And we helping do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain.2 For he saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee; and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.3 Giving no offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed:4 But in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses,5 In stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,6 In chastity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned,7 In the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armour of justice on the right hand and on the left;8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet known;9 As dying, and behold we live; as chastised, and not killed;10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as needy, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.
For those who strive after perfection, according to the same apostle, must "give no offence in anything, but in everything approve themselves not to men, but to God." And, as a consequence, also they ought to yield to men; for it is reasonable, on account of abusive calumnies: Here is the specification: "in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Ghost, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God," that we may be the temples of God, purified "from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit." "And I," He says, "will receive you; and I will be to you for a Father, and ye shall be to Me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." "Let us then," he says, "perfect holiness in the fear of God."
For instance, on Abraham becoming a believer, it was reckoned to him for righteousness, he having advanced to the greater and more perfect degree of faith. For he who merely abstains from evil conduct is not just, unless he also attain besides beneficence and knowledge; and for this reason some things are to be abstained from, others are to be done. "By the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left," the apostle says, the righteous man is sent on to the inheritance above,-by some [arms] defended, by others putting forth his might. For the defence of his panoply alone, and abstinence from sins, are not sufficient for perfection, unless he assume in addition the work of righteousness-activity in doing good.
But there is that species of knowledge which is characteristic of the herald, and that which is, as it were, characteristic of a messenger, and it is serviceable in whatever way it operates, both by the hand and tongue. "For he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well-doing." On him who by Divine Providence meets in with it, it confers the very highest advantages,-the beginning of faith, readiness for adopting a right mode of life, the impulse towards the truth, a movement of inquiry, a trace of knowledge; in a word, it gives the means of salvation. And those who have been rightly reared in the words of truth, and received provision for eternal life, wing their way to heaven. Most admirably, therefore, the apostle says, "In everything approving ourselves as the servants of God; as poor, and yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things. Our mouth is opened to you."
Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil.†2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry.3 And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.4 Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.5 Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple,6 And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.7 Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.†8 Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,9 And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me.†10 Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve.11 Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.
(in Luc. Hom. 30.) We are not to suppose that when he shewed Him the kingdoms of the world, he presented before Him the kingdom of Persia, for instance, or India; but he shewed his own kingdom, how he reigns in the world, that is, how some are governed by fornication, some by avarice.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)