Letter 167: Chrysostom gives thanks for the bishops' vigor, labor, and journey on behalf of the church.

We owe you great thanks for such vigor, zeal, care, labor, sweat, and the long journey you have made for the benefit of the church. The greater the judgment awaiting those who have disturbed everything, the greater the reward awaiting you who use such patience and eagerness to correct what others have done badly. We wanted to speak with you in person and enjoy your company. Since that is not possible, we converse with you by letter and place your courage before our eyes. Do not grow tired. Continue helping those in distress and working for peace. Send us news of your health and of the churches, for even here in the wilderness such letters will bring us great consolation.

ΡΞΖʹ. Τοῖς αὐτοῖς. Χάριν ὑμῖν ἴσμεν πολλὴν τῆς τοσαύτης εὐτονίας, καὶ σπουδῆς, καὶ φροντίδος, καὶ τῶν πόνων, καὶ τῶν ἱδρώτων καὶ τῆς μακρᾶς ταύτης ἀποδημίας, ἣν ὑπὲρ τῶν συμφερόντων τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πεποίησθε. Ὅσῳ γὰρ τοῖς ταράττουσιν ἅπαντα μεῖζον τὸ κρῖμα, τοσούτῳ καὶ ὑμῖν πλείων ὁ μισθὸς, τοσαύτῃ κεχρημένοις ὑπομονῇ καὶ σπουδῇ εἰς διόρθωσιν τῶν κακῶς παρ' ἑτέρων γεγενημένων. Καὶ ἐβουλόμεθα μὲν καὶ παρόντες κατὰ πρόσωπον συντυχεῖν ὑμῶν τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο ἀφῃρήμεθα ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἐξορίαν ἀνάγκης, ὀψέ ποτε καὶ μόλις ἐπιτυχόντες τοῦ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀφικνουμένου, τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ τιμιωτάτου καὶ εὐλαβεστάτου πρεσβυτέρου, διεπεμψάμεθα ταυτὶ τὰ γράμματα, τήν τε ὀφειλομένην ἀποδιδόντες πρόσρησιν, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντες ὑπέρ τε τῶν παρελθόντων, ὑπέρ τε τῶν νῦν, ὑπέρ τε ὁλοκλήρου τῆς διορθώσεως τῶν κακῶν. Κἂν γὰρ μηδὲν γένηται πλέον, ὑμεῖς τὸ ὑμέτερον πεποιήκατε. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἀπηρτισμένον ἔχετε παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ τὸν μισθὸν, τοσαύτῃ καὶ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ πρὸς τὸ τὰ κακῶς γεγενημένα ἰάσασθαι διὰ παντὸς χρησάμενοι τοῦ χρόνου.