Nilus of Ancyra→Valens|c. 415 AD|nilus ancyra|From Ancyra|AI-assisted
To Valens the Scribon [scribo: an imperial officer of the guard].
The Holy and life-giving Spirit, who is worshipped together with and glorified together with the Father and the Son, being single in form, works many excellences. For those who practice asceticism it strengthens in self-control; those who contend in the struggle it nerves toward the confession of the Lord Jesus Christ. The tongue of one it employs for wisdom, and it illumines the soul for prophecy; to another it grants the power to drive out demons, and to another it gives the interpreting of the divine Scriptures; another it empowers in chastity, and another it rouses to perform almsgiving insatiably; to this one it grants to keep vigil, and to fast, and to despise all the affairs of the world, and to cherish possessionlessness, and to prefer the minding of one's own business and freedom from claims; another it makes ready to die for Christ in the seasons of persecutions; in one it works in one way, in another in another, while it itself remains by nature unchangeable and unalterable. This Spirit, of old, through the prophets uttered the venerable Scriptures. This Spirit also, later on, through disciples exceedingly lowly and few, prevailed against the most warlike of the wise men among the Greeks. This Spirit gave to the believers ordained by the laying on of hands by the apostles to speak all at once every tongue, which they did not know. Therefore you too, having this Spirit as an indweller through much faith and good works, and having gained so great a champion, and guardian, and defender, and protector, fear no one, neither demon nor wicked man who wishes to plot against your God-established house.
To Valens the Scribon [scribo: an imperial officer of the guard].
The Holy and life-giving Spirit, who is worshipped together with and glorified together with the Father and the Son, being single in form, works many excellences. For those who practice asceticism it strengthens in self-control; those who contend in the struggle it nerves toward the confession of the Lord Jesus Christ. The tongue of one it employs for wisdom, and it illumines the soul for prophecy; to another it grants the power to drive out demons, and to another it gives the interpreting of the divine Scriptures; another it empowers in chastity, and another it rouses to perform almsgiving insatiably; to this one it grants to keep vigil, and to fast, and to despise all the affairs of the world, and to cherish possessionlessness, and to prefer the minding of one's own business and freedom from claims; another it makes ready to die for Christ in the seasons of persecutions; in one it works in one way, in another in another, while it itself remains by nature unchangeable and unalterable. This Spirit, of old, through the prophets uttered the venerable Scriptures. This Spirit also, later on, through disciples exceedingly lowly and few, prevailed against the most warlike of the wise men among the Greeks. This Spirit gave to the believers ordained by the laying on of hands by the apostles to speak all at once every tongue, which they did not know. Therefore you too, having this Spirit as an indweller through much faith and good works, and having gained so great a champion, and guardian, and defender, and protector, fear no one, neither demon nor wicked man who wishes to plot against your God-established house.
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.