Letter 148: On the Epistle to the Romans: "God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done" [Romans 1:28].
To the same. The word of those who live well, O admirable one, is more trustworthy than an oath, and is crowned by the votes of all who hear it. And the desire to be greatly loved is born from greatly loving. Therefore, if we wish to be trusted, let us live well; and if we wish to be loved, let us love.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
ΡΜΗ. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.
Ὁ μὲν τῶν εὖ βιούντων, ὦ θαυμάσιε, λόγος, ὅρ-
κου πιστότερος ταῖς ἁπάντων τῶν ἀκουόντων στε-
φανοῦται ψήφοις. Τὸ δὲ σφόδρα φιλεῖσθαι βούλεσθαι,
ἀπὸ τοῦ σφόδρα φιλεῖν τίκτεται. Οὐκοῦν εἰ μὲν πι-
στεύεσθαι βουλοίμεθα, εὖ βιῶμεν· εἰ δὲ ἀγαπᾶσθαι,
ἀγαπῶμεν.
ΡΟΕ΄. – ΑΝΔΡΟΝΙΚΩ
Τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ συνέπεσθαι δεσμούς.
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