Spiritual Instructions to Monks and Laymen
Modern translationRussian original
19th c. · Spiritual instruction · English translation, 2026
Source edition: Духовные наставления преподобного Серафима Саровского мирянам и инокам
Cover art: Two monks reading (1895) — Mikhail Nesterov (Russian, 1862–1942; PD pre-1929) (Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Free to read online
Contents
- Introduction
- 1. On God
- 2. On the Mystery of the Holy Trinity
- 3. On the Reasons for the Coming of Jesus Christ Into the World
- 4. On Faith
- 5. On Hope
- 6. On Love for God
- 7. On the Fear of God
- 8. On Guarding the Truths One Has Come to Know
- 9. On Many Words
- 10. On Prayer
- 11. On Tears
- 12. On Sorrow
- 13. On Tedium and Despondency
- 14. On Despair
- 15. On Illness
- 16. On Patience and Humility
- 17. On Almsgiving
- 18. On Duties21 and Love for One's Neighbor
- 19. On the Duty of Those Under Authority Toward Their Superior
- 20. On Not Judging One's Neighbor
- 21. On Forgiving Offenses
- 22. On Care for the Soul
- 23. With What Must the Soul Be Furnished?
- 24. On Peace of Soul
- 25. On Preserving Peace of Soul
- 26. On Guarding the Heart
- 27. On Discerning the Movements of the Heart
- 28. On the Light of Christ
- 29. On Thoughts and Carnal Impulses
- 30. On Attentiveness to Oneself
- 31. Against Excessive Anxiety
- 32. On Renunciation of the World
- 33. On Ascetic Labors
- 34. On Repentance
- 35. On Fasting
- 36. On Vigilance Against Temptations
- 37. On Solitude and Silence
- 38. On Stillness
- 39. On the Active and Contemplative Life
- 40. Instruction to a Novice Monk
- 41. Answer to a Brother Who Asked for Instruction on Pursuing the Hermit Life
- 42. What Should an Abbot Be Like?
- 43. Instruction to an Abbot on How to Govern the Brothers