Canon 12
An order under threat of eruption that none of the bishops should dare to live in marriage.
It has also come to our attention that in Africa and Libya and other places, some of the most God-loving primates who are there, even after being ordained, do not renounce cohabitation with their wives, creating a stumbling block for other people and leading them into temptation. So, since we are very concerned about doing everything for the benefit of the flock we lead, we considered it reasonable that from now on this should not happen at all. We affirm this not in order to reject or refute the apostolic laws, but in order to prudently take care of the salvation and progress of people for the better, and also not to bring any censure on the priestly order. For the divine apostle says: Do everything to the glory of God. Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks, or to the Church of God, just as I please everyone in everything, seeking not my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ (1 Cor. 10:33).
Greek original
Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ εἰς γνῶσιν ἡμετέραν ἦλθεν, ὡς ἔν τε τῇ Ἀφρικῇ καὶ Λιβύῃ, καὶ ἑτέροις τόποις, οἱ τῶν ἐκεῖσε θεοφιλέστατοι πρόεδροι, συνοικεῖν ταῖς ἰδίαις γαμεταῖς, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς προελθοῦσαν χειροτονίαν, οὐ παραιτοῦνται, πρόσκομμα τοῖς λαοῖς τιθέντες, καὶ σκάνδαλον. Πολλῆς οὖν ἡμῖν σπουδῆς οὔσης, τοῦ πάντα πρὸς ὠφέλειαν τῶν ὑπὸ χεῖρα ποιμνίων διαπράττεσθαι, ἔδοξεν, ὥστε μηδαμῶς τὸ τοιοῦτον ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν γίνεσθαι. Τοῦτο δέ φαμεν οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἀθετήσει, ἢ ἀνατροπῇ τῶν ἀποστολικῶς νενομοθετημένων, ἀλλὰ τῆς σωτηρίας καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον προκοπῆς τῶν λαῶν προμηθούμενοι, καὶ τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι μῶμόν τινα κατὰ τῆς ἱερατικῆς καταστάσεως. Φησὶ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος· Πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε· ἀπρόσκοποι γίνεσθε καὶ Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ Ἕλλησι, καὶ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ· καθὼς κἀγὼ πάντα πᾶσιν ἀρέσκω, μὴ ζητῶν τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ συμφέρον, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν, ἵνα σωθῶσι· μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ· εἰ δέ τις φωραθείη τὸ τοιοῦτον πράττων καθαιρείσθω.
Parallel canons
Ап.551IВс.3Трул.3048Карф.32570