Letter 784

To Xenophon the Presbyter. Do not, before the completion of the virtues, desire to catechize and to initiate others into the mysteries for the sake of ambition; but first bring to perfection every good deed, and after the torch-bearing of these, having become perfect, and having entered into the land of promise according to the divine law, and having laid hold of the inheritance of the fathers, then at last instruct the others with boldness, and teach, and become a planter of spiritual trees, according to what is written in the book of Leviticus, that "When you enter into the land of promise, then plant every edible tree." [cf. Leviticus 19:23] These things I have counseled you, so that you may not often hear from someone the saying, "Physician, heal yourself" [Luke 4:23] -- the great [...] first, and then at last exercise care and the service of souls.

Μὴ πρὸ τοῦ ἀπαρτισμοῦ τῶν ἀρετῶν κατηχεῖν καὶ μυσταγωγεῖν ἄλλους βούλου φιλοτιμίας χάριν· ἀλλὰ πρῶτον τελειούργησον πᾶσαν ἀγαθὴν πρᾶξιν, καὶ μετὰ τὴν τούτων λαμπαδουχίαν γενόμενος τέλειος, καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας κατὰ τὸν θεῖον νόμον, καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος τῆς τῶν πατέρων κληρονομίας, τότε λοιπὸν ἐν παρρησίᾳ καὶ παίδευε τοὺς ἄλλους, καὶ δίδασκε, καὶ φυτουργὸς ξύλων νοητῶν γίνου, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τεύχει Λευϊτικῷ, ὅτι «Ὅταν εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, τότε πᾶν ξύλον φυτεύσατε βρώσιμον.» Ταῦτα δὲ σοὶ παρήνεσα, ἵνα μὴ πολλάκις ἀκούσῃς παρά τινος τὸ, «Ἰατρέ, θεράπευσον σεαυτὸν, πρῶτον τὰ μεγάλα νο- πρῶτον, καὶ τότε λοιπὸν ποιοῦ ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ λατρείαν ψυχῶν.