Letter 867: The priesthood is a sacred trust, not a career.
On the Arians and Eunomians: The heretics are caught unawares by the very arguments they construct, and are brilliantly defeated by the very weapons with which they think they conquer. For if the Son is a creature, then neither is the greater thing accomplished — namely, the creation and governance of all things — for how can a creature create other creatures, or how can one who is himself governed govern the universe? The absurdity of their position becomes apparent the moment one follows their logic to its conclusion. If the Son is not God, then God has no Son, and if God has no Son, then the incarnation is a fiction, and if the incarnation is a fiction, then salvation is an illusion, and if salvation is an illusion, then we are of all people most to be pitied. But we know that the Son is truly God of true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things were made. This is the faith of the apostles, the faith of the martyrs, the faith of the whole Church from the beginning. And against this rock, all the waves of heresy break and are scattered, however cleverly they may be directed. For the tree is known by its fruit, and the teaching is known by its results. A doctrine that produces pride, division, and strife cannot be from God, who is the author of humility, unity, and peace. A doctrine that leads men away from the ancient faith and toward novel speculations cannot be from the Spirit, who guides us into all truth — the truth that was delivered once for all to the saints. Therefore test every teaching by its fruits, and every teacher by his life, and you will not be deceived. For false prophets come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, and by their fruits you shall know them. Examine, test, verify — and hold fast to that which is good.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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
Περὶ ᾿Αρειωγῶν καὶ Εὐνομιαγῶν. Λανθϑάνουσιν αἱρετιχοὶ δι᾽ ὧν χατασχευάζουσι, διὰ τούτων ἁλισχόμενοι, χαὶ δι᾽ ὧν νιχᾷν οἴονται, διὰ τούτων λαμπρῶς ἡττώμενοι. Εἰ γὰρ χτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς, οὐδὲ τὸ μεῖζον χατ᾽ αὑτοὺς ἵσταται. Τὸ γὰρ μεῖζον λέγεται ἐχ συγχρίσεως, χαὶ οὐχ ἐχ τῆς ἀσυγχρίτου ὑπεροχῆς. Ποίαν οὖν σύγκρισιν ἔχει τὸ χτίσμα πρὸς τὸν Κτίστην; λεγέτωσαν οἱ σοφοί. ΤΜΙΓ". --- ΠΕΤΡΩ. Οὐ μικρὸν συνετὸς ἀχροατὴς, ὁ μὴ μόνον θαύματι διαχόπτων τοῦ λόγου τὸν δρόμον, ἀλλὰ χαὶ ἐπινοῶν «τὰ δυσθεώρητα, καί τι παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ εἰσφέρειν δυνά- ἘΡΙΘΤΟΙΑΒΟΌΜΝ . ΠῚ. - ΕΡΙΒΤ. σΟΟΧΙΥ. 1π πώ, « Νοη ἐπ εοἷο ραπε υἱυϊῖ Ποηιο .» Θυοιΐίαπι Ηδοῦτοῖ, οὐπὶ αυδάγαρί πα ἈΠΗΟΤῸΠῚ δρϑιϊο πηϑηπᾶ δἰογοηῖυγ (φυρά, δὶ Πυμηϑηδπὶ ΓΔΈΪΟΙ ΕἸ) ΒρθΘειύ5, δ)ὰ τοῦυγ οοτγροτίθυ5 δἴεῪγθηυ πὶ ρᾶτῦϊι ᾿ἀομοιπὶ Γαι), ἰη οδ θη (ΟΥ υἀΐΠ6 ΓΟΌΟΓΘ ρ6ΓΒ18- μδηῖ, [ΟγίΔ556 Π ) ΟΓοπὶ οἰἶ8Π) Υἱπλ ΠΟΙ Β6 ) - ἴ0Γ (ποπ δε πὶ Δ᾽᾿πιοη , δ6ἀ ἀϊνίηυπι ἀδογαίι πὶ ς [ οἱ σογρογᾷ ΟΠ ΒΟ γν ), ἰάείγοο, ἰά αυοΐ εἰμὶ Θχροιὶ αυφ5ἰδιϊ, Ἰαρί βιαίου αἀἰχὶϊ : « ΝΟῸΠ ἰπ Ῥᾶῃ6 ΥἹΥ͂Ϊ ΟΠ10, ] ἰη οὐπμπὶ ΥοΓῦ0 «υο([ ρτοοοαϊξ ἀκα οΥα θοϊ. » Ουοιξ οἰἰλπὶ (ΠΡ δίυδβ, σληι πη8ἃ- οἰνΐϑιη Ῥγορυ δϑη8, Ορροβυϊί : δ[ [ ΓϑιΟΠΘ ἰοηϊδιο0 γ] ΥἱγῸ σΟηου ροΓίγορΙ . ΟΟΟΧΙΠΙΙ. .-- ΤΗΕΟΝΙ. θὲ Ατὶαπὶς εἰ Βιποπηιϊαπὶε. Νοὺ δηϊιπδινογίυης Ἰγοι οἱ ΡῈ Γ ἰρβ88, δείγιιηῖ, ἰγγαιἰγὶ, ἃ. ΡῈΓ 'ρ88 ρογϑρίοια νἱηοὶ, ΡΟΓ δ6 Υἱποθῖθ ΔΓὈἰ γδηΐυν. ΝΑΙ δὶ ογοϑίυ ᾳυϊἀδπ ΕἼ Π , πὸ 1η8 4φυϊάθδη) ἀ6 δογυ ΠῚ Β6η- ἰθηι4 58ἰ21. Ἀ13] ΘΠ) ΟΣ ΠΟΙρΑΓδιΐο εἰἰεϊταΓ, ΠΟΙ) δύυι6Π) ΣΧ ᾿πΠΟΟΙρΡΑ ΓΟ ἢ Π᾿ ρ το θπιἷᾶ. Ουδιπηϑηι ἱκίατν ἰὰ φυοά οΥθαῖυπι , Ου η Ογθδίογα ΘΟ ραΓ8- εἰοηθῖ ἰϊα θαὶ, δαρίοηι65 οἱ δρυΐ ᾿ομἶ ποὺ γα] ἷ πὶ ὀσρομδηῖ. (ΟΟΘΟΟΧΠΠ. --- ΡΕΤΙΕΟ. ΝΟ ρϑινὶ "ΟΠ ΘΠ Γ68 ἐδὶ δουιϊι5 οἱ βαρὰχ δυάΐ- [0Ὁ, 4υἱ ποη ἰλπίυη ἀπ γδιϊίοπθη ογαιἱοηῖε αι ς δπι ἐπ ΓΓΌΡΙΙ, σοῦ! οἰἶδπ) αὐυὁ ἀγήπ ουῆ- μενος. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ μιχρὸν, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν με- α ἰοπ Δι οηἾ5 δυηὶ, Θχοορί αὶ, δί4ι6 ἃ βοῖρβο αἰϊαυϊά γάλων χαὶ ἐξαιρέτων ὧν ἠπείλησεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ παραιρεῖσθαι (), χαὶ τὸν συνετὸν ἀχροχτὴν ἐνέταξεν" οὐχ ἂν τοῦτο φήσας, εἰ μηδὲν μέγα συνετέλει. Διὸ χαὶ ὁ Παροιμιαστὴς ἔφη, ε υὗς ἀχροατοῦ, ἐπιθυμία σοφοῦ. » Οὐ γὰρ πολλοὺς πόνους, οὔθ᾽ ἱδρῶτας αὐτῷ παρέχει, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφορμὰς μόνον καὶ σπέρματα ἀπαιτεῖ. Πρὸς γὰρ τὴν γεωργίαν ἡ σύνε- σις ἀρχεῖ. δγοψάγὸ μοίθ8βι. ιούηια ποὴ ραυύνὶ τποιηθηῖϊΐ δῖ, ᾿ς οοῃδίδὶ ᾳφιοὰ θ6ι. ψπὰ Ομ πιᾶχιὶθ αἰΐὶς οἱ ΟΣ πι ΐ8 γΟμ., ΠΠΠΘΓΟΒΟΙῪ πὶ Δπ: υγὶ ( 1Γλ- οἰυγυ τη πα θδίΡ, ργυάθη!θπὶ αμόαυὸ ἃς σαρβοθηι δυάϊιογαπὶ δ υηχίι, Ουοῦ ρτγοίφοιο πο ἀϊχίϑββοὶ, 5ὲ δἰ ἢ πιαχπὶ ἰρβθ6 ἐοπίεγγοι. ἔβϑαιρ οδιιϑὰ Ρδγω- 1ηἰά γα ὁδὲ : « Αὐγὶβ δισιοΥὶβ, ]- ἀδείυπι ὁϑὲὶ δαρίθιιιῖδ ,» Νφιδ ἀπ τ] ἰΔ00- Τ68 διι0γ65 ἱμ5ὶ δτι οι, ὑοῦ δγρυϊμηθηῖα ἀππηίαχαὶ ἃς δοιμΐπᾶ γοι υἱτῖι. δἰᾳυϊ θη) δὰ οἰἰυπὶ ἃς δοκοιοπὶ ἱμ θη βαρδοὶ δυ ᾿ἰ1. ὙΜΔ', --- ἸἹΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ. Ἴσθι, ὦ χαθαρότητος τέμενος, ὡς ἄδῃ χατὰ πᾶ- σαν τὴν πόλιν’ παράδοξον γὰρ ἔργον ἀνύσας (), παραδοξότερον αὐτὸ πεποίηχας τῷ τάχει. Ἦν μὲν γὰρ χαὶ αὐτὸ χαθ᾽ ἑαυτὸ μέγα, τὸ δὲ τάχος μεῖζον, μᾶλλον δὲ μέγιστον αὑτὸ ἔδειξε, χοσμῆσαν τὴν χάριν καὶ χαριεστέραν πεποιηχός. Διάλαμπε τοίνυν ἐν τοῖς ξοιούτοις χατορθώμασι. Πρέπει γάρ σοι, ΤΜΕ'.-- ἈΡΠΟΙΚΡᾺ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ. Περὶ τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος. Εἰ ἀγχίνοια ἀνθρώπου τῆς τῶν γραμμάτων εἰδή- ΜΔι ). 10Υ,. Εδοὶϊ. χχν, . ΓΟΟΧΙΗΥ͂. -- ΠΙΡΙΙΔΟΙ ΟΡ ΒΙΘΘΙΜΟ. ΕΠος . γε πη, Ο ρἰ οι ι15 ἀο!υθτυμη, [ (οἱ υτν6 οοἰαῦγαν!. Νἧν ον δι γα . ορυδ' οοπίδορθγὶ , Δάιη γα ν8 Π μ6Ρ οοἰοτ δῖοι) οἴεςίδι!. Εγαῖ οἶ ἰ1 φυϊάθιη ΡῸΓ αυοηϊ6 πιδρφιίι : ἃι σα - ΓἾ 1Πη8 ἰρ51 , ἱπ 0Ὸ τθχηαμι Γαι , θοησίϊείινν οΥμα ἢ , ργδιϊιβαιιθ δ ἰπευπαϊυβ οὔδει. Οὐϑιμοθγαι ἰῃ υ) 5ιη0α: νἱγιυιθυ5 [ οἰυοδδο. [ἃ δηΐηι ( ἀἶφηυπι , ἙΟΟΟΧΙΥ. --- ΑΒΡΟΩΒἉ ΒΟΡΗΙΘ5ΤΙ. δε υἱτίιι6 αἰνίπα ργιεαϊεαιίὶοπὶδ. δ᾽ συμ δὶ ἰπνααηΐ δογηοιΐα, πο γάγα ἢ ΒΟ ἢ ΥΔΕΠΖ ΜΕΟΤΙΟΝΕΒ ΕΤ ΝΟΤΕΕ () Ρεο ἐθέλησας οοἀ. αι, θ00 5δογιἷι ἐξζύήτη- Ζας, οἱ ρτγιθοθιίθϑ ἢ [ . ΡΌΒΒΙΝ. () [άἄθπη οοἀ., παραινεῖσθα:. [». ΡῬατδοι,. ΟΚ. ΧΧΥΠΙῚ. () ἢ ο, παράδοξον.... ἀνύσας, οιμπίοῦαὶ Φα, Ῥαγὶ5.; διἰθμηῖαν ὁχ ςοἀ. αι. . Εριτ. . ἸΘΙΌΘΒΙ ΡΕΓΌΒΙΟΤᾺ ἀμ οίογίατ, ΤΠ ΓΆΗΣ οἱ ἀροϑίοὶ , ἔμ
Related Letters
Gregory to Peter, Bishop of Aleria in Corsica. Inasmuch as in the isle of Corsica, at the place Nigeunum, in the possession which is called Cellas Cupias belonging to the holy Roman Church, which by the providence of God we serve, we have ordered to be founded a basilica, with a baptistery , to the honour of the blessed Peter, Prince of the apos...
On the text: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" [John 2:19].
The divine precepts admonish us to love our neighbours as ourselves; and, seeing that we are enjoined to love them with this charity, how much more ought we to succour them by supplies to their carnal needs, that we may relieve their distress, if not in all respects, yet at least with some support. Inasmuch, then, as we have found that the son o...
The Roman defender Romano is arriving to take up the management of the Syracusan patrimony [the church's estates in...
Gregory, a servant of God, presbyter and abbot of the monastery of Saint Theodore in the province of Sicily constituted in the territory of Panormus, has given us to understand that men of the farm of Fulloniacus, which belongs to the holy Roman Church, are endeavouring to encroach on the boundaries of the farm of Gerdinia, bordering on the said...