Letter 919

To Philip. Let us never be exalted against the one who has been negligent, nor let us boast whenever we seem to keep the body pure; but you, who are spiritual today, fear lest tomorrow you be shown to be carnal. The earthly man becomes heavenly through a change. For whenever you, acting righteously, are lifted up against the one who has sinned, that man is at once justified above you. Consider therefore, O man, lest you too be put to the test; for perhaps you have never been abandoned to the very trials in which this man has been storm-tossed.

Μὴ ἐπαρθῶμεν ποτε κατὰ τοῦ ἀμελήσαντος, μηδὲ καυχησώμεθα, ὅταν δοκῶμεν καθαρὸν ἔχειν τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ φοβήθητι σὺ μὲν ὁ πνευματικὸς σήμερον, αὔριον μὴ ἀποφανθῇς σαρκικός. Ὁ δὲ γήϊνος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ μεταβολῆς γίνεται οὐράνιος. Ὅταν γὰρ δικαιοπραγῶν ἄρθης κατὰ τοῦ ἁμαρτήσαντος, ἐκεῖνος εὐθὺς ὑπὲρ σὲ δεδικαίωται. Σκόπησον τοίνυν, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μήποτε καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς, ἴσως γὰρ οὐδέποτε παρεχωρήθης ἐν οἷς οὗτος κεχείμασται.