Chapter 15
| 1 Οὐκ οἴομαι δέ, ὅτι μικρὰν συμβουλίαν ἐποιησάμην περὶ ἐγκρατείας, ἣν ποιήσας τις οὐ μετανοήσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑαυτὸν σώσει κἀμὲ τὸν συμβουλεύσαντα. μισθὸς γὰρ οὔκ ἐστιν μικρὸς πλανωμένην ψυχὴν καὶ ἀπολλυμένην ἀποστρέψαι εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι. |
Now I don’t think that the advice I have given concerning self-control is minor, the ones who follow it don’t regret it, but will save both himself and me the adviser.
For it is no minor reward to redirect a wandering and perishing soul, that it may be saved. |
| 2 ταύτην γὰρ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἀποδοῦναι τῷ θεῷ τῷ κτίσαντι ἡμᾶς, ἐὰν ὁ λέγων καὶ ἀκούων μετὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης καὶ λέγῃ καὶ ἀκούῃ. | For this is the repayment which we are able to pay to God who created us, if he who speaks and hears both speaks and hears with faith and love. |
|
3 ἐμμείνωμεν
οὖν
ἐφ᾿
οἷς
ἐπιστεύσαμεν
δίκαιοι
καὶ
ὅσιοι,
ἵνα
μετὰ
παρρησίας
αἰτῶμεν
τὸν
θεὸν
τὸν
λέγοντα·
Ἔτι λαλοῦντός σου ἐρῶ· ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. |
Let us therefore remain in what we believed, in righteousness and holiness, so that with boldness we may ask of God who says,
“While you are still speaking I will say, ‘Behold, I am here’” (Isa. 58:9). |
|
4 τοῦτο
γὰρ
τὸ
ῥῆμα
μεγάλης
ἐστιν
ἐπαγγελίας
σημεῖον·
ἑτοιμότερον γὰρ ἑαυτὸν λέγει ὁ κύριος εἰς τὸ διδόναι τοῦ αἰτοῦντος. |
For this word is the sign of a great promise: for the Lord says that He is more ready to give than the one asking is to ask. |
| 5 τοσαύτης οὖν χρηστότητος μεταλαμβάνοντες μὴ φθονήσωμεν ἑαυτοῖς τυχεῖν τοσούτων ἀγαθῶν. ὅσην γὰρ ἡδονὴν ἔχει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα τοῖς ποιήσασιν αὐτά, τοσαύτην κατάκρισιν ἔχει τοῖς παρακούσασιν. |
Then, while sharing in such great kindness, let us not begrudge each other with the gaining of such great good things.
For these words have as much pleasure to those who do them as they have condemnation to those who disobey. |