Religion/Theology

ISBN 0-911165-13-4
THE EVERGETINOS

Chrysostomos, Patapios, & Auxentios • THE EVERGETINOS • (2) III • C.T.O.S.

THE EVERGETINOS: A COMPLETE TEXT
Volume I of The First Book
A Complete Text

Volume I of
One of the classic collections of Orthodox spiritual writ-
ings, the Evergetinos is a source of inspiration, spiritual guid- The First Book
ance, and insight into the lives of men and women who, dur-
ing the first few centuries of Christianity, attained to the
higest ideals of the spiritual life. In the spiritual laboratory
of the Egyptian deserts, these seekers after salvation, enlight-
enment, and union with Christ brought into sharp focus the
teachings of the Apostles and the message of Holy Writ in
their daily lives and activities. The stern, the loving, “fools
for Christ”—all of the exemplars of Christian sainthood, the
many inhabitants of the many mansions above, are to be
found in the rich and profitable lives portrayed in this collec-
tion. Also to be found are perfect models for every modern
Christian who wishes sincerely to imitate those who have
Translated and Edited by
walked the path towards moral and spiritual perfection.
Bishop Chrysostomos,
This is the first volume of Book One of the Evergetinos and Hieromonk Auxentios,
the first of many forthcoming volumes in what will eventually John V. Petropoulos,
constitute the only English-language text of the complete col-
lection. Gregory Telepneff,
and
Hieromonk Ambrosios

CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST

ORTHODOX STUDIES
THE EVERGETINOS
A Complete Text

Volume I
of
The First Book

Translated and Edited by

Bishop Chrysostomos

with

Hieromonk Auxentios,
John Petropoulos,
Gregory Telepneff,
and
Hieromonk Ambrosios

CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST

ORTHODOX STUDIES
Etna, California 96027
1988
 A NOTE ON THE TEXT AND
TRANSLATION

In our English translation of the EÈergetinÒw, we have

used the 1977 edition of Archimandrite Matthew Langes’
four-volume Greek text. This text has long been used by
Greek readers and scholars, and is particularly helpful since
it contains not only St. Nicodemos’ edited version of the
original eleventh-century manuscript of the EÈergetinÒw,
but a careful rendering of these collected writings from and
about the Desert Fathers into the modern Greek dialect. In-
deed, we have worked with both the older and modern
Greek texts. In some instances, loyalty to the older text has
made the English translation clearer, since the modern Greek
text often employs contemporary idioms, in expressing the
complex Greek of the original text, that have no counterpart
in English. In other places, the modern Greek text, which
sometimes uses explanatory phrases to expand on the lacon-
ic original, has provided a better model for a clear English
translation. Decisions in this regard have been the preroga-
tive of the various translators, resulting in a text which none-
theless expresses a certain editorial consistency.
The reader will note, too, that we have followed loyally
the often idiosyncratic system by which passages are labeled
in the Greek text of the EÈergetinÒw—a weakness with
which he will simply have to deal. We have also avoided ed-
itorial addenda and any scholarly treatment of the manu-
script tradition of the EÈergetinÒw. Our purpose in this
translation is to provide a readable text of the standard col-
lection of the sayings and aphorisms of the Desert Fathers as
they are available today to the average Greek reader. Those
seeking scholarly apparatus or material for a pedantic exer-
cise in philological criticism would do well to look else-
where. What we have done here addresses the priorities of
the soul, not the vagaries of academic whim and desires for
scholarly recognition. Of what profit, indeed, a satisfied
mind, but an empty heart?
Frontispiece of the first edition of the Evergetinos,
Venice, 1783
 Hypothesis II

As long as we are in the present life, we must

do good here and not delay until the
future. For after death we cannot
set things aright.

A. From the Gerontikon

A brother asked Abba Poimen:

“Abba,” he told him, “there were two brothers; one
a monk, the other a layman. One night, the monk de-
cided to abandon the monastic vocation the next morn-
ing. The same day, the layman had decided to become
a monk.
In the meantime, they both died that same night,
without being able to realize their intentions. How,
then, will they be judged?” And the Elder gave this
astonishing answer:
“Elementary! The monk died as a monk and the
layman as a layman; for whatever their state at the mo-
ment of death, so they departed this world.”

2. An Elder said: “One voice should constantly ring

in the ears of man: ‘Today I may be called home.’”

3. Yet another Elder said: “This generation says not

‘today,’ but ‘tomorrow’ [that is, this generation puts off
until tomorrow the works of repentance].”

4. It is said of one Elder that, when his thoughts

whispered to him, “Forget today and repent tomor-
row,” he would snap back and say: “No, I will repent
today and leave tomorrow to the Will of God.”
58 Evergetinos
5. Another Elder said: “Any evil which is not
brought to fruition should not be thought of as an evil
deed; but likewise, anything righteous, if not trans-
formed into virtuous acts, must not be so considered.”

B. From St. Ephraim

Brothers and sisters, the period of time which we

have at our disposal for repentance is our life on earth.
Indeed, happy and blissful is he who has never once
fallen into the nets of the Enemy. If, however, someone
who was entangled in the nets of the Enemy has been
able to break those nets and escape from the captivity
of the Devil, he too should consider himself blessed;
for, though we live in the flesh, in this way we are
saved from the onslaught of the enemy of our souls,
just as a fish escapes from the nets of the fisherman. Be-
cause, as we know, if a fish is caught and succeeds in
breaking the net and dashing to the depths, he is saved
as long as he is in water; but when he is dragged up in
the net by the fisherman to dry land, then he can no
longer help himself.
The exact same thing happens to us: that is, as long
as we live in the present life, we have received from
God the authority and power to break the bonds of the
evil intentions of the enemy by ourselves and to cast
aside, through repentance, the burden of our sins, be-
ing most assuredly brought to salvation and inheriting
the Kingdom of God. However, if the fearful command
of death falls upon us and the soul leaves the body,
and the body is placed deep in the tomb, then we are
no longer able to help ourselves, just as the fish, when
it is taken out of water, after being caught by the fisher-
man and safely placed in his fishing basket, cannot in
 Evergetinos 59
any way be saved.

2. Brother, do not say to yourself that ‘today I will

commit a sin and tomorrow I will repent,’ for you can-
not be sure about the next day; concern for the morrow
belongs only to God.

C. From Abba Isaac

He who commits a sin a second time in the expecta-

tion of repenting of it later—such a one goes before
God with the burden of guile; to this kind of trickster,
death comes completely unexpectedly, at an unknown
moment or hour, and he does not succeed in reaching
that day when he had hoped to repent.
 Religion/Theology
ISBN 0-911165-13-4
THE EVERGETINOS

Chrysostomos, Patapios, & Auxentios • THE EVERGETINOS • (2) III • C.T.O.S.

THE EVERGETINOS: A COMPLETE TEXT
Volume I of The First Book
A Complete Text

Volume I of
One of the classic collections of Orthodox spiritual writ-
ings, the Evergetinos is a source of inspiration, spiritual guid- The First Book
ance, and insight into the lives of men and women who, dur-
ing the first few centuries of Christianity, attained to the
higest ideals of the spiritual life. In the spiritual laboratory
of the Egyptian deserts, these seekers after salvation, enlight-
enment, and union with Christ brought into sharp focus the
teachings of the Apostles and the message of Holy Writ in
their daily lives and activities. The stern, the loving, “fools
for Christ”—all of the exemplars of Christian sainthood, the
many inhabitants of the many mansions above, are to be
found in the rich and profitable lives portrayed in this collec-
tion. Also to be found are perfect models for every modern
Christian who wishes sincerely to imitate those who have
Translated and Edited by
walked the path towards moral and spiritual perfection.
Bishop Chrysostomos,
This is the first volume of Book One of the Evergetinos and Hieromonk Auxentios,
the first of many forthcoming volumes in what will eventually John V. Petropoulos,
constitute the only English-language text of the complete col-
lection. Gregory Telepneff,
and
Hieromonk Ambrosios

CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST

ORTHODOX STUDIES