Parables 51 (Ii)
PARABLES 51 (II) guarded. 8. Instead of fields, then, purchase souls that have been afflicted, insofar as you can, and take care of widows and orphans and do not neglect them; spend your wealth and all your furnishings for such fields and houses as you have received from God. 9. For this is why the Mas ter made you rich, that you may carry out these ministries for him. It is much better to purchase the fields, goods, and houses you find in your own city when you return to it.
10. This kind of extravagance is good and makes one glad; it has no grief or fear, but joy instead. And so, do not partic ipate in the extravagance sought by outsiders; for it is of no profit for you who are slaves of God. 11. But participate in your own extravagance in which you can rejoice. And do not counterfeit or touch what belongs to another, or desire it. For it is evil to desire someone else's goods. But do your own work, and you will be saved."
Another Parable 51 (II) While I was walking in the field and considering an elm tree and a vine, reflecting on them and their fruits, the shepherd appeared to me and said, "Why are you asking yourself about the elm tree and the vine?" "I am thinking,
Lord," I replied, "that they are extremely well suited for one another." 2. "These two trees," he replied, "symbolize the slaves of God." "I would like to know," I said, "what
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γνώναι τον τύπον τών δένδρων τούτων ών λέγεις, βλέπεις, φησί, τήν πτελέαν καϊ τήν άρπελον; βλέπω, φηρί, κύριε. 3. ή άρπελος, φησίν, αύτη καρπόν φέρει, ή δέ πτελέα ξύλον άκαρπόν έστιν άλλ' ή άρπελος αύτη έάν ρή άναβή έπϊ τήν πτελέαν, ού δύναται καρποφορήσαι πολύ έρριρρένη χαμαί, και όν φέρει καρπόν, σεσηπότα φέρει ρή κρεραρένη έπϊ τής πτελέας. όταν ονν έπιρριφή ή άρπελος έπϊ τήν πτελέαν, και παρ
4. βλέπεις ονν, ότι καϊ ή πτελέα πολύν καρπόν δίδωσιν, ούκ ελάσσονα τής άρπελον, μάλλον δέ καϊ πλεί ονα, πώς, φημί, κύριε, πλείονα;
ότι, φησίν, ή άρπελος κρεμάμενη έπϊ τήν πτελέαν τον καρπόν πολύν καϊ καλόν δίδωσιν, έρριρρένη δέ χαμαϊ ολίγον καϊ σαπρόν φέρει, αύτη ονν ή παραβολή εις τούς δούλονς τού θεού κείται, εις πτωχόν καϊ πλούσιον.
5. πώς, φημί, κύριε, γνώρισόν ροι. άκονε, φησίν ό μέν πλούσιος έχει χρήματα, τά δέ προς τον κύριον πτω χεύει, περισπώμενος περϊ τον πλούτον έαντού, καϊ λίαν
ρικράν έχει τήν εντενζιν και τήν έξομολόγησιν προς τον κύριον, καϊ ήν έχει, βληχράν καϊ μικράν καϊ άλλην
έπϊ τον πένητα ό πλούσιος και χορηγή αύτώ τά δέοντα, πιστεύει οτι έάν έργάσηται εις τον πένητα δννήσεται τον μισθόν εύρεΐν παρά τώ θεώ· ότι ό πένης πλούσιος έστιν έν τή έντεύζει αυτού καϊ έν τή εξομο λογήσει,
και δύναμιν μεγάλην έχει παρά τώ θεώ ή εντενξις αυτού, επιχορηγεί ονν ό πλούσιος τώ πένητι
PARABLES 51 (II) these two trees you are speaking about symbolize." "You see," he said, "the elm and the vine?" "I see them, Lord," I replied. 3. "This vine," he said, "bears fruit; but the elm is a tree that does not. Yet if this vine did not grow up onto the elm, it could not bear much fruit, since it would be lying on the ground, and the fruit it bore would be rotten, since it would not be clinging to the elm. And so, when the vine at taches to the elm, it bears fruit both of itself and because of the elm. 4. And so you see that the elm also gives much fruit—no less than the vine, but rather more." "How does it bear more, Lord" I asked. "Because," he said, "it is by clinging to the elm that the vine gives an abundance of good fruit; but when it is lying on the ground it bears just a little rotten fruit. And so this parable applies to the slaves of God, the poor and the rich." 5. "How so, Lord?" I asked.
"Explain it to me." "Listen," he said. "The rich person has money, but is poor towards the Lord, since he is distracted by his wealth. The prayer and confession he makes to the Lord are very small—weak, small, and of no real effect.
And so, when the rich person depends upon the one who is poor and supplies him with what he needs, he believes that by helping the one who is poor he will find his recompense before God. For the poor person is rich in his petition and confession, and his petition has a great effect before God.
And so the rich person supplies everything to the one who 2 : om. A L
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πάντα άδιστάκτως6. ό πένης ονν επιχορηγούμενος ύπό τού πλονσίον έντνγχάνει τω θεω ευχάριστων αύτώ, υπέρ τού δίδοντος αύτώκάκεΐνος ετι έπισπονδάζει
περί τού πένητος, ΐνα αδιάλειπτος γένηται εν τή ζωή αυτούοίδε γάρ, οτι ή τού πένητος εντενζις προσδεκτή εστίν καϊ πλονσία προς κύριον.
7. άρφότεροι ούν το έργον τελούσιν 6 ρέν πένης εργάζεται τή έντεύζει, έν ή πλοντέί, ήν έλαβεν παρά τού κνρίον ταύτην άποδίδωσι τω κνρίω τω έπιχορηγούντι αύτω. και 6 πλούσιος ωσαύτως το πλούτος, δ ελαβεν παρά τού κνρίον, άδιστάκτως παρέχεται τω πένητι. καϊ τούτο έργον ρέγα έστιν καϊ δεκτόν παρά τω θεω, οτι σννήκεν έπϊ τω πλούτω αυτού καϊ ήργάσατο εις τον πένητα έκ τών δωρηράτων τού κνρίον καϊ έτέλεσεν τήν διακονίαν ορθώς. 8. παρά τοΐς ονν άνθρώποις ή πτελέα δοκεΐ καρπόν ρή φέρειν, καϊ ούκ οΐδασιν ουδέ νοούσιν οτι, Οταν άβροχία γένηται, ή πτελέα εχονσα ύδωρ τρέφει τήν άρπελον, καϊ ή άρπελος άδιάλειπτον έχονσα το ύδωρ διπλούν τον καρπον άποδίδωσιν, καϊ υπέρ έαντής καϊ υπέρ τής πτελέας. ούτως καϊ οί πένητες υπέρ τών πλονσίων έντνγχάνοντες προς τον κύριον πληροφορούσι το πλούτος αυτών, καϊ πάλιν οί πλούσιοι χορηγούντες τοΐς πένησι τά δέοντα πληρο φορούσι τάς φνχάς αυτών. 9. γίνονται ονν αμφότεροι κοινωνοί τού έργον τού δίκαιον, ταύτα ονν ό ποιών ούκ ένκαταλειφθήσεται ύπό τού θεού, άλλά εσται γεγραρ-
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5 1 (II) is poor, without hesitation. 6. And then the poor person, having his needs supplied by the one who is rich, prays to God and thanks him for the one who has given him what he needs. And that one becomes even more eager to help out the poor person, so that he may lack nothing in his life. For he knows that the petition of the poor person is acceptable and rich before the Lord. 7. And so both accomplish their work. The poor person works at his prayer in which he is rich and which he received from the Lord; and he gives it back to the Lord who supplied it to him in the first place.
So too the rich person does not hesitate to supply his wealth to the poor person, since he received it from the Lord. And this is a great and acceptable thing to do before God, because the rich person has gained understanding by his wealth and has worked for the poor person out of the gifts provided by the Lord, and he has accomplished his ministry well. 8. And so, people may think that the elm tree bears no fruit; but they neither know nor understand that when a drought comes, the elm nourishes the vine by hold ing water; and the vine, since it has an undiminished sup ply of water, produces fruit for two, both for itself and for the elm. Thus also those who are poor who pray to the Lord on behalf of the rich bring their own wealth to completion; and again those who are rich and supply the poor with what they need bring their souls to completion.
9. Both then share in an upright work. And so the one who does these things will not be abandoned by God, but will
P ° x 2 : τον θεόν A: om. L L 15 κνρίον P ° x C
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10. μακάριοι οί βχοντβς καί σννιέντες οτι παρά του κυρίου πλου τίζονται6 yap σννίων τούτο δννήσεται καί διακονήσαί τι αγαθόν.
έχοντα φύλλα, άλλά ώσεί ξηρά έδόκει ροι είναιΟμοια yap ήν πάντα, λέγει ροιβλέπεις, φησί, τά δένδρα ταύτα; βλέπω, φηρι, κύριε, οροια όντα καί ξηρά. αποκριθείς ροι λέγειταύτα τά δένδρα, ά βλέπεις, οί κατοικούντές είσιν έν τώ αίώνι τούτω. 2. διατί, φηρί, ούν, κύριε, ώσεί ξηρά καί όμοια έστιν; οτι, φησίν, ούτε οί δίκαιοι φαίνονται ούτε οί αμαρτωλοί έν τώ αίώνι τούτω,
άλλά όροιοί είσιν ό γάρ αιών ούτος δικαίοις χειρών έστιν, καί ού φαίνονται ρετά τών άραρτωλών κατοικούντες.
3. ώσπερ γάρ τώ χειμώνι τά δένδρα άποβεβληκότα τά φύλλα όροιά έστιν καϊ ού φαίνεται τά ξηρά ποΐά έστιν ή τά ζώντα, ούτως έν τώ αίώνι τούτω ού φαί νονται ούτε οί δίκαιοι ούτε οί άραρτωλοί, άλλά πάντες όροιοί είσιν.
1 : ενγεγραμμένος Μ ( L 2 Ε C 16 γ €γραμμένος P B e r ΡΟχ vid. F L 2 ) : επιγεγραμμένος Α 17 αγαθόν ΡΟχ Μ A L L Ε C 2 : om.
(PBer)Ll 18 παραβολή γ' Μ L 2 (L.1): άρχή άλλης παραβολής Α: ]θ παραβολή δ Ρ ° χ : παραβολή δ' C 2 : om. Ε
PARABLES 52 (III) be recorded in the books of the living. 10. Happy are those who have possessions and understand that their riches have come from the Lord; for the one who understands this will also be able to perform a good ministry."
Third Parable 52 (III) He showed me many trees that did not have leaves but appeared to me to be withered. And they were all alike. He said to me, "Do you see these trees?" "I see them, Lord," I replied. "They are like one another and withered." He said, "These trees you see are the people who dwell in this age." 2. "Why, then, Lord," I asked, "do they seem withered and like one another?" "Because," he said, neither the upright nor the sinners stand out clearly in this age, but they are like one another. For this age is a winter for those who are upright: they do not stand out clearly while dwelling with the sinners. 3. For just as the trees that shed their leaves in the winter all look alike, with the with ered indistinguishable from the living, so too in this age it is not clear who the upright are and who the sinners, but they all appear alike."
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53 (IV) "Έδβιξέ pot πάλιν δένδρα πολλά, ά ρέν βλαστώντα, ά δέ ξηρά, καϊ λέγβι ροιβλέπβις, φησί, τά δένδρα ταντα; βλέπω, φηρί, κνριβ, ά ρέν βλαστώντα, ά δέ ξηρά.
2. ταντα, φησί, τά δένδρα τά βλαστώντα οί δίκαιοι βίσιν οί ρέλλοντβς κατοικβΐν βίς τον αιώνα τον έρχόρβνον 6 γάρ αιών 6 έρχόρβνος θβρβία
έστιν τοΐς δικαίοις, τοΐς δέ άραρτωλοΐς χβιρών. όταν ονν έπιλάρφη το έλβος τον κνρίον, τότβ φανβροί βσονται οί δονλβνοντβς τώ θβώ, καί πάσι φανβροποιηθήσονται.
έπιγινώσκονται ποίοι τινές βίσιν, οντω καί τών δικαίων οί καρποί φανβροί έσον ται καί γνωσθήσονται πάντβς βνθαλβΐς οντβς έν τώ αίώνι έκβίνω. 4. τά δέ έθνη καί οί άραρτωλοί, ά βίδβς τά δένδρα τά ξηρά, τοιοντοι βνρβθήσονται ξηροί καί άκαρποι έν έκβίνω τώ αίώνι καί ώς ξηρά ξνλα κατακανθήσονται καί φανβροί βσονται,
ότι ή πράξις αντών πονηρά έγένβτο έν τή ζωή αντών. οί ρέν γάρ άραρτωλοί καήσονται οτι ήραρτον καί ον ρβτβνόησαν τά δέ βθνη καήσονται ότι ονκ βγνωσαν τον κτίσαντα αντονς.
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53 ( I V )
Another Parable 53 (IV) He showed me again a number of trees, some of them bud ding, others withered. And he said to me, "Do you see these trees?" "I see them, Lord," I replied. "Some of them are budding and others are withered." 2. "These trees that are budding," he said, "are the upright who are about to dwell in the age that is coming. For the coming age is a summer for the upright, but a winter for sinners. And so, when the mercy of the Lord shines forth, those who serve as slaves to God will stand out clearly, and everyone will be able to recognize them. 3. For just as the fruits of each in dividual tree appear in the summer and their species are recognized, so too the fruits of the upright will appear, and they will all be known in that age because they will be blos soming. 4. But the outsiders and sinners—who are the withered trees you saw—will be found withered and fruit less in that age, and they will be burned like withered trees and shown for what they are, because they did what was evil in their lifetimes. The sinners will be burned for sin ning and not repenting. But the outsiders will be burned for not knowing the one who created them. 5. You, there fore, bear fruit in yourself, that your fruit may appear in 21 άλλη παραβολή Μ (uncertain whether a number follows): άρχή άλλης παραβολής Α: παραβολή δ' L 2 : παραβολή e' C 2: om. Ε . In P B e r the fourth parable follows the second.
2 4 φανβροί eo-ovrat A L 2 3 φανβροννται καϊ M A L L : om. P B e r Ε 2 ( L 1 ) : άφανβροϊ βο-ονται Μ: φανβρόν βπται cj.
Dibelius
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δβ άπο πολλών πράζβων καί ούδβν διαράρτης. οί γάρ τά πολλά πράσσοντβς πολλά καί άραρτάνουσιν, πβρισπώρβνοι πβρί τάς πραγρατβίας αντών ρηδβ δονλβύ οντβς τώ κνρίω
αντών. 6. πώς ονν, φησίν, δύναται δ τοιούτος αίτήσασθαί τι παρά τού κνρίον καί λαββΐν, ρή δονλβύων τώ κνρίω; οί δονλβύοντβς αύτώ, βκβΐνοι λήρφονται τά αίτήρατα αυτών, οί δβ ρή δονλβύοντβς τώ κνρίω ούδβν λήρφονται.
7. βάν δβ ρίαν τις πράζιν βργάσηται, δύναται καί τώ κνρίω δονλβύσαι· ού γάρ ρή διαφθαρήσβται ή διάνοια αυτού άπο τού κνρίον, άλλά δονλβύσβι αύτώ βχων καθαράν τήν διάνοιαν αυτού.
8. ταύτα ονν βάν ποίησης, δννήση καρποφορήσαι βίς τον αιώνα τον βρχόρβνον καί δς βάν ταύτα ποιήση, καρποφορήσβι.
54 (V.1) Νηστβύοντός ρον καί καθηρβνον βίς ορος τι βύχαριστών τώ κνρίω πβρί πάντων ών βποίησβν ρβτ βρού, βλβπω τον ποιρβνα παρακαθήρβνόν ροι καί λβγοντά ροι
τοιαύτα· τί ορθρινός ώδβ βλήλνθας; οτι, φηρί, κύριβ, στατίωνα βχω. 2. τί, φησίν, βστιν στατίων; νηστβύω, φηρί, κύριβ. νηστβία δβ, φησίν, τί βστιν αύτη, ήν νηστβύβτβ; ώς βίώθβιν, φηρί, κύριβ, ούτω 26 κνρίω Μ A L 2 Ε: deo U 2 7 αλλη παραβολή β Μ (similitudo quinta L L): παραβ. ξ pHam C2 : άρχή άλλης παραβολής A: om. Ε
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54 (V.l) that summer. But avoid many business activities and you will not sin at all. For those involved with numerous busi ness dealings are also involved in numerous sins, since they are distracted by their affairs and do not serve as the Lord s slaves. 6. How then," he continued, "can someone like this receive anything he asks from the Lord, if he does not serve as the Lord's slave? For his slaves will receive what they request, but those who are not his slaves will receive nothing. 7. But if someone should engage in just one kind of business [Or: one business transaction], he will also be able to serve as the Lord's slave. For his thoughts will in no way be corrupted away from the Lord, but he will be en slaved to him, keeping his thoughts pure. 8. So then, if you do these things you will be able to bear fruit in the age that is coming. And whoever else does these things will bear fruit."
Another Parable, Five 54 (V.l) While I was fasting and sitting on a certain mountain, thanking the Lord for everything he had done for me, I saw the shepherd sitting next to me. And he said to me: "Why have you come here so early?" "Because, Lord," I said,
"I have a duty to perform [Literally:
I have a station]."
2. "What is the duty? [Or: What is a station?]" he asked. "I am fasting, Lord," I replied. "But what is this fast you people are keeping?" he asked. "I am fasting according to 28 μοι L L Ε C2 Mvid-: om. PHam A
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ουδέ βστιν νηστβία αύτη ή ανωφελής, ήν νηστεύετε αντω. διατί, φημί, κνριβ, τοντο λέγεις; λβγω, φησίν, οτι ονκ βστιν αντη νηστβία ήν δοκεΐτε νηστεύειν άλλ' βγώ σβ διδάξω τί βστιν νηστβία δβκτή καϊ πλήρης τώ κνρίω. ναι, φηρί, κνριβ, ρακάριόν ρβ ποιήσβις βάν γνώ τήν νηστείαν τήν δβκτήν τώ θβώ.
άκονβ, φησίν. 4. δ θβος ον βούλεται τοιαύτην νηστβίαν ραταίαν οντω γάρ νηστεύων τώ θβώ ουδέν έργάζη τή δικαιοσύνη, νήστβνσον δβ τώ θβώ νηστβίαν τοιαύτην 5. ρηδβν πονηρβύση βν τή ζωή σον, άλλά δούλβνσον τώ κνρίω βν καθαρά καρδία, τηρών τάς έντολάς αυτού καϊ πορβνόρβνος βν τοΐς προστάγρασιν αυτού, και ρηδερία έπιθνρία πονηρά άναβήτω βν τή καρδία σον πίστενσον δβ τώ θβώ οτι βάν ταύτα έργάση καϊ φοβηθής αύτον καϊ εγκρατεύση άπο παντός πονηρού πράγρατος, ζήση τώ θεώταύτα δέ έάν έργάση, μεγάλην
2. είχέν τις άγρον καϊ δούλονς πολλούς, καϊ εις μέρος τι τού αγρού έφύτενσεν αμ πελώναέκλεξάμενος ούν δούλον τινα πιστότατον