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Morals

St Basil the Great, tr. Lowther Clarke, 1925

Chapter 48

That one must be compassionate and liberal, for such as are not are condemned.

Mt. v. 7; Lk. vi. 30 add τῷ before αἰτοῦντι K; Rom. i. 31; 32; 1 Tim. vi. 18 †.

That whatever a man possesses beyond what he requires for the necessities of life, he owes to do good withal, according to the command of the Lord Who has given us our possessions.

Lk. iii. 11; 1 Cor. iv. 7 τί γάρ for τί δέ**; 2 Cor. viii. 14; 15.

That one should be poor, not rich, according to the word of the Lord.

Lk. vi. 20; 24; 2 Cor. viii. 2 τὸν πλοῦτον for τὸ πλοῦτος K; 1 Tim. vi. 9; 10.

That one should not be solicitous to abound in the necessaries of life, nor zealous for abundance or luxury; but should be free from every form of covetousness and adornment.

Lk. xii. 15; 1 Tim. ii. 9 ἢ χρυσῷ for καὶ χρυσίῳ K; vi. 8.

That one must not be anxious on account of private needs nor put one’s trust in things designed for this present life, but must commit one’s affairs to God.

Mt. vi. 24; 25 καὶ τί πίητε for ἢ καὶ π. K; 26–28; 29 omit ὅτι**; 30; 31; 32 ταῦτα before πάντα; 33 add τοῦ θεοῦ after βασιλείαν K; 34 add τά before ἑαυτῆς; Lk. xii. 16; 17; 18 τὰ γενήματά μου for τὸν σῖτον K; 19; 1 Tim. vi. 17 τοῦ νῦν αἰῶνος for ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι*, add τῷ before θεῷ K, add τά before πάντα. 6That one should be solicitous and anxious for the needs of the brethren according to the will of the Lord.

Mt. xxv. 34–36, 40; Jn. vi. 5 ὁ Ἰησοῦς after ὀφθαλμούς, ἀγοράσομεν for ἀγοράσωμεν K; 1 Cor. xvi. 1; 2 σαββάτων for σαββάτου**.

That he who is able should work and impart to those in need. For he that is unwilling to work was judged unworthy even to eat.

Mt. x. 10 omit ἐστιν after αὐτοῦ; Acts xx. 35 omit Ἰησοῦ*, διδόναι before μᾶλλον; Eph. iv. 28; 2 Thess. iii. 10.