Letter 205: Theodore Studite, Letter 205; Greek heading: Πέτρῳ τέκνῳ.

To write to you is a good thing (for I always love, my beloved child, to converse with you through a letter); but why send so many gifts, and ones so great? You have driven me out of my wits with all this astonishment. Was the care of the brethren not enough for you? But longing is a forceful thing. Stop, I beg you, this spending of yourself. Nevertheless I have accepted it, nevertheless I have given thanks, that toward me, unworthy as I am, such a disposition of yours has been poured out from God. What shall I, wretched man, render in return? For what good thing do I have, or what good have you received from me—either you yourself or any other of your fellow-disciples? It is the gift of God, not anything purchased from me. Yet in return for the purpose you have held from the first day until now toward my lowliness, O good child, may you find Christ made gracious to you, granting you the wages of your confidence; for it is for his sake that you do whatever you do. And I beg you all [the plural addresses Peter together with his community] to keep watch, to stand firm in the faith, to play the man, to be strengthened, to let all your affairs be done in love; for the time is one of contests. Consider how some who seemed to stand have fallen, and others in other ways. We are stirred to zealous emulation among those who contend [as athletes], whose firm foundation is Christ, of whom may even I, wretched as I am, be a partner; among whom you also are numbered together in Christ Jesus, who made your manner of life illustrious long ago, from which sources the zeal too was kindled—I dare to say—in the present time. To those to whom you said I should write, I have written. Greet your good company. Those who are with me warmly salute you.