OS (Text) -- 3

8 The intellect (dianoia) standing and invoking Christ against the enemy and fleeing to him for refuge, as some beast encircled by many dogs, and setting itself in a fortress in opposition; from afar, then, intelligibly seeing in advance the intelligible bands of the invisible enemies; and, on account of entreating continually against them the Peacemaker Jesus, persevering unwounded by them.

9 If you know and it has been given to you to appear in the mornings and to be seen [cf. Ps. 5, 4]—but also to see—you know what I am saying. If not, then, be sober and you will receive.

10 The systems of the seas: much water. The system and strong foundation of sobriety and of soberness and of stillness (hesychia) in the depth of the soul, and abyss of extraordinary and ineffable contemplations and of pardoning humility and of uprightness and charity: extreme sobriety and the prayer (euche), without thoughts (logismoi), of Jesus Christ—and this straitly and densely—and not to be faint-hearted.

11 He says: ‘Not everyone who says to me “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of the Heavens, but he who does the will of my Father.’ [Matt. 7, 21.] The will of his Father is: ‘Those who love the Lord, do you hate wicked things.’ [Ps. 96, 10.] Therefore, in company with the prayer (euche) of Jesus we will also hate wicked thoughts (logismoi); and Behold! we have done the will of God.

12 Our Master and God Incarnate placed before us a model of every virtue [cf. 1 Pet. 2, 21] and a pattern of the human race and the recall of the ancient Fall, having painted the all-virtuous way of life in his flesh. Together with all his good works that he showed to us, going up into the desert after the Baptism [cf. Matt. 3, 13–4, 11; etc.] he begins with fasting the intelligible battle, the Devil drawing near to him as to a mere man [cf. Matt. 4, 3; etc.]; and through such a manner as this of victory, the Master taught us also, who are unfit for war, how we must conduct the battle against the spirits of wickedness, that is to say, in humility and fasting and prayer (euche) and sobriety—he who has no need of such things since he is God and the God of gods [cf. Ps. 83, 8].

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