Letter 79: Even before receiving your letter I knew what trouble you are ready to undergo for every one, and specially for my humble self because I am exposed in this struggle. So when I received your letter from the reverend Eleusinius, and saw him actually before my face, I praised God for bestowing on me such a champion and comrade, in my struggles on b...
To Eustathius, Bishop of Sebasteia [modern Sivas, in northeast Turkey],
I already knew, even before your letter arrived, how much trouble you're willing to take on for others — and especially for me, given the fight I'm in right now. So when I received your letter through the reverend Eleusinius and met him in person, I thanked God for sending me such an ally and partner in the struggle for true faith.
Here's where things stand: I've been under serious pressure from senior imperial officials — the prefect and the chief chamberlain [high-ranking officials in the emperor's court] have both been advocating for the other side. But so far, by God's mercy and the strength of the Spirit, I've held firm through every attack.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
[Πρός: Εὐσταθίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σεβαστείας]
Καὶ πρὸ τοῦ δέχεσθαι τὰ γράμματα, ᾔδειν τὸν πόνον ὃν ἔχεις ὑπὲρ πάσης ψυχῆς, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμετέρας ταπεινώσεως, διὰ τὸ προβεβλῆσθαι ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι τούτῳ· καὶ δεξάμενος παρὰ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου Ἐλευσινίου τὰ γράμματα, καὶ αὐτὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν παρουσίαν θεασάμενος, ἐδόξασα τὸ θεῖον τὸ τοιοῦτον παραστάτην καὶ συνασπιστήν διὰ τῆς πνευματικῆς βοηθείας ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀγῶσι χαρισάμενον ἡμῖν. γινωσκέτω δὲ ἡ ἀνυπέρβλητός σου θεοσέβεια μέχρι νῦν προσβολὰς μέν τινας παρὰ τῶν μεγάλων ἀρχόντων ἡμῖν γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ ταύτας σφοδράς, τοῦ τε ἐπάρχου καὶ τοῦ περὶ τὸν κοιτῶνα διαλεχθέντων ἰδιοπαθῶς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐναντίων· τέως δὲ ἀτρέπτως ἡμᾶς πᾶσαν προσβολὴν ὑπομεῖναι τῷ ἐλέει τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῷ χαριζομένῳ ἡμῖν τὴν συνεργίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος καὶ ἐνδυναμώσαντι ἡμῶν δι’ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀσθένειαν.
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