Shorter Rules (Asceticon, Regulae brevius tractatae) 205–244
Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 205
205PG 31:1217
Τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος ποτὲ μὲν ὅτι, Τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἐγὼ λελάληκα ὑμῖν, πνεῦμὰ ἐστι, καὶ ζωή ἐστι· ποτὲ δὲ ὅτι, Τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον διδάξει ὑμᾶς πάντα, καὶ ὑπομνήσει ἃ ἂν εἴπω ὑμῖν· οὐ γὰρ λαλήσει, φησὶν, ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσα ἂν ἀκούσῃ παρ' ἐμοῦ, ταῦτα λαλήσει· οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ πτωχοί τῷ πνεύματι, οἵτινες οὐ δι' ἄλλην τινὰ αἰτίαν ἐπτώχευσαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Ὕπαγε, πώλησον πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς. Ἐὰν δέ τις, καὶ τὴν ὁπωσοῦν συμβᾶσαν πτωχείαν καταδεξάμενος, κυβερνήσῃ πρὸς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς ὁ Λάζαρος, οὐδὲ οὗτος τοῦ
Tines eisin hoi ptōchoi tǭ pneumati. APOKRISIS. Tou Kyriou legontos pote men hoti, Ta rhēmata ha egō lelalēka hymin, pneuma esti, kai zōē esti; pote de hoti, To Pneuma to hagion didaxei hymas panta, kai hypomnēsei ha an eipō hymin; ou gar lalēsei, phēsin, aph' heautou, all᾽ hosa an akousę̄ par' emou, tauta lalēsei; houtoi eisin hoi ptōchoi tǭ pneumati, hoitines ou di' allēn tina aitian eptōcheusan, alla dia tēn didaskalian tou Kyriou eipontos; Hypage, pōlēson panta hosa echeis, kai dos ptōchois. Ean de tis, kai tēn hopōsoun symbasan ptōcheian katadexamenos, kybernēsę̄ pros to thelēma tou Theou, hōs ho Lazaros, oude houtos tou
Question. Who are the poor in spirit?
Answer. Since the Lord says at one time, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life,” and at another, “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things and remind you of what I said to you; for he will not speak,” he says, “on his own, but whatever he hears from me, that he will speak,” those are the poor in spirit who have become poor for no other reason than because of the teaching of the Lord, who said: “Go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor.” And if someone, accepting a poverty that has befallen him in whatever way, steers it toward the will of God, as Lazarus did, neither is he …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 5:3 (allusion, high confidence) · John 6:63 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:26 (quotation, high confidence) · John 16:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 19:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:20–25 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The poor in spirit are those who have become poor for the sake of the Lord's teaching to sell everything; one who accepts poverty that came to him otherwise and turns it to God's will, like Lazarus, is also not excluded.
- The end of the answer is lost in the scan text (“neither is he [far from the blessing]”, probably).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter): δὲς πτωχοῖς → δὸς πτωχοῖς.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 205 (PG 31:1217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/205). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/205
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 206
206PG 31:1219
Τοῦ Κυρίου παραγγέλλοντος μη μεριμνᾷν τί φάγωμεν, ἢ τί πίωμεν, ἢ τί περιβαλλώμεθα, μέχρι τίνος ἐστὶν ἡ ἐντολή· ἢ πῶς κατορθοῦται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ μὲν ἐντολή ἐστι μέχρι θανάτου, ὡς καὶ πᾶσα ἐντολή. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ὑπήκουσε μέχρι θανάτου. Κατορθοῦται δὲ τῇ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν πεποιθήσει. Απαγορεύσας γὰρ ὁ Κύριος τὴν μέριμναν, ἐπισυνάπτει τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, εἰπών· Οἶδε γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν, ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε, πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν. Τοιοῦτος ἦν ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγων· Τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοῦ θανάτου ἐσχήκαμεν, ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες ὦμεν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ἐγείροντι τοὺς νεκρούς· κατὰ μὲν τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὴν ἑτοιμασίαν τῆς ψυχῆς καθημέραν ἀποθνήσκων, τῇ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐδοκίᾳ φυλασσόμενος. Διὸ μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἔλεγεν Ὡς ἀποθνήσκοντες, καὶ ἰδοὺ ζῶμεν. Βοηθεῖ δὲ τῇ τοιαύτῃ προαιρέσει καὶ ἡ περὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Κυρίου διάπυρος σπουδὴ καὶ ἀκόρεστος ἐπιθυμία, ὑφ᾽ ἧς ὁ κρατηθεὶς οὐδὲ σχολὴν ἄγει μετεωρισθῆναι περὶ τὰς τοῦ σώματος χρείας.
Tou Kyriou parangellontos mē merimnąn ti phagōmen, ē ti piōmen, ē ti periballōmetha, mechri tinos estin hē entolē; ē pōs katorthoutai. APOKRISIS. Hē men entolē esti mechri thanatou, hōs kai pasa entolē. Kai gar ho Kyrios hypēkouse mechri thanatou. Katorthoutai de tę̄ epi ton Theon pepoithēsei. Apagoreusas gar ho Kyrios tēn merimnan, episynaptei tēn epangelian, eipōn; Oide gar ho Patēr hymōn, hōn chreian echete, pro tou hymas aitēsai auton. Toioutos ēn ho Apostolos legōn; To apokrima tou thanatou eschēkamen, hina mē pepoithotes ōmen eph᾽ heautois, all' epi tǭ Theǭ tǭ egeironti tous nekrous; kata men tēn krisin kai tēn hetoimasian tēs psychēs kathēmeran apothnēskōn, tę̄ de tou Theou eudokią phylassomenos. Dio meta parrhēsias elegen Hōs apothnēskontes, kai idou zōmen. Boēthei de tę̄ toiautę̄ proairesei kai hē peri tas entolas tou Kyriou diapyros spoudē kai akorestos epithymia, hyph᾽ hēs ho kratētheis oude scholēn agei meteōristhēnai peri tas tou sōmatos chreias.
Question. Since the Lord commands us not to be anxious about what we shall eat or drink or put on, how far does the commandment extend, and how is it achieved?
Answer. The commandment extends unto death, as every commandment does; for the Lord too obeyed unto death. And it is achieved by trust in God. For the Lord, having forbidden anxiety, joins the promise to it, saying: “For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Such was the Apostle, who said: “We had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,” dying daily in the judgment and readiness of his soul, but preserved by God's good pleasure. That is why he said boldly: “As dying, and behold, we live.” And what helps such a resolve is a burning zeal and insatiable desire for the Lord's commandments; one who is gripped by it has no leisure even to be distracted about the needs of the body.
Matt 6:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 6:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:31 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:9 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The command not to be anxious for food and clothing holds even unto death and is kept by trusting God, as Paul did, dying daily yet preserved; zeal for the commandments leaves no room for such cares.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; column letter): αὐτῆσαι → αἰτῆσαι; τοὺς Β νεκρούς → τοὺς νεκρούς.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 206 (PG 31:1219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/206). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/206
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 207
207PG 31:1219
Οὐκοῦν εἰ μηδὲ μεριμνᾷν δεῖ περὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων πρὸς τὸ ζῆν, καὶ ἄλλη παραγγελία ἐστι τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος·· Εργάζεσθε μὴ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην·ι περισσὸν τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐν ἑκατέρῳ τόπῳ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ πρόσταγμα ἐσαφήνισεν. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἀπαγορεύσας τὸ ζητεῖν τὰ πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἐν τῷ· εἰπεῖν· Μὴ ζητεῖτε τί φάγητε, ἢ τί πίητε· ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τοῦ κόσμου ἐπιζητεῖ· προσέταξεν εἰπών Ζητεῖτε δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ· πῶς δὲ δεῖ ζητεῖν, διὰ τῶν καταξιουμένων ἐδήλωσεν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ κωλύσας ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην, ἐδίδαξεν ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον· ἣν αὐτὸς πάλιν ἐφανέρωσεν ἐν ἑτέρῳ τόπῳ εἰπών· Ἐμὸν βρῶμά ἐστιν, ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με Πατρός. Εἰ δὲ θέλημα Θεοῦ ἐστι πεινῶντα θρέψαι, διψῶντα ποτίσαι, γυμνὸν περιβαλεῖν, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα μιμεῖσθαι τὸν ᾿Απόστολον λέγοντα· Πάντα ὑπέδειξα ὑμῖν, ὅτι οὕτω κοπιῶντας δεῖ ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν ἀσθενούντων· καὶ ὑπακούειν αὐτῷ διδάσκοντι· Μᾶλλον δὲ κοπιάτω ἐργαζόμενος ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἵνα ἔχῃ μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρείαν ἔχοντι. Τούτων τοίνυν οὕτως ἡμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου καὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου παραδεδομένων, φανερὸν ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἑαυτοῦ ἕνεκεν μεριμνᾶν, ἢ ἐργάζεσθαι, παντάπασιν ἀπηγόρευται· κατ᾿ ἐντολὴν δὲ τοῦ Κυρίου, διὰ τὴν χρείαν τοῦ πλησίον μεριμνᾷν καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι σπουδαιότερον χρή· μάλιστα τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀναδεχομένου τὴν εἰς τοὺς ἀνακειμένους αὐτῷ σπουδὴν, καὶ βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν ὑπὲρ ταύτης ἐπαγγελλομένου.
Oukoun ei mēde merimnąn dei peri tōn anankaiōn pros to zēn, kai allē parangelia esti tou Kyriou eipontos;; Ergazesthe mē tēn brōsin tēn apollymenēn;i perisson to ergazesthai. APOKRISIS. Autos ho Kyrios en hekaterǭ topǭ to heautou prostagma esaphēnisen. Ekei men gar apagoreusas to zētein ta pros to zę̄n en tǭ; eipein; Mē zēteite ti phagēte, ē ti piēte; tauta gar panta ta ethnē tou kosmou epizētei; prosetaxen eipōn Zēteite de tēn basileian tou Theou kai tēn dikaiosynēn autou; pōs de dei zētein, dia tōn kataxioumenōn edēlōsen; entautha de kōlysas ergazesthai tēn brōsin tēn apollymenēn, edidaxen ergazesthai tēn brōsin tēn menousan eis zōēn aiōnion; hēn autos palin ephanerōsen en heterǭ topǭ eipōn; Emon brōma estin, hina poiō to thelēma tou pempsantos me Patros. Ei de thelēma Theou esti peinōnta threpsai, dipsōnta potisai, gymnon peribalein, kai ta loipa, anankē pasa mimeisthai ton ᾿Apostolon legonta; Panta hypedeixa hymin, hoti houtō kopiōntas dei antilambanesthai tōn asthenountōn; kai hypakouein autǭ didaskonti; Mallon de kopiatō ergazomenos tais idiais chersi to agathon, hina echę̄ metadidonai tǭ chreian echonti. Toutōn toinyn houtōs hēmin hypo tou Kyriou dia tou Euangeliou kai tou Apostolou paradedomenōn, phaneron hoti to men heautou heneken merimnan, ē ergazesthai, pantapasin apēgoreutai; kat᾿ entolēn de tou Kyriou, dia tēn chreian tou plēsion merimnąn kai ergazesthai spoudaioteron chrē; malista tou Kyriou eis heauton anadechomenou tēn eis tous anakeimenous autǭ spoudēn, kai basileian ouranōn hyper tautēs epangellomenou.
Question. If, then, we must not even be anxious about what is necessary for life, and there is another command of the Lord, who said, “Do not work for the food that perishes,” is working superfluous?
Answer. The Lord himself made his command clear in each passage. There, having forbidden seeking what is needed for life, saying, “Do not seek what you will eat or what you will drink; for all the nations of the world seek all these things,” he commanded, saying, “But seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness”; and how one must seek it he showed through those counted worthy of it. Here, having forbidden working for the food that perishes, he taught us to work for the food that endures to eternal life, which he again revealed in another place, saying: “My food is to do the will of the Father who sent me.” And if it is the will of God to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and the rest, it is altogether necessary to imitate the Apostle, who says, “In all things I showed you that by labouring like this we must help the weak,” and to obey him when he teaches: “Let him rather labour, working with his own hands what is good, so that he may have something to give to him who has need.” Since these things have thus been handed down to us by the Lord through the Gospel and the Apostle, it is plain that to be anxious or to work for one's own sake is altogether forbidden; but according to the Lord's commandment we must be anxious and work the more zealously for our neighbour's need, especially since the Lord takes upon himself the zeal shown toward those devoted to him, and promises the kingdom of heaven for it.
John 6:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:29–31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:33 (quotation, medium confidence) · John 4:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:35–36 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 20:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:34 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Work is not forbidden: the Lord forbids anxiety and labour for oneself, but commands us to labour diligently for others' needs, which is doing God's will, as Paul worked with his hands to help the weak.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): ἀναγ καίων → ἀναγκαίων; πρόσ ταγμα → πρόσταγμα; ἀσθε νούντων → ἀσθενούντων.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 207 (PG 31:1219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/207). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/207
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-207) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 208
208PG 31:1221
Εἰ καλόν ἐστι καθόλου σιγὴν ἀσκεῖν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τῆς σιγῆς τὸ καλὸν καιρῷ καὶ προσώπῳ δοκιμάζεται, ὡς παρὰ τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς διδασκόμεθα. Καιρῷ μὲν, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ ὅτι, ῾Ὁ συνιὼν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ σιωπήσεται, ὅτι καιρὸς πονηρός ἐστι· καὶ πάλιν· Ἐθέμην τῷ στόματι μου φυλακὴν, ἐν τῷ συστῆναι τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐναντίον μου· προσώπῳ δὲ, ὡς ὅταν γράφῃ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος· Ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλῳ ἀποκαλυφθῇ καθημένῳ, ὁ πρῶτος σιγάτω· καὶ πάλιν· Αἱ γυναῖκες ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν. Ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ τοῖς ἀκρατεστέροις τὴν γλῶσσαν, καὶ μὴ δυναμένοις φυλάξαι τὸ, Πᾶς λόγος σαπρὸς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ ἐκπορευέσθω, ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις ἀγαθὸς, πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς πίστεως· ἀναγκαία ἡ τελεία σιωπή, ἕως ἂν ἐν ταύτῃ τὸ τε πάθος τῆς ἐν λόγοις προπετείας θεραπευθῶσι, καὶ δυνηθῶσι μαθεῖν ἐπὶ σχολῆς, πότε, καὶ τί, καὶ πῶς λαλεῖν δεῖ, ἵνα, καθὼς γέγραπται, Δῷ χάριν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν.
Ei kalon esti katholou sigēn askein. APOKRISIS. Tēs sigēs to kalon kairǭ kai prosōpǭ dokimazetai, hōs para tēs theopneustou Graphēs didaskometha. Kairǭ men, hōs hotan legę̄ hoti, ῾Ho syniōn en tǭ kairǭ ekeinǭ siōpēsetai, hoti kairos ponēros esti; kai palin; Ethemēn tǭ stomati mou phylakēn, en tǭ systēnai ton hamartōlon enantion mou; prosōpǭ de, hōs hotan graphę̄ ho ᾿Apostolos; Ean de allǭ apokalyphthę̄ kathēmenǭ, ho prōtos sigatō; kai palin; Hai gynaikes hymōn en tais ekklēsiais sigatōsan. Esti de hote kai tois akratesterois tēn glōssan, kai mē dynamenois phylaxai to, Pas logos sapros ek tou stomatos hymōn mē ekporeuesthō, all᾽ ei tis agathos, pros oikodomēn tēs pisteōs; anankaia hē teleia siōpē, heōs an en tautę̄ to te pathos tēs en logois propeteias therapeuthōsi, kai dynēthōsi mathein epi scholēs, pote, kai ti, kai pōs lalein dei, hina, kathōs gegraptai, Dǭ charin tois akouousin.
Question. Whether it is good to practise complete silence.
Answer. The good of silence is tested by time and person, as we are taught by the God-inspired Scripture. By time, as when it says, “He who understands will keep silent at that time, for it is an evil time”; and again, “I set a guard on my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.” By person, as when the Apostle writes, “If something is revealed to another who sits by, let the first be silent”; and again, “Let your women keep silent in the churches.” And there are times when complete silence is necessary for those who have less control over the tongue and cannot keep the saying, “Let no rotten word proceed out of your mouth, but only such as is good for the building up of faith,” until in this silence their passion of rashness in words is healed, and they are able to learn at leisure when, what, and how one should speak, so that, as it is written, it “may give grace to those who hear.”
Amos 5:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 39:1 (38:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 14:30 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 14:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:29 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Silence is good according to time and person; complete silence is needed for those who cannot govern their tongue until they are healed and learn when and how to speak to edify.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letter in a Greek word): στόματi → στόματι.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 208 (PG 31:1221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/208). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/208
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-208) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 209
209PG 31:1221
Πῶς δυνηθῶμεν φοβηθῆναι τὰ κρίματα τοῦ Θεοῦ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Κατὰ φύσιν ἡ προσδοκία παντὸς δεινοῦ φόβου ἐστὶ ποιητική Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τὰ θηρία φοβούμεθα, καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας, κακοῦ τινος πεῖραν ἐξ αὐτῶν προσδοκῶντες. Ἐὰν οὖν τις πιστεύσῃ, ὅτι ἀληθεῖς εἰσιν αἱ ἀπειλαὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ προσδοκήσῃ τὴν φρικώδη καὶ δεινοτάτην αὐτῶν πεῖραν φοβεῖται τὰ κρίματα τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Pōs dynēthōmen phobēthēnai ta krimata tou Theou. APOKRISIS. Kata physin hē prosdokia pantos deinou phobou esti poiētikē Houtō gar kai ta thēria phoboumetha, kai tous archontas, kakou tinos peiran ex autōn prosdokōntes. Ean oun tis pisteusę̄, hoti alētheis eisin hai apeilai tou Kyriou, kai prosdokēsę̄ tēn phrikōdē kai deinotatēn autōn peiran phobeitai ta krimata tou Theou.
Question. How can we come to fear the judgments of God?
Answer. By nature, the expectation of anything dreadful produces fear. So we fear wild beasts and rulers, expecting to experience some evil from them. If, then, someone believes that the Lord's threats are true, and expects to experience them, terrible and most dreadful as they are, he fears the judgments of God.
Notes and citation
Summary: We fear God's judgments when we believe his threats are true and expect to experience them, as we fear beasts and rulers from whom we expect harm.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter): σἱ ἀπειλαὶ → αἱ ἀπειλαὶ.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 209 (PG 31:1221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/209). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/209
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-209) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 210
210PG 31:1221
Τις ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου παραδεδομένη καταστολὴ κόσμιος. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τὸν ἴδιον σεμνοπρεπής χρῆσις, ἐστοχασμένη καιροῦ, τόπου, προσώπου, χρείας. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐγκρίνει ὁ λόγος σκεπάσματα ἐν καιρῷ χειμῶνος καὶ θέρους, οὔτε τὸ αὐτὸ σχῆμα τοῦ ἐργάτου καὶ τοῦ ἀναπαυομένου, τοῦ ὑπηρετοῦντος καὶ τοῦ θεραπευομένου, τοῦ στρατιώτου καὶ τοῦ ἰδιώτου, ἢ ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικός.
Tis estin hē tou ᾿Apostolou paradedomenē katastolē kosmios. APOKRISIS. Hē pros ton skopon ton idion semnoprepēs chrēsis, estochasmenē kairou, topou, prosōpou, chreias. Ou gar ta auta enkrinei ho logos skepasmata en kairǭ cheimōnos kai therous, oute to auto schēma tou ergatou kai tou anapauomenou, tou hypēretountos kai tou therapeuomenou, tou stratiōtou kai tou idiōtou, ē andros kai gynaikos.
Question. What is the seemly apparel handed down by the Apostle?
Answer. A use that is dignified with regard to its proper purpose, with an eye to time, place, person, and need. For reason does not approve the same coverings in winter and in summer, nor the same dress for one who works and one who rests, for one who serves and one who is served, for a soldier and a civilian, or for a man and a woman.
1 Tim 2:9 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Seemly dress is dignified clothing suited to its purpose, season, place, person, and need.
- A stray page reference “(98-99)” in the scan text is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (column letter; stray page reference): χρῆσις, Α ἐστοχασμένη → χρῆσις, ἐστοχασμένη; προσώπου (98-99), χρείας → προσώπου, χρείας.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 210 (PG 31:1221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/210). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/210
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 211
211PG 31:1223
Τί τὸ μέτρον τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπης. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὸ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἀεὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπεκτείνεσθαι πρὸς τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλημα, κατὰ σκοπὸν καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς αὐτοῦ δόξης.
Ti to metron tēs pros Theon agapēs. APOKRISIS. To hyper dynamin aei tēn psychēn epekteinesthai pros to tou Theou thelēma, kata skopon kai epithymian tēs autou doxēs.
Question. What is the measure of love for God?
Answer. That the soul always stretch out beyond its strength toward the will of God, with the aim and desire of his glory.
Phil 3:13 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Love for God has no measure but always stretching beyond one's strength toward God's will for his glory.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 211 (PG 31:1223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/211). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/211
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 212
212PG 31:1223
Πῶς κατορθοῦται ἡ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπη. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐὰν εὐσυνειδήτως καὶ εὐγνωμόνως διατεθῶμεν ἐπὶ ταῖς παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ εὐεργεσίαις· ὅπερ καὶ τοῖς ἀλόγοις ὑπάρχει. Ὁρῶμεν γὰρ τοὺς κύνας τὸν διδόντα ἄρτον μόνον ἀγαπῶντας· μανθάνομεν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ἐκ τῶν διὰ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου έγκληματικῶς εἰρημένων οὕτως· Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα· αὐτοὶ δὲ με ἠθέτησαν. Ἔγνω βοῦς τὸν κτησάμενον, καὶ ὄνος τὴν φάτνην τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ· Ἰσραὴλ δὲ με οὐκ ἔγνω, καὶ ὁ λαός με οὐ συνῆκεν. "Ωσπερ γὰρ τῷ βοῖ καὶ τῷ ὄνῳ ἐκ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ τρέφοντος εὐεργεσίας ἡ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀγάπη αὐτομάτως ἐγγίνεται· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐὰν εὐαισθήτως καὶ εὐγνωμόνως τὰς εὐεργεσίας δεξώμεθα, πῶς οὐκ ἀγαπήσομεν τὸν τοσούτων καὶ τηλικούτων εὐεργέτην Θεὸν, κατὰ φύσιν, ἵνα οὕτως εἶπω, καὶ ἀδιδάκτως τῆς τοιαύτης διαθέσεως τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ ψυχῇ ἐγγινομένης;
Pōs katorthoutai hē pros Theon agapē. APOKRISIS Ean eusyneidētōs kai eugnōmonōs diatethōmen epi tais par᾿ autou euergesiais; hoper kai tois alogois hyparchei. Horōmen gar tous kynas ton didonta arton monon agapōntas; manthanomen de touto kai ek tōn dia Hēsaïou tou prophētou enklēmatikōs eirēmenōn houtōs; Huious egennēsa kai hypsōsa; autoi de me ēthetēsan. Egnō bous ton ktēsamenon, kai onos tēn phatnēn tou kyriou autou; Israēl de me ouk egnō, kai ho laos me ou synēken. "Ōsper gar tǭ boi kai tǭ onǭ ek tēs para tou trephontos euergesias hē pros auton agapē automatōs enginetai; houtō kai hēmeis, ean euaisthētōs kai eugnōmonōs tas euergesias dexōmetha, pōs ouk agapēsomen ton tosoutōn kai tēlikoutōn euergetēn Theon, kata physin, hina houtōs eipō, kai adidaktōs tēs toiautēs diatheseōs tę̄ hygiainousę̄ psychę̄ enginomenēs?
Question. How is love for God achieved?
Answer. If we are disposed with good conscience and gratitude toward his benefits, which is found even in irrational creatures. For we see dogs loving the one who only gives them bread; and we learn this too from what was said reproachfully through Isaiah the prophet: “I have begotten and raised up sons, but they have rejected me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's manger; but Israel has not known me, and my people has not understood me.” For as love toward the one who feeds them arises of itself in the ox and the donkey from his benefits, so we too, if we receive his benefits with feeling and gratitude, how shall we not love God, the benefactor of so many and such great things, since such a disposition arises in the sound soul naturally, so to speak, and untaught?
Isa 1:2–3 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Love for God grows from grateful awareness of his benefits, as even an ox loves its owner; a sound soul that feels God's gifts will love him naturally.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 212 (PG 31:1223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/212). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/212
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 213
213PG 31:1223
Τίνα ἐστὶ τὰ γνωρίσματα τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπης. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξεν ἡμᾶς, εἰπών· Ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτέ με, τὰς ἐντολὰς τὰς ἐμὰς τηρήσατε.
Tina esti ta gnōrismata tēs pros Theon agapēs. APOKRISIS. Autos ho Kyrios edidaxen hēmas, eipōn; Ean agapate me, tas entolas tas emas tērēsate.
Question. What are the marks of love for God?
Answer. The Lord himself taught us, saying: “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
John 14:15 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The mark of love for God is keeping his commandments.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 213 (PG 31:1223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/213). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/213
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 214
214PG 31:1223
Χρηστότης καὶ ἀγαθωσύνη τίνι διαφέρουσιν ἀλλήλων. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Δαβὶδ εἰπόντος ποτὲ μέν· Χρηστὸς Κύριος τοῖς σύμπασι, καὶ, Χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ ὁ οἰκτείρων καὶ κιχρῶν· ποτὲ δὲ, ᾿Αγάθυνον, Κύριε, τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς· καὶ τοῦ Ἱερεμίου, ᾿Αγαθὸς Κύριος τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν αὐτὸν, πλατυτέραν οἶμαι εἶναι τὴν χρηστότητα, εἰς εὐεργεσίαν τῶν ὁπωσδηποτοῦν ἐπιδεομένων ταύτης· συνηγμένην δὲ μᾶλλον τὴν ἀγαθωσύνην, καὶ τοῖς τῆς δικαιοσύνης λόγοις ἐν ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις συγχρωμένην.
Chrēstotēs kai agathōsynē tini diapherousin allēlōn. APOKRISIS. Tou Dabid eipontos pote men; Chrēstos Kyrios tois sympasi, kai, Chrēstos anēr ho oikteirōn kai kichrōn; pote de, ᾿Agathynon, Kyrie, tois agathois; kai tou Hieremiou, ᾿Agathos Kyrios tois hypomenousin auton, platyteran oimai einai tēn chrēstotēta, eis euergesian tōn hopōsdēpotoun epideomenōn tautēs; synēgmenēn de mallon tēn agathōsynēn, kai tois tēs dikaiosynēs logois en tais euergesiais synchrōmenēn.
Question. How do kindness and goodness differ from each other?
Answer. Since David says at one time, “The Lord is kind to all,” and, “Kind is the man who has pity and lends,” and at another, “Do good, O Lord, to the good,” and Jeremiah says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him,” I think kindness is broader, for the benefit of those who need it in any way at all; while goodness is more restricted, and in its benefits makes use of the principles of righteousness.
Gal 5:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 145:9 (144:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 112:5 (111:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 125:4 (124:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Lam 3:25 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Kindness extends to all who are in any need, while goodness is more discriminating and follows the principles of justice in its benefits.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 214 (PG 31:1223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/214). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/214
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 215
215PG 31:1225
Τις ἐστιν ὁ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου μακαριζόμενος εἰρηνοποιός. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὁ τῷ Κυρίῳ συνεργῶν, κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον εἰπόντα· Ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ πρεσβεύομεν, ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος δι' ἡμῶν· δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καταλλάγητε τῷ Θεῷ· καὶ πάλιν· Δικαιωθέντες ἐκ πίστεως, εἰρήνην ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Ἡ γὰρ ἄλλως ἔχουσα εἰρήνη ἠρνήθη ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν· οὐ καθὼς ὁ κόσμος δίδωσιν, ἐγὼ δίδωμι ὑμῖν.
Tis estin ho hypo tou Kyriou makarizomenos eirēnopoios. APOKRISIS. Ho tǭ Kyriǭ synergōn, kata ton ᾿Apostolon eiponta; Hyper Christou presbeuomen, hōs tou Theou parakalountos di' hēmōn; deometha hyper Christou, katallagēte tǭ Theǭ; kai palin; Dikaiōthentes ek pisteōs, eirēnēn echomen pros ton Theon. Hē gar allōs echousa eirēnē ērnēthē hypo tou Kyriou eipontos; Eirēnēn tēn emēn didōmi hymin; ou kathōs ho kosmos didōsin, egō didōmi hymin.
Question. Who is the peacemaker blessed by the Lord?
Answer. One who works together with the Lord, according to the Apostle, who said, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were exhorting through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”; and again, “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.” For peace of any other kind was disowned by the Lord, who said: “My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”
Matt 5:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:1 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:27 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The blessed peacemaker works with the Lord to reconcile people to God, for Christ's peace is not the world's.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR breathing): είρηνοποιός → εἰρηνοποιός.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 215 (PG 31:1225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/215). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/215
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 216
216PG 31:1225
Ἐν τίνι στραφῆναι δεῖ καὶ γενέσθαι ὡς τὰ νήπια ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Αὐτὴ ἡ περικοπὴ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου διδάσκει ἡμᾶς, τὴν ὑπόθεσιν δηλοῦσα πρὸς ἣν εἴρηται τοῦτο· ὥστε μὴ ζητεῖν ὑπεροχὴν, τὴν δὲ ἰσοτιμίαν τῆς φύσεως γνωρίζειν, καὶ ἀγαπᾶν τὸ ἰσότιμον πρὸς τοὺς ἐλαττοῦσθαι δοκοῦντας ἔν τισι. Τοιαῦτα γάρ ἐστι καὶ τὰ παιδία πρὸς ἄλληλα, τά γε μήπω προσεθισθέντα τῇ τῶν ἀναστρεφομένων κακίᾳ.
En tini straphēnai dei kai genesthai hōs ta nēpia APOKRISIS. Autē hē perikopē tou Euangeliou didaskei hēmas, tēn hypothesin dēlousa pros hēn eirētai touto; hōste mē zētein hyperochēn, tēn de isotimian tēs physeōs gnōrizein, kai agapan to isotimon pros tous elattousthai dokountas en tisi. Toiauta gar esti kai ta paidia pros allēla, ta ge mēpō prosethisthenta tę̄ tōn anastrephomenōn kakią.
Question. In what must we turn and become like little children?
Answer. The Gospel passage itself teaches us, by showing the occasion on which this was said: so as not to seek pre-eminence, but to recognize the equal honour of our nature and to cherish equality of honour with those who seem to be inferior in some things. For such are children toward one another, those at least not yet accustomed to the wickedness of those they live among.
Matt 18:1–4 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Becoming like children means not seeking pre-eminence but treating all as equals in nature, as children do before they learn the vices of adults.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): ἐλατ. τοῦσθαι → ἐλαττοῦσθαι.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 216 (PG 31:1225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/216). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/216
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 217
217PG 31:1225
Πῶς δεξόμεθα τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐὰν τοιοῦτοι γενώμεθα πρὸς τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ Κυρίου, οἷόν ἐστι τὸ παιδίον ἐν τοῖς μαθήμασι· μὴ ἀντιλέγον, μήτε δικαιολογούμενον πρὸς τοὺς διδασκάλους, πιστῶς δὲ καὶ εὐπειθῶς δεχόμενον τὰ διδάγματα.
Pōs dexometha tēn basileian tou Theou hōs paidion. APOKRISIS. Ean toioutoi genōmetha pros tēn didaskalian tou Kyriou, hoion esti to paidion en tois mathēmasi; mē antilegon, mēte dikaiologoumenon pros tous didaskalous, pistōs de kai eupeithōs dechomenon ta didagmata.
Question. How shall we receive the kingdom of God as a little child?
Answer. If we become toward the Lord's teaching what a child is in its lessons: not contradicting or arguing with its teachers, but receiving the instruction faithfully and obediently.
Mark 10:15 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: We receive the kingdom like a child by accepting the Lord's teaching as a child accepts lessons, without argument.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 217 (PG 31:1225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/217). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/217
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 218
218PG 31:1225
Ποίαν σύνεσιν αἰτεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀφείλομεν, ἢ πῶς αὐτῆς καταξιωθῆναι δυνάμεθα. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὴν μὲν σύνεσιν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου μανθάνομεν, λέγοντος· Μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ σοφός ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ ἰσχυρός ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ· ἀλλὰ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, ἐν τῷ συνιεῖν καὶ γινώσκειν τὸν Κύριον· καὶ διὰ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου εἰπόντος· Ἀλλὰ συνιέντες, τὶ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Κυρίου. Δυνάμεθα δὲ ταύτης καταξιωθῆναι, ἐὰν ποιήσωμεν τὸ γεγραμμένον· Σχολάσατε, καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός· καὶ ἐὰν πιστεύσωμεν ἀληθὲς εἶναι πᾶν ῥῆμα Θεοῦ· Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ πιστεύσητε, φησὶν, οὐδὲ μὴ συνῆτε.
Poian synesin aitein para tou Theou opheilomen, ē pōs autēs kataxiōthēnai dynametha. APOKRISIS. Tēn men synesin par᾿ autou tou Theou dia tou prophētou manthanomen, legontos; Mē kauchasthō ho sophos en tę̄ sophią autou, kai mē kauchasthō ho ischyros en tę̄ ischyï autou, kai mē kauchasthō ho plousios en tǭ ploutǭ autou; alla en toutǭ kauchasthō ho kauchōmenos, en tǭ syniein kai ginōskein ton Kyrion; kai dia tou ᾿Apostolou eipontos; Alla synientes, ti to thelēma tou Kyriou. Dynametha de tautēs kataxiōthēnai, ean poiēsōmen to gegrammenon; Scholasate, kai gnōte, hoti egō eimi ho Theos; kai ean pisteusōmen alēthes einai pan rhēma Theou; Ean gar mē pisteusēte, phēsin, oude mē synēte.
Question. What understanding ought we to ask of God, or how can we be counted worthy of it?
Answer. We learn what understanding is from God himself through the prophet, who says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the strong man boast in his strength, and let not the rich man boast in his riches; but let him who boasts boast in this, in understanding and knowing the Lord”; and through the Apostle, who said: “But understanding what the will of the Lord is.” And we can be counted worthy of it if we do what is written, “Be still, and know that I am God,” and if we believe that every word of God is true; for “if you do not believe,” it says, “neither will you understand.”
Jer 9:23–24 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 46:10 (45:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 7:9 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The understanding to seek is knowledge of the Lord and of his will; it is gained by stillness before God and by believing all his words.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (column letter): γινώσκειν τὸν Α Κύριον → γινώσκειν τὸν Κύριον.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 218 (PG 31:1225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/218). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/218
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 219
219PG 31:1227
Ἐὰν εὐεργετηθῶμεν παρά τινος, πῶς δυνηθῶμεν καὶ τῷ Κυρίῳ τὴν ὀφειλομένην εὐχαριστίαν καθαρὰν καὶ ὀλόκληρον ἀποδοῦναι, καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν εὐεργέτην ἐπιστημόνως πληρῶσαι, μήτε ἐλλείποντες, μήτε ὑπερβαίνοντες τὸ μέτρον. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐὰν τὸν μὲν Θεὸν ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ εἶναι πληροφορηθῶμεν· τὸν δὲ διάκονον ὡς ὑπηρέτην τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐεργεσίας γνωρίσωμεν.
Ean euergetēthōmen para tinos, pōs dynēthōmen kai tǭ Kyriǭ tēn opheilomenēn eucharistian katharan kai oloklēron apodounai, kai tēn pros ton euergetēn epistēmonōs plērōsai, mēte elleipontes, mēte hyperbainontes to metron. APOKRISIS. Ean ton men Theon archēgon kai teleiōtēn pantos agathou einai plērophorēthōmen; ton de diakonon hōs hypēretēn tēs tou Theou euergesias gnōrisōmen.
Question. If we receive a benefit from someone, how can we render to the Lord the thanksgiving we owe, pure and whole, and also fulfil with understanding what we owe to the benefactor, neither falling short of nor exceeding the measure?
Answer. If we are fully assured that God is the author and perfecter of every good, and recognize the one who ministered it as a servant of God's benefit.
Jas 1:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Heb 12:2 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: When someone does us good, we should give the thanks to God as the source of every good and regard the human benefactor as his servant.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): διάκον ν → διάκονον.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 219 (PG 31:1227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/219). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/219
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 220
220PG 31:1227
Εἰ παντὶ τῷ βουλομένῳ ἀδελφαῖς συντυγχάνειν ἐπιτρέπειν χρή· ἢ τίς, καὶ πότε, καὶ πῶς ἀδελφαῖς συντεύξεται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Περὶ τούτων εἴρηται ἐν τοῖς κατὰ πλάτος, ὅτι οὔτε ἀνδρὶ ἀνὴρ κατ᾿ ἐξουσίαν ἕκαστος ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε συντυγχάνειν ὀφείλει· μετὰ δοκιμασίας δὲ ὁ δυνάμενος ὠφελῆσαι καὶ ὠφεληθῆναι, οὐχ ὅτι γε γυναικί. Εἰ δέ τις μνημονεύει τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος, ὅτι Πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργὸν ὁ ἐὰν λαλήσωσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἀποδώσουσι λόγον περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, φοβεῖται ἐπὶ παντὸς πράγματος τὸ τοιοῦτον κρῖμα, καὶ πείθεται τῷ ᾿Αποστόλῳ εἰπόντι Εἴτε ἐσθίετε, εἴτε πίνετε, εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· Πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω· καὶ οὐδὲν ἀνέχεται ποιῆσαι ἀργῶς καὶ ἀνωφελῶς. Τὸ δὲ, Τίς, καὶ πότε, καὶ πῶς, ἵνα καιρὸς καὶ τόπος, καὶ πρόσωπον δοκιμάζηται, ἀφ᾿ ὧν κακοῦ μέν τινος οὔτε ὑποψία ἔσται· τὸ δὲ ἀπρόσκοπον τοῖς πᾶσι φυλαχθήσεται, καὶ πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς πίστεως ἡ συντυχία γενήσεται. ᾿Αλλ' οὔτε ἓν πρόσωπον ἑνὶ συντυγχάνειν ἐπιτρέπει ὁ λόγος. Ἀγαθοὶ γὰρ οἱ δύο, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ τὸν ἕνα, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀξιόπιστοι· Οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἐνὶ, ὅτι, ἐὰν πέσῃ, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐγείρων.
Ei panti tǭ boulomenǭ adelphais syntynchanein epitrepein chrē; ē tis, kai pote, kai pōs adelphais synteuxetai. APOKRISIS. Peri toutōn eirētai en tois kata platos, hoti oute andri anēr kat᾿ exousian hekastos haplōs kai hōs etyche syntynchanein opheilei; meta dokimasias de ho dynamenos ōphelēsai kai ōphelēthēnai, ouch hoti ge gynaiki. Ei de tis mnēmoneuei tou Kyriou eipontos, hoti Pan rhēma argon ho ean lalēsōsin hoi anthrōpoi, apodōsousi logon peri autou en hēmerą kriseōs, phobeitai epi pantos pragmatos to toiouton krima, kai peithetai tǭ ᾿Apostolǭ eiponti Eite esthiete, eite pinete, eite ti poieite, panta eis doxan Theou poieite; kai allachou; Panta pros oikodomēn ginesthō; kai ouden anechetai poiēsai argōs kai anōphelōs. To de, Tis, kai pote, kai pōs, hina kairos kai topos, kai prosōpon dokimazētai, aph᾿ hōn kakou men tinos oute hypopsia estai; to de aproskopon tois pasi phylachthēsetai, kai pros oikodomēn tēs pisteōs hē syntychia genēsetai. ᾿All' oute hen prosōpon heni syntynchanein epitrepei ho logos. Agathoi gar hoi dyo, phēsin, hyper ton hena, hama de kai axiopistoi; Ouai de tǭ eni, hoti, ean pesę̄, ouk estin ho egeirōn.
Question. Whether everyone who wishes should be allowed to meet with the sisters; or who, and when, and how one shall meet with the sisters.
Answer. It has been said about these things in the longer answers that not even with a man should each man meet simply and at random, on his own authority, but, after testing, one who is able to benefit and to be benefited; much less with a woman. And if someone remembers the Lord, who said, “For every idle word that men speak they will give account of it on the day of judgment,” he fears such a judgment in every matter, and obeys the Apostle, who said, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” and elsewhere, “Let all things be done for building up,” and will not allow himself to do anything idly and unprofitably. As for “who, and when, and how”: so that time, place, and person may be tested, through which there will be no suspicion of anything bad, offence to all will be avoided, and the meeting will serve the building up of faith. But reason does not allow even one person to meet with one. “For two are better than one,” it says, and at the same time more trustworthy; “but woe to him who is alone, for if he falls, there is no one to lift him up.”
Matt 12:36 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:31 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 14:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 4:9–10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Meeting the sisters is not open to all: it is for those approved after testing, at fitting times and places, for edification, never alone but always two together.
- The end of the answer (“and at the same time more trustworthy … to lift him up”) stands at its beginning in the scan text; it is moved to its place by logged corrections. “The longer answers”: the Longer Rules, question 33.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; displaced end of the answer restored; end of the answer displaced to its beginning; split word): Dἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀξιόπιστοι· Οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἐνὶ, ὅτι, ἐὰν πέσῃ, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐγείρων. → ; εἰπόντως → εἰπόντος; ἄνθρω ποι → ἄνθρωποι; λό γος → λόγος; ὑπὲρ τὸν ἕνα, → ὑπὲρ τὸν ἕνα, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀξιόπιστοι· Οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἐνὶ, ὅτι, ἐὰν πέσῃ, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐγείρων..
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 220 (PG 31:1227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/220). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/220
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 221
221PG 31:1229
Τοῦ Κυρίου διδάσκοντος προσεύχεσθαι μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμὸν, εἰ δεῖ προσεύχεσθαι μὴ περιπεσεῖν ὀδύναις σωματικαῖς· ἐὰν δὲ περιπέσῃ τις, πῶς παρέλθῃ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Οὐ διέκρινε πειρασμοῦ ποιότητα, καθολικῶς δὲ προσέταξε· Προσεύχεσθε μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμόν· εἰσαχθέντα δὲ σὺν τῷ πειρασμῷ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν, παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου αἰτεῖν δεῖ, ἵνα κατορθωθῇ ἡμῖν τὸ, ῾Ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται.
Tou Kyriou didaskontos proseuchesthai mē eiselthein eis peirasmon, ei dei proseuchesthai mē peripesein odynais sōmatikais; ean de peripesę̄ tis, pōs parelthę̄. APOKRISIS. Ou diekrine peirasmou poiotēta, katholikōs de prosetaxe; Proseuchesthe mē eiselthein eis peirasmon; eisachthenta de syn tǭ peirasmǭ tēn ekbasin tou dynasthai hypenenkein, para tou Kyriou aitein dei, hina katorthōthę̄ hēmin to, ῾Ho de hypomeinas eis telos, houtos sōthēsetai.
Question. Since the Lord teaches us to pray not to enter into temptation, should we pray not to fall into bodily pains? And if someone does fall into them, how should he come through it?
Answer. He did not distinguish the kind of temptation, but commanded generally: “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” But when we have been brought into it, we must ask of the Lord, together with the temptation, the way of escape, that we may be able to bear it, so that this may be achieved in us: “But he who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
Matt 26:41 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 22:40 (quotation, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 10:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:22 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: We should pray to be spared every kind of temptation, including bodily suffering, and when it comes, ask God for the way through it so as to endure to the end.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letters): προσεύχεσσαι μη εισελθεῖν → προσεύχεσθαι μὴ εἰσελθεῖν.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 221 (PG 31:1229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/221). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/221
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 222
222PG 31:1229
Τἰς ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίδικος ἑκάστου ἡμῶν· ἢ πῶς αὐτῷ εὐνοήσομεν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐπιτετηρημένως ἐνταῦθα ὁ Κύριος ἀντίδικον ὀνομάζει τὸν ἀφαιρεῖσθαί τι ἐπιχειροῦντα τῶν διαφερόντων ἡμῖν. Εὐνοοῦμεν δὲ αὐτῷ, ἐὰν φυλάξωμεν τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Τῷ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι, καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἄφες αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ ἐπὶ παντὸς πράγματος τοιούτου ὁμοίως.
Tis estin ho antidikos hekastou hēmōn; ē pōs autǭ eunoēsomen. APOKRISIS. Epitetērēmenōs entautha ho Kyrios antidikon onomazei ton aphaireisthai ti epicheirounta tōn diapherontōn hēmin. Eunooumen de autǭ, ean phylaxōmen to prostagma tou Kyriou eipontos; Tǭ thelonti soi krithēnai, kai ton chitōna sou labein, aphes autǭ kai to himation kai epi pantos pragmatos toioutou homoiōs.
Question. Who is the adversary of each of us, and how shall we be well-disposed toward him?
Answer. Here the Lord pointedly calls “adversary” the one who tries to take away something that belongs to us. And we are well-disposed toward him if we keep the command of the Lord, who said, “To him who wishes to go to law with you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well,” and likewise in every such matter.
Matt 5:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:40 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The adversary is whoever tries to take what is ours; we show him goodwill by giving more than he takes, as the Lord commanded.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; split word): ὀνο μάζει → ὀνομάζει; Εἰνοοῦμεν → Εὐνοοῦμεν.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 222 (PG 31:1229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/222). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/222
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 223
223PG 31:1229
Τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος, « Σὺ δὲ νηστεύων, ἄλειψαι σου τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι, ἵνα μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων· ὁ θέλων διά τινα λόγον ἀρέσκοντα Θεῷ νηστεῦσαι, καθὼς καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι πολλάκις πεποιηκότες εὑρίσκονται, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὡς οὐ θέλει φαίνεται, τί ποιήσει. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὸ παράγγελμα τοῦτό ἐστι πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιτηδεύοντας ποιεῖν τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἵνα τὸ πάθος τῆς ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας θεραπεύσωσιν. Ἐπεὶ ὅτι γε ἡ ἐντολὴ τοῦ Κυρίου, εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ γενομένη, κατὰ φύσιν ἀνεπιτηδείως ἔχει πρὸς τὸ κρύπτεσθαι παρὰ τοῖς φιλοθέοις, ὁ Κύριος ἐδήλωσεν εἰπών· Οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη· οὐδὲ καίουσι λύχνον, καὶ τιθέασιν αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.
Tou Kyriou eipontos, « Sy de nēsteuōn, aleipsai sou tēn kephalēn, kai to prosōpon sou nipsai, hina mē phanę̄s tois anthrōpois nēsteuōn; ho thelōn dia tina logon areskonta Theǭ nēsteusai, kathōs kai hoi hagioi pollakis pepoiēkotes heuriskontai, epeidē kai hōs ou thelei phainetai, ti poiēsei. APOKRISIS. To parangelma touto esti pros tous epitēdeuontas poiein tēn entolēn tou Theou pros to theathēnai tois anthrōpois, hina to pathos tēs anthrōpareskeias therapeusōsin. Epei hoti ge hē entolē tou Kyriou, eis doxan Theou genomenē, kata physin anepitēdeiōs echei pros to kryptesthai para tois philotheois, ho Kyrios edēlōsen eipōn; Ou dynatai polis krybēnai epanō orous keimenē; oude kaiousi lychnon, kai titheasin auton hypo ton modion, kai ta hexēs.
Question. Since the Lord said, “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to men to be fasting,” what shall one do who wishes to fast for some reason pleasing to God, as the saints are often found to have done, since it becomes apparent even though he does not wish it?
Answer. This command is addressed to those who make a practice of doing God's commandment in order to be seen by men, so that they may heal the passion of man-pleasing. For that the Lord's commandment, when done to the glory of God, is by nature unsuited to being hidden among those who love God, the Lord showed when he said: “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do they light a lamp and put it under the measure,” and so on.
Matt 6:17–18 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:14–15 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The command to hide one's fasting is aimed at those who fast to be seen; a commandment done for God's glory naturally cannot stay hidden, like a city on a hill.
- A stray Latin numeral (CCXXIII) before the question in the scan text is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letters in a Greek word; stray numeral): CCXXΧΙΙΙ. → ; ἄλειψal → ἄλειψαι.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 223 (PG 31:1229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/223). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/223
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 224
224PG 31:1229
Εἰ καὶ νῦν οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ὥρας ἐργάζονται, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνδεκάτης, καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν οὗτοι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τάχα γνωριμώτατόν ἐστι τοῦτο τοις πᾶσιν ἐκ τῶν ἐν τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ Γραφῇ ἱστορουμένων· ὅτι πολλοί μὲν εἰσι, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἀποστόλου μαρτυρίαν, ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα μανθάνοντες· πολλοί δὲ οἱ κατὰ τὸν Κορνήλιον, τοῖς μὲν φυσικοῖς κινήμασιν ὑγιῶς χρώμενοι, εἰς δὲ τὴν κατ' ἐπιστήμην τελειότητα βραδύνοντες, διὰ τὴν ἀπόλειψιν τῶν διδασκόντων. Πῶς γὰρ πιστεύσουσι, φησὶν, ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσωσιν; Ἐὰν οὖν συμβῇ τινας εἶναι, κατὰ τὸν Κορνήλιον, περὶ μηδὲν μὲν κακὸν ἀσχολουμένους, ἐν δὲ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῆς τελειότητος τὰ δυνατὰ καὶ εἰς γνῶσιν ἥκοντα καλὰ γνησίως ἐπιδεικνυμένους, τούτοις ὁ Θεὸς χαρίζεται ἃ καὶ τῷ Κορνηλίῳ, μὴ τούτοις λογισάμενος τὸν παρελθόντα χρόνον τῆς ἀργίας εἰς ἔγκλημα, ἐπεὶ μὴ παρὰ τὴν αὐτῶν αἰτίαν, ὡς εἶπον, ἐγένετο· τῇ δὲ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἀρχούμενος, τῇ φανερωθείσῃ διὰ τῶν κατὰ καιρὸν σπουδαζομένων, καὶ ἐπὶ τέλει ἐπιμελέστερον κατορθουμένων
Ei kai nyn hoi men apo tēs prōtēs hōras ergazontai, hoi de apo tēs endekatēs, kai tines eisin houtoi. APOKRISIS. Tacha gnōrimōtaton esti touto tois pasin ek tōn en tę̄ theopneustǭ Graphę̄ historoumenōn; hoti polloi men eisi, kata tēn tou Apostolou martyrian, apo brephous ta hiera grammata manthanontes; polloi de hoi kata ton Kornēlion, tois men physikois kinēmasin hygiōs chrōmenoi, eis de tēn kat' epistēmēn teleiotēta bradynontes, dia tēn apoleipsin tōn didaskontōn. Pōs gar pisteusousi, phēsin, ean mē akousōsin? Ean oun symbę̄ tinas einai, kata ton Kornēlion, peri mēden men kakon ascholoumenous, en de epithymią tēs teleiotētos ta dynata kai eis gnōsin hēkonta kala gnēsiōs epideiknymenous, toutois ho Theos charizetai ha kai tǭ Kornēliǭ, mē toutois logisamenos ton parelthonta chronon tēs argias eis enklēma, epei mē para tēn autōn aitian, hōs eipon, egeneto; tę̄ de epithymią archoumenos, tę̄ phanerōtheisę̄ dia tōn kata kairon spoudazomenōn, kai epi telei epimelesteron katorthoumenōn
Question. Whether even now some work from the first hour and others from the eleventh, and who these are.
Answer. This is perhaps very well known to all from what is related in the God-inspired Scripture: that there are many who, according to the Apostle's testimony, learn the sacred writings from infancy; and many who, like Cornelius, use their natural impulses soundly but are slow in coming to perfection in knowledge, because of the lack of teachers. “For how shall they believe,” it says, “if they do not hear?” If, then, there happen to be some who, like Cornelius, are busied with nothing evil, but in desire for perfection genuinely show such good things as are possible and have come to their knowledge, to them God grants what he granted to Cornelius, not reckoning against them as a charge the past time of idleness, since, as I said, it did not come about through their own fault; but being satisfied with their desire, made plain by what they strove for at each time, and at the end achieved with greater care.
Matt 20:1–16 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Tim 3:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 10:1–48 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 10:14 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Some serve God from childhood like Timothy, others come late like Cornelius for lack of teachers; God does not charge the latter with their lost time but rewards their sincere desire for perfection.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (column letter; column letter inside a word; split word): ἀπὸ Α βρέφους → ἀπὸ βρέφους; ἀσχο λουμένους → ἀσχολουμένους; ἐπιδει κνυμένους → ἐπιδεικνυμένους; κατορΒ θουμένων → κατορθουμένων.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 224 (PG 31:1229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/224). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/224
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-224) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 225
225PG 31:1231
Τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· « Οὅπου ἐὰν ὦσι δύο ἢ τρεῖς συνηγμένοι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα, ἐκεῖ εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν·· πῶς τούτου καταξιωθῆναι δυνηθῶμεν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Οἱ εἰς τὸ ὄνομά τινος συναχθέντες, πάντως ὀφείλουσιν εἰδέναι τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ συναγαγόντος, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑαυτοὺς καταρτίζειν, ἵνα εὐαρεστήσεως χάριν εὕρωσι, καὶ μὴ κακίας ἢ ἀμελείας κρίματι ὑποπέσωσιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ κληθέντες ὑπό τινος, εἰ μὲν σκοπὸς τοῦ θερίσαι πρόκειται τῷ καλέσαντι, πρὸς αὐτὸ ἑαυτοὺς παρασκευάζουσιν εἰ δὲ σκοπὸς τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι, πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν εὐτρεπίζονται· οὕτως οἱ κληθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου μνημονεύειν ὀφείλομεν τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος Παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως, ἧς ἐκλήθητε, μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ πραότητος, μετὰ μακροθυμίας, ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπη, σπουδάζοντες τηρεῖν τὴν ἐνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης. Ἓν σῶμα, καὶ ἐν πνεῦμα, καθὼς καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν μιᾷ ἐλπίδι τῆς κλήσεως ὑμῶν. Σαφέστερον δὲ ἡμῖν παρίστησιν ὁ Κύριος τὸ πᾶν διὰ τῆς πρὸς ἕνα ἐπαγγελίας εἰπών· Ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ με, τὸν λόγον μου τηρήσει καὶ ὁ Πατήρ μου ἀγαπήσει αὐτὸν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλευσόμεθα, καὶ μονὴν παρ' αὐτῷ ποιήσομεν. Ὡς οὖν γίνεται παρὰ τούτῳ ἡ μονὴ ἐκ τηρήσεως τῶν ἐντολῶν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν δύο ἢ τριῶν ἐν
Tou Kyriou eipontos; « Hoopou ean ōsi dyo ē treis synēgmenoi eis to emon onoma, ekei eimi en mesǭ autōn;; pōs toutou kataxiōthēnai dynēthōmen. APOKRISIS. Hoi eis to onoma tinos synachthentes, pantōs opheilousin eidenai ton skopon tou synagagontos, kai pros auton heautous katartizein, hina euarestēseōs charin heurōsi, kai mē kakias ē ameleias krimati hypopesōsin. Hōsper gar hoi klēthentes hypo tinos, ei men skopos tou therisai prokeitai tǭ kalesanti, pros auto heautous paraskeuazousin ei de skopos tou oikodomēsai, pros tēn oikodomēn eutrepizontai; houtōs hoi klēthentes hypo tou Kyriou mnēmoneuein opheilomen tou Apostolou legontos Parakalō hymas egō ho desmios en Kyriǭ axiōs peripatēsai tēs klēseōs, hēs eklēthēte, meta pasēs tapeinophrosynēs kai praotētos, meta makrothymias, anechomenoi allēlōn en agapē, spoudazontes tērein tēn enotēta tou pneumatos en tǭ syndesmǭ tēs eirēnēs. Hen sōma, kai en pneuma, kathōs kai eklēthēte en mią elpidi tēs klēseōs hymōn. Saphesteron de hēmin paristēsin ho Kyrios to pan dia tēs pros hena epangelias eipōn; Ean tis agapą me, ton logon mou tērēsei kai ho Patēr mou agapēsei auton, kai pros auton eleusometha, kai monēn par' autǭ poiēsomen. Hōs oun ginetai para toutǭ hē monē ek tērēseōs tōn entolōn, houtō kai tōn dyo ē triōn en
Question. Since the Lord said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” how can we be counted worthy of this?
Answer. Those gathered together in someone's name ought certainly to know the aim of the one who gathered them, and to fit themselves to it, so that they may find the favour of being well-pleasing and not fall under the judgment of wickedness or negligence. For as those called by someone, if the caller's aim is to reap, prepare themselves for that, and if his aim is to build, make ready for building, so we who have been called by the Lord ought to remember the Apostle, who says: “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling.” And the Lord shows us the whole more clearly through his promise to a single person, saying: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.” As, then, the abode is made with him through the keeping of the commandments, so also among the two or three …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 18:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:1–4 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:23 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: To have Christ among us when gathered in his name, we must know and serve the purpose for which he called us, walking worthily in humility, love, and unity, as he dwells with whoever keeps his word.
- The end of the answer is lost in the scan text.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split and repeated letters; split word): εὐαρεστή σεως → εὐαρεστήσεως; τῆς της ρήσεως → τηρήσεως.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 225 (PG 31:1231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/225). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/225
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 226
226PG 31:1233
Τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· « Λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν, βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν·· πῶς ὀφείλει εὐλογεῖν ὁ λοιδορούμενος, ἢ τί παρακαλειν ὁ βλασφημούμενος. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Καθόλου νομίζω τὸν ᾿Απόστολον ἐνταῦθα διδάσκειν ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτὸν, ἀνεξικακίᾳ χρῆσθαι πρὸς πάντας, καὶ ἀγαθοῖς ἀμείβεσθαι τοὺς πονηρευομένους· ὡς μὴ μόνον ἐπὶ τοῦ λοιδοροῦντος γίνεσθαι τὸ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ παντὸς πονηρευομένου, πληροῦντας τὸ εἰρημένον· Μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ νίκα ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν. Τὸ δὲ παρακαλεῖν οἶδεν ἡ Γραφὴ τιθέναι, οὐ κατὰ τὴν χρῆσιν τῆς. συνηθείας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ συμβιβάζειν τὴν καρδίαν εἰς πληροφορίαν τῆς ἀληθείας, ὡς ἐν τῷ, Παρακαλεῖτε τὸν λαόν μου, λέγει ὁ Θεός. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος δέ φησιν· Ἐπιποθῶ γὰρ ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἵνα τι μεταδῶ χάρισμα ὑμῖν πνευματικὸν εἰς τὸ στηριχθῆναι ὑμᾶς· τοῦτο δὲ ἐστι, συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις πίστεως ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἐμοῦ· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· ᾿Αλλ' ὁ παρακαλῶν τοὺς ταπεινούς παρεκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ Τίτου.
Tou Apostolou legontos; « Loidoroumenoi eulogoumen, blasphēmoumenoi parakaloumen;; pōs opheilei eulogein ho loidoroumenos, ē ti parakalein ho blasphēmoumenos. APOKRISIS. Katholou nomizō ton ᾿Apostolon entautha didaskein hēmas apo tōn kath' heauton, anexikakią chrēsthai pros pantas, kai agathois ameibesthai tous ponēreuomenous; hōs mē monon epi tou loidorountos ginesthai to toiouton, alla kai epi pantos ponēreuomenou, plērountas to eirēmenon; Mē nikō hypo tou kakou, alla nika en tǭ agathǭ to kakon. To de parakalein oiden hē Graphē tithenai, ou kata tēn chrēsin tēs. synētheias, alla pros to symbibazein tēn kardian eis plērophorian tēs alētheias, hōs en tǭ, Parakaleite ton laon mou, legei ho Theos. Kai ho ᾿Apostolos de phēsin; Epipothō gar idein hymas, hina ti metadō charisma hymin pneumatikon eis to stērichthēnai hymas; touto de esti, symparaklēthēnai en hymin dia tēs en allēlois pisteōs hymōn te kai emou; kai allachou; ᾿All' ho parakalōn tous tapeinous parekalesen hēmas ho Theos en tę̄ parousią Titou.
Question. Since the Apostle says, “Being reviled, we bless; being slandered, we exhort,” how ought one who is reviled to bless, or what is one who is slandered to exhort?
Answer. In general I think the Apostle here teaches us, from his own example, to show forbearance toward all and to repay those who do evil with good things; so that this happens not only in the case of one who reviles, but also of everyone who does evil, fulfilling what is said: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” And Scripture is accustomed to use “exhort” not in the usual sense, but for bringing the heart to full assurance of the truth, as in “Exhort my people, says God.” And the Apostle says: “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established; that is, that we may be encouraged together among you through the faith we share, both yours and mine”; and elsewhere: “But God, who comforts the lowly, comforted us by the coming of Titus.”
1 Cor 4:12–13 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:11–12 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 7:6 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Paul teaches us to repay every evil with good; to “exhort” those who slander us means, in Scripture's usage, to bring their hearts to assurance of the truth.
- Basil reads Isa 40:1 LXX παρακαλεῖτε (“comfort” or “exhort”) in the sense of exhortation.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; split word and OCR letter): εύλος γοῦμεν → εὐλογοῦμεν; εἰοημένον → εἰρημένον.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 226 (PG 31:1233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/226). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/226
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 227
227PG 31:1233
Εἰ χρὴ ἕκαστον ἀνατίθεσθαι καὶ ἑτέροις ἃ φρονεῖ, ἢ ἐν πληροφορίᾳ τοῦ ἀρέσκειν τῷ Θεῷ τὸ γενόμενον, παρ' ἑαυτῷ κατέχειν ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Μεμνημένοι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποφάσεως, εἰπόντος διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· Οὐαὶ οἱ συνετοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐνώπιον ἑαυτῶν ἐπιστήμονες· καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου λέγοντος· Ἐπιποθῶ γὰρ ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἵνα τι μεταδῶ χάρισμα ὑμῖν πνευματικὸν εἰς τὸ στηριχθῆναι ὑμᾶς· τοῦτο δὲ ἐστι, συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις πίστεως ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἐμοῦ· λογιζόμεθα ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι ἀνατίθεσθαι ἡμᾶς τοῖς ὁμοψύχοις, καὶ ἀπόδειξιν δεδωκόσι πίστεώς τε καὶ συνέσεως, ἵνα ἢ τὸ πεπλανημένον διορθωθῇ, ἢ τὸ ἠκριβωμένον βεβαιωθῇ, καὶ ἡμεῖς φύγωμεν τὸ προειρημένον κρίμα, τὸ κατὰ τῶν ἑαυτοῖς συνετῶν.
Ei chrē hekaston anatithesthai kai heterois ha phronei, ē en plērophorią tou areskein tǭ Theǭ to genomenon, par' heautǭ katechein APOKRISIS. Memnēmenoi tēs tou Theou apophaseōs, eipontos dia tou prophētou; Ouai hoi synetoi en heautois, kai enōpion heautōn epistēmones; kai tou ᾿Apostolou legontos; Epipothō gar idein hymas, hina ti metadō charisma hymin pneumatikon eis to stērichthēnai hymas; touto de esti, symparaklēthēnai en hymin dia tēs en allēlois pisteōs hymōn te kai emou; logizometha anankaion einai anatithesthai hēmas tois homopsychois, kai apodeixin dedōkosi pisteōs te kai syneseōs, hina ē to peplanēmenon diorthōthę̄, ē to ēkribōmenon bebaiōthę̄, kai hēmeis phygōmen to proeirēmenon krima, to kata tōn heautois synetōn.
Question. Whether each one should submit to others too what he thinks, or keep to himself what he has done, in the full assurance that it pleases God.
Answer. Remembering God's sentence, spoken through the prophet, “Woe to those who are wise in themselves, and knowing in their own sight,” and the Apostle, who says, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established; that is, that we may be encouraged together among you through the faith we share, both yours and mine,” we reckon it necessary to submit our thoughts to those of one soul with us who have given proof of faith and understanding, so that either what has gone astray may be corrected or what is exact may be confirmed, and we may escape the judgment pronounced against those who are wise in their own eyes.
Isa 5:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:11–12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: One should submit one's own judgments to proven brothers of one mind, so that errors are corrected and right views confirmed, avoiding the woe on those wise in their own eyes.
- This is Migne's question 227 (Greek numeral ΣΚΖ΄, Latin CCXXVII); a stray Latin numeral (CCXXVII) after the heading “Answer” is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letters in a Greek word; split word; stray numeral): ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. CCXΧVΙΙ. → ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. ; ἵνra → ἵνα; ἀνατίθε σθαι → ἀνατίθεσθαι; ἑαυ τοῖς → ἑαυτοῖς.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 227 (PG 31:1233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/227). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/227
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 228
228PG 31:1233
Εἰ ἐπὶ παντὶ πράγματι πληροφορεῖν χρὴ τὸ θέλημα τῶν σκανδαλιζομένων, ἢ ἔστι τινὰ, ἐφ' ὧν οὐ δεῖ προσποιεῖσθαι, κἄν τινες σκανδαλίζωνται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Σαφῆ τὴν ἐν τούτοις διαφορὰν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ τόπῳ ἐπερωτηθέντες ἐδηλώσαμεν, καὶ τὴν περὶ τούτου ἀκρίβειαν, ὡς δυνατὸν ἡμῖν, παραδεδώκαμεν.
Ei epi panti pragmati plērophorein chrē to thelēma tōn skandalizomenōn, ē esti tina, eph' hōn ou dei prospoieisthai, kan tines skandalizōntai. APOKRISIS. Saphē tēn en toutois diaphoran en tǭ idiǭ topǭ eperōtēthentes edēlōsamen, kai tēn peri toutou akribeian, hōs dynaton hēmin, paradedōkamen.
Question. Whether in every matter one must satisfy the wish of those who take offense, or whether there are some things in which one should take no account of them, even if some take offense.
Answer. We have shown the difference in these matters clearly when we were asked about it in its proper place, and we have handed down the exact teaching about it as far as we were able.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil refers to his fuller answer elsewhere on when the offense taken by others must be heeded.
- The earlier answer referred to is not identified; Basil treats giving offense at length in On Baptism 2.10 and elsewhere in the Rules.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): σκανδαλί ζωνται → σκανδαλίζωνται.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 228 (PG 31:1233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/228). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/228
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 229
229PG 31:1235
Εἰ χρὴ τὰς ἀπηγορευμένας πράξεις ἀνεπαισχυντότερον ἐξαγορεύειν πᾶσιν, ἢ τισί· καὶ ποίοις τούτοις. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ ἐξαγόρευσις τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν λόγον, ὃν ἔχει ἡ ἐπίδειξις τῶν σωματικῶν παθῶν. Ὡς οὖν τὰ πάθη τοῦ σώματος οὐ πᾶσιν ἀποκαλύπτουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὔτε τοῖς τυχοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐμπείροις τῆς τούτων θεραπείας· οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἐξαγόρευσις τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων γίνεσθαι ὀφείλει, ἐπὶ τῶν δυναμένων θεραπεύειν, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· Ὑμεῖς οἱ δυνατοὶ, τὰ ἀσθενήματα τῶν ἀδυνάτων βαστάζετε τουτέστι, αἴρετε διὰ τῆς ἐπιμελείας
Ei chrē tas apēgoreumenas praxeis anepaischyntoteron exagoreuein pasin, ē tisi; kai poiois toutois. APOKRISIS. Hē exagoreusis tōn hamartēmatōn touton echei ton logon, hon echei hē epideixis tōn sōmatikōn pathōn. Hōs oun ta pathē tou sōmatos ou pasin apokalyptousin hoi anthrōpoi, oute tois tychousin, alla tois empeirois tēs toutōn therapeias; houtō kai hē exagoreusis tōn hamartēmatōn ginesthai opheilei, epi tōn dynamenōn therapeuein, kata to gegrammenon; Hymeis hoi dynatoi, ta asthenēmata tōn adynatōn bastazete toutesti, airete dia tēs epimeleias
Question. Whether forbidden deeds should be confessed openly to everyone, or to some; and to whom.
Answer. The confession of sins follows the same principle as the showing of bodily illnesses. Just as people do not disclose the illnesses of the body to everyone, nor to anyone they happen on, but to those experienced in treating them, so too the confession of sins ought to be made before those able to heal, as it is written, “You who are strong, bear the weaknesses of those without strength”; that is, take them away by your care.
Rom 15:1 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Sins should be confessed, as illnesses are shown, not to everyone but to those able to heal them.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): ἐξαγό ρευσις → ἐξαγόρευσις.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 229 (PG 31:1235; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/229). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/229
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 230
230PG 31:1235
Τί ἐστι λατρεία, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ἡ λογικὴ λατρεία. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Λατρεία μὲν ἔστιν, ὡς λογίζομαι, ἡ συντεταμένη, καὶ διηνεκής, καὶ ἀμετεώριστος περὶ τὸ λατρευόμενον θεραπεία· τὴν δὲ διαφορὰν τῆς λογικῆς λατρείας καὶ τῆς ἀλόγου παρίστησιν ἡμῖν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος εἰπὼν, ποτὲ μέν· Οἴδατε, ὅτι ὅτε ἔθνη ἦτε, πρὸς τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα, ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε, ἀπαγόμενοι· ποτὲ δέ· Παραστήσατε τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν, ἁγίαν, εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ, τὴν λογικήν λατρείαν ὑμῶν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, ὡς ἂν ἄγηται, ἀπαγόμενος, ἄλογον λατρεύει λατρείαν, ἅτε μὴ ὑπὸ λόγου καθηγουμένου, ἰδίᾳ ὁρμῇ καὶ προθέσει κινούμενος, τῇ δὲ τοῦ ἄγοντος ἐξουσίᾳ, πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν ἄγηται, καὶ ὡς οὐ θέλει, φερόμενος· ὁ δὲ μετὰ λόγου ὑγιοῦς καὶ βουλῆς ἀγαθῆς σὺν πολλῇ φροντίδι τὸ ἀρεστὸν τῷ Θεῷ πάντοτε καὶ πανταχοῦ σκοπούμενος καὶ κατορθῶν, οὗτος πληροῖ τὴν ἐντολὴν τῆς λογικῆς λατρείας, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα· Λύχνος τοῖς ποσί μου ὁ νόμος σου, καὶ φῶς ταῖς τρίβοις μου· καὶ πάλιν· Καὶ ἡ συμβουλία μου τὰ δικαιώματά σου.
Ti esti latreia, kai tis estin hē logikē latreia. APOKRISIS. Latreia men estin, hōs logizomai, hē syntetamenē, kai diēnekēs, kai ameteōristos peri to latreuomenon therapeia; tēn de diaphoran tēs logikēs latreias kai tēs alogou paristēsin hēmin ho ᾿Apostolos eipōn, pote men; Oidate, hoti hote ethnē ēte, pros ta eidōla ta aphōna, hōs an ēgesthe, apagomenoi; pote de; Parastēsate ta sōmata hymōn thysian zōsan, hagian, euareston tǭ Theǭ, tēn logikēn latreian hymōn. Ho men gar, hōs an agētai, apagomenos, alogon latreuei latreian, hate mē hypo logou kathēgoumenou, idią hormę̄ kai prothesei kinoumenos, tę̄ de tou agontos exousią, pros hoper an agētai, kai hōs ou thelei, pheromenos; ho de meta logou hygious kai boulēs agathēs syn pollę̄ phrontidi to areston tǭ Theǭ pantote kai pantachou skopoumenos kai katorthōn, houtos plēroi tēn entolēn tēs logikēs latreias, kata ton eiponta; Lychnos tois posi mou ho nomos sou, kai phōs tais tribois mou; kai palin; Kai hē symboulia mou ta dikaiōmata sou.
Question. What is worship, and what is reasonable worship?
Answer. Worship, as I reckon, is intent, continual, and undistracted service of the one worshipped. The difference between reasonable and unreasoning worship the Apostle sets before us, saying at one time, “You know that when you were Gentiles you were led away to dumb idols, however you were led,” and at another, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable worship.” For the one who is led away, however he is led, offers unreasoning worship, since he is moved, not by his own impulse and purpose under the guidance of reason, but by the power of the one who leads him, and is carried wherever he is led, even against his will. But the one who, with sound reason and good counsel, with much care, always and everywhere looks to what is pleasing to God and achieves it, fulfils the commandment of reasonable worship, according to the one who said, “Your law is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths”; and again, “And your ordinances are my counsel.”
1 Cor 12:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:105 (118:105 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:24 (118:24 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Worship is unbroken service of God; reasonable worship is done with sound reason and deliberate care to please him, not by blind impulse like the idolaters'.
- Ps 119:105 and 119:24 are cited from the Greek Old Testament (Ps 118:105, 24).
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 230 (PG 31:1235; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/230). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/230
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 231
231PG 31:1235
Ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς πονηρεύηται εἰς ἐμὲ καὶ ἐχθραίνῃ μοι, ἢ ἐνίοτε καὶ ἱερεὺς, εἰ ἔξεστί μοι τὰς δεδομένας μοι περὶ ἐχθροῦ ἐντολὰς καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὁ Κύριος ἐν ταῖς περὶ ἐχθρῶν ἐντολαῖς, οὔτε ἐχθροῦ οὔτε ἔχθρας διαφορὰν ἡνίξατο· μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ὑπερεχόντων βαθμῷ τὸ αὐτὸ ἁμάρτημα βαρύτερον εἶναι ὡρίσατο, εἰπὼν πρὸς αὐτοὺς· Τί δὲ βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ δοκὸν οὐ κατανοεῖς; Μάλιστα οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων καὶ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι ἐνδοξοτέρων, σπουδῆς χρεία καὶ ἐπισκέψεως· ἵνα καὶ τὴν ὀφειλομένην ἐπιμέλειαν αὐτῶν, εἴτε ἐν παρακλήσει, εἴτε ἐν ἐλέγχῳ μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης μακροθυμίας ποιησώμεθα, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πάντα, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐντολὴν, ἐπ' αὐτῶν παραφυλάξαντες, ἀνυπαιτίους ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει φυλάξωμεν.
Ean adelphos ponēreuētai eis eme kai echthrainę̄ moi, ē eniote kai hiereus, ei exesti moi tas dedomenas moi peri echthrou entolas kai ep᾿ autǭ APOKRISIS. Ho Kyrios en tais peri echthrōn entolais, oute echthrou oute echthras diaphoran hēnixato; mallon de epi tōn hyperechontōn bathmǭ to auto hamartēma baryteron einai hōrisato, eipōn pros autous; Ti de blepeis to karphos to en tǭ ophthalmǭ tou adelphou sou, tēn de en tǭ sǭ ophthalmǭ dokon ou katanoeis? Malista oun epi tōn toioutōn kai tōn dokountōn einai endoxoterōn, spoudēs chreia kai episkepseōs; hina kai tēn opheilomenēn epimeleian autōn, eite en paraklēsei, eite en elenchǭ meta tēs prosēkousēs makrothymias poiēsōmetha, kai ta loipa panta, kata tēn tou Kyriou entolēn, ep' autōn paraphylaxantes, anypaitious heautous kai en toutǭ tǭ merei phylaxōmen.
Question. If a brother does evil to me and is hostile to me, or at times even a priest, whether I am permitted to keep, in his case too, the commandments given me about an enemy.
Answer. The Lord, in the commandments about enemies, did not hint at any difference either of enemy or of enmity; rather, he laid it down that the same sin is heavier in those higher in rank, saying to them, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” So especially with such people, and with those who seem more distinguished, there is need of zeal and attention, so that we may give them the care we owe them, whether by exhortation or by reproof, with fitting patience; and, observing everything else in their case according to the Lord’s commandment, we may keep ourselves blameless in this respect too.
Matt 5:44 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:3 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The commands about enemies apply to a hostile brother or priest as to anyone; those of higher rank need all the more careful exhortation or reproof.
- The question seems to end abruptly in the scan; “to keep” is supplied by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR accent slip; stray mark; stray words inside a split word): Τἱ δὲ → Τί δὲ; οὐ κατα κοῦντα σκοπούμενος. νοεῖς → οὐ κατανοεῖς; αὐτῶν., εἴτε → αὐτῶν, εἴτε; ἐν· ἐλέγχῳ → ἐν ἐλέγχῳ.
Topics: Church office, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 231 (PG 31:1235; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/231). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/231
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 232
232PG 31:1237
Ἐάν τις, ἀδικηθεὶς ὑπό τινος, μηδενὶ ἀνάθηται, λόγῳ μακροθυμίας καὶ ἀνεξικακίας, δόξῃ δὲ τῷ Θεῷ ἀποδιδόναι τὸ κρῖμα, εἰ κατὰ Κύριον ποιεῖ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος, ποτὲ μὲν, Ἀφίετε εἴ τι ἔχετε κατά τινος· ποτὲ δὲ, Ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ εἰς σὲ ὁ ἀδελφός σου, ὕπαγε, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξύ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου. Εάν σου ἀκούσῃ, ἐκέρδησας τὸν ἀδελφόν σου· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀκούση, παράλαβε μετὰ σοῦ ἔτι ἕνα ἢ δύο, ἵνα ἐπὶ στόματος δύο μαρτύρων καὶ τριῶν σταθῇ πᾶν ῥῆμα. Ἐὰν δὲ παρακούσῃ αὐτῶν, εἰπὲ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ. Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης· τῆς μὲν μακροθυμίας καρπὸν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι χρὴ, τῷ Θεῷ τὴν προσευχὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἠδικηκότος ἐξ ἀληθινῆς διαθέσεως προσάγοντα καὶ λέγοντα· Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτῷ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἵνα μὴ, ὡς ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, ἔνοχος γένηται τῇ κρίσει· τὴν δὲ παράκλησιν τῷ ἠδικηκότι, καὶ τὸν ἔλεγχον ἀποδιδόναι ἀκόλουθον, ὅπως κἀκεῖνον τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς ἐρχομένης ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας ἐλευθερώσῃ. Ἐὰν δὲ ἀμελήσῃ καὶ λόγῳ δῆθεν τῆς ἰδίας μακροθυμίας ἐφησυχάσῃ, διπλῆν ἁμαρτίαν ἁμαρτάνει· ὅτι τε αὐτὸς παραβαίνει τὴν ἐντολὴν τὴν λέγουσαν, Ἐλεγμῷ ἐλέγξεις τὸν πλησίον σου, καὶ οὐ λήψῃ δι' αὐτὸν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ κοινωνὸς τοῦ ἁμαρτάνοντος διὰ τῆς σιωπῆς γίνεται καὶ ὅτι τὸν δυνάμενον ἴσως κερδηθῆναι διὰ τῶν ἐλέγχων, καθώς καὶ ὁ Κύριος διετάξατο, τοῦτον ἀφίησιν ἐναπολέσθαι τῷ κακῷ.
Ean tis, adikētheis hypo tinos, mēdeni anathētai, logǭ makrothymias kai anexikakias, doxę̄ de tǭ Theǭ apodidonai to krima, ei kata Kyrion poiei. APOKRISIS. Tou Kyriou eipontos, pote men, Aphiete ei ti echete kata tinos; pote de, Ean hamartę̄ eis se ho adelphos sou, hypage, elenxon auton metaxy sou kai autou monou. Ean sou akousę̄, ekerdēsas ton adelphon sou; ean de mē akousē, paralabe meta sou eti hena ē dyo, hina epi stomatos dyo martyrōn kai triōn stathę̄ pan rhēma. Ean de parakousę̄ autōn, eipe tę̄ Ekklēsią. Ean de kai tēs Ekklēsias parakousę̄, estō soi hōsper ho ethnikos kai ho telōnēs; tēs men makrothymias karpon epideiknysthai chrē, tǭ Theǭ tēn proseuchēn hyper tou ēdikēkotos ex alēthinēs diatheseōs prosagonta kai legonta; Kyrie, mē stēsę̄s autǭ tēn hamartian, hina mē, hōs orgizomenos tǭ adelphǭ autou, enochos genētai tę̄ krisei; tēn de paraklēsin tǭ ēdikēkoti, kai ton elenchon apodidonai akolouthon, hopōs kakeinon tēs orgēs tēs erchomenēs epi tous huious tēs apeitheias eleutherōsę̄. Ean de amelēsę̄ kai logǭ dēthen tēs idias makrothymias ephēsychasę̄, diplēn hamartian hamartanei; hoti te autos parabainei tēn entolēn tēn legousan, Elegmǭ elenxeis ton plēsion sou, kai ou lēpsę̄ di' auton hamartian, kai koinōnos tou hamartanontos dia tēs siōpēs ginetai kai hoti ton dynamenon isōs kerdēthēnai dia tōn elenchōn, kathōs kai ho Kyrios dietaxato, touton aphiēsin enapolesthai tǭ kakǭ.
Question. If someone who has been wronged by another tells no one, by reason of patience and forbearance, but thinks to leave the judgment to God, does he act according to the Lord?
Answer. Since the Lord said at one time, “Forgive, if you have anything against anyone,” and at another, “If your brother sins against you, go, reprove him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother; but if he does not listen, take with you one or two more, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector,” one must show the fruit of patience by offering to God, from a true disposition, prayer for the one who did the wrong, saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against him,” so that he may not become liable to judgment as one angry with his brother; and it is fitting to give the wrongdoer exhortation and reproof, so that he may set him too free from the wrath that comes upon the sons of disobedience. But if he neglects this and keeps quiet, supposedly by reason of his own patience, he commits a double sin: because he himself transgresses the commandment that says, “You shall surely reprove your neighbour, and you shall not incur sin because of him,” and becomes a partner of the sinner through his silence; and because he lets one who might perhaps have been gained through reproof, as the Lord ordained, perish in his wickedness.
Mark 11:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:15–17 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 7:60 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 5:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 19:17 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: One wronged should pray for the wrongdoer as Stephen did and forgive him, but must also reprove him as the Lord commanded; keeping silent in the name of patience is a double sin.
- This is Migne's question 232 (ΣΛΒ΄); questions 229–231 are lost with the missing leaf (columns 1235–1236) of the scan.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR breathing): ἡδικηκότι → ἠδικηκότι.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 232 (PG 31:1237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/232). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/232
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-232) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 233
233PG 31:1237
Ἐκ πάντων τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἐὰν ἓν λείπῃ τινὶ, εἰ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ σώζεται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Πολλῶν ὄντων ἐν τῇ τε Παλαιᾷ καὶ ἐν τῇ Καινῇ Διαθήκῃ τῶν δυναμένων περὶ τούτου πληροφορῆται ἡμᾶς, ἀρκεῖν ἡγοῦμαι τῷ πιστῷ καὶ μόνον τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ κρῖμα· ὃς ἐπὶ τοσούτοις καὶ τηλικούτοις κατορθώμασι, καὶ τοιούτοις τοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου μακαρισμοῖς καὶ ἐπαίνοις, ἵνα ἐν ἑνὶ μόνῳ δόξῃ παρακούειν, καὶ τοῦτο οὔτε διὰ ὄκνον, οὔτε διὰ καταφρόνησιν, ἀλλὰ δι᾽ εὐλάβειαν καὶ τιμὴν τὴν περὶ τὸν Κύριον, ἐπὶ τούτῳ μόνῳ ἀκούει· Ἐὰν μὴ νίψω σε, οὐκ ἔχεις μέρος μετ' ἐμοῦ.
Ek pantōn tōn katorthōmatōn ean hen leipę̄ tini, ei dia touto ou sōzetai. APOKRISIS. Pollōn ontōn en tę̄ te Palaią kai en tę̄ Kainę̄ Diathēkę̄ tōn dynamenōn peri toutou plērophorētai hēmas, arkein hēgoumai tǭ pistǭ kai monon to epi tǭ Petrǭ krima; hos epi tosoutois kai tēlikoutois katorthōmasi, kai toioutois tois para tou Kyriou makarismois kai epainois, hina en heni monǭ doxę̄ parakouein, kai touto oute dia oknon, oute dia kataphronēsin, alla di᾽ eulabeian kai timēn tēn peri ton Kyrion, epi toutǭ monǭ akouei; Ean mē nipsō se, ouk echeis meros met' emou.
Question. If one of all the good deeds is lacking in someone, is he for that reason not saved?
Answer. Although there are many things in both the Old and the New Testament that can give us full assurance about this, I think the judgment on Peter alone is enough for the believer. After so many and such great good deeds, and such blessings and praises from the Lord, when he seemed to disobey in one thing only, and that neither from sloth nor from contempt, but from reverence and honour toward the Lord, for this alone he hears: “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.”
John 13:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Jas 2:10 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Lacking even one commanded good can exclude from salvation, as Peter, for all his merits, was told he would have no part with Christ for refusing, even reverently, to be washed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; column letter): Καιτῇ → Καινῇ; τηλεκούτοις → τηλικούτοις; παρά Α τοῦ → παρὰ τοῦ.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 233 (PG 31:1237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/233). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/233
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-233) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 234
234PG 31:1239
Πῶς τὸν θάνατόν τις τοῦ Κυρίου καταγγέλλει ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὡς ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξεν εἰπών· Εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρὸς μὲ, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος παρέστησεν ὁμολογήσας τὸ, Ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται, κἀγὼ τῷ κόσμῳ. Ὅπερ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ βαπτίσματι προλαβόντες συνεθέμεθα· Ὅσοι γὰρ, φησὶν, έβαπτίσθημεν εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθημεν· οἷς ἐπιφέρει, ἑρμηνεύων τί ἐστι τὸ εἰς τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Κυρίου βαπτισθῆναι, ὅτι ῾Ο παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος συνεσταυρώθη, ἵνα καταργηθῇ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τοῦ μηκέτι δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· πάσης δὲ τῆς πρὸς τὸ ζῇν προσπαθείας καθαρεύοντας, ἀξίους γενέσθαι τῆς μαρτυρίας τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, εἰπόντος· Ἀπεθάνετε γὰρ, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν
Pōs ton thanaton tis tou Kyriou katangellei APOKRISIS. Hōs ho Kyrios edidaxen eipōn; Ei tis erchetai pros me, aparnēsasthō heauton, kai aratō ton stauron autou. Kai ho ᾿Apostolos parestēsen homologēsas to, Emoi kosmos estaurōtai, kagō tǭ kosmǭ. Hoper en autǭ tǭ baptismati prolabontes synethemetha; Hosoi gar, phēsin, ebaptisthēmen eis Christon Iēsoun, eis ton thanaton autou ebaptisthēmen; hois epipherei, hermēneuōn ti esti to eis ton thanaton tou Kyriou baptisthēnai, hoti ῾O palaios hēmōn anthrōpos synestaurōthē, hina katargēthę̄ to sōma tēs hamartias, tou mēketi douleuein hēmas tę̄ hamartią; pasēs de tēs pros to zę̄n prospatheias kathareuontas, axious genesthai tēs martyrias tou Apostolou, eipontos; Apethanete gar, kai hē zōē hymōn
Question. How does one proclaim the death of the Lord?
Answer. As the Lord taught, saying, “If anyone comes to me, let him deny himself and take up his cross.” And the Apostle showed it, confessing: “The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” This we agreed to beforehand in baptism itself. “For all of us,” it says, “who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death”; to which he adds, explaining what it is to be baptized into the Lord's death: “Our old man was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be done away, so that we should no longer serve sin”; and, being cleansed of all attachment to this life, we become worthy of the Apostle's testimony when he said: “For you died, and your life [is hidden with Christ in God].”
1 Cor 11:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 9:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:3 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: We proclaim the Lord's death by denying ourselves and taking up the cross, dying to the world as we pledged in baptism, so that the old self is crucified and we no longer serve sin.
- The answer breaks off in the scan text inside the quotation of Col 3:3; the rest of the verse is supplied in brackets.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (column letter): βαπτίσματι Β προλαβόντες → βαπτίσματι προλαβόντες.
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 234 (PG 31:1239; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/234). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/234
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 235
235PG 31:1239
Εἰ συμφέρει πολλὰ ἐκμανθάνειν ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Δύο ταγμάτων καθολικωτέρων ὄντων, καὶ τῶν μὲν τὴν προστασίαν πεπιστευμένων, τῶν δὲ εἰς εὐπείθειαν καὶ ὑπακοὴν τεταγμένων, ἐν διαφόροις χαρίσμασι, λογίζομαι, ὅτι ὁ μὲν τὴν προστασίαν καὶ ἐπιμέλειαν τῶν πλειόνων ἐγκεχειρισμένος τὰ πάντων εἰδέναι καὶ ἐκμανθάνειν ὀφείλει, ἵνα τοὺς πάντας διδάσκῃ τὰ θελήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἑκάστῳ ὑποδεικνὺς τὰ αὐτοῦ ἐπιβάλλοντα· τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ἕκαστος, μεμνημένος τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου εἰπόντος, Μὴ ὑπερφρονεῖν παρ' ὃ δεῖ φρονεῖν, ἀλλὰ φρονεῖν εἰς τὸ σωφρονεῖν, ἑκάστῳ, ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἐμέρισε, τὰ ἑαυτῷ ἐπιβάλλοντα σπουδαίως μανθανέτω καὶ ποιείτω, μηδὲν πλέον περιεργαζόμενος, ἵνα γένηται ἄξιος τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Δεῦρο, ἀγαθὲ δοῦλε· ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἧς πιστὸς, ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε
Ei sympherei polla ekmanthanein ek tōn Graphōn APOKRISIS. Dyo tagmatōn katholikōterōn ontōn, kai tōn men tēn prostasian pepisteumenōn, tōn de eis eupeitheian kai hypakoēn tetagmenōn, en diaphorois charismasi, logizomai, hoti ho men tēn prostasian kai epimeleian tōn pleionōn enkecheirismenos ta pantōn eidenai kai ekmanthanein opheilei, hina tous pantas didaskę̄ ta thelēmata tou Theou, hekastǭ hypodeiknys ta autou epiballonta; tōn de allōn hekastos, memnēmenos tou ᾿Apostolou eipontos, Mē hyperphronein par' ho dei phronein, alla phronein eis to sōphronein, hekastǭ, hōs ho Theos emerise, ta heautǭ epiballonta spoudaiōs manthanetō kai poieitō, mēden pleon periergazomenos, hina genētai axios tēs phōnēs tou Kyriou eipontos; Deuro, agathe doule; epi oliga hēs pistos, epi pollōn se
Question. Whether it is profitable to learn much from the Scriptures by heart.
Answer. Since there are two more general orders, those entrusted with leadership and those appointed to compliance and obedience, with different gifts, I reckon that the one entrusted with the leadership and care of the many ought to know and learn what concerns all, so that he may teach all the will of God, showing each what falls to him; while each of the others, remembering the Apostle, who said, “Not to think more highly than one ought to think, but to think so as to be sober-minded, as God has apportioned to each,” should zealously learn and do what falls to himself, busying himself with nothing more, so that he may be worthy of the Lord's word: “Come, good servant; you were faithful over a few things, [I will set] you over many.”
Rom 12:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:21 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The superior must learn all of Scripture to teach each one his duty, while the others should diligently learn and practise what concerns themselves, as faithful servants in little.
- The answer breaks off inside the quotation of Matt 25:21; the verb is supplied in brackets.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter): γένητα: ἄξιος → γένηται ἄξιος; ἀγαθι δοῦλε → ἀγαθὲ δοῦλε.
Topics: Scripture and canon, Church office
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 235 (PG 31:1239; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/235). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/235
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 236
236PG 31:1241
Ὅσοι κατηξιώθησαν τὰ τέσσαρα Εὐαγγέλια ἐκμαθεῖν, πῶς ὀφείλουσι τὴν χάριν δέξασθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Κυρίου ἀποφηναμένου, ὅτι ᾧ παρέθεντο πολύ, περισσότερον ἀπαιτήσουσιν αὐτόν· περισσοτέρως φοβεῖσθαι καὶ σπουδάζειν ὀφείλουσιν, καθὼς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ἐδίδαξεν εἰπών· Συνεργοῦντες δὲ καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν μὴ εἰς κενὸν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ δέξασθαι. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται, ἐὰν πεισθῶμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγοντι· Εἰ ταῦτα οἴδατε, μακάριοἱ ἐστε ἐὰν ποιῆτε αὐτά
Hosoi katēxiōthēsan ta tessara Euangelia ekmathein, pōs opheilousi tēn charin dexasthai. APOKRISIS. Tou Kyriou apophēnamenou, hoti hǭ parethento poly, perissoteron apaitēsousin auton; perissoterōs phobeisthai kai spoudazein opheilousin, kathōs ho ᾿Apostolos edidaxen eipōn; Synergountes de kai parakaloumen mē eis kenon tēn charin tou Theou dexasthai. Touto de ginetai, ean peisthōmen tǭ Kyriǭ legonti; Ei tauta oidate, makarioi este ean poiēte auta
Question. How ought those who have been counted worthy to learn the four Gospels by heart to receive the grace?
Answer. Since the Lord declared that from him to whom they have entrusted much they will ask the more, they ought to fear and be zealous the more, as the Apostle taught, saying: “Working together with him, we exhort you also not to receive the grace of God in vain.” And this happens if we obey the Lord, who says: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
Luke 12:48 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:1 (quotation, high confidence) · John 13:17 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Those who have learned the four Gospels by heart owe more fear and zeal, since more is required of those entrusted with more; they receive the grace not in vain by doing what they know.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (a line of the scan text (Luke 12:48) dropped at import, restored; repeated syllable): Όσοι κα κατηξιώθησαν → Ὅσοι κατηξιώθησαν; ὅτι ᾧ παρέθεντο περισσοτέρως → ὅτι ᾧ παρέθεντο πολύ, περισσότερον ἀπαιτήσουσιν αὐτόν· περισσοτέρως.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 236 (PG 31:1241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/236). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/236
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 237
237PG 31:1241
Ποταπὴ ψυχὴ κατευθύνεται πρὸς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ καταδεξαμένη τὴν πρότασιν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρὸς μὲ, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. Ἐὰν γάρ τις μὴ προκατορθώσῃ τὸ ἀπαρνήσασθαι ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τὸ ἄραι τὸν σταυρὸν, πολλὰ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ εὑρίσκει προϊὼν τὰ τοῦ ἀκολουθεῖν ἐμπόδια.
Potapē psychē kateuthynetai pros to thelēma tou Theou. APOKRISIS. Hē katadexamenē tēn protasin tou Kyriou eipontos; Ei tis erchetai pros me, aparnēsasthō heauton, kai aratō ton stauron autou, kai akoloutheitō moi. Ean gar tis mē prokatorthōsę̄ to aparnēsasthai heauton, kai to arai ton stauron, polla ex heautou heuriskei proïōn ta tou akolouthein empodia.
Question. What kind of soul is directed toward the will of God?
Answer. The one that has accepted the proposal of the Lord, who said: “If anyone comes to me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” For if someone has not first achieved denying himself and taking up the cross, he will find, as he goes on, many obstacles to following arising from himself.
Luke 9:23 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The soul directed to God's will is one that has first denied itself and taken up the cross; otherwise its own self raises obstacles to following Christ.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (column letter): τοῦ Β Θεοῦ → τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 237 (PG 31:1241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/237). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/237
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 238
238PG 31:1241
Εἰ δυνατόν ἐστι τὸ ἀδιαλείπτως ψάλλειν, ἢ ἀναγινώσκειν, ἢ σπουδαιολογεῖσθαι περὶ τῶν ῥημάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ διάστημα μὴ γίνεσθαι καθόλου διὰ τὴν ἐπισυμβαίνουσάν τισιν ἀνάγκην τῶν ῥυπαρωτέρων τοῦ σώματος χρειῶν ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦτο ἡμῖν ὁ Ἀπόστολος κανονίζει εἰπών· Πάντα εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω. Ωστε δεῖ μᾶλλον τῆς εὐσχημοσύνης καὶ τῆς εὐταξίας φροντίζειν κατά τε καιρὸν καὶ τόπον.
Ei dynaton esti to adialeiptōs psallein, ē anaginōskein, ē spoudaiologeisthai peri tōn rhēmatōn tou Theou, kai diastēma mē ginesthai katholou dia tēn episymbainousan tisin anankēn tōn rhyparōterōn tou sōmatos chreiōn APOKRISIS. Touto hēmin ho Apostolos kanonizei eipōn; Panta euschēmonōs kai kata taxin ginesthō. Ōste dei mallon tēs euschēmosynēs kai tēs eutaxias phrontizein kata te kairon kai topon.
Question. Whether it is possible to sing psalms, or read, or speak earnestly about the words of God unceasingly, with no interval at all, in view of the necessity that befalls some of the baser needs of the body.
Answer. The Apostle gives us the rule for this, saying: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” So one must rather take care for decency and good order according to time and place.
1 Cor 14:40 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Continuous psalmody or reading is limited by bodily necessities; decency and order in time and place must govern it.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): ἀνάγ κην → ἀνάγκην.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 238 (PG 31:1241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/238). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/238
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 239
239PG 31:1241
Τις ὁ θησαυρὸς ὁ ἀγαθὸς, καὶ τίς ὁ πονηρός. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ μὲν φρόνησις πάσης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ἀρετῆς θησαυρὸς ἀγαθός ἐστιν· ἡ δὲ φρόνησις τῆς κακίας τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου θησαυρὸς πονηρός ἐστιν· ἐξ ὧν προφέρεται, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνὴν, ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις ἑκατέρων ἔργοις τε καὶ λόγοις, ἤτοι πονηρά, ἤτοι ἀγαθά.
Tis ho thēsauros ho agathos, kai tis ho ponēros. APOKRISIS. Hē men phronēsis pasēs tēs en Christǭ eis doxan Theou aretēs thēsauros agathos estin; hē de phronēsis tēs kakias tōn apēgoreumenōn hypo tou Kyriou thēsauros ponēros estin; ex hōn propheretai, kata tēn tou Kyriou phōnēn, en tois oikeiois hekaterōn ergois te kai logois, ētoi ponēra, ētoi agatha.
Question. What is the good treasure, and what the evil?
Answer. The mind set on every virtue in Christ to the glory of God is the good treasure; and the mind set on the wickedness of things forbidden by the Lord is the evil treasure. From these, according to the Lord's word, are brought forth, in the deeds and words proper to each, either evil things or good.
Matt 12:35 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The good treasure is a mind set on virtue in Christ, the evil treasure a mind set on forbidden wickedness, and from each come corresponding words and deeds.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 239 (PG 31:1241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/239). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/239
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 240
240PG 31:1243
Κατὰ τί πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη, καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς εἴρηται, ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὁ Κύριος διὰ πολλὴν φιλανθρωπίαν τοῖς ὀνόμασι καὶ ῥήμασι τῶν γινωσκομένων πραγμάτων κέχρηται πρὸς παράστασιν τῶν ἀληθείας δογμάτων. Ὥσπερ οὖν τῆς κατὰ γῆν εὐθείας ὁδοῦ ἡ παρέκβασις πολλὴν πλατύτητα ἔχει· οὕτω, φησὶν, ὁ ἐκβαίνων τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς ἀγούσης εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἐν πολλῷ πλάτει τῆς πλάνης εὑρίσκεται. Τὸ δὲ πλατεῖα καὶ εὐρύχωρος λογίζομαι, ὅτι ταυτόν ἐστιν. Τὸ γὰρ εὐρὺ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἔξω πεπαιδευμένοις πλατὺ λέγεται. Ὁ οὖν χῶρος, τουτέστιν ὁ τόπος τῆς πλάνης, πλατύς ἐστιν, ἧς τὸ τέλος ἀπώλεια.
Kata ti plateia hē pylē, kai eurychōros hē hodos eirētai, hē apagousa eis tēn apōleian. APOKRISIS. Ho Kyrios dia pollēn philanthrōpian tois onomasi kai rhēmasi tōn ginōskomenōn pragmatōn kechrētai pros parastasin tōn alētheias dogmatōn. Hōsper oun tēs kata gēn eutheias hodou hē parekbasis pollēn platytēta echei; houtō, phēsin, ho ekbainōn tēs hodou tēs agousēs eis tēn basileian tōn ouranōn, en pollǭ platei tēs planēs heurisketai. To de plateia kai eurychōros logizomai, hoti tauton estin. To gar eury kai para tois exō pepaideumenois platy legetai. Ho oun chōros, toutestin ho topos tēs planēs, platys estin, hēs to telos apōleia.
Question. In what sense is the gate called wide and the way broad that leads to destruction?
Answer. The Lord in his great love for mankind uses the names and words of familiar things to set forth the doctrines of truth. As, then, departure from a straight road on earth has much breadth, so, he says, one who departs from the way that leads to the kingdom of heaven finds himself in a great breadth of error. “Wide” and “broad” I reckon to be the same; for what is wide is also called broad by those educated outside. The room, that is, the place of error, is broad, and its end is destruction.
Matt 7:13 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The broad way to destruction is the wide field of error one enters on leaving the straight road to the kingdom; wide and broad mean the same.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (column letter; split word): πεπαιδευ μένοις → πεπαιδευμένοις; ὁ Β τόπος → ὁ τόπος.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 240 (PG 31:1243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/240). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/240
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 241
241PG 31:1243
Πῶς στενὴ ἡ πύλη, καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν· καὶ πῶς δι' αὐτῆς τις εἰσέρχεται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Πάλιν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ στενὸν καὶ τεθλιμμένον οὐκ ἄλλο καὶ ἄλλο τι δηλοῖ, ἀλλὰ τῆς στενότητος τὴν ἐπίτασιν τὸ τεθλιμμένον παρίστησιν· ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον τῆς ὁδοῦ ἀπεστενωμένης, ὡς θλίβεσθαι, τουτέστι στενοχωρεῖσθαι ἑκατέρωθεν τὸν ὁδεύοντα, παρεκβάσεως πάσης ἐπικινδύνου οὔσης, εἴτε δεξιᾷ, εἴτε ἀριστερᾷ· ὡς ἐπὶ γεφύρας, πάντοθεν τοῦ ὑπορῥέοντος ποταμοῦ ὑποδεχομένου τὸν ἐκκλίνοντα. Διό φησιν ὁ Δαβίδ· Ἐχόμενα τρίβου σκάνδαλα ἔθεντό μοι. Δεῖ οὖν τὸν διὰ τῆς στενῆς καὶ τεθλιμμένης εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν προθέμενον φυλάσσειν ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ πάσης παρεκβάσεως καὶ παρεκτροπῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου, πληροῦντα τὸ γεγραμμένον· Μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς εἰς δεξιά, μηδὲ ἀριστερά.
Pōs stenē hē pylē, kai tethlimmenē hē hodos hē apagousa eis tēn zōēn; kai pōs di' autēs tis eiserchetai. APOKRISIS. Palin kai entautha to stenon kai tethlimmenon ouk allo kai allo ti dēloi, alla tēs stenotētos tēn epitasin to tethlimmenon paristēsin; epi tosouton tēs hodou apestenōmenēs, hōs thlibesthai, toutesti stenochōreisthai hekaterōthen ton hodeuonta, parekbaseōs pasēs epikindynou ousēs, eite dexią, eite aristerą; hōs epi gephyras, pantothen tou hyporrheontos potamou hypodechomenou ton ekklinonta. Dio phēsin ho Dabid; Echomena tribou skandala ethento moi. Dei oun ton dia tēs stenēs kai tethlimmenēs eiselthein eis tēn zōēn prothemenon phylassein heauton apo pasēs parekbaseōs kai parektropēs tōn entolōn tou Kyriou, plērounta to gegrammenon; Mē ekklinę̄s eis dexia, mēde aristera.
Question. How is the gate narrow and the way hard that leads to life, and how does one enter through it?
Answer. Here again “narrow” and “hard” do not signify different things, but “hard” expresses the intensity of the narrowness: the way is narrowed so far that the traveller is pressed, that is, hemmed in on both sides, every departure being dangerous, whether to the right or to the left, as on a bridge where the river flowing beneath receives on every side anyone who turns aside. That is why David says: “They have set stumbling blocks for me beside the path.” So one who has resolved to enter into life through the narrow and hard way must guard himself from every departure and turning aside from the Lord's commandments, fulfilling what is written: “Do not turn aside to the right or to the left.”
Matt 7:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 140:5 (139:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 4:27 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The narrow, hard way is a path pressed so tight that any step aside is dangerous, like a bridge over a river; one enters life by never turning from the Lord's commandments to right or left.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; split word): Μῶς στενὴ → Πῶς στενὴ; τουτ ἐστι → τουτέστι; γεγραμμέ νον → γεγραμμένον.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 241 (PG 31:1243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/241). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/241
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-241) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 242
242PG 31:1243
Τί ἐστι τὸ, « Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ στοργή κατ' ἐπίτασιν τῆς φιλίας λέγοιτο ἂν ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ καὶ διαθέσει διαπύρῳ τοῦ ἀγαπῶντος περὶ τὸν ἀγαπώμενον. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ ἐπιπόλαιος ἡ φιλαδελφία, ἐνδιάθετος δὲ καὶ διάπυρος ᾗ, εἴρηται τὸ, Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι
Ti esti to, « Tę̄ philadelphią eis allēlous philostorgoi. APOKRISIS. Hē storgē kat' epitasin tēs philias legoito an en epithymią kai diathesei diapyrǭ tou agapōntos peri ton agapōmenon. Hin' oun mē epipolaios hē philadelphia, endiathetos de kai diapyros hę̄, eirētai to, Tę̄ philadelphią eis allēlous philostorgoi
Question. What is the meaning of “In brotherly love be tenderly affectionate to one another”?
Answer. Tender affection might be called an intensifying of friendship in the burning desire and disposition of one who loves toward the one he loves. So that brotherly love may not be superficial, but heartfelt and burning, it is said: “In brotherly love be tenderly affectionate to one another.”
Rom 12:10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Tender affection is intensified, burning friendship; Paul commands it so that brotherly love may be heartfelt rather than superficial.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter): οιλόστοργοι → φιλόστοργοι.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 242 (PG 31:1243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/242). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/242
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 243
243PG 31:1245
Τι βούλεται λέγων ὁ ᾿Απόστολος·· Οργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε· ὁ ἥλιος μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν·· καίτοιγε ἀλλαχοῦ εἰπών· « Πᾶσα πικρία, καὶ θυμός, καὶ ὀργὴ ἀρθήτω ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ Κυρίου νομίζω τὸν ᾿Απόστολον ἐνταῦθα μετακεχειρίσθαι τὸν λόγον. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὁ Κύριος πρότερον εἰπών· Ἑῤῥέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις τόδε, εἶτα ἐπάγει· Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν τόδε· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, πρότερον μνημονεύσας τοῦ παλαιοῦ καὶ τοῖς τότε ῥηθέντος ᾿Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε, ἐπιφέρει μετ' ὀλίγα τὸ παρ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ ἡμῖν ἁρμόζον, εἰπών· Πᾶσα πικρία, καὶ θυμὸς, καὶ ὀργὴ, καὶ κραυγὴ ἀρθήτω ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν.
Ti bouletai legōn ho ᾿Apostolos;; Orgizesthe, kai mē hamartanete; ho hēlios mē epidyetō epi tǭ parorgismǭ hymōn;; kaitoige allachou eipōn; « Pasa pikria, kai thymos, kai orgē arthētō aph᾽ hymōn. APOKRISIS. Kata mimēsin tou Kyriou nomizō ton ᾿Apostolon entautha metakecheiristhai ton logon. Ōsper gar en tǭ Euangeliǭ ho Kyrios proteron eipōn; Herrhethē tois archaiois tode, eita epagei; Egō de legō hymin tode; houtō kai entautha ho ᾿Apostolos, proteron mnēmoneusas tou palaiou kai tois tote rhēthentos ᾿Orgizesthe, kai mē hamartanete, epipherei met' oliga to par᾿ heautou hēmin harmozon, eipōn; Pasa pikria, kai thymos, kai orgē, kai kraugē arthētō aph᾽ hymōn.
Question. What does the Apostle mean when he says, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your provocation,” though elsewhere he says, “Let all bitterness and rage and anger be removed from you”?
Answer. I think the Apostle here has handled his words in imitation of the Lord. For as in the Gospel the Lord first says, “It was said to those of old,” this, and then adds, “But I say to you,” that; so here too the Apostle, having first recalled what was said of old and to those of that time, “Be angry and do not sin,” adds a little later what is fitting for us from himself, saying: “Let all bitterness and rage and anger and clamour be removed from you.”
Eph 4:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 4:4 (4:5 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 4:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:21–22 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Paul quotes the old permission to be angry without sinning and then, like Christ's “But I say to you,” gives the higher Christian command to put away all anger.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 243 (PG 31:1245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/243). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/243
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-243) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.
Chapter 244
244PG 31:1245
Τί ἐστι τὸ, - Δότε τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἤτοι τὸ μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ, καθὼς γέγραπται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τύπτοντι ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα στρέψαι καὶ τὴν ἄλλην, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· ἢ τὸ, "Οταν διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἄλλην.
Ti esti to, - Dote topon tę̄ orgę̄. APOKRISIS. Ētoi to mē antistēnai tǭ ponērǭ, kathōs gegraptai, alla kai tǭ typtonti epi tēn dexian siagona strepsai kai tēn allēn, kai ta hexēs; ē to, "Otan diōkōsin hymas en tę̄ polei tautę̄, pheugete eis tēn allēn.
Question. What is the meaning of “Give place to wrath”?
Answer. Either not to resist the evil man, as it is written, but even to turn the other cheek to one who strikes you on the right cheek, and so on; or, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to the other.”
Rom 12:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:39 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:23 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: To give place to wrath is either not to resist evil but turn the other cheek, or to flee persecution to another city.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. brev. 244 (PG 31:1245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/244). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-brevius/244
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-brevius-244) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every sentence was re-read against the Greek in a separate review pass.