Sentences of Sextus: Greek Maxims

A faithful person is an elect person.

An elect person is a person of God.

A person of God is one who is worthy of God.

Worthy of God is one who does nothing unworthy of God.

So, when you endeavour to be faithful, do nothing unworthy of God.

One of little faith is faithless in faith.

The faithful person, tested in faith, is a god in a living human body. The one faithless in faith is a dead person in a living body.

Faithful in truth is the one who is without sin.

Live with exactness even in the smallest things.

For in life a small miss is no small thing.

Consider every sin an impiety.

It is not the eye or the hand that sins, or anything of the kind, but the one who uses hand and eye badly.

Cast away every member of the body that persuades you not to be self-controlled; for it is better to live self-controlled without the member than with the member to your ruin.

Consider that at the judgment both the honours and the punishments will be everlasting for you.

Whatever of the world's goods you have, even if someone takes them from you, do not be indignant.

Do not make yourself open to reproach before the world.

Except for your freedom, yield to your neighbour when he takes everything from you.

A wise man without possessions is like God.

Use the things of the world only for what is necessary.

Render exactly the things of the world to the world, and the things of God to God.

Consider that you hold your soul as a deposit from God.

When you speak about God, you are judged by God.

Consider wronging no one the best purification.

A soul is purified by the word of God through a wise man.

Never be persuaded that the being of God is without perception.

God, inasmuch as he is self-moving mind, in that very respect also subsists.

You would not find out the greatness of God even if you flew on wings.

Do not seek the name of God, for you will not find it. Everything that is named is named by something superior, so that the one may call and the other obey. Who, then, has named God? “God” is not God's name, but an opinion about God.

So seek nothing in God that is not there.

God is wise light, which admits no opposite.

All that God made, he made for the sake of human beings.

An angel is God's servant toward human beings, and toward no one else; so a human being is more precious to God than an angel.

The first that does good is God; the second, which receives good, is the human being.

Live, then, as one who stands next after God.

Since you are elect, you have in your make-up something like God; use your make-up, then, as a temple of God.

God gives the faithful authority according to God; so he gives it pure and without sin.

Let the world respect your life.

Give no one occasion to reproach you.

After release from the body, an evil demon calls to account one who has lived badly, until he has paid back even the last penny.

Blessed is the man whose soul no one will lay hold of as it journeys to God.

Whatever you honour above all will rule over you.

Honour the best, so that you may also be ruled by the best.

Being ruled by the best, you yourself will rule over whatever you choose.

The greatest honour to God is the knowledge of God and likeness to him.

Nothing is like God, but most dear to him is what is made like him as far as it can be.

The mind of a pious person is a holy temple of God. The best altar for God is a heart that is pure and without sin.

The only sacrifice to God, and an acceptable one, is doing good to human beings for God's sake.

A person who lives according to God, as far as he can, does what is pleasing to God.

God needs nothing; the faithful person needs God alone.

One who of necessity needs few things emulates the one who needs nothing.

Practise being great before God, and before human beings not envied.

Being kind to those in need, you would be great before God.

While a wise man lives, little is said of him among people; but when he has died, his fame is sung.

Whatever time you do not think of God, consider that time lost to you.

Let only your body sojourn on earth, but let your soul be always with God.

Think good things, so that you may also do good things.

A person's thought does not escape God. Let your mind be pure of all evil.

Be worthy of him who has deemed you worthy to be called his son, and do everything as a son of God.

When you call God Father, remember this in what you do.

A pure man without sin has authority before God as a son of God.

A good mind is God's dwelling place.

An evil mind is a dwelling place of evils.

By freeing the wrongdoer from wrongdoing you would punish him in accordance with God.

Practise not seeming but being righteous; for seeming takes away from each person his being.

Honour what is just for its own sake.

You would not escape God's notice doing unjust things, nor even thinking them.

A self-controlled man is pure before God.

Flee licentiousness.

Practise sound judgment.

Master pleasures.

Conquer the body in everything. From love of pleasure you will not escape licentiousness.

God does not listen to a lover of pleasure.

The end of luxury is ruin.

Let your reason lead your actions.

It is most terrible to be a slave to passions. As many passions as the soul has, so many masters.

Love of money is proof of love of the body.

Acquire the goods of the soul, as secure.

Renounce the things of the body as far as you are able.

Consider the good alone your own.

Be always such as you wish to be when you pray.

When you have, with good reason, thrown the finest of your possessions into the mire, then, being pure, ask something from God.

Be now already such as you wish to be before God. In sharing the things of the world, despise them. Remember that you stand next after God. The soul of a God-fearing person is a god in a body. One who thinks badly of God defiles God.

A blasphemous tongue is proof of an evil mind.

Have a tongue that speaks well, above all about God.

No one is able to do harm to God, but most impious is the one who blasphemes him; for had he been able, he would have done it.

The foundation of piety is self-control. The goal of piety is friendship with God.

Treat a pious person as yourself.

Pray that there may come to you not what you want but what is right and beneficial.

As you wish your neighbours to treat you, treat them too. [90] What you find fault with, do not do either.

Let no one persuade you to do anything contrary to what is better. What has been given you, even if someone takes it from you, do not be indignant.

What God gives, no one takes away. [93] Consider before you act, and examine what you do, so that you do nothing you should not.

What you would not want God to know you are doing, do not do.

Before everything you do, think of God. Let your light lead your actions.

The greatest impiety toward God is ill-treating a human being.

The soul is illumined by the thought of God.

Practise self-sufficiency.

Do not crave everything.

Work hard at the causes of good things.

Do not love the things of the body.

A shameful deed makes a person unclean.

The refutation of foolish opinion purifies the soul.

God is the guide of human beings in good actions.

Consider no one an enemy.

Love what is of your own kind. Love God even before your own soul.

It is not hard for sinners to come together without sinning.

Much food hinders purity. Intemperance in food makes one unclean.

The use of all living creatures for food is indifferent, but abstaining is more rational.

It is not the foods and drinks that go in through the mouth that defile a person, but what comes out of an evil character.

Whatever food you take when overcome … defiles you.

Do not make it your aim to please the crowd.

Consider God the cause of everything you do well.

God is not the cause of evils …

Do not grasp for more of what the body seeks.

Gold does not rescue the soul from evils.

You were not born to luxuriate in God's provision.

Acquire what no one takes from you.

Bear necessities as necessities. [120] Practise greatness of soul.

Do not cling to the things for despising which you are rightly praised. Possess the things in which you rightly take pride.

Pray to God for what is worthy of God.

Make the reason within you the law of your life.

Ask from God what you could not receive from a human being.

Pray that what toils lead to may come to you after the toils.

The prayer of a lazy person is empty talk.

Despise what you will not need once you are released from the body. [128] What you will not keep once you have acquired it, do not ask from God.

Accustom your soul, next after God, to think highly of itself.

Value nothing that a bad man can take away from you.

Consider good only what befits God.

What is worthy of God is worthy also of a good man.

What does not contribute to happiness for God does not for a human being either.

Want the things that God too would want.

A son of God is one who values only the things that God values.

As long as the body longs, the soul does not know God.

Desire for possessions is the beginning of greed.

Injustice grows from self-love.

By nature the body troubles the soul little. Love of pleasure makes the body unbearable.

Everything in excess is hostile to a human being.

Loving what you should not, you will not love what you should.

If you are eager about things that are not good, the good things will escape you.

The mind of a wise man is always with God.

God dwells in the mind of a wise man.

A wise man is known to few.

Every desire is insatiable, and therefore also always in want.

What is wise is always like itself.

Knowledge of God and likeness to him suffice for happiness.

Bad people who are flattered become worse.

Wickedness that is praised becomes unbearable.

Let your tongue follow your mind.

It is better to throw a stone at random than a word.

Consider before speaking, so that you do not say what you should not.

Words without mind are noise.

Much talk does not escape sin.

Wisdom goes with brevity of speech.

Long-windedness is a sign of ignorance.

Love the truth.

Use falsehood like poison.

Let the right moment lead your words.

Speak when it is not fitting to be silent.

About what you do not know, be silent. About what you know, speak when you must.

A word out of season is proof of an evil mind. When you ought to act, do not use words.

In an assembly do not make a point of speaking first. The knowledge of speaking and of keeping silent is the same.

It is better to be defeated speaking the truth than to prevail by deceit. One who wins by deceiving is defeated in character. False words become witnesses of evils. Great is the crisis in which a falsehood is fitting. When you would sin by speaking the truth, … then you will not sin by speaking falsehood. Deceive no one, above all one who needs counsel. By speaking with many you will see better what is beneficial.

Faith is the leader of all good actions.

Wisdom leads the soul to God.

Nothing is more akin to wisdom than truth.

The same nature cannot be both faithful and a lover of falsehood.

A cowardly and servile nature would have no share in faith.

If you are faithful, do not prefer speaking what you should to listening. When you are among the faithful, listen rather than speak.

A man who loves pleasure is useless in everything.

Unless you are blameless, do not use words about God.

The sins of the ignorant are a reproach to those who taught them.

Those through whom the name of God is reviled are dead before God.

A wise man is a benefactor next after God.

Let your life confirm your words before those who hear you.

What you should not do, do not even think of doing.

What you do not want to suffer, do not do either.

What is shameful to do is also shameful to order another to do.

Keep pure from sins even in your mind.

When you rule over people, remember that you are ruled by God.

Whoever judges a person is judged by God.

The danger is greater for the judge than for the one on trial.

Harm a person with anything rather than with a word.

It is possible to deceive a human being with a word, but impossible to deceive God.

It is not hard to have knowledge and yet be defeated in argument.

The chief cause of wrong belief is love of glory in matters of faith.

Value being faithful by being so.

Revere a wise man as a living image of God.

Even if a wise man is naked, let him seem to you to be wise.

Honour no one because he has much money.

It is hard for a rich man to be saved.

To find fault with a wise man and with God is an equal sin.

When you handle discourse about God, consider that the souls of your hearers have been given to you as a deposit.

You cannot live well unless you have believed sincerely.

Consider only what is noble good, and only what befits God noble.

Do great things without promising great things.

You will not become wise by thinking you are wise before you are.

A great crisis shows a faithful man.

Consider the goal of life to be living according to God.

Consider nothing evil that is not shameful.

The end of evil is insolence, and the end of insolence is ruin.

Passion will not rise up into the heart of a faithful person.

Every passion of the soul is hostile to reason.

Whatever you do while in the grip of passion, you will regret.

Passions are the beginnings of diseases.

Wickedness is a disease of the soul. Injustice is the death of the soul.

Consider yourself faithful only when you are freed from the passions of the soul.

Treat all people as a common benefactor of humankind. As you wish your neighbours to treat you, treat them too.

By treating people badly you will treat yourself badly.

The faithful person will do harm to no one.

Pray to be able to do good to your enemies.

A wise man seems useless to the base.

Without God you will not live well.

Endure everything for the sake of living according to God.

God does not hear the prayer of one who does not hear people in need.

A philosopher is a gift from God to a philosopher.

By honouring a philosopher you will honour yourself.

Being faithful, be so.

When someone calls you son, remember whose son he calls you.

When you call God Father, remember this in what you do.

Let your faithful words be full of much piety.

In what you do, keep God before your eyes.

It is terrible for one who confesses God as Father to do anything shameful.

One who does not love the wise man does not love himself either.

Let a philosopher consider nothing his own possession.

Where God is common to all, and that as Father, it is not pious that their possessions should not be common.

One who does not hold a philosopher in high regard is ungrateful to God.

For he grants you to refuse marriage, so that you may live as one who sits beside God. Marry and have children, knowing that each is hard; but if, knowing as you do that war is hard, you would still show courage, then marry and have children.

Every licentious man is an adulterer with his own wife.

Do nothing for the sake of mere pleasure.

Know that you are an adulterer even if you only think of committing adultery; and let the same principle hold for you concerning every sin.

By calling yourself faithful you have confessed that you will not sin against God either.

Let self-control be considered the adornment of a faithful wife.

A man who sends away his wife confesses that he is not able even to rule a wife.

A self-controlled wife is her husband's glory.

If you respect your wife, you will have a wife who respects you.

Let the marriage of the faithful be a contest of self-control.

As soon as you master your belly, you will master sexual desire too.

Beware of praise from unbelievers.

What you receive freely from God, give freely too.

You would not find a multitude of the faithful; for what is good is rare.

Honour a wise man next after God.

When you are rebuked so that you may become wise, be grateful to those who rebuke you.

One who cannot bear the wise man cannot bear the good.

If you wish to be faithful, above all do not sin; but if you do, do not commit the same sin twice.

What is not a lesson worthy of God, do not learn.

Let much learning be considered a meddlesomeness of the soul.

One who knows the things worthy of God is a wise man.

Without learning you will not be dear to God; cling to it as necessary.

A wise man is sparing of time.

Use frankness with modesty. For a wise man even sleep is a matter of self-control.

Let children who live badly grieve you more than children who are not alive.

For to live is not in our power, but to live well is in our power too.

Children who are not faithful are not children.

A faithful man bears the loss of children with thanksgiving.

Do not judge as a philosopher one whom you do not trust in everything.

Do not accept slanders against a philosopher.

Strive to be a common benefactor of humankind.

Consider even punishing someone justly a thing to pray to be spared.

If you wish to live cheerfully, do not do many things; for in busying yourself with many things you will be busy with bad things.

What you did not lay down, do not take up; for otherwise you do not live as the self-sufficient man does.

Leaving what you possess, follow right reason. You will be free from all things if you serve God.

Leave off food while you still want it.

Share your food with everyone.

It is good even to fast so that a poor man may be fed.

Let every drink be pleasant to you.

But guard against drunkenness as you would against madness.

A person overcome by his belly is like a beast.

Nothing good grows from the flesh.

Of shameful pleasure, the pleasant part quickly departs, but the reproach remains.

You may see people cutting off and throwing away their own limbs so that the rest of the body may be healthy; how much better to do so for the sake of self-control.

Consider mastering the body a great education; for acquiring money will not stop the desire for possessions.

Nothing that takes away one's freedom befits a philosopher.

Consider necessary pleasures as necessary.

All pray to have good things, but only those who genuinely share in the divine Word acquire them.

Being a philosopher, be dignified rather than fond of jesting.

Let your jesting be rare, even when it is timely.

Immoderate laughter is a sign of heedlessness. Do not allow yourself to be loosened beyond a smile.

Use seriousness more than relaxation.

Let your life be a contest for a dignified life.

Best is not to sin; but when one sins, it is better to recognize it than to be ignorant of it.

A boaster is not a philosopher.

Consider great the wisdom by which you will be able to bear the lack of education of the ignorant.

Consider it shameful, when you have reason, to be praised for your body.

The souls of the wise are insatiable for piety.

Beginning from God, do whatever you do.

Think of God more continually than you breathe.

What one must do after learning, do not attempt without learning.

Do not love the flesh.

Love a good soul, next after God.

To be able to bear the anger of one's household is the mark of a wise man.

The wealth of a philosopher is self-control.

What you will not have yourself after sharing it with others, do not judge to be good.

No good thing is unshareable. [297] Do not consider one sin smaller than another.

Consider every sin an impiety.

As you wish to be praised and honoured for your good deeds, so also bear being blamed for your sins.

Disregard the blame of those whose praise you despise.

To store up treasure is not humane, and to take it away for oneself is not the mark of a philosopher.

As much as you toil for the body, if you also toiled for the soul you would be wise.

Nothing that does harm is wise.

Call on God as witness of whatever you do.

God confirms the good actions of human beings.

An evil demon is the guide of evil actions.

You will not compel a wise man to do what he does not wish, any more than God.

A wise man commends God to human beings.

Of all his own works, God takes the greatest pride in a wise man.

Nothing, next after God, is so free as a wise man.

Whatever are God's possessions are also the wise man's.

A wise man shares in the kingdom of God.

A bad man does not want there to be a providence of God.

A bad soul flees God.

Everything base is hostile to God.

Consider that what thinks in you is the human being.

Where your thinking is, there is your good.

Do not seek good in the flesh.

What does not harm the soul does not harm the person either.

Honour a philosopher as a servant of God, next after God.

To be weighed down by the tent of your soul is arrogant; but to be able to lay it aside gently when one must is blessed.

Do not become a cause of death to yourself, but do not be indignant with one who takes you from the body.

One who takes the wise man away from the body by his own wickedness does him a good turn; for he is set free as from bonds.

Fear of death grieves a person through the soul's inexperience.

A sword that kills men: best it had never come into being; but since it has, consider that it is not yours.

No pretence escapes notice for long, especially in matters of faith.

Whatever your character is, let your life be such too. A God-fearing character makes a blessed life.

One who plans evil against another is the first to suffer evil.

Let no ungrateful person stop you from doing good.

Of whatever you give at once when asked, judge nothing worth more than the one who receives it.

You will use your wealth best by sharing it readily with those in need.

Persuade a brother who acts unfeelingly not to do so; and if he is incurable, keep watch over him.

Strive to surpass all people in kindness.

You will not have understanding until you know that you do not have it.

Practise self-sufficiency.

The members of the body are burdens to those who do not use them.

It is better to serve others than to be served by others.

Let one whom God does not release from the body not be weighed down by it.

Consider it hard not only to hold an unsociable doctrine but even to listen to one.

One who gives anything with reproach commits an outrage.

By caring for orphans you will be a father of many children, dear to God.

Whomever you serve for the sake of glory, you have served for a wage.

If you give something in order to be known for it, you have given not to a person but to your own pleasure.

Do not provoke the anger of the crowd.

Learn, then, what one must do who is to be happy.

It is better to die of hunger than to darken the soul through intemperance of the belly.

Consider your body the imprint of your soul; so keep it pure.

Whatever the soul practises while dwelling in the body, it departs for the judgment with such witnesses.

Unclean demons lay claim to an unclean soul.

Evil demons do not hinder a faithful and good soul on the way of God.

Do not share discourse about God with everyone.

It is not safe for those corrupted by opinion to hear about God.

To speak even the truth about God is no small danger.

Say nothing about God unless you have learned it from God.

To a godless person say nothing about God.

Honour true discourse about God as you honour God.

If you are not clean of unholy deeds, do not utter discourse about God.

True discourse about God is discourse of God.

Having first been convinced that you are dear to God, speak about God to those you trust.

Let your God-pleasing works go before every word about God.

Do not make a point of speaking about God before a crowd.

Be more sparing of discourse about God than of your soul.

It is better to give up your soul than to let fall a careless word about God.

You will rule the body of a man dear to God, but you will not be master of his reason. A lion too rules the body of a wise man, and so does a tyrant, but only of that.

When a tyrant threatens, then above all remember whose you are.

Let one who speaks discourse about God to those for whom it is not lawful be considered a betrayer of God.

It is better to keep silent about God than to talk rashly.

One who speaks falsehoods about God lies against God.

A person who has nothing true to say about God is bereft of God.

It is not possible to know God without worshipping him.

There is no way that one who wrongs a human being could worship God.

The foundation of godliness is love of humankind.

One who provides for people and prays for all, let him be considered truly God's.

It is God's own work to save whomever he chooses.

And it is the pious person's work to pray to God to save.

Whenever what you prayed for comes to you from God, then consider that you have authority with God.

A person worthy of God is a god among human beings. God and the son of God: the one is the best, the other nearest to the best.

It is better to be without possessions than to have many possessions and not share them.

If you do not give to those in need when you are able, you will not receive from God when you are in need.

When one shares food with someone in need with his whole soul, the gift is something small, but the eagerness is great before God.

One who acknowledges God but thinks that nothing concerns him is no better than an atheist.

One honours God best who has made his own mind like God as far as he can.

God needs nothing at all, but he rejoices in those who share with the needy.

Let the words of the faithful be few, but their works many.

A faithful person who loves learning is a worker of truth.

Adapt yourself to circumstances, so that you may be cheerful.

If you wrong no one, you will fear no one.

A tyrant does not take away happiness.

What you must do, do willingly.

What you must not do, do in no way. Promise anything rather than that you are wise.

Refer to God the cause of what you do well.

No wise man looks downward to the earth and to tables.

It is not his money-making that a philosopher must set free, but his soul.

Guard against lying; for it is both to deceive and to be deceived.

Know who God is; learn what it is in you that thinks.

A good person is a fine work of God.

Wretched are those through whom the word is ill spoken of.

Death does not destroy the soul, but a bad life does.

If you know what you were born for, you will know yourself.

It is not possible to live according to God without acting with self-control, nobly, and justly.

The life of unbelieving people is a disgrace.

Never let yourself share the word of God with an ignoble nature without noticing it.

Faith lifts the soul from earth to God.

You would not find out the greatness of a wise man's soul any more than that of God.

Whatever God gives, no one takes away.

What the world provides, it does not keep securely.

The knowledge of God is divine wisdom.

Do not dare to speak about God to an impure soul.

Make trial of a man by his deeds before his words.

Do not trust your ears to everyone.

To form opinions about God is easy, but to speak the truth is granted only to the just.

Do not torment your body with your soul, nor torment your soul with the pleasures of the body.

Accustom yourself to give the body the things of the body with self-control, and the soul its things with godliness.

Nourish your soul with divine reason and your body with plain food.

Accustom your soul to rejoice in what it is good to rejoice in.

A soul that rejoices in small things is without honour before God. The soul of a wise man hears God.

The soul of a wise man is attuned to God by God.

The soul of a wise man always sees God.

The soul of a wise man is always with God.

The heart of one dear to God is set in God's hand.

The soul's ascent to God is through the word of God.

The wise man follows God, and God follows the soul of the wise man.

What rules rejoices in what it rules, and God rejoices in the wise man.

What rules is inseparable from what it rules; God therefore provides for the wise man and cares for him.

A wise man is under God's guardianship, and for this reason he is also blessed.

The soul of a wise man is tested by God through the body.

It is not the wise man's tongue that is precious before God, but his understanding.

A wise man honours God even when he is silent, knowing why he is silent.

No one who does not master the belly and what is below the belly is faithful.

An intemperate person defiles God.

Knowledge of God makes a person sparing of words.

Inexperience produces many words about God.

A person who knows God does not boast much.

An elect person does everything according to God, but does not profess to be elect.

A person who fills himself with food twice a day and never sleeps alone at night does not escape sexual intercourse.

Fate does not make a person faithful. Fate does not rule God's grace; otherwise it would rule God too.

A faithful man is nourished by self-control.

Know the words and the works of God, and honour God as he deserves.

A faithful soul is pure and wise and a prophetess of God's truth.

You will not love the Lord God unless you have in yourself what God wills.

Consider that like is dear to like.

If you do not love God, you will not be with God.

Accustom yourself always to look toward God.

Seeing God, you will see yourself.

Seeing God, you will make what thinks in you such as God is.

Revere what is in you, and do not outrage it with the desires of the body.

Keep your body unstained, as the garment of your soul from God, just as you keep your tunic unstained, since it is the garment of the flesh.

The mind of a wise man is a mirror of God.

Do not dare to speak about God to a licentious soul.