμπαθεῖν, εὐ οἶδα κἀγώ· ὅτι δὲ τὸ πρὸς ἐκδίκησιν ἀσθενὲς προσθήκη ἐστὶ τῆς πληγῆς, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀγνοῦ. Αὐτὸς οὖν ὡς ἔχων τὸ δύνασθαι, καὶ ἀρκῶν πρὸς τὴν ἄμυναν, καὶ παῦσον τὴν ἀδικίαν, καὶ στῆσον τὴν πολιτείαν, καὶ δὸς ἡμῖν ἠρεμίαν, στείλας τοὺς θρήνους τῆς ἐρημίας.

KALLIOPIŌ. Hoti kalon to pheugein kai pros archontas. | Hēmeis tas poleis hōs thorybōdeis pepheugamen, kai thorybous epi tēs eschatias eurēkamen. Hoi gar hēgemones tēs politeias, hoi tas poleis ēremein paraskeuazein opheilontes, nyn tas erēmias polizousi, tous oikountas autas trepontes eis phygadas kai hēmin dakryōdeis epantlountes phōnas. Hoti de theion to sympathein, eu oida kagō; hoti de to pros ekdikēsin asthenes prosthēkē esti tēs plēgēs, kai touto ouk agnou. Autos oun hōs echōn to dynasthai, kai arkōn pros tēn amynan, kai pauson tēn adikian, kai stēson tēn politeian, kai dos hēmin ēremian, steilas tous thrēnous tēs erēmias.

To Calliopius. [That it is good to flee, and to governors.] We fled the cities as full of commotion, and have found commotion in the remote country. For the leaders of the state, who ought to make the cities quiet, now turn the deserts into cities, turning their inhabitants into fugitives and pouring tearful voices upon us. That compassion is divine I know well; and that weakness to avenge is an addition to the blow, I am not ignorant of that either. You, then, who have the power and are able to defend, stop the injustice, settle the state, and give us quiet by putting an end to the laments of the desert.

Notes and citation

Summary: Fugitives from the governors' oppression fill the desert with complaints; a powerful friend is asked to stop the injustice.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (end-of-line hyphen left in the OCR; word split by OCR): ἡγε= μόνες → ἡγεμόνες; ήρε μίαν → ἠρεμίαν.

Topics: Rulers and the state, Monastic life

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.191 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-191). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-191

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.192PG 78 78:305

ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ. Διὰ τί ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἐν τῷ τίκτεσθαι τῆς πτέρνης ἐπείληπτο τοῦ Ἡσαῦ. Τῆς πτέρνης Ἡσαῦ ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἐπείληπτο ἐν τῷ τίκτεσθαι, τοῦτο σημαίνων διὰ τοῦ σχήματος, ὅτι ὁ νοῦς ὁ βλέπων Θεὸν καθαρότητι (τοῦτο γὰρ Ἰσραὴλ ἐρμηνεύεται), πτερνίζει τὰ πάθη τὰ γαστρίμαργα · ὅπερ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων τετέλεστο, ἡνίκα τὴν ἀκαρτέρητον λύτταν ὁ Ἐδὼμ ἐπεδείξατο, καὶ τῆς πρεσβυγενείας τὴν τιμὴν οἰκέτιν ἐποίησε βρώσεως.

LAMPETIŌ. Dia ti ho Iakōb en tǭ tiktesthai tēs pternēs epeilēpto tou Hēsau. Tēs pternēs Hēsau ho Iakōb epeilēpto en tǭ tiktesthai, touto sēmainōn dia tou schēmatos, hoti ho nous ho blepōn Theon katharotēti (touto gar Israēl ermēneuetai), pternizei ta pathē ta gastrimarga ; hoper ep᾿ autōn ekeinōn tetelesto, hēnika tēn akarterēton lyttan ho Edōm epedeixato, kai tēs presbygeneias tēn timēn oiketin epoiēse brōseōs.

To Lampetius. [Why Jacob at birth took hold of Esau's heel.] Jacob took hold of Esau's heel at birth, signifying by the action that the mind which sees God in purity (for that is what "Israel" means) trips up the gluttonous passions; which was fulfilled in those very men, when Edom showed his uncontrollable craving and made the honor of the birthright a slave of food.

Gen 25:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 25:34 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jacob grasping Esau's heel signifies the God-seeing mind overcoming gluttony, as Esau later sold his birthright for food.

Gen 25:26, 29–34. "Israel" as "the mind that sees God" is the etymology found in Philo and later Fathers.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray page numeral): πτέρνης 57 ἐπείληπτο → πτέρνης ἐπείληπτο.

Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Self-control in food and drink

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.192 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-192). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-192

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.193PG 78 78:305

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Τί ἠνίξατο, τὰ τῶν ἐρίφων δέρματα ὁ Ἰακώβ περιθέμενος. Οξέως ἐπιβάλλεις τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασι, καὶ δριμέως θηρεύεις τὰ κεκρυμμένα αἰνίγματα. Τὰ δέρματα τῶν ἐρίφων ὁ Ἰακὼβ περιθέμενος, καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῦ πατρὸς πορισάμενος, τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρα ἡνίξατο, τὴν ἐναμάρτητον φύσιν ἀναμαρτήτως δεξάμενον, καὶ τὰ πάθη αὐτῆς ἐν ἑαυτῷ θανατώσαντα · τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ ἡ τῶν νεκρῶν δερμάτων περίθεσις· ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ἐριφῶδες λοιπὸν ἐν τῇ φύσει κατέλιπε, τῆς εὐωνύμου στάσεως καὶ κρίσεως ἄξιον. ᾿Αλλὰ νεκρώσας αὐτῆς τὰ γήϊνα μέλη, καὶ βρῶσιν προσφιλῆ τῷ Πατρὶ προσεκόμισε, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀεὶ πεινῶντι σωτηρίαν, καὶ ἡμῖν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἀναφαίρετον εὐλογίαν ἐπήγασεν.

TŌ AUTŌ. Ti ēnixato, ta tōn eriphōn dermata ho Iakōb perithemenos. Oxeōs epiballeis tois enthymēmasi, kai drimeōs thēreueis ta kekrymmena ainigmata. Ta dermata tōn eriphōn ho Iakōb perithemenos, kai tēn eulogian tou patros porisamenos, ton Kyrion hēmōn kai Sōtēra hēnixato, tēn enamartēton physin anamartētōs dexamenon, kai ta pathē autēs en heautǭ thanatōsanta ; touto gar dēloi hē tōn nekrōn dermatōn perithesis; epeidē ouden eriphōdes loipon en tę̄ physei katelipe, tēs euōnymou staseōs kai kriseōs axion. ᾿Alla nekrōsas autēs ta gēïna melē, kai brōsin prosphilē tǭ Patri prosekomise, tēn hēmeteran aei peinōnti sōtērian, kai hēmin en heautǭ tēn anaphaireton eulogian epēgasen.

To the same. [What Jacob hinted at by putting on the skins of the kids.] You keenly attack the arguments and sharply hunt the hidden riddles. Jacob, by putting on the skins of the kids and obtaining his father's blessing, hinted at our Lord and Savior, who sinlessly received the sinful nature and put its passions to death in himself; for this is what putting on dead skins shows: that he left in that nature nothing goatish, worthy of the station and judgment on the left. Rather, having put to death its earthly members, he brought food dear to the Father, who always hungers for our salvation, and caused the blessing that cannot be taken away to spring up for us in himself.

Gen 27:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:33 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jacob's goatskins prefigure Christ, who took on sinful nature without sin and put its passions to death, winning the Father's blessing for us.

Gen 27:16; Matt 25:33; Col 3:5.

Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Incarnation, Christology

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.193 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-193). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-193

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-1-193) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.194PG 78 78:305

ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ. Περὶ τῆς παραβολῆς τῶν ζιζανίων. Πόθεν, ἔφης, οἱ πονηροὶ λογισμοὶ ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχονται, καὶ κοινοῦσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον; Ἐκ τοῦ καθεύδειν τοὺς γεωργοὺς ἐγρηγορέναι ὀφείλοντας, καὶ φυλάττειν τοῦ καλοῦ σπέρματος τὸν καρπὸν ἀναθάλλοντα. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ κόρῳ καὶ κάρῳ τὴν ἑαυτῶν φυλακὴν προδεδώκειμεν, τὴν θείαν εἰκόνα μολύναντες, τουτέστι τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα νοθεύσαντες, ὁ τῶν ζιζανίων σπορεὺς οὐκ ἂν εὖρε παρείσδυσιν, καὶ ἄξια πυρὸς ζιζάνια [ἐν] ἡμῖν κατειργάσατο. Εἰς τὸ αὐτό. Θέλεις ἀπελθόντες συλλέξωμεν τὰ ζιζάνια; αἱ ἀγγελικαὶ δυνάμεις φασὶ, διακονεῖν ἀεὶ τῷ θείῳ θελήματι εὐνοϊκῶς ἐπιθυμοῦσαι, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν ἡμῶν ὀλιγωρίαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πολλὴν ὁρῶσι μακροθυμίαν. Ἀλλὰ πρᾶξαι τοῦτο κωλύονται, μὴ συνεκτμηθῇ τοῖς ζιζανίοις ὁ σἴτος, μήποτε ἁρπαγῇ ἁμαρτωλὸς πρὸς διόρθωσιν βλέπων, μὴ πονηρῶν γενομένων γονέων συνεκκοπῇ ἀκατάγνωστα τέκνα, ἔτι μὲν πολλάκις ἐν ὀσφύϊ ὄντα πατρικῇ, Θεῷ [δὲ] ὑφεστῶτα ὡς τὰ κεκρυμμένα ὁρῶντι. Αἱ γὰρ τάξεις τῶν ἀγγέλων, οἷα τῆς φύσεως σύνδουλοι, τὰ μήπω παρόντα ἀγνοοῦσιν. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος καὶ συνιεῖ, καὶ πολλάκις ἐποίησεν. Οὐκ ἐθέρισεν ἄτεκνον τὸν Ἡσαῦ ἁμαρτάνοντα, ἵνα μὴ συνεκτίλλ]ῃ τὸν Ἰὼβ, ἐξ ἐκείνου γινόμενον· μὴ θανατώσας τελωνοῦντα Ματθαῖον, ἵνα μὴ κωλύσῃ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· μὴ νεκρώσας ἀσελγούσας πόρνας, ἵνα μὴ τῆς μεταν νοίας οἱ τύποι ἀργήσωσιν· μὴ ἀμυνάμενος τοῦ Πέτρου τὴν ἄρνησιν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ θερμὸν προέβλεπε δάκρυον· μὴ ἐκκόψας τελευτῇ τὸν Παῦλον διώκοντα, ἵνα μὴ ἀστοχήσωσι σωτηρίας τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ τέρματα. Ὅσα τοίνυν τὸν θερισμὸν περιμένει ζιζάνια, καὶ πρὸς καρπὸν μετανοίας οὐ τρέπεται, τῷ μεγάλῳ πυρὶ ἑτοιμάζεται, ὡς παντελῆ ἀκαρπίαν νοσήσαντα. Ἐπιστολαὶ τῆς Ἐξόδου, « Αἰτήσασθε ἕκαστος παρὰ τοῦ πλησίον σκεύη σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χευσᾶ, καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδίκου κρίσεως, ὡς οἴει, τὸ κελεῦσαι τοὺς πλεῖστα μοχθήσαντας, καὶ πόλεις σὺν πόνῳ οἰκοδομήσαντας, σκυλεῦσαι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, [καὶ] χρυσία λαβεῖν ἢ ἀργύρια παρ' ἐκείνων, οἷς [τοὺς] πόνους κατέθεντο. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα ἀδεκάστου κριτοῦ, ἄξιον εἶναι τῆς τροφῆς ἐργάτην θεσπίζοντος. Εἰ γὰρ τις ἡμῶν καὶ γνωστικοῦ ἐπέτυχε πνεύματος, εὖρεν ἂν παρὰ πολὺ τὸν μισθὸν, καὶ οὕτως δεδομένον, τῆς κατωδύνου πλινθείας, καὶ πολυστενάκτου οἰκοδομίας, δι᾽ ἣν αὐτοῖς ὁ δίκαιος κριτής καὶ τὴν χάριν πρὸς τὴν χρῆσιν προσέθηκε.

ŌRIŌNI MONAChŌ. Peri tēs parabolēs tōn zizaniōn. Pothen, ephēs, hoi ponēroi logismoi ek tēs kardias exerchontai, kai koinousi ton anthrōpon? Ek tou katheudein tous geōrgous egrēgorenai opheilontas, kai phylattein tou kalou spermatos ton karpon anathallonta. Ei gar mē korǭ kai karǭ tēn heautōn phylakēn prodedōkeimen, tēn theian eikona molynantes, toutesti to kalon sperma notheusantes, ho tōn zizaniōn sporeus ouk an eure pareisdysin, kai axia pyros zizania [en] hēmin kateirgasato. Eis to auto. Theleis apelthontes syllexōmen ta zizania? hai angelikai dynameis phasi, diakonein aei tǭ theiǭ thelēmati eunoïkōs epithymousai, epeidē kai tēn hēmōn oligōrian kai tēn tou Theou pollēn horōsi makrothymian. Alla praxai touto kōlyontai, mē synektmēthę̄ tois zizaniois ho sitos, mēpote harpagę̄ hamartōlos pros diorthōsin blepōn, mē ponērōn genomenōn goneōn synekkopę̄ akatagnōsta tekna, eti men pollakis en osphyï onta patrikę̄, Theǭ [de] hyphestōta hōs ta kekrymmena horōnti. Hai gar taxeis tōn angelōn, hoia tēs physeōs syndouloi, ta mēpō paronta agnoousin. Ho de Kyrios kai syniei, kai pollakis epoiēsen. Ouk etherisen ateknon ton Hēsau hamartanonta, hina mē synektill]ę̄ ton Iōb, ex ekeinou ginomenon; mē thanatōsas telōnounta Matthaion, hina mē kōlysę̄ to Euangelion; mē nekrōsas aselgousas pornas, hina mē tēs metan noias hoi typoi argēsōsin; mē amynamenos tou Petrou tēn arnēsin, epeidē to thermon proeblepe dakryon; mē ekkopsas teleutę̄ ton Paulon diōkonta, hina mē astochēsōsi sōtērias tēs oikoumenēs ta termata. Hosa toinyn ton therismon perimenei zizania, kai pros karpon metanoias ou trepetai, tǭ megalǭ pyri hetoimazetai, hōs pantelē akarpian nosēsanta. Epistolai tēs Exodou, « Aitēsasthe hekastos para tou plēsion skeuē skeuē argyra kai cheusa, kai ta loipa. Ouk estin adikou kriseōs, hōs oiei, to keleusai tous pleista mochthēsantas, kai poleis syn ponǭ oikodomēsantas, skyleusai tous Aigyptious, [kai] chrysia labein ē argyria par' ekeinōn, hois [tous] ponous katethento. ᾿Alla kai sphodra adekastou kritou, axion einai tēs trophēs ergatēn thespizontos. Ei gar tis hēmōn kai gnōstikou epetyche pneumatos, euren an para poly ton misthon, kai houtōs dedomenon, tēs katōdynou plintheias, kai polystenaktou oikodomias, di᾽ hēn autois ho dikaios kritēs kai tēn charin pros tēn chrēsin prosethēke.

To Orion the monk. [On the parable of the tares.] From where, you asked, do evil thoughts come out of the heart and defile a man? From the sleeping of the farmers, who ought to keep watch and guard the fruit of the good seed as it shoots up. For if we had not betrayed our watch through surfeit and stupor, defiling the divine image, that is, adulterating the good seed, the sower of tares would not have found a way in and produced in us tares worthy of the fire. [Another letter] [On the same.] "Do you want us to go and gather the tares?" say the angelic powers, always eager to serve the divine will with good will, since they see both our negligence and God's great long-suffering. But they are prevented from doing it, lest the wheat be cut down with the tares: lest a sinner be snatched away who looks toward amendment; lest, when the parents are wicked, blameless children be cut off with them, children often still in their father's loins but present to God, who sees hidden things. For the ranks of angels, being fellow servants by nature, do not know what is not yet present; but the Lord both understands and has often acted so. He did not cut Esau off childless when he sinned, lest he pull up Job, who came from him; he did not put Matthew to death as a tax collector, lest he hinder the Gospel; he did not kill the licentious harlots, lest the patterns of repentance be idle; he did not punish Peter's denial, since he foresaw the hot tears; he did not cut Paul off by death as a persecutor, lest the ends of the world miss salvation. So whatever tares await the harvest and do not turn to the fruit of repentance are prepared for the great fire, as sick with utter barrenness. [Another letter] [From Exodus: "Let each ask of his neighbor vessels of silver and gold," and the rest.] It is not a mark of unjust judgment, as you think, to command those who had toiled so much and built cities with labor to despoil the Egyptians and take gold or silver from those for whom they had expended their toil. Rather it is the mark of a wholly impartial judge, who decrees that the worker is worthy of his food. For if any of us had a share of a discerning spirit, he would find the wage, even given in this way, far short of the painful brickmaking and much-lamented building, for which the just judge added this favor to their service.

Matt 15:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:30 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 9:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 26:75 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 9:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 11:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:35 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 1:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 10:10 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Evil thoughts come in when the soul's farmers sleep; a second letter explains why the angels are not allowed to uproot the tares, since God foresees repentance and descendants; a third defends the Israelites' despoiling of Egypt as wages for their labor.

Matt 15:19; 13:24–30.
Two further letters begin inside this passage, at "[On the same]" and at the Exodus title; their headings and numbers were not recovered from the scan. Job as a descendant of Esau follows the Greek appendix to Job (Job 42:17b–c LXX). Exod 3:22; 11:2; 12:35–36; Matt 10:10; Luke 10:7.

Topics: Temptation, Angels, Providence, Repentance, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.194 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-194). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-194

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-1-194) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.195PG 78 78:309

ΚΥΡΩ. Κόπος, καὶ τῦφος καὶ δόξα κενή, οὐ συνιστᾷ τῇ ἄνω λαμπρότητι, ἀλλὰ τρόπος χρηστὸς, καὶ βίος σεμνὸς, καὶ κοινωνία πρὸς τοὺς χρήζοντας ἀνεπίδεικτος. Τοῖς γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἐπαίνοις, καὶ ἡ ἀμοιβή τῆς εὐποιίας συγκαταλύεται. Εἰ δὲ τις τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνταπόδοσιν ζητεῖ, καὶ νῦν λαμβάνει ἀπαρχάς, κάκεῖ πλούσιον κομίζεται γέρας. ὅτι τὴν ἴσην δίκην οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἀπέλαβον ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς, ἀντὶ τῆς ἀῤῥενοφθορίας τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Ἐπειδὴ ἄριστά σοι εἶπας πεφηνέναι τὰ πρότερα, δέχου καὶ ἄλλην οὐκ ἀναξίαν ἐκείνης διάνοιαν. Τὴν τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀῤῥένων μιαιφονίαν ὁμοίᾳ Θεὸς ἀντημείψατο ἐκδικήσει, ἐν τῇ Ἐρυθρᾷ πάντας ἄῤῥενας ἀποπνίξας, ἵνα καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἔχῃ ἡ δίκη τὸ ὅμοιον. Πρόσεχε τοίνυν ἀσφαλῶς, καὶ μὴ μέμφου προπετῶς.

KYRŌ. Kopos, kai typhos kai doxa kenē, ou synistą tę̄ anō lamprotēti, alla tropos chrēstos, kai bios semnos, kai koinōnia pros tous chrēzontas anepideiktos. Tois gar entautha epainois, kai hē amoibē tēs eupoiias synkatalyetai. Ei de tis tēn ekeithen antapodosin zētei, kai nyn lambanei aparchas, kakei plousion komizetai geras. hoti tēn isēn dikēn hoi Aigyptioi apelabon epi tēs Erythras, anti tēs arrhenophthorias tou Israēl. Epeidē arista soi eipas pephēnenai ta protera, dechou kai allēn ouk anaxian ekeinēs dianoian. Tēn tōn Hebraiōn arrhenōn miaiphonian homoią Theos antēmeipsato ekdikēsei, en tę̄ Erythrą pantas arrhenas apopnixas, hina kai tois sōmasin echę̄ hē dikē to homoion. Proseche toinyn asphalōs, kai mē memphou propetōs.

To Cyrus. Toil, vanity and empty glory do not commend one to the brightness above, but good character, a dignified life, and sharing with those in need without display. For with praises here the reward of well-doing is also used up. But if anyone seeks the recompense there, he both receives firstfruits now and carries off a rich prize there. [Another letter] [That the Egyptians received equal punishment at the Red Sea, in return for the destruction of Israel's males.] Since you said the former things seemed excellent to you, receive another meaning not unworthy of that one. God repaid the murder of the Hebrew males with a like vengeance, drowning all the males in the Red Sea, so that the penalty might have its likeness in the bodies too. Attend, then, securely, and do not blame rashly.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 6:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 1:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 14:28 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Good works done for show forfeit their heavenly reward; a second letter explains the drowning of the Egyptian army as a fitting penalty for Pharaoh's killing of the Hebrew boys.

Matt 6:1–4.
A further letter begins at the bracketed title; its heading and number were not recovered from the scan. Exod 1:22; 14:28. The title is garbled in the scan by leaked variants ("ἀῤῥενοφορίας νοφονίας, ναὶ ἀῤῥενοφθορίας)"), corrected.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (variant readings leaked into the title): ἀντὶ τῆς ἀῤῥενοφορίας νοφονίας, ναὶ ἀῤῥενοφθορίας) τοῦ → ἀντὶ τῆς ἀῤῥενοφθορίας τοῦ.

Topics: Almsgiving and care for the poor, Humility and pride, The last judgment, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.195 (PG 78 78:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-195). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-195

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.196PG 78 78:309

ΔΙΔΥΜΩ. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, ι ῾Ομοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως. 1 Κόκκῳ σινάπεως τὴν οὐράνιον βασιλείαν ἀπεικάζει ὁ Κύριος, πλείστων ἕνεκα τρόπων· διὰ τὴν εὐτέλειαν τῆς ἐν τῇ οἰκείᾳ συγκαταβάσει πτωχείας, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡμῖν ἡ σκιὰ καὶ ἀνάψυξις ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ γέγονεν ὀδυνῶν· διὰ τὴν ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τοῦ ποιμνίου σμικρότητα· διὰ τὴν ἔμφυτον τοῦ κόκκου δριμύτητα, ἧς καὶ χρήζει ὁ τῆς στενῆς ἔμπορος ὁδοῦ, διὰ τὸ μὴ διακόπτεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀδιαίρετον σώζειν ὑπόστασιν. Ὁ γὰρ Θεῷ ἑνωθεὶς, καὶ εἰς ἕνα τέλειον ἄνθρωπον συναρμολογηθεὶς, ἀδιαίρετον ἔχειν καὶ ἄτμητον τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὀφείλει συνάφειαν, οὐδεὶ πάθει χωριζομένην, ἀλλ᾽ ὅλην αὐτῷ συντεταγμένην.

DIDYMŌ. Eis to eirēmenon, i ῾Omoia estin hē basileia tōn ouranōn kokkǭ sinapeōs. 1 Kokkǭ sinapeōs tēn ouranion basileian apeikazei ho Kyrios, pleistōn heneka tropōn; dia tēn euteleian tēs en tę̄ oikeią synkatabasei ptōcheias, aph᾿ hēs hēmin hē skia kai anapsyxis apo pasōn tōn en tǭ biǭ gegonen odynōn; dia tēn en archę̄ tou Euangeliou tou poimniou smikrotēta; dia tēn emphyton tou kokkou drimytēta, hēs kai chrēzei ho tēs stenēs emporos hodou, dia to mē diakoptesthai, alla tēn adiaireton sōzein hypostasin. Ho gar Theǭ henōtheis, kai eis hena teleion anthrōpon synarmologētheis, adiaireton echein kai atmēton tēn pros auton opheilei synapheian, oudei pathei chōrizomenēn, all᾽ holēn autǭ syntetagmenēn.

To Didymus. [On the saying "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed."] The Lord likens the heavenly kingdom to a grain of mustard seed for very many reasons: for the lowliness of the poverty of his condescension, from which we have gained shade and refreshment from all the pains of life; for the smallness of the flock at the beginning of the Gospel; for the grain's natural sharpness, which the traveler on the narrow way also needs; and because it is not cut up but keeps its undivided substance. For one who has been united to God and fitted together into one perfect man ought to have an undivided and unsevered union with him, separated by no passion, but wholly ranged with him.

Matt 13:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:32 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 12:32 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 4:13 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The mustard seed figures the kingdom by its lowliness, its small beginning, its sharpness, and its undivided wholeness, like the believer's union with God.

Matt 13:31–32; Luke 12:32; Eph 4:13.
The staging places Letters 1.197–1.199 within this passage, but no further letter is visible in it; extra letters appear inside 1.194 and 1.195, so the numbering of this stretch is uncertain.

Topics: Interpreting Scripture, The church

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.196 (PG 78 78:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-196). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-196

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.200PG 78 78:309

ΗΡΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Περὶ δακρύων καὶ μετανοίας. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ ᾿Αμώς· « Τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ δεσμεύοντες, ἐποίουν παραπετάσματα. Ἡ τῶν προφητικῶν ῥημάτων διάνοια, τοιαύτην ἔχει σαφήνειαν· Ἐκάλυπτον δάκρυσι τὸ θυσιαστήριόν μου, φησὶν ὁ Θεὸς, δάκρυσιν ἀδικουμένων, ἁρπαζομένων, συκοφαντουμένων. Τούτου χάριν καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐλέγχου τίθησι ταῦτα μεμφόμενος, καὶ τῶν συμβάντων ἀπηχῶν ταῦτα τυγχάνειν ἀποφηνάμενος αἴτια. Τὰ γὰρ τῆς μεταγνώσεως δάκρυα, οὐ μόνον ἀκατηγόρητα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡδέα ἐστὶ τῷ θεῷ, ὡς θυμίαμα. Τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια τὰ δεσμούμενα, καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καταπετάζοντα, τὴν καταφρονητικὴν αὐτῶν περὶ τὸ θεῖον ἐμφαίνει διάθεσιν. Τοῦ γὰρ νόμου ἐκ καθαρῶν καὶ τιμίων ὑλῶν τὴν περὶ τὸν θεῖον νεὼν τάσσοντος διακόσμησιν, αὐτοὶ ῥυπώσας καὶ ἀκαθάρτους ἐσθῆτας περὶ τὸ ἅγιον τῶν ἁγίων δεσμοῦντες, καθύβριζον τὰ ἀνάκτορα· μὴ μόνον μεταξύ καθαροῦ καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ διαστέλλοντες, ἀλλὰ ἀνὰ μέσον Θεοῦ καὶ ἀκαθάρτων μὴ τὰς πηγὰς ἀνεστόμωσε. διακρίνοντες, ἅπερ αὐτοῖς καὶ τῶν τοσούτων κακῶν

ĒRŌNI DIAKONŌ. Peri dakryōn kai metanoias. Eis to gegrammenon en tǭ ᾿Amōs; « Ta himatia autou desmeuontes, epoioun parapetasmata. Hē tōn prophētikōn rhēmatōn dianoia, toiautēn echei saphēneian; Ekalypton dakrysi to thysiastērion mou, phēsin ho Theos, dakrysin adikoumenōn, harpazomenōn, sykophantoumenōn. Toutou charin kai ep᾿ elenchou tithēsi tauta memphomenos, kai tōn symbantōn apēchōn tauta tynchanein apophēnamenos aitia. Ta gar tēs metagnōseōs dakrya, ou monon akatēgorēta, alla kai hēdea esti tǭ theǭ, hōs thymiama. Ta de himatia ta desmoumena, kai to thysiastērion katapetazonta, tēn kataphronētikēn autōn peri to theion emphainei diathesin. Tou gar nomou ek katharōn kai timiōn hylōn tēn peri ton theion neōn tassontos diakosmēsin, autoi rhypōsas kai akathartous esthētas peri to hagion tōn hagiōn desmountes, kathybrizon ta anaktora; mē monon metaxy katharou kai akathartou mē diastellontes, alla ana meson Theou kai akathartōn mē tas pēgas anestomōse. diakrinontes, haper autois kai tōn tosoutōn kakōn

To Heron the deacon. [On tears and repentance. On what is written in Amos, "Binding their garments, they made curtains."] The meaning of the prophetic words has this clarity. They covered my altar with tears, says God: tears of those wronged, robbed and slandered. That is why he sets these things out in reproof, blaming them, and declaring that the echoes of what happened are the causes. For the tears of repentance are not only blameless but sweet to God, like incense. The garments bound together and curtaining the altar show their contemptuous disposition toward the divine. For while the law prescribed the adornment around the divine temple from pure and precious materials, they, binding filthy and unclean clothes about the holy of holies, outraged the sanctuary, not only failing to distinguish between clean and unclean, but not even distinguishing between God and the unclean; which opened for them the springs of such great evils.

Amos 2:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Mal 2:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezek 22:26 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Amos's garments hung as curtains, and Malachi's altar covered with tears, signify the tears of the oppressed and contempt for God's house, which brought great evils; tears of repentance, however, are sweet to God.

Amos 2:8 (LXX); Mal 2:13; Ezek 22:26. The scan has displaced the last words ("τὰς πηγὰς ἀνεστόμωσε" printed before "διακρίνοντες …"); translated in order.

Topics: Repentance, Worship, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.200 (PG 78 78:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-200). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-200

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.201PG 78 78:311

ΔΙΔΥΜΩ. Πῶς ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ. Ζύμῃ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀφωμοίωται, τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀναμαρτήτῳ σαρκώσει, ἀναφυρασάσῃ τὸν ἅπαντα κόσμον, καὶ ἑνὸς σώματος ὑποστάσει, ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας οὐσίας καὶ τῆς θεοτόκου Μαρίας ληφθέντος τὴν ἀπ' αἰῶνος ἀνθρωπότητα εἰς παλιντοκίαν ἀνακαινισάσῃ.

DIDYMŌ. Pōs hōmoiōthē hē basileia tōn ouranōn zymę̄. Zymę̄ hē basileia tōn ouranōn aphōmoiōtai, tę̄ tou Kyriou kai Sōtēros hēmōn anamartētǭ sarkōsei, anaphyrasasę̄ ton hapanta kosmon, kai henos sōmatos hypostasei, ek tēs hēmeteras ousias kai tēs theotokou Marias lēphthentos tēn ap' aiōnos anthrōpotēta eis palintokian anakainisasę̄.

To Didymus. [How the kingdom of heaven was likened to leaven.] The kingdom of heaven is likened to leaven: to the sinless incarnation of our Lord and Savior, which kneaded through the whole world and, by the reality of one body taken from our substance and from Mary the Mother of God, renewed humanity from all ages for rebirth.

Matt 13:33 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The leaven of the parable is Christ's sinless incarnation, which leavens and renews all humanity.

Matt 13:33.

Topics: Incarnation, Theotokos, Salvation

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.201 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-201). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-201

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.202PG 78 78:311

ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Καλῶς μὲν ἄγεις τοὺς νέους τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λειτουργοὺς, πέπεισμαι · κακῶς δὲ τούτους ἐπαινεῖς. Πρόσεχε μὴ τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις ἀνακλιθῶσι, καὶ τῶν τόνων τὸ ἡδὺ συληθῶσιν, οἰήσει τὴν συντονίαν ζημιωθέντες.

MAKARIO EPISKOPŌ. Kalōs men ageis tous neous tēs Ekklēsias leitourgous, pepeismai ; kakōs de toutous epaineis. Proseche mē tois enkōmiois anaklithōsi, kai tōn tonōn to hēdy sylēthōsin, oiēsei tēn syntonian zēmiōthentes.

To Macarius the bishop. You lead the young ministers of the church well, I am convinced; but you praise them badly. Take care lest they recline on your praises, are robbed of the sweetness of their exertions, and lose their earnestness through conceit.

Notes and citation

Summary: A bishop is warned that praising young clergy may make them conceited and lax.

Topics: Church office, Humility and pride

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.202 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-202). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-202

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.203PG 78 78:311

ΖΗΝΟΔΟΤΩ. Εἰ καὶ Νῶε τῆς οἰκείας γεωργίας πεπείρατο, ἀγνοήσας ὁ πέπονθεν ἐξ οἴνου· καὶ Λὼτ εἰς ἄνοιαν ἐκλίθη ὑπὸ οἴνου, καὶ πατὴρ ἐν γήρει ἀβουλήτως γεγένητο· καὶ Ἡρώδης μέθης γενόμενος παίγνιον, τῷ τοῦ μεγάλου Ἰωάννου αἵματι τὴν τράπεζαν αὐτοῦ καὶ καρδίαν ἐφοίνιζε· καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄλογα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐγκλήματα, οἶνου ἐστὶν ἀποβλύσματα · τί τὴν αὐθαίρετον ἐφέλκῃ μανίαν, καὶ οὐ τὴν σώφρονα περιάπτεις συμμετρίαν;

ZĒNODOTŌ. Ei kai Nōe tēs oikeias geōrgias pepeirato, agnoēsas ho peponthen ex oinou; kai Lōt eis anoian eklithē hypo oinou, kai patēr en gērei aboulētōs gegenēto; kai Hērōdēs methēs genomenos paignion, tǭ tou megalou Iōannou haimati tēn trapezan autou kai kardian ephoinize; kai panta ta aloga tōn anthrōpōn enklēmata, oinou estin apoblysmata ; ti tēn authaireton ephelkę̄ manian, kai ou tēn sōphrona periapteis symmetrian?

To Zenodotus. If Noah too experienced his own cultivation, not knowing what he would suffer from wine; and Lot was bent into folly by wine and became a father in old age against his will; and Herod, becoming the plaything of drunkenness, reddened his table and his heart with the blood of the great John; and all the irrational crimes of men are what wine gushes out: why do you drag on yourself a self-chosen madness, and not clothe yourself with sober moderation?

Gen 9:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 19:33 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 6:27 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Noah, Lot and Herod show the evils of wine; a drinker is urged to moderation.

Gen 9:20–21; 19:32–36; Mark 6:21–28.

Topics: Self-control in food and drink

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.203 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-203). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-203

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.204PG 78 78:311

ΔΙΔΥΜΩ. "Ωσπερ ἡ ῥιπτομένη ἐν θαλάσσῃ σαγήνη, διάφορον ἔχει τὸν συγκλεισμὸν τῶν γενῶν τῶν Ιχθύων· οὕτως ἡ αἰώνιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλεία, τὴν ἐκ παντὸς ἔθνους ἀνθρώπων πληθὺν δεχομένη, ἀνάλογον τῇ πίστει τὴν σωτηρίαν ὁρίζει, οὐ γένους ἀξιοπιστίᾳ [οὐκ ἀξίας σεμνολογίᾳ ] οὐχ ἱερατείᾳ, οὐ βασιλείᾳ ἀναξίᾳ τῆς κλήσεως τὴν τρυφὴν διανέμουσα, ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ καὶ βίῳ πρὸς καθαρότητα νεύσαντι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν θήραν τῶν ἀληθῶν ἁλιέων ὁρμήσαντι.

DIDYMŌ. "Ōsper hē rhiptomenē en thalassę̄ sagēnē, diaphoron echei ton synkleismon tōn genōn tōn Ichthyōn; houtōs hē aiōnios tou Christou basileia, tēn ek pantos ethnous anthrōpōn plēthyn dechomenē, analogon tę̄ pistei tēn sōtērian horizei, ou genous axiopistią [ouk axias semnologią ] ouch hierateią, ou basileią anaxią tēs klēseōs tēn tryphēn dianemousa, alla tropǭ kai biǭ pros katharotēta neusanti, kai pros tēn thēran tōn alēthōn halieōn hormēsanti.

To Didymus. As the net cast into the sea encloses fish of different kinds, so the eternal kingdom of Christ, receiving a multitude of men from every nation, determines salvation in proportion to faith, distributing its delight not by the credit of birth, [nor by the pomp of rank,] nor by priesthood, nor by a kingship unworthy of the calling, but by a character and life inclined to purity and eager for the catch of the true fishermen.

Matt 13:47 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The kingdom, like a net, gathers people of every nation and saves them by faith and purity of life, not by birth or rank.

Matt 13:47. A stray reference ("Χιχ, 35. 86") in the scan is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray reference numbers in the OCR): διάΧιΧ, 35. 86 φορον → διάφορον.

Topics: Salvation, Faith, Mission and the spread of the gospel

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.204 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-204). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-204

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-1-204) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.205PG 78 78:313

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Τὰ καλὰ συνάγεται εἰς ἄγγη, καὶ τὰ κακὰ ἔξω βάλλεται τῆς σαγήνης, ἐρευνωμένης, φημὶ, τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου Ἐκκλησίας, ἐπειδὴ πάντες τῷ Χριστοῦ ὀνόματι ἐσφραγίσθησαν, καὶ εἰς μίαν ἁρμονίαν ἡνώθησαν. Καὶ συνάγεται μὲν εἰς ἄγγη, τουτέστιν εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους μονὰς, τὰ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διαμείναντα φρονήματα· ἔξω δὲ βάλλεται τῆς βασιλείας, τὰ αἱρετικὰ καὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς δόξης ἀντίθετα.

TŌ AUTŌ. Ta kala synagetai eis angē, kai ta kaka exō balletai tēs sagēnēs, ereunōmenēs, phēmi, tēs tou Kyriou Ekklēsias, epeidē pantes tǭ Christou onomati esphragisthēsan, kai eis mian harmonian hēnōthēsan. Kai synagetai men eis angē, toutestin eis tas aiōnious monas, ta en alētheią diameinanta phronēmata; exō de balletai tēs basileias, ta hairetika kai tēs orthēs doxēs antitheta.

To the same. The good are gathered into vessels and the bad thrown out of the net when the Lord's church, I say, is examined, since all have been sealed with Christ's name and united into one harmony. Gathered into vessels, that is into the eternal dwellings, are the convictions that have remained in the truth; but thrown out of the kingdom are the heretical ones, opposed to right belief.

Matt 13:48 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:2 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: At the sorting of the net, those who kept the true faith enter the eternal dwellings and the heretics are cast out.

Matt 13:48; John 14:2.

Topics: The last judgment, Heresy, The church

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.205 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-205). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-205

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.206PG 78 78:313

ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ. Περὶ τοῦ στατῆρος ὃν ἔλαβεν ὁ Πέτρος. Ὁ στατὴρ ὃν ὁ Πέτρος ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ λαβεῖν ἐκελεύετο ἐν τῷ ἰχθύϊ κρυπτόμενον τὴν μορφὴν ἡμῶν ἐδήλου καλυπτομένην τοῖς πάθεσιν, ἣν ἐν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς τὸ ἀρχέτυπον ἀνακαλεῖται ὁ Κύριος. Ανθ' ἑαυτοῦ δὲ τοῦτον δοθῆναι προσέταξεν, ὡς γεγονώς ἄνθρωπος τοῖς ἡμῶν ἅπασιν ὑποκείμενος· οὔτε βασιλεῖ συγχωρῶν ἀντιτάσσεσθαι ἀβλαβῶς ἐπιτάσσοντι, καὶ τῆς θεϊκῆς δυνάμεως τὰς ἐνεργείας ἐπιδεικνύμενος.

EUTONIŌ. Peri tou statēros hon elaben ho Petros. Ho statēr hon ho Petros ek tou bythou labein ekeleueto en tǭ ichthyï kryptomenon tēn morphēn hēmōn edēlou kalyptomenēn tois pathesin, hēn en heautǭ pros to archetypon anakaleitai ho Kyrios. Anth' heautou de touton dothēnai prosetaxen, hōs gegonōs anthrōpos tois hēmōn hapasin hypokeimenos; oute basilei synchōrōn antitassesthai ablabōs epitassonti, kai tēs theïkēs dynameōs tas energeias epideiknymenos.

To Eutonius. [On the stater which Peter took.] The stater which Peter was commanded to take from the deep, hidden in the fish, showed our form covered over by the passions, which the Lord calls back in himself to its archetype. He commanded it to be given for himself, as having become man subject to all that is ours; not allowing resistance to a king who commands without harm, and showing the workings of the divine power.

Matt 17:27 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The coin in the fish signifies human nature covered by passions and restored by Christ, who paid the tax as one subject to our condition.

Matt 17:24–27.

Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Incarnation, Rulers and the state

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.206 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-206). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-206

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.207PG 78 78:313

ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ. Πῶς νοητέον, « Ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε, καὶ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία. Οὐχ ἡλικίας ὑποστροφὴν τὴν πρὸς τὰ παιδία ὁμοίωσιν ὁ Κύριος ἀπαιτεῖ, ὅπερ αὐτὸς νομίζεις, ὡς ὁ Νικόδημος, ἀλλὰ τῆς κακίας τὴν ἄρνησιν, ὡς παιδιώδη ἡμῖν ἐνυπάρχειν ἁπλότητα. Καὶ τοῦτο δι' ὧν ἔφησε δείκνυσιν, οὐκ εἰπὼν, Ἐὰν μὴ γένησθε παιδία, ἀλλ᾽, Ὡς τὰ παιδία, τῇ τοῦ, ὡς, προσθήκῃ τὴν μίμησιν ἐμφαίνων τοῦ πράγματος.

MARTYRIO. Pōs noēteon, « Ean mē straphēte, kai genēsthe hōs ta paidia. Ouch hēlikias hypostrophēn tēn pros ta paidia homoiōsin ho Kyrios apaitei, hoper autos nomizeis, hōs ho Nikodēmos, alla tēs kakias tēn arnēsin, hōs paidiōdē hēmin enyparchein haplotēta. Kai touto di' hōn ephēse deiknysin, ouk eipōn, Ean mē genēsthe paidia, all᾽, Hōs ta paidia, tę̄ tou, hōs, prosthēkę̄ tēn mimēsin emphainōn tou pragmatos.

To Martyrius. [How "Unless you turn and become like children" should be understood.] The Lord does not require the likeness to children as a reversal of age, as you think, like Nicodemus, but as the renunciation of wickedness, so that childlike simplicity may be in us. And he shows this by what he said: not "unless you become children," but "like children," indicating by the addition of "like" the imitation of the thing.

Matt 18:3 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:4 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Becoming "like children" means acquiring childlike simplicity, not returning to childhood.

Matt 18:3; John 3:4.

Topics: Humility and pride, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.207 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-207). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-207

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.208PG 78 78:313

ΔΟΝΑΤΩ. Περὶ πραότητος. Μὴ τὴν ἔννομον ἀρχὴν τοῖς ἀναρμόστοις ἤθεσιν ἐκβαρβάρου, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πρέπουσιν αὐτῇ πράγμασι κατακόσμει πραότητος μεταδιδοὺς τοῖς ἀθύμοις, καὶ ἰσότητὸς τοῖς ἥττοσι πρὸς τοὺς μείζους· καὶ τότε λαμπρὸν ἐξάψεις πυρσὸν τῆς εὐνομίας. Ὑπέκκαυμα γάρ ἐστι δικαιοσύνη τοῦ φωστῆρος τῆς εὐαρχίας.

DONATŌ. Peri praotētos. Mē tēn ennomon archēn tois anarmostois ēthesin ekbarbarou, alla tois prepousin autę̄ pragmasi katakosmei praotētos metadidous tois athymois, kai isotētos tois hēttosi pros tous meizous; kai tote lampron exapseis pyrson tēs eunomias. Hypekkauma gar esti dikaiosynē tou phōstēros tēs euarchias.

To Donatus. [On gentleness.] Do not make your lawful office barbarous with unsuitable manners, but adorn it with things that befit it, giving gentleness to the disheartened and equality to the lesser against the greater; and then you will kindle a bright beacon of good order. For justice is the kindling of the lamp of good government.

Notes and citation

Summary: A governor is urged to adorn his office with gentleness and equal justice.

Topics: Rulers and the state

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.208 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-208). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-208

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.209PG 78 78:315

ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ. Τί ἐστι, « Τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ. Εἴ τι τῆς ὕλης ἴδιον, εἴ τι πλάνης ἐφόδιον, εἴ τι ἀπάτης εἴδωλον ἐν ἡμῖν ἡ ἕνοικος εἰσέφρησε ῥαθυμία, τοῦτο τῷ δημιουργῷ καὶ ποιητῇ τῆς κακίας ἐπιῤῥίπτεσθαι παρ' ἡμῶν ὁ Κύριος βούλεται. Εἴ τι δὲ ἀρετῆς σύμβουλον, εἴ τι σεμνότητος γνώρισμα, εἴ τι νήψεως καὶ ἀσφαλείας ἐμπόρευμα τοῦτο Θεοῦ καὶ ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ πεπεῖσθαι τυγχάνειν δώρημα, καὶ ἀξίαν αὐτῷ προσκομίζειν τὴν αἴνεσιν. Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὅ φησιν, « ᾿Απόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ.

ThEOGNŌSTŌ. Ti esti, « Ta Kaisaros Kaisari, kai ta tou Theou tǭ Theǭ. Ei ti tēs hylēs idion, ei ti planēs ephodion, ei ti apatēs eidōlon en hēmin hē henoikos eisephrēse rhathymia, touto tǭ dēmiourgǭ kai poiētę̄ tēs kakias epirrhiptesthai par' hēmōn ho Kyrios bouletai. Ei ti de aretēs symboulon, ei ti semnotētos gnōrisma, ei ti nēpseōs kai asphaleias emporeuma touto Theou kai hēgeisthai kai pepeisthai tynchanein dōrēma, kai axian autǭ proskomizein tēn ainesin. Touto estin ho phēsin, « ᾿Apodote ta Kaisaros Kaisari, kai ta tou Theou tǭ Theǭ.

To Theognostus. [What is "Caesar's to Caesar and God's to God"?] If anything belonging to matter, anything that is provision for error, any idol of deceit has slipped into us through the slackness that dwells within, the Lord wants us to throw it back on the maker and author of wickedness. But anything that counsels virtue, any mark of dignity, any merchandise of sobriety and security, this we must regard and be convinced is God's gift, and bring him worthy praise. This is what he says: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Matt 22:21 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Allegorically, "render to Caesar" means casting off whatever belongs to the evil one, and "render to God" means acknowledging every good as God's gift.

Matt 22:21.

Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Grace

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.209 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-209). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-209

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.210PG 78 78:315

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΔΩΡΩ. Τί ἐστι, « Τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαία, φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη. ι Τῆς τελευταίας [τῶν χρόνων] ἀνάγκης τὰ σημεῖα, ἅπερ ὁ Κύριος πρὸς εἴδησιν ἡμῶν ἀπεκάλυψε, σαφηνισθῆναί σοι ἀξιώσας διὰ τοῦ γράμματος, ταχέως τὴν τούτων μάνθανε δύναμιν. « Οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη, › οἱ ἐν τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ ἐρηρεισμένοι (τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ Ἰουδαία ἑρμηνεύεται)· ἐπὶ τὴν ὑψηλὴν καταφυγὴν ἀφοράτωσαν, ὑπὸ τῆς οἰκείας ὁμολογίας φρουρούμενοι. « Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος, μὴ καταβάτω ἆραί τι ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ. Ὁ τῆς παρούσης περιφρονήσας οἰκίας, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐνταῦθα καταπατήσας σκηνὴν, καὶ ὑψηλὸς τῷ βίῳ γενόμενος, καὶ τὰ ἔνοικα πάθη ἀποπεμψάμενος, μηδὲν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπισπάσθω, μὴ δειλίαν, μὴ ῥαθυμίαν, μὴ δόξαν κει βασις. « Ὁ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω ἆραι τὸ ἱμάτιον αὑτοῦ. Ὁ τὸν παλαιὸν ἀπεκδυσάμενος ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τοῖς σαρκίνοις ἀποταξάμενος, τὸν νέον φορείτω, ὃς αὐτὸν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ ἀνεκαίνισε, καὶ τῆς Ιλύος ἐκάθηρεν. Ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἔξει τὸ πρὸς ἐκείνην τὴν μεγάλην κάκωσιν ἀνεπίβουλον. 62 νὴν, μὴ ὄρεξιν πλούτου, ἅπερ ἀφ᾽ ὕψους ἐστὶ κατά

ChRISTODŌRŌ. Ti esti, « Tote hoi en tę̄ Ioudaia, pheugetōsan eis ta orē. i Tēs teleutaias [tōn chronōn] anankēs ta sēmeia, haper ho Kyrios pros eidēsin hēmōn apekalypse, saphēnisthēnai soi axiōsas dia tou grammatos, tacheōs tēn toutōn manthane dynamin. « Hoi en tę̄ Ioudaią pheugetōsan eis ta orē, › hoi en tę̄ eusebeią erēreismenoi (touto gar hē Ioudaia hermēneuetai); epi tēn hypsēlēn kataphygēn aphoratōsan, hypo tēs oikeias homologias phrouroumenoi. « Ho de epi tou dōmatos, mē katabatō arai ti ek tēs oikias autou. Ho tēs parousēs periphronēsas oikias, kai pasan tēn entautha katapatēsas skēnēn, kai hypsēlos tǭ biǭ genomenos, kai ta enoika pathē apopempsamenos, mēden ex autōn epispasthō, mē deilian, mē rhathymian, mē doxan kei basis. « Ho en tǭ agrǭ, mē epistrepsatō arai to himation hautou. Ho ton palaion apekdysamenos anthrōpon, kai tois sarkinois apotaxamenos, ton neon phoreitō, hos auton eis epignōsin Theou anekainise, kai tēs Ilyos ekathēren. En toutois gar exei to pros ekeinēn tēn megalēn kakōsin anepiboulon. 62 nēn, mē orexin ploutou, haper aph᾽ hypsous esti kata

To Christodorus. [What is "Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains"?] Since you have asked by letter to have explained the signs of the final [times'] distress, which the Lord revealed for our knowledge, learn their meaning quickly. "Let those in Judea flee to the mountains": let those firmly founded in godliness (for that is the meaning of "Judea") look to the lofty refuge, guarded by their own confession. "Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything from his house": let him who has despised his present house, trampled the whole tent here, become lofty in life, and sent away the passions that dwell within, draw none of them back to himself: not cowardice, not slackness, not vainglory, not desire for wealth, which are a descent from the height. "Let him who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak": let him who has put off the old man and renounced fleshly things wear the new, who renewed him for the knowledge of God and cleansed him of the mire. For in these he will be secure against that great affliction.

Matt 24:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:10 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The flight to the mountains in the last days is read spiritually: the godly must keep to their lofty refuge and not return to the passions or the old self.

Matt 24:16–18; Col 3:9–10. "Judea" is taken as "confession" or godliness (from Judah, "praise"). The scan has displaced the end of a sentence ("…νὴν, μὴ ὄρεξιν πλούτου, ἅπερ ἀφ᾽ ὕψους ἐστὶ κατά-") to the end of the letter; translated in its place.

Topics: Eschatology, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.210 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-210). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-210

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.211PG 78 78:315

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. « Οὐαὶ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις, καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις. » Ταῖς ἐγκυμονούσαις, φησί, τὸν θεῖον ἔρωτα ψυχαῖς, καὶ οὐ θαῤῥούσαις παῤῥησιάσασθαι, καὶ τεκεῖν τὴν περὶ Θεοῦ ὁμολογίαν καὶ ἔνστασιν, καὶ ταῖς νηπιώδη καὶ ἀτελῆ περὶ τὴν θείαν μακροθυμίαν γνώμην κεκτημέναις, καὶ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν ἀμοιβῶν οὐ προσεχούσαις, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπειλαῖς ἢ προσβολαῖς χαυνωθείσαις, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων γυμνωθείσαις.

TŌ AUTŌ. « Ouai tais en gastri echousais, kai tais thēlazousais en ekeinais tais hēmerais. » Tais enkymonousais, phēsi, ton theion erōta psychais, kai ou tharrhousais parrhēsiasasthai, kai tekein tēn peri Theou homologian kai enstasin, kai tais nēpiōdē kai atelē peri tēn theian makrothymian gnōmēn kektēmenais, kai tę̄ elpidi tōn amoibōn ou prosechousais, all᾽ apeilais ē prosbolais chaunōtheisais, kai tōn mellontōn gymnōtheisais.

To the same. "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing in those days." To souls pregnant, he means, with divine love, who do not dare to speak boldly and give birth to confession and steadfastness for God; and to those who have a childish and immature mind concerning the divine long-suffering, who do not attend to the hope of the rewards, but are slackened by threats or attacks and stripped of the things to come.

Matt 24:19 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The woe to pregnant and nursing women applies to souls too timid to confess God or too immature to endure persecution.

Matt 24:19.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split by OCR): ἀμοι· βῶν → ἀμοιβῶν.

Topics: Eschatology, Persecution, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.211 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-211). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-211

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.

1.212PG 78 78:315

ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Πρὸς ἀσκητάς. Ἔχεις ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ ὧν σπείρεις τοὺς καρποὺς ἀναθάλλοντας· βλέπεις τῶν χρηστῶν σου παλαισμάτων τὰ ἐπινίκια· ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς ἑκουσίου πτωχείας ἑκατονταπλασίονά [σοι] κάνταῦθα κἀκεῖσε ὑπισχνουμένου ἀγαθὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ποιμένος καὶ Σωτῆρος· ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν πρὸς τὰ πάθη ἀγώνων, καὶ σκαμμάτων, τὸν ἄφθαρτόν σοι στέφανον πλέκοντος Παύλου, τοῦ γενναίου τούτων παλαιστοῦ καὶ νικηφόρου.

ZĒNŌNI PRESBYTERŌ. Pros askētas. Echeis en tę̄ theią Graphę̄ hōn speireis tous karpous anathallontas; blepeis tōn chrēstōn sou palaismatōn ta epinikia; hyper men tēs hekousiou ptōcheias hekatontaplasiona [soi] kantautha kakeise hypischnoumenou agatha tou agathou poimenos kai Sōtēros; hyper de tōn pros ta pathē agōnōn, kai skammatōn, ton aphtharton soi stephanon plekontos Paulou, tou gennaiou toutōn palaistou kai nikēphorou.

To Zeno the presbyter. [To ascetics.] You have in divine Scripture the fruits of what you sow springing up; you see the victory songs of your good wrestlings: for voluntary poverty, the good Shepherd and Savior promises [you] good things a hundredfold both here and there; and for the struggles and bouts against the passions, Paul, their noble wrestler and victor, weaves you the incorruptible crown.

Matt 19:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 10:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 9:25 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Tim 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: An ascetic is reminded of Scripture's promises: a hundredfold for voluntary poverty and an incorruptible crown for fighting the passions.

Matt 19:29; Mark 10:30; 1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tim 4:8.

Topics: Asceticism, Wealth and poverty

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.212 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-212). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-212

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.