Chapter 55

¹ Do you see how the Spirit of the Father teaches the martyrs to practice their resolve, urging them on and encouraging them to despise this present death and to hasten toward the better life?

² For if anyone is without the Holy Spirit, he is faint-hearted in his anguish; in fear he hides himself, he is wary of the death that lasts but a moment, he cowers before the sword, he cannot endure punishment; he keeps this world before his eyes, he is anxious about the affairs of life, he prefers his wife and loves his own children and seeks after a wealth of possessions. Such a man, possessing no heavenly power, is easily destroyed.

³ Every person, therefore, who comes to the Word must listen to what the heavenly King and Master commands: “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”