Letter 1551: A man deeply devoted to the most holy religion, and who places great value on meeting others who share his way of...
To Theodosius the Presbyter. The measure of a priest's worth is not his eloquence or his learning but his holiness of life. For eloquence without holiness is a trumpet without a battle, making much noise but accomplishing nothing. And learning without holiness is a lamp that illuminates others while setting fire to the one who carries it. But holiness — even without eloquence and learning — draws souls to God by the silent power of example. The people do not need a priest who can argue brilliantly; they need one who can pray fervently. They do not need a theologian who can define every doctrine; they need a shepherd who can bind every wound. Therefore, Theodosius, cultivate first the inner life of prayer and self-discipline, and let all your external ministry flow from that hidden spring. For a river is only as pure as its source, and a ministry is only as powerful as the prayer that sustains it.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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
νἰβαγίοοτϊα ἢ αυ ἀσπίδ νϑηΐὰ ἢ Π . ΙΔΟΓΥΩ ργοροιηοάυπι τη ἰδο6η8 διγδῃνθηιπὶ δι] ( ἐοηδογί μϑὶ, αἱ ἰΔπ.6πὶ (οἰρδυπι πονογὶ8. οἱ ἰηὐ γα ραυρογθυδ Ἰηίογθμάδ ο68568, ἃς ἠυὐϊεδη! θαυπὶ ρΙαοδίιπι ΓΘ. , πο864090 ἰυ08 τοδὶ ρ βοθηιἃ μα ΘΟΠΊΡ]. (ΟΧΙ. -- ΤΗΕΟΡΟΒΙΟ ΡΒΕΒΒΎΤΕΒυ. γίγωπι τεἰ σίοειπι ροτορτίμαπίεπι σοπιπιοπάαι, μι ἐοερίἴο δαεϊρίαιωτ. ᾿Ανὴρ διαφερόντως τῇ θειοτάτῃ θρησχείᾳ ἀνακεί-᾿ μενος, χαὶ τοῖς τὰ αὑτὰ αὐτῷ μετιοῦσιν ἐντυχεῖν περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμενος, χἀχεῖσε ἀφῖἴχται. Ξεναγὸς τοίνυν ἀγαθὸς αὐτῷ γενοῦ" ἵνα σέ τε χαὶ τὰς ἄλλας τῆς ἀρετῆς θεασάμενος εἰχόνας, ἐμπλήσῃ τὸν οἰχεῖον ἔρωτα. ΣΙΒ'. -- ΑΥ̓ΣΟΝΙῺ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ. ΗΙς νἱν ἐνὶ ηϑ γαϊ αἰοηΐἷ5., υἱ ἰηοΐόα!ϊι ἰὼ , 4ιυἱ διηάθῃῃ ἰοη6ηΐ, δὰ νοῦ ριοβοίδοϊ υγ. Εδι0 ἰϊδαυς νοηυβ ἂς θαηΐφη ᾿).08ρ68, υἱ [ ἰυ886416 ἰηϊυΐυ8 γἱτία! Δπιοῦα οομπρ οἰδίυν. ΟΟΧΙΙ!. --- ΑὕΒΟΝΙΟ ΟΟΒΒΕΟΤΟΒΙ. ἢϊιειἰοὶ σαιδαπι οοπιπιοπάαϊ, φιοπι ταϑμία φιίάαπι ταγο αὐ [ογπὶ ἐαίγαχοτγαί. Ἐπειδὴ ἀνήρ τις ἀγοραῖος (), πράγματα βου- λόμενος παρασχεῖν ἀνθρώπῳ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ συζῶντι, εἴλχυσεν αὐτὸν εἰς διχαστήριον’ καταξίωσον, θᾶττον μὲν χωλύσαι τοῦτον ἀδιχῆσαι" χαριῇ γὰρ αὐτῷ τὸν δὲ εἰς τὴν ἀγροιχίαν πέμψαι, τῆς φίλης γεωργίας τὴν ἀντίδοσιν ἀσπασόμενον. Δ , χνὶ, . Ουληάο οδυδί ἀϊςα8 αυϊάδηι ποροιίαπιΒ [ἀνόβύθ γα βιυάδηβ 4υΐοι6 ἰγδηαυ ἀσχοηι! ἴῃ οι πὶ ὁχ - ἰγαχοῦίς,, ἀΐϊφηογίβ 4υ8πὶ ργίπιυπι ᾿ρϑΐυ8 ἰπὐυγία οοδύοογο. Οτγαίυπι ἰά δηΐη ἰ δοοίἀοί. Πυης γογο ΓΒ πηἰιϊ6, ταί ἱροὶ δαγίευ!γ τοιηπογαιίοηοπ) ᾿δοοδρίυγυμπ). : ΥΑΒΙΑΣ ΓΕΟΤΙΟΝΕῈΘ ΕΤ ΝΟΤΩ. () Ρὸ ἐμπλήσας ᾿ἰάθιῃ ἰόσιηΐί, ἐμπλήσειας. ῬΟΒ5ΙΝ. () Θογῖθυ ἀγόραιος, ποη υἱ οδαϊπὶ αν. ἀγο- ραῖος. Αὐμοηΐὰ5. ἐμ) ( γοουπὶ ἀπἴογο , ν6 4υΪ8 δυσίονῦ : ᾿Αγόραιος σημαίνει τὸν πο- νηρὸν ἐν ἀγορᾷ χεσχαμμένον (ἢ) " ἀγόραιος δὲ τὸν ἐν ἀγορᾷ τιμώμενον. ᾿(ὶ πο νὶ δι Βαγναγὶ ι.- (υδαπθα6, υἱ ορὶδι. , ρμαῴ. , ν. . ΒΟΒΟΤῚ ΟΟΧΙΙ. --- ΖΟΘΙΜῸ ΡΆΕΒΒΥΤΕΒΟ. , ΙΘΙῸΒΙ ΡΕΊ,ΞΙΟΥΖΙ
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