Twenty words to the monks

Contents Word one. The second word is about faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The third word is about the fear of God. The fourth word about long-suffering. About gentleness The fifth word. The sixth word about humility. The seventh word about purity. About the world The eighth word. About silence The ninth word. The tenth word about removal from sins. About curbing the tongue The eleventh word. About wisdom, guarding the heart and humility The twelfth word. About shame Word thirteen. The fourteenth word about vanity. Fifteenth Word on Glory and Patience. About unbelief The sixteenth word. About attention Word seventeenth. About virginity The eighteenth word. About two paths: about the path of virtue and about the path of vice. The nineteenth word. About bilingualism Word twentieth. About deceit First word. About faith in our Lord Jesus Christ First of all, brethren, we must believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, we must honor Him, obey Him and do His will at every time and moment; They should not believe in any other god besides Him, since He is the Great God and Lord of lords. We must bless Him and not liken any creature, whether it be in heaven above or on earth below, since everything was created through Him, and He Himself exists first of all, will exist forever and will never have an end. Therefore, we must believe in Him and honor Him, so that we can be with Him and reign forever, and enjoy His blessings, since He is the King of kings and all kingdoms depend on Him. So, we must believe in Him with all our hearts and fulfill His commandments, because faith without works is dead (James 2:20), so that He may have mercy on us in His Kingdom, when each of us finishes wandering in this world and says: those who have believed, so have they spoken (Ps. 116:1). Second word. About the fear of God Brethren, let us walk in the fear of God, since it is prescribed for us that we should serve with fear and trembling and thus work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12). There is nothing superior to the fear of God, the fear of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fear of the Lord leads to great glory and grace; and he who fears the Lord is well pleased with Him. He who has the fear of the Lord has a treasure of eternal blessings, and is also free from the eternal punishments prepared for sinners. The fear of the Lord is better than gold and silver and precious stones. No wise man can receive such glory as he who fears the Lord. The fear of the Lord drives out all deceit and all sin from the soul. On the contrary, whoever does not fear the Lord will fall into many iniquities. The fear of the Lord frees a person from sins, eternal punishments and the power of the serpent. Being in a person, the fear of the Lord preserves and protects him until he leaves this heavy body and becomes an heir of heavenly blessings along with the saints, with whom he will enjoy eternal joy, as the Scripture says: for the sake of thy fear, O Lord, the spirit of thy salvation was received and sick in the womb, and begotten (Isa. 26:18). Word three. About long-suffering My beloved children, the Holy Scripture says that a long-suffering man is better than a strong man (Prov. 16:32) and that a long-suffering man is superior to a strong man, just as one who moves away from fire is superior to one who approaches him. Let us therefore be long-suffering, for in those who are long-suffering God dwells. He who is not long-suffering submits to the will of the devil; on the contrary, he who is long-suffering submits to the will of God at all times. So, my beloved children, let us imitate the long-suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that the words of Scripture may be fulfilled on us: and so long-suffering, receive the promise (Heb. 6:15). Word four. About kindness The blessed Psalmist says by the Holy Spirit: I cleave to me in kindness and righteousness, because I have suffered Thee, O Lord (Ps. 24:21). These words, brethren, can be attributed to the saints who, through their kindness, united with God, who rejected deceit as the fruit of the devil, and acquired gentleness - the source of eternal life. A gentle person lives in perfect fear of God. He is like God; it smells very pleasant, full of joy and inner glory, it is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is incense before God. He who is not evil receives glory and honor in this and the next age, and his name will be for generations and generations. Just as fire, if not extinguished, destroys large forests, so deceit, if it is allowed to enter the heart, destroys the soul, defiles the body, causes a lot of evil and gives rise to vicious thoughts. The insidious one usually laughs at the gentle one, but his heart is filled with criminal thoughts generated by the devil, which disturb his mind and put him in contradiction with himself, producing hatred, envy and other passions that aggravate the body itself and cause it illness. The insidious one will be condemned to eternal punishment. He pleases the devil and his accomplices. So, my beloved children, try to acquire kindness of heart, so that you do not die at the wrong time (Eccl. 7:18). Love the simplicity of heart with which the saints were adorned, so that our Lord Jesus Christ would receive you to Himself and you could say with joy: You have accepted me for my kindness, and you have established me before You forever (Ps. 40:13). Brethren, God speaks through the prophet: to whom will I look, only to him who is meek and silent and trembles at My words (Isa. 66:2). And our Lord says in the Gospel: learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29). He who has acquired humility has become the dwelling place of the Most High God and has acquired the heights of gentleness, peace and love. So, try to be humble and avoid the pride characteristic of devils. Pride is despicable before God, His angels and His saints. He who is infected with pride is a partner of the devil. Because of pride, the heavens bowed down, the foundations of the earth shook, the deeps were troubled, and the angels lost their glory and became devils. Because of pride, the Almighty became angry and commanded the abyss to spew out fire and the sea to roar with fiery waves. Because of pride, hell came into being, and eternal punishments were prepared. Because of pride, worms were born that never die, and fire appeared that never goes out. Because of pride, everything was indignant and in disarray. All this happened because of pride. Pride is unclean before God, but humility and contrition of heart are pleasing to God. The Mercy of God itself, my beloved children and brothers, came down to us from heaven and humbled itself even to the point of death, death on the cross. Let us love humility, so that we can cry out to God: see my humility and my labor, and forgive all my sins (Ps. 24:18). The Holy Scripture says, my beloved children, that a pure person is a rare treasure. You will be holy, as the Lord your God is holy, God commands us (Lev. 20:7). So, let us protect ourselves from all uncleanness and strive for purity even to the point of death. Let us not look at the beauty of women, for from them came death in the world. Let us destroy every unclean desire in ourselves, for it has destroyed many. Some were killed for their wives, others for their sisters, others for their daughters. The cause of death for all of them was one uncleanness. Let us love purity, brothers, for its fruit is light and truth. Let us not be slaves to low and shameful passions and vicious desires that are unclean before God. Let us always have God before our eyes and remember the words of the Apostle: you are the churches of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16) and your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit living in you (1 Cor. 6:19). He who lives in uncleanness is subject to anger, loves deceit and falls into many iniquities, he is like dumb animals, as the holy psalmist David says: a man who is ignorant of honor is likened to foolish cattle and becomes like them (Ps. 49:21). My beloved children, let us not turn our gaze to the beauty of women, but let us preserve ourselves in purity, which constitutes the glory of the Angels of God. If, through the deceit of the devil, we depart from purity, then let us resort to repentance and the mercy of Him who, leaving ninety-nine sheep, came to seek one lost sheep - let us resort to God, who forgives the sins of all who come to Him in faith, so that in this way the words of Scripture can be applied to us: honorable before the Lord is the death of His saints ( Ps. 116:6). Brethren, the Lord says to each of us: seek peace and marriage (Ps. 33:15). So, let us try to find out what the peace of God consists of, and let us hasten to it. Let us be afraid that it will not be told to us that our world is a world of our sins. The Lord told us: peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, I give it to you (John 14:27). Brethren, let us make every effort to maintain the peace given to us by Jesus Christ, for this peace comes down from the Father of lights and the King of ages. A person who loves the world is in communion with Jesus Christ and His Angels; no misfortunes bother him. On the contrary, the enemies of the world are tormented by envy and various passions. Envy, the source of deception and many sins, removed the sons of God from the path of righteousness and punished them. She gave birth to death and hell. Because of it, the land lost its fruitfulness and changed in its nature. Envy was the reason that much innocent blood was shed in the world. So let us flee from envy and strife. Whoever is in friendship with an envious person is in friendship with a predatory and ferocious beast. He who entrusts himself to a predatory beast is even safer than he who entrusts himself to an envious person. He who loves discord spares no one, not even his own friends; for that there is nothing impermissible, there is nothing terrible. He sheds blood like water. A person's life is nothing to him. My children, flee from envy, love peace and have no contention with your neighbors: for the commandment is fulfilled in this word: You shall love your true self as you love yourself (Rom. 13:9). Do not have any pretense towards each other and do not harbor mutual hatred. A person who hates his neighbor is prone to lawlessness and leads a vicious life. He willingly insults another and boasts of his stupidity. Brethren, if any of you is engaged in farming or processing grapes, he should use the fruits of his labors in moderation and take heed to himself, but not when he burdens his heart with gluttony and drunkenness (Luke 21:34); must also work to bring sacrifices and burnt offerings of peace to God, to help the poor and establish peace among them, for blessed are the peacemakers, for these shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9). Word eight. About silence Beloved, the wise Solomon says: The tongue of the righteous is kindled with silver (Proverbs 10:20). So, bridle your tongue, put your finger on your mouth and do not multiply words, so as not to multiply sins: for a person who loves to talk a lot does not allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within him. Day and night let the name of God be in your mouth. Let your word always be in grace, mixed with salt (Col. 4:6). If an inexperienced person asks you what can benefit his soul, answer him. If you see that your answer will not be in the least edifying, then become like the deaf, as if you had never heard anything, and dumb, as if you had never spoken anything. My children, try to lead a true holy life in order to be perfect. Love silence, truth and meekness in order to receive spiritual benefits. Whoever bridles his tongue for fear of breaking some commandment of the Lord, God will have mercy on him on the last day of Judgment. The ninth word. About removal from sins The psalmist says: work for the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling (Ps. 2:11), and God commands: you shall not have any gods other than Me (Ex. 20:3). So, beloved brethren, we must serve God and not prefer serving people to this service, for it is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man (Ps. 118:8). So, we should not care much about serving people, so as not to become participants in their sins and not to be the fulfillers of their vicious desires; We must not fulfill the lust of our desires (1 John 2:16) and neglect our hearts, so that in the future life we ​​will not forever be in total darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). Lust corrupts the heart and darkens the mind. My children, move away from her, so as not to offend the Spirit of God who dwells in you. Be courageous and despise the devil. We have a Savior who is always ready to give you help if only you do His will and all the commandments. Live in such a way that you can say to you: Lord, I am Your servant, I am Your servant and the son of Your handmaid (Ps. 116:7). May God, the only Strong and Wise One, protect you and teach you to grow in virtue following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be eternal glory. Amen. Word tenth. On curbing the tongue Our Lord Jesus Christ in His Holy Gospel tells us: enter through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13); and the Apostle Paul teaches us that through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Beloved brethren, what can be understood by the narrow gate into which we must enter, this is revealed by the wise Solomon. Do not allow your lips, he says, to lead your flesh into sin... for as there is much sleep and vanity, there is also much talk (Eccl. 5:5-6). The mouth of a fool is contrition to him, but his lips are the snare of his soul (Prov. 18:7). Let us therefore bridle our tongue, so as not to utter any evil words. A bad word is more harmful than any poison. A wound caused by poison can be healed, but a bad word, once spoken, cannot be returned. The tongue of a dragon is less harmful than the tongue of a person who loves to murmur or slander, for such a person creates strife and quarrels between people living peacefully, sows evil among neighbors and destroys very many useful societies. Whoever accepts such a person, he involves him in many sins. Whoever communicates with him communicates with the murderer. A murderer and a person who loves to murmur and slander produce the same actions. Just as a murderer kills the body with a sword, so a slanderer kills the soul with words. The tongue of a slanderer is like the sting of a snake; It is even safer to live with a snake and a scorpion than with a slanderer. Many sins are much more forgivable than slander. The slanderer and the one who listens to him will receive the same condemnation. It is often safer to approach the fire and get burned by it than to approach the slanderer and talk to him. So, my beloved children, depart from the slanderer. Run away from him, whoever he is: the father or brother of one of you. It is better to live with a lion or lioness than with a slanderer. Do not be ashamed to move away from him, otherwise he will infect you with poison. Avoid grumbling and love silence, for a silent person is close to God and the Angels. The Holy Scripture says that he who guards his soul keeps his mouth (Proverbs 13:3). May God keep you in peace and His grace. Amen. Word eleven. About wisdom, guarding the heart and humility The wise Solomon says: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). So, in order to acquire the wisdom that is necessary to fulfill the commandments of God, we must first acquire the fear of the Lord. The wise Solomon also says: guard your heart with all care: from these come life (Proverbs 4:23). A person who is arrogant in heart is hated by everyone, because his actions show arrogance. Out of pride he falls into many sins. All sins are hateful to God, but the most hateful of all is the pride of the heart. A person who, with a proud heart, either asks from another, or gives advice to another, is like a man pouring water into a drilled vessel, or like one who speaks to a bird flying by. It is safer to live with a hydra and a dragon than with a proud man. If a dragon sees a naked person, with its head down, it moves away. But a proud man does not feel any shame because of the pride of his heart. The devil, for the pride of his heart, was cast out of heaven. My beloved children, instruct one another and confess your sins to each other and to God, so that He will forgive you of them. From the heights of heaven He looks favorably on the humble. Try to acquire true, heavenly wisdom. Beware lest the words of Scripture be applied to you: The heart of a fool is on his right hand, but seek wisdom, so that it can be said of each of you: The heart of a wise man is on his right hand (Eccl. 10:2) and: Thy hand will guide me, and Thy right hand will hold me (Ps. 139:10). May God be with you all. Amen. Word twelfth. About shame The Holy Scripture says that there is shame in bringing sin, and there is shame in glory and grace (Sir 4:25). A shameless person is hated and despised by everyone, but a modest person rises to greater glory through his modesty. Shame that is born after a sin has been committed is true, useful shame, but the shame from which sin is born prevents the fulfillment of God’s commandments. My children, avoid injustice, do not oppress the weak and do not associate with the oppressor of the innocent. Run away from a person who likes to accept gifts or give his money on interest. Don't be seduced by silver. It causes a lot of harm to those addicted to it. Beware that reprehensible shame does not force you to take part in the evil deeds of others. Do not be ashamed to provide assistance to elderly widows and take in the poor who have no helpers. But keep away from widows who have no modesty and bashfulness, and do not take in violent and headstrong orphans. Do not enter into quarrels with others, but avoid all discord. Do not speak to a shameless or dishonorable woman. Leave also such a woman who does not have proper respect for her husband. But never be ashamed to do everything that is in accordance with the will of God, which is true virtue. Boldly speak words of Divine wisdom and speak about the teachings of the Lord. Do not be ashamed to reveal all your sins to the priest. Do not be afraid of a man who is rich and strong, but devoted to vices and wickedness. Be careful lest, under the pretext of shame, you commit some sin and then be punished. May God give you wisdom, so that each of you can say to Him: You have accepted me for my kindness, and you have established me before You forever (Ps. 40:13). Word thirteen. About vanity Our Lord Jesus Christ, desiring the salvation of our souls, says in the Holy Gospel: How can you believe, accepting glory from one another, and not seeking glory that is from the One God? (John 5:44). So, let us resist vanity until death and cut off its destructive branches, so that later we will not be brought to trial. Vanity always seeks to dominate our hearts. Whoever possesses it condemns himself to eternal torment and prepares himself as a sacrifice to hell; he is like a man who pours water into a drilled vessel to quench his thirst. My brothers, flee from vanity, for many have perished from it. It encourages a person to undertake various works, fasts, prayers and night vigils, forces him to give alms in front of people, and for all this in the future life he rewards only with shame and dishonor. So, let's run away from vanity. If we are free from it, then we will henceforth protect ourselves from it and its disastrous consequences. Let us strive for the glory and poverty of holy people, so that the words of Jesus Christ apply to us: blessed are the poor in spirit, for of them is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3). Word fourteen. About glory and patience Our Lord Jesus Christ in His Holy Gospel says: through your patience gain your souls (Luke 21:19), also: he who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 10:22). So we must undergo labor and love patience in order to receive everything that is promised to us in heaven. We must not boast about our labors and patience before we have completely completed them. No artist boasts about his work before he has completely finished it. We must constantly fulfill the commandments of the Lord, hate ourselves, not do to others what we do not wish for ourselves, love the world, be humble, hate the pride of the heart, do good to our enemies, bless those who curse us, bridle our tongue, tame anger, avoid idle talk and hatred of our neighbor. If we constantly do all this throughout our lives, then after death we can boast about our deeds and confidently expect a decent reward, like that person who worked all day and received a reward for this. Our God is not unjust. He will reward everyone according to their deeds. Only he can be called a blessed person who acquired victory through humility and received glory not in this life, but in the future life, like the beggar Lazarus mentioned in the Gospel (Luke 16:20). Let us live in such a way that we can one day say: I humble myself, and the Lord will save me. Turn, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord is good to you (Ps. 115:5–7). Word fifteen. About disbelief The psalmist David says: the destinies of the Lord are true, justified in their entirety, more desirable than gold, and more precious than stone, and sweeter than honey and honeycomb. Your servant will keep me; I will always keep you; your reward will be many (Ps. 18:10–12). So, a truly pious person is one who constantly keeps the commandments of God, the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, until he achieves true knowledge of Him so that one can say about him: “Thy mind is amazed at Me” (Ps. 139:6). My brothers, be careful not to believe the words of Holy Scripture, lest you anger your Creator. He who does not have true faith prepares himself as food for worms, which never die, slaughters himself as a sacrifice to the prince of darkness and is far from eternal life and from God. Many who are in hell are sent there for unbelief. From unbelief came all the iniquities that the Jews committed against our Lord Jesus Christ. Unbelief was the reason that they did not want to acknowledge His resurrection and thus perished. Woe to these people! Woe to their unfortunate souls! He who instructs the hardened and unfaithful in the truths of faith throws precious stones into the depths of the sea. But just as water flows quickly and swiftly into low places, so the word of God conveniently flows into the soul of the believer. So, my beloved children, flee from unbelief as the source of all evil. Believe in the name of God the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and trust in it, so that the words of Scripture may also apply to us: he who trusts in the Lord is like Mount Zion: he will not move to the living age in Jerusalem (Ps. 125:1). Faith is the solid foundation of the saints. They once blocked the mouths of lions with it and extinguished the flames of fire. Word sixteen. About attention The blessed Apostle Paul says: brothers, we must not live according to the flesh; if you live according to the flesh, you are about to die; and blessed John says: love not the world, neither those in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him: for everything in the world, carnal lust and human lust and worldly pride, is not from the Father, but is from this world. And the world passes away, and so does its lust, but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15–17). So, my beloved children, let us stay awake and pay full attention to our minds, so that no one can call us lazy and inattentive. He who has acquired spiritual attention to everything, his mind has become healthy, he has prepared a dwelling place for God in his heart and has acquired glory for himself from God - he will one day be enriched and receive countless treasures. Passions cannot gain power over a person who is alert to himself and pays attention to himself. If such a person, through the cunning of the tempter, falls into sin, then vigilance and attentiveness will immediately convert him to virtue. But a careless and inattentive person who does not try to please God with his deeds, if through the cunning of the devil he falls into sin, does not notice it - because his heart is hardened like a stone. An inattentive person is like a donkey, on which you can always sit and put weights on. Thus, this man is considered to be foolish cattle and is likened to them (Ps. 48:13). The careless person is likened to dumb animals because the devil carries out his will and iniquities in him. He draws him wherever he pleases, until the measure of his untruths is fulfilled and he ends his life in a deplorable manner. So, my beloved children, try to acquire spiritual attention to yourself and perfection, so that you do not fall into the snare of the enemy. An inattentive person is like a dilapidated or abandoned house, which no one pays attention to because unclean reptiles live in it. This is the position of the inattentive. No Divine power protects him from evil. My beloved children, try to gain attention and, having acquired it, do not leave it, so that the enemy does not subjugate you to his power. Spiritual vigilance and attention protects a person from all sins, so that he becomes a resting place for the Holy Spirit, happily ends the field of this life and is worthy to enter the abode of saints. Word seventeen. About virginity The blessed Apostle Paul, discussing virginity, says: concerning virgins the commandment of the Lord is not imam (1 Cor. 7:25). He had no command, since not everyone can bear the heavy burden of virginity. For this reason, it is left to the freedom of those who can wear it. Virginity is the seal of perfection, likeness to the Angels, a spiritual and holy sacrifice. It is a sign indicating the path to perfection, it is a crown woven from the flowers of virtue, it is a fragrant rose that revives everyone near it, it is a great gift of God, a guarantee of future inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven. He who despises virginity despises God and the Angels. The spiritual enemy does not dare to approach someone who sacredly preserves virginity. But one who maintains virginity should not boast about it, for maintaining it is an act of God’s grace. A virgin should not harbor feelings befitting a wife. She must avoid unclean thoughts, pride and everything that pleases the devil, she must love all people, flee worldly glory, be devoted to God, bridle her tongue and strictly observe fasts. If she does all this, she will become a pure and godly sacrifice. Virginity is like a vessel filled with gold and kept day and night. Virginity is a most pleasant aroma to the Lord Jesus Christ. It weaves the crown of life. If a virgin cares about luxurious food and is vain about her virginity, then instead of glory she will be subjected to shame. If she does not bridle her tongue, then her virginity will be in vain. So, my brethren, beware lest your virginity be displeasing to God. Place all your trust in God, so that each of you can say: “I am not afraid; God is my helper." God loves those who fear Him and trust in Him. Word eighteen. About two paths: the path of virtue and the path of vice The Holy Scripture says: Behold, I have given before you life and death, good and evil (Deut. 30:15); that is: I offered you two paths - the path of virtue and the path of vice. That the path of vice leads to the depths of hell, the same Holy Scripture speaks about this. So, let us withdraw from it and walk in the way that the saints walked, for blessed is the blameless path that walks in the law of the Lord (Ps. 119:1). In order to walk on the path of the saints, one must fulfill the law of the Lord, that is, have purity of body, purity of sight, purity of touch, purity of hearing and, most importantly, purity of heart. And for this we must send up to God the prayer of the Psalmist: create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb (Ps. 50:12). Word nineteen. About bilingualism Beloved brethren, I ask you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: avoid the destructive seed from which all evil comes and about which the Holy Scripture says this: the tongue is small, but it defiles the whole body. With this we bless God and the Father, and with this oak man we are made in the likeness of God (James 3:5–6, 9). A bilingual person enters into an alliance with death and prepares for his death in hell. He will have no inheritance in the land of the living who do the will of the Lord. A bilingual person destroys the souls of others, causes quarrels between friends, destroys societies, tries to create evil everywhere and always plots treachery against his neighbor. The prayer, almsgiving and fasting of a bilingual are displeasing to God. His prayer, according to Scripture, turns him into sin (Ps. 109:7). So, my beloved brethren, avoid the bilingual and do not enter into friendship with him, because friendship with him is friendship with death. Be careful not to even talk to him, so as not to be participants in his sins and so that he does not infect you with his poison. Blessed is the man who guards his tongue, who protects himself from even the smallest sins. He will one day hear these blessed words: good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for a little, I will make you ruler over many: enter into the joy of your Lord (Matthew 25:21). Word twentieth. About deceit Let us raise our hands and hearts in prayer to the Almighty, so that He will give us the strength to avoid the deceit that was once in Cain. Let us cry out to God in the words of the Psalmist: deliver me from the unrighteous and flattering (treacherous) man, O Lord (Ps. 42:1). A cunning man deceives only himself, because his deceit turns to his destruction, as the Holy Scripture says: his illness will turn on his head, and his unrighteousness will come down on his top (Ps. 7:17). Do not communicate with a treacherous person and do not even touch him - but move away from him as from a rotting corpse. The tongue of a treacherous person produces strife and quarrels. Whoever enters into friendship with a treacherous person enters into friendship with the devil. Whoever communicates with the treacherous, communicates with people who shed blood, he himself becomes the culprit of his own death. It is much safer to live in the desert than with a treacherous person. Do not enter any house with a treacherous person, otherwise you will become a participant in his sins. It is better for you to be with animals than with a treacherous person. He will treat you kindly and talk in a friendly manner, he will resort to his cunning and unexpectedly destroy you. So, God, who guided our fathers - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, be with you, may He deliver you from the one whose strength is in his legs (Job 40:11), that is, from the devil, who at all times hates pious people and tries to catch and devour them. But our Helper is Jesus Christ, Who gave us the power and authority to trample upon the devil and Who intercedes with God the Father for our salvation. In order for this intercession to be valid for us, love for God and for our neighbors is required on our part: for by love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:10). We must love one another so that we are one heart in Christ Jesus, and must show each other help and mercy. Most of all, we must ask God to give us the strength to fulfill His commandments, so that on the last day of judgment we may receive mercy and reward from Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and honor forever and ever. Translated from Arabic into Latin by the Maronite Abraham of Ehillene and first published by him in Paris in 1646. Their authenticity is confirmed by tradition and the general consent of the Eastern monks, who, without a doubt, could not agree to falsely attribute them to the Monk Anthony, especially since they belonged to different faiths. The authenticity of these words is confirmed by the Melchites, Jacobites, Nestorians, Copts, Ethiopians and Maronites. The proposed translation was made by A.S. Krasnoselsky from the Latin edition of Galland’s “Library of the Ancient Fathers”. Published by: Christian Reading. 1825. Part 20. pp. 295–329.