pachomius.instructions.02 Chapter 1

O man, flee quickly from sin, and remember death immediately.

For it is written, 'A wise man suppresseth sin, and the face of the ascetic shall shine like the sun.'

Moreover, remember Moses, who chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the I pleasures of sin for a time.

If thou lovest the suffering of the saints, they will make themselves to be companions of thine, and they will minister on thy behalf before God.

And He will grant thee every good thing for which thou dost petition, because thou hast taken up thy cross, and hast followed thy Lord.

Do not seek after a seat of glory among men, so that God may shelter thee from the blast of the storm of which thou knowest nothing, and may apportion thee a seat in His metropolis, Jerusalem of heaven.

Test everything.

Lay hold upon that which is good. Similarly, do not treat with contempt the image of God.

Moreover, keep diligently thy youth with all care, in order that thou mayest be able to keep diligently thine old age with all care, lest thou be put to shame, and thou come to an end in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

The whole creation of God shall look upon thee, and they shall revile thee, saying,

We used to think about thee every day, and believe that thou wast a sheep, but we find thee to be a wolf in this place. Get thee gone now into the pit of Amente, cast thyself down now into the heart of the earth.

O what great shame! Whilst thou didst walk in the world men gave glory to thee thinking that thou wast a man of moral excellence; the moment, however, that thou comest to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, the place of judgement, thou art found to be naked.

And every one looketh upon thy sins, and upon thy shame which is revealed to God and man.

Woe be unto thee in that hour! Whither wilt thou turn thy face?

Or, supposing that thou canst open thy mouth, what wilt thou say? Thy sins have sealed thy soul, which is black like unto sackcloth.

What wilt thou do in that hour? Thou wilt weep, but they will not accept weeping from thee. Thou wilt make supplication, but they will not accept supplication from thee because the beings into whose hands thou shalt be given are merciless.

O woe be unto thee in that hour wherein thou shalt hear that terrible voice which shall give judgement, saying, 'Let the sinners return to Amente.'

And again, 'Depart ye from Me, O ye accursed, into the everlasting fire which hath been prepared for the Devil and his angels.'

And again, 'Those who commit transgressions, and all those who work iniquity, do I hate, and I will destroy them out of the city of God'

Now therefore, O my son, make use of this world, but despise it as thou doest so, and walk therein holding it to be a thing of no account.

Follow thou the Lord in everything, and thou shalt find boldness of speech in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

Let the things which are in the world appear to thee things which are to be despised, and in the Day of Judgement thou wilt find thyself arrayed in glory.

Do not commit thy heart unto any man for the sake of the comfort of thy soul, but cast thy care upon the Lord, and He will sustain thee.

Consider Elijah, who settled himself by the o brook of Cherith, and He fed him by the ravens.

Keep watch over thyself with all diligence in respect to fornication, which hath overthrown very many.

Make not thyself the companion of a youth.

Go not after a woman.

the pleasures of the body, for companionship is wont to bum like fire.

Flee not unto any being of flesh whatsoever, because when the stone striketh upon the fire breaketh out, and it burneth up very much substance.

Flee thou to the Lord at every hour, sit thou down in the shadow of Him, for he who abideth in the help of the Most High shall be under the shadow of the God of heaven, and he shall never be moved.

Remember thou the Lord and the Jerusalem of heaven; let (the memorial thereof) go up in thy heart, and thou shalt be under the blessing of heaven, and the glory of God shall support thee.

Keep thou thy body and thy heart with the greatest diligence.

Follow after peace and humility, and if these are bound together (in thee) they will make thee to see God.

Again, attach not thyself closely unto any man, for he who is bound to his brother becometh an enemy imto God.

And he who is at peace with his brother is at peace with God.

Now thou knowest that there is no state of peace greater than that every man should love his brother ; but if thou art free from sin of every kind but art at enmity with thy brother, thou art a stranger unto God.

For it is written, 'Seek after peace and purity, for they are bound together.

And again it is written, 'And even if I have all the faith, so that (I can) remove a mountain, without love of heart, I am benefited in nothing.

Love buildeth up.

There can be no purity in impurity. If hatred existeth in thy heart, or enmity, where is thy purity?

The Lord saith in Jeremiah, 'He speaketh with his neighbour words of peace, whilst there is enmity in his heart; he speaketh with his neighbour (words of) guile, whilst there is enmity in his heart, or, he meditateth enmity :

Shall not I be wroth concerning this, saith the Lord?

Or shall not my soul perform vengeance on the heathen likewise?'

Thus He saith: He who is at enmity with his brother—this man is the heathen, because the heathen walketh in the darkness of death, knowing (not) the light,

which meaneth that he who hateth his brother walketh in the darkness, knowing not God.

For the hatred of enmity hath closed his eyes, and he seeth not the image of God.

And the Lord commanded us, saying, 'Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good unto those who persecute you.'

In how great danger, then, of punishment are we if we hate each other, our neighbour who is yoked unto us, the sons of God, the branches of the true Vine, the sheep of the rational fold, which the True Shepherd hath gathered together, the Only-begotten Son of God, Who offered Himself up as a sacrifice for us, which (i. e. the danger) was so great that the Living Word bore these sufferings Himself. And thou thyself, dost thou hate him?

O man, wherefore art thou envious of the glory which is empty?

Or (why art thou) a lover of money, or (a lover) of magnificence, wherewith the Enemy bindeth thee in fetters, and maketh thee a stranger unto God?

What kind of apology wilt thou be able to make to the Christ when He shall say unto thee, 'Inasmuch as thou hatest thy brother, it is I Whom thou hatest?

And as for thee, thou shalt depart into the punishment which is for ever, for thou art an enemy of thy brother;

but thy brother, he shall go into the life which is for ever, because he humbled himself unto thee for the sake of Jesus.'

Let us search out then a remedy for the disease before we die.

O my beloved, let us flee to the feet of the Gospel of the True Law of God, the Christ, and let us hearken unto Him, saying, 'Condemn not, that ye be not condemned.'

Forgive, that ye may be forgiven.

If thou dost not forgive, they will not forgive thee.

If thou wilt bind thy brother, prepare thyself for punishment for thy slippings aside, and for thy transgressions, and for thy fornications which thou didst commit secretly, and thy thefts, and thy obscene words, and thy evil thoughts, and thine avariciousness, (and) the evil things which thou wilt have to explain before the throne of the Christ.

The whole of God's creation will be gazing at thee, all the angels, and all the hosts of heaven will be standing there, with their swords drawn, and they will compel thee to make excuses for and to confess thy sins.

Thine apparel shall be motley, thy mouth shall be shut, thou shalt be terrorstricken to such a degree that thou shalt be unable to speak or to explain.

O wretched man, thy many fornications, which were the disease (?) of thy soul, and the lusts of the eye,

and the evil cogitations which afflict the spirit and cause grief to the soul, and the slip in the speech (or, mouth), and the tongue which speaketh words of boasting and defileth the whole body,

and the evil words of scurrility and indecency, and the gossipings which are inspired by envy and hatred, and the scoffings, and the derisive words about the image of God,

and the voluntary revilings (or, condemnations) which will deprive thee of the good things of Paradise, and the secret passions which it would be a disgrace to mention, the evil thought towards the image of God,

and the anger, and discord, and impudence, and arrogance, and the thoughts of the heart (which sprang) from wickedness, and the want of compassion, and ambition

concerning all these things shall they enquire of thee because thou wast at enmity with thy brother, and because thou didst not put away (thine enmity) perforce by the love of God.

Hast thou never heard that 'love covereth a multitude of sins'?

And this is what your Father which is in heaven doeth for you. If ye do not forgive each other in your hearts, your Father which is in heaven will not forgive you your sins.

Behold ye know, O my beloved, that we have clothed ourselves with the good and man-loving Christ.

Let us not strip ourselves naked of Him for the sake of our evil works; for we are vowed to God in purity, and we are vowed to the life of the monk.

Let us do the works thereof which are these: fasting and praying without ceasing, and purity of the body and purity of the heart.

Since we have vowed ourselves to God in purity let us not associate ourselves with the fornications which take manifold forms,

for He saith, 'They committed fornication in very many ways.'

O my brethren, o let us not permit ourselves to be found in the works which are of the kind which will make us to fall below every (other) man.

Moreover, we have promised to become disciples of Christ;

let us therefore afflict ourselves, for sorrow bringeth low impurity.

And now that the contest is set, let us not allow ourselves to be defeated, so that we may not become slaves unto sin.

Lightgivers have been placed in the world for us, let them not be offended because of us, let us bear silently,

for very many shall be saved through our sobriety, O brethren.

Let us not enter into reckoning with each other, in order that they may not enter into reckoning with us in the hour of punishment, whether ye are virgins, or whether ye are set apart to do special work, or whether ye are anchorites.

Assuredly He shall say unto us, Bring (it hither), this belongeth to Me, and the increase thereof.' And He shall chide us, and say unto us, ' Where is the apparel of the bridal chamber?

Where is the light of the lamps?

If thou art indeed My son, where is the fear with which thou shouldst regard Me?

If thou didst hate Me in the world, then get thee away from Me, for I know thee not.

If thou hatest thy brother thou art a stranger unto My Kingdom.

If thou hast a bond on thy brother, and thou wilt not release him, then they shall bind thy hands behind thee, and thy feet, and shall cast thee into the outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

If thou rejectest thy brother, then will they deliver thee over to the angels who are without mercy, and they shall flog thee with whips of fire for ever.

Thou didst not shew compassion upon My image, thou didst treat Me with contempt, thou didst hold Me in scorn, thou didst inflict disgrace upon Me

therefore I will not shew compassion upon thee in thy time of danger and necessity.

'If thou dost not make peace with thy brother in this world,

I will not be with thee in the Day of the Great Judgement.

(If) thou despisest the poor man, it is I Whom thou despisest therewith.

(If) thou rejectest the man of misery, thou art the fellow (or, companion) of the man who rejected Me in My humility upon the Cross.

Did I ever demand from thee anything during My absence from My home in the world?

Did I not bestow upon thee My Body and My Blood, the Good of life?

Did I not taste the death for thy sake until I redeemed thee?

Did I not make thee acquainted with the mystery of heaven, and make thee My brother and companion?

Did I not give unto thee the power to trample under thy feet vipers and scorpions, and all the might of the Enemy?

Did I not give unto thee manifold medicines of life wherewith thou mightest heal thyself?

My powers, and My signs, and My miracles, which I bore in the world as the [ armour of soldierhood I gave unto thee that thou mightest gird thyself about therewith, and mightest cast down head-long Goliath, that is to say the Devil.

And now what is it which thou lackest that maketh thee to become a stranger to Me?

It is thy carelessness alone that driveth thee into the pit of Amente.'

Now therefore, O my son, these things and those which are far more severe shall we hear if we continue to be careless, and are not obedient (to the command) to forgive one another.

Let us be sober.

We know the virtues of God which shall help us in the day of death, and which shall act as a guide for us in the midst of the cruel and terrifying war, and which shall raise up (our) soul(s) from the dead.

Now first of all there have been given unto us faith and the knowledge whereby we may expel unbelief from within us.

Next, there have been given unto us wisdom and understanding which enable us to understand the thoughts of the Devil, and to flee from him, and to hate him.

(And) there are preached unto us fasting, and prayer, and continence, which shall give peace and tranquillity in the body (which is vexed) by passion.

There have been given unto us purity and abstinence through which God shall dwell in us.

And there have been given unto us patient endurance and long-suffering, and if we keep carefully all these (virtues) we shall inherit the glory of God.

There have been given unto us love and peace, these mighty warriors in the battle, for the Enemy is unable to draw nigh unto the place wherein these are.

We have been commanded concerning the joy wherein there is no grief if we fight.

And we have also been instructed in generosity and in Christlikeness.

There have been given unto us holy prayer and long-suffering, which are wont to fill the soul with light.

There have been given unto us innocency of heart and simplicity, which are wont to blot out wickedness.

Directions have been written down for us in respect of judging no man, and we must overcome the falsehood of this evil blemish which is in man

for if we do not judge they will not judge us in the Day of Judgement.

For the power to suffer patiently, and the power to bear violent assaults have been given unto us, in order that slothfulness may not cast us down headlong.

And our fathers lived their lives to the very end in hunger and in thirst, and they suffered tribulations in great numbers until they produced purity within themselves.

Especially did they flee from the drinking of wine, which is full of penalties of every kind.

The disturbances in our members, and the twitchings therein, and their jerky and disconnected movements are due to overmuch wine

it is a madness which produceth much sin, it splitteth the head, and it maketh the joints of the hands and arms helpless.

For the pleasure which attendeth drinking in excess maketh a man of understanding- to become a fool, and it turneth the conscience into a shameless thing, and it setteth loose the bridle of the tongue.

The greatest joy in all the world is to sorrow in the Holy Spirit; let us not stray in pleasure.

For the priest spake, and the prophet gave a warning concerning wine,

'Wine is insolent, drunkenness is a disgrace; whosoever shall devote himself to these shall not be innocent of sin'

Wine is good if we drink it in moderation ; if thou givest thine eye to the wine-bottles and to the drinking-pots, thou shalt go naked, even like a corn-stalk (?).

Therefore let all those who have prepared themselves to be disciples of Jesus keep themselves away from wine and from drunkenness.

For our fathers knew very well the danger which would arise because of wine, and they abstained from it, for they were wont to drink it in very small quantities when suffering from sickness.

Now if only a very little wine was allowed to be given to the mighty workman Timothy, whose body was in a very infirm condition, then what shall I say in respect of the man who is bubbling over with wickedness, and is in the prime of early manhood, and who hath in him impure desires and passion in abundance?

I am afraid to say it: Let no man drink wine at all, so that he may not hate his own salvation (and) murmur against me.

For these words will be hard unto many at (this) time.

Nevertheless, my beloved, it is good to keep oneself (from wine), and soberness (?) is beneficial ; for he who keepeth himself sober (?) shall sail in safety his ship into the harbour of the salvation, which is good and holy, and he shall drink of the good things of heaven.

And again, a greater thing than all these hath been given into thine hand, namely, the humility which keepeth watch over all the virtues ; humility was this great and holy power wherein God arrayed Himself when He came into the world.

It is the wall (round about) the virtues, the treasure-house of actions (or, deeds), the armour which delivereth, the healer of every grief.

And when the apparel of byssus had been made, and the vessels of gold for the tabernacle, and all the things for adornment, they put on apparel of sackcloth.

(Humility) is one of the least of things in the sight of men, but it is chosen and most honourable before God.

If we acquire it for ourselves we shall (be able to) tread upon all the power of the Enemy.

For He said, 'On whom shall I look except upon him that is humble and long-suffering?'

Let us not relax our attention in the time of hunger, for boasting increaseth in a man as well as prudence.

When gluttony increaseth, fornication reigneth through the drinking of the body, (and) pride hath rule, and the novices cease to listen to the elders, and the elders cease to trouble in any way about the novices, and each one walketh according to the desire of his own heart.

This is the time wherein we must cry out with the prophet, 'Woe unto me, O my soul, for he who striketh terror destroyeth upon the earth.

And he who is upright among men existeth not according to the Christ, that is to say he doth not exist at all, and each one afflicteth his neighbour.'

Strive ye, O my beloved, for the time hath drawn nigh, and the days have diminished. The father no longer giveth instruction to his son, and the son hearkeneth not to his father.

The good Virgins have come to an end. The holy fathers are asleep in every place, the mothers are destroyed like the widows, we have become like unto orphans.

The humble are trampled upon, and blows are showered upon the heads of the poor.

Because of this, within a very little we have made God to be wroth. Then let us make lamentation, (for) there is none to comfort us.

All these things have come upon us because we have not afflicted ourselves.

Let us strive earnestly, O my beloved, so that we may receive the crown which is prepared.

The throne is spread, the door of the kingdom is open, 'to him who overcometh will I give the manna which is his'

If we strive earnestly we shall conquer our passions, and we shall reign for ever and ever; but if they conquer us, we shall weep bitterly.

Let us fight for ourselves, inasmuch as repentance is sufficient for us.

Let us put on ourselves sorrow, and make ourselves new (creatures) in humility.

Let us become lovers of men, and make ourselves companions of Christ, the Lover of mankind.

Since we are vowed unto God, (we must lead) the life of the monk in love.

Virginity doth not (mean) virginity of the body only, but the keeping of oneself from every sin.

For in the Gospel certain virgins were rejected because of their careless slothfulness, whilst those who watched bravely went into the chamber of the bridegroom.

May it happen then that every one (here) may enter into that place for ever!

And as concerning the love of money by means of which fighting is carried on against us.

If thou wishest to gain for thyself these things (or, possessions) which are transient, and can be destroyed by fire, by great avariciousness, or by trafficking, or by violence, or by evil design, or by excessive manual labour, thou art not free to serve God, at least certainly not in every way.

If thou hast the eager desire to collect for thyself gold or bronze, remember that which He spake in the Gospel, saying, 'Thou man of no understanding, they shall carry away thy soul this very night; (and) the things which thou hast prepared unto whom shall they belong?

Of similar import too are the words, 'He gathereth together, (but) he knoweth not for whom he is gathering'

Strive eagerly then, O my beloved, and fight against (this) passion.

Thou shalt say, 'I will do what Abraham did, I will act uprightly in respect of God, the Most High, Who created the heavens and the earth—saying. If I have taken anything of the things which belong unto thee, from a thread even unto a shoe-latchet'

The stranger who is humble is a great good, and the Lord loveth the proselyte. Concerning, moreover, the slothfulness by means of which fighting is carried on against us, (and) concerning the right hand of need,

remember that it is written, 'Thy houses for gathering in are accursed, and the things which are in them.'

And again concerning the gold and the bronze James spake, saying, 'Their rust shall bear witness against them, and the rust shall devour your flesh like fire.'

And, 'He chose a man, a righteous man who had no idol, he saw their affliction'

Again, purify thyself from the curse before the Lord calleth thee, for thou hast set thy hope upon God, because it is written 'Let your hearts be purified, (and) perfect towards God.'

I enquire of thee, O my beloved in the Lord,

for if thou hast made God to be a helper (unto thee), and if thou art unto Him one beloved, and if thou hast set thy heart to walk in the commandments of God,

then will God Himself bless thee so greatly that thy fountain shall become a river unto thee, and thy river shall become unto thee a sea.

For thou art the chariot, and continence shall be the charioteer. The lamp of God is kindled above thee, and thou shalt give forth the light which belongeth unto the Spirit.

Thou shalt control thy words in (giving) judgement.

God granteth unto thee graciously the skill of the saints in contending, so that thou mayest not fall headlong before the image (or, phantom) in thy city.

Thou settest thy foot upon the neck of the prince of darkness.

Thou seest the general-in-chief of the forces of the Lord standing at thy right hand.

Thou shalt drown Pharaoh and his multitude.

Thou and thy people pass over the sea of salt/ that is to say, this life. Amen.

And besides these things, I command thee not to relax thy hold upon thy heart, for it is the joy of devils to make a man to relax his hold upon his heart, and to bring him into the net before he is aware of it.

Therefore be not thou careless in receiving the teaching of the fear of the Lord.

Thou shalt go forward (or, grow) like the new plants,

and thou shalt please God like a new (i. e. young) bull which driveth away the sheep with (his) horns.

Moreover, be thou a valiant man, both in deed and in word.

Do not turn thy face away as do the hypocrites, lest thou join them and become converted unto them.

Do not destroy (or, waste) the first day (of the week) in thy field, for thou must know what that must give to God day by day.

Seat thyself by thyself, like a prudent governor, and try (thyself) judicially according to thy reason; and whether thou art away by qf thyself on a journey, or whether thou art among a crowd,

thou shall pass judgement on thyself daily.

For it is very much better for thee to be one among a crowd of a thousand people and to possess a very little humility, than to be a man living in the cave of a hyena in pride.

It may be remembered in respect of Lot, that he lived in the midst of Sodom, and still was a believer and a good man.

But we also hear in respect of Cain, with whom upon the earth there were only three other people, that he became a sinner.

Now therefore, behold, the contest is prepared for thee. Examine thou carefully those who come upon thee daily, for we must hide ourselves even as those who wage war against us hide themselves.

For the devils are not wont to come against thee on the right hand only, but they appear also on the left hand to every man.

For in very truth, in my own case, they fought against me on the right-hand side, and they brought unto me the Devil, being bound in the form of a wild ass, but the Lord helped me.

I did not believe them, neither did I relax the vigilance of my heart against them.

And the works of the Devil on the right hand hurt me many times, and he went so far as to dare to tempt the Lord, but He destroyed him with all his works.

Now, therefore, O my son, array thyself in humility, and make the Christ to be unto thee a counsellor, and His Good Father (also);

make thyself a companion and a divine man, in whose heart is the Law of God.

Make thyself to be like unto the poor man who carried His Cross, who became a companion of weeping.

Make thyself to become poor, (put) a napkin on thy head, and let thy place of abode be unto thee a tomb, until God shall raise thee up and give unto thee the crown of triumph.

If it happeneth on a time that thou art utterly cast down about a brother, who hath caused thee suffering by (his) words ;

or if thy heart hath been wounded by a brother, and thou sayest, 'he is not worth this ';

or if the Enemy worketh in thee against a certain man (and thou sayest), 'he is not worthy of these honours, lay thou hold upon thy speech.

Or call to mind that it is the Devil of war who maketh himself great in thy understanding.

(If) thou contendest with thy brother, thou knowest that there is no balm in Gilead, and that there is no physician in thy neighbourhood.

Now (therefore) devote thyself to silent contemplation, and to making thyself conscious of God.

Weep thou tears in the presence of thyself and Christ, and the Spirit of Jesus shall speak with thee in thine understanding,

it shall give thee birth in the circle of the commandment, and make thee to strive by thyself; thou resemblest a wild animal inasmuch as the venom is in thee.

Remember how that thou thyself hast benefited on several occasions.

Dost thou not hear the Christ saying, 'Forgive thy brother seventy times seven'?

Dost thou thyself not weep often when thou makest supplication, saying, 'Forgive me I the multitude of my sins '?

And yet thou layest hold of a little thing against thy brother!

And straightway the Spirit of God shall bring before thee the Judgement, and the fear of the punishments.

And thou must remember the saints, and how they were held worthy to be treated with contempt.

And thou must remember the Christ, and how they despised Him,

and treated Him with contempt, and how they crucified Him for thy sake.

And straightway thy heart shall become full of compassion and fear, and thou shalt cast thyself down on thy face weeping, and thou shalt say, 'Forgive Thou me, O my Lord, for I have inflicted suffering on Thine image.'

And straightway thou shalt rise up, and thou shalt be [feeling] the consolation of repentance,

thou shalt flee to the feet of thy brother,

thy heart shall be as water,

thy face shall be joyful, thy mouth shall be filled with gladness,

peace shall be enveloping thee, and thou shalt make supplication to thy brother,

Thy weeping shall be abundant, but great joy shall be unto thee through (thy) tears.

And peace shall boast itself in your midst, and the Spirit of God Himself shall rejoice and shall cry out, saying, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for it is they who shall be called the sons of God.'

When the Enemy heareth the sound of the voice (of thy weeping) he becometh ashamed.

(Take care) that God is glorified, so that a great blessing may be unto thee.

Now therefore, O my brother, let us fight boldly. Thou knowest that contention existeth in every place.

The churches are filled with men who love fighting and with men of wrath.

The Congregations and the bodies of monks love to arrogate to themselves greatness, pride hath made itself to be king (or, to rule).

No man sheweth bravery on behalf of his neighbour, but every man inflicteth persecution on his neighbour.

We have fallen into the midst of sufferings.

There is neither prophet nor Gnostic.

No man chideth another in respect of any matter, because hardness of heart hath increased.

He who hath understanding shall speak out, for the time is evil.

Every man maketh himself to be his own king, and they devote their minds to the contemplation of the things which are unseemly.

Now therefore, O my brother, make peace with thy brother, and thou shalt pray for me;

I am unable to do anything in the matter, but I humble myself because of my wish.

And do thou be sober in everything.

Suffer, and perform the work of the evangelist, bear temptations patiently, fight out to the very end the fight which the life of the monk entaileth, humble thyself, make thyself to be long-suffering, let thy heart dread (certain) things (or, words), which thou must hear, and take good heed to guard thy virginity.

And thou shalt commit thyself unto him with whom thou comparest thyself, and unto these strange voices concerning me.

Set not thyself outside the writings of the saints, but make thyself strong in the belief in the Christ Jesus our Lord, through Whom and to Whom be glory, and to His Good Father, and to the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

Bless us!

Through the diligence and the care of our God-loving brother, Xael, the son of the blessed Stephanos, the rush of lions on the man of the plains, belonging to the heart of the city, Esna.

He composed this book through his labor.

He presented it to the monastery of the Holy Macarius of the mountain of the city, Tbow, for the salvation of his soul in order for them to read in it the name of the Holy John, and the Holy Apa Pahmon so that the Holy Macarius, the soldier and courageous martyr and the Holy John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ and the Holy Apa Pahmon, the Archimandrite will intercede to Christ for him.

and that he blesses him in this world and that he preserves him from every snare of the Devil and wicked men and he assists him in every good thing after the circumstance of this life so he will be worthy of the forgiveness of his sins and receive the inheritance of all the saints, as it shall come to pass. Amen.

Remember, for my part, Theopistis, of the deacon, the son of Severus, the archpriest of the Holy Macarius of the City Esna.

I wrote this work by my hand. Pray for me so that God forgives the multitude of my sins because they cry out exceedingly.

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