Isidore of Pelusium → Theodoros
Tradução moderna em inglês
To Theodore the Deacon. Few things are more destructive to the Church than a deacon who uses his position for personal advantage rather than for service. The diaconate was established by the Apostles for the care of the poor and the assistance of the bishop, not for the enrichment of the deacon himself. When a deacon forgets this, he betrays both his ordination and his Lord, who said: "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant." The servant who makes himself master has inverted the entire order of the Gospel, and his punishment will be severe in proportion to the height from which he has fallen. Therefore remember your calling, Theodore, and serve with humility and devotion, counting it a privilege rather than a burden to minister to the needs of others. For in serving the least of Christ's brothers, you are serving Christ himself.
Texto latino / grego
αμπε ἐμᾶς γατίεε ἐθοτῖ! ἱπ Ζοεῖνκο εοὐα[ἰμεημε αὐπιοη ἰοπῖϑιιδ ΜΟῊ δὲς τοί οι Εἰ λόγους ἔφασχον ἔχειν πάσης χαχίας ἀναιρετι- χκοὺς, εἰχότως ἂν εἶχον ἀλαζονείας αἰτίαν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μάλιστα πάντων ἐπίσταμαι, ὅτι τοῦ μὲν παρ- αινοῦντός ἐστι τὸ εἰπεῖν τὰ βέλτιστα - τοῦ δὲ συμθουλενομένου τὸ πεισθῆναι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ λέ- γεῖν, ὁ δὲ τοῦ πράττειν Κύριός ἐστι" τί παρεὶς συγγινώσχειν, εἴγε ἀποδέξασθαι μὴ βούλοιο, αἰτιᾷ τὸν τόγε αὐτοῦ μέρος χατορθώσαντα ; εἰ δὲ μηδ᾽ οὕτω καταδέχῃ, ὥρα δε καὶ τὴν ἄῤῥητον σοφίαν αἰτιά- σασθαι, τὴν μῆτε τοὺς ἀποστατήσαντας Ἰουδαίους, μὴτε τὸν προδότην πείσασαν. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέσχον τοῦ πεισθῆναι, ὅτι ὁ μὲν προῦδωχεν, οἱ δὲ ἐσταύ- ρωσαν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μὴ πείσασα καὶ σώσασα, παρὰ πάντων ἀναχηρύττεται" ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς προαιρέσεως, οὐχ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐχδάσεως τὰ πράγματα χρίνεται" τί αἱτιᾷ τὸν τοσαῦτα πεποιηχότα, χαὶ μὴ δυνηθέντα πεῖσαι Μαρτινιανόν τε χαὶ Ζώσιμον, χαὶ Μάρωνα, χαὶ Εὐστάθιον ἀποσχέσθαι χαχίας ; Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέχω τοῦ ἐρυθριᾷν ἐπὶ τούτῳ ( καίτοι ἐρυθριᾷν () παντὸς μᾶλλον, ὥς γε ἐμαυτὸν", ἐν οἷς τὸ ἐρυθριᾷν χαλὸν, ἐπιστάμενος), ὅτι χαὶ σεμνύνομαι ἐπὶ τῷ τ ι5. Ηδο" οοἷπι οογοηδία, οἱ ἰογηϊοδιίοπα ἰυύϊοὶο οοηἠεοιηηλία, ιτηδι ΓΙ οηἶυ) δυληι) οἰΐαιμ ἰδυάθηι ἐοηῃδοαυίίυγ.