5. Three of the fathers used to go to Blessed Abba Anthony every year. And two of them asked him about his thoughts and the salvation of his soul, but one was always silent, asking nothing. After a long time, Abba Anthony said to him: "This is how long you have come here, and you have never asked me." And answering, he said to him, "It is enough for me only to look at you, father."

6. One of the brethren said that when we were sitting and talking about love, Abba Joseph said to us, "Do we know what love is?" And he said of Abba Agathon, that he had a small chisel, and a brother came to him, and said to him, "Thou hast good at the chisel." And the elder would not let him go away if he did not take him.

7. Abba Agathon said, "By my will I never went to bed with anger in my heart against anyone, and because of my strength I did not let another go to sleep who had anything against me.

8. Abba Isaiah said, "Love is contemplation of God with unceasing thanksgiving; but God rejoices in thanksgiving, it is a sign of tranquillity.

9. Once, when Abba John and the other brothers were walking from the Skete, their guide lost his way, because it was night. The brothers said to Abba John, "What shall we do, Abba?" This brother has lost his way, how can we not die lost? And the elder said to them, "If we tell him, he will be sad and ashamed, but I will show myself sick, I will say that I cannot go and I will stay here until morning." And he did so. And the rest said, "Neither will we go, but we will sit with you; and they sat until morning, and did not rebuke their brother.

10. A certain elder was in Egypt before the arrival of Abba Pimen with his disciples. This elder had great fame and honor among people. When Abba Pimen came with his disciples from the Skete, people left the elder and came to Abba Pimen. The elder became jealous and spoke ill of them. Pimen heard about this and began to grieve, and said to his brethren: "What shall we do with this great elder, for the people who have left the elder and come to us, insignificant people, have plunged us into sorrow? How can we heal him? And he said to them, "Prepare a little food, and take a vessel of wine, and let us go to him, and eat together, that perhaps by this we may be able to heal him." So they took the food and went to him, and when they pushed him at the door, the disciple asked him, saying, "Who are you?" And they said, "Tell the abba that this is Pimen, who wishes to receive a blessing from you." When the disciple informed the elder about this, he announced to them, saying: "Go away, I have no time." They remained in the heat, saying: "We will not leave unless we are worthy of the blessing of the elder." The elder, seeing their patience and humility, was touched, opened it to them, and going in, they ate with him. When they were eating, the elder said, "Truly I say, in you is not only what I have heard about you; but I have seen a hundredfold more in your work. And from that day he became their friend.

11. Abba Pimen said, "Do so that your strength does no harm to anyone, and make your heart pure for every man."

12. He also said: "No man hath greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his neighbor" (John 15:13). For if a man hears an insulting speech, and having the opportunity to do so himself, strives to endure and say nothing, or if a man, being offended in deed, compulsions himself and does not repay the offender in kind, such a man lays down his life for his neighbor.

13. It happened once that Abba Pamba was walking with the brethren in the land of Egypt, and seeing some laymen sitting, he said to them, "Arise and greet the brethren, that you may receive a blessing, for they are constantly conversing with God, and their lips are holy."

14. It was said of Abba Paphnutius that he did not drink wine. Once, while making a journey, he found himself in front of a crowd of robbers and found them drinking. The leader of the robbers recognized him, who also knew that he did not drink wine. But seeing that he was tired from great labor, he filled the cup with wine and, holding the sword in his hand, said to the elder: "If you do not drink, I will kill you." The elder, realizing that he wanted to fulfill the will of God, and, wishing to acquire it, took it and drank it. And the chief of the robbers repented before him, saying, "Forgive me, Abba, that I have offended thee." And the elder said to him, "I believe my God, that for this cup He will show you mercy both in this world and in the world to come." The leader of the robbers said to him, "I believe God, that from now on I will do no harm to anyone." And he gained the whole assembly of robbers by giving up his will for God's sake.

15. Abba Iperechios said, "Absolve your neighbor from his sins as much as you have the strength, without reproach." For God does not cast away those who convert. But let not the word of malice and wickedness dwell in your heart against your neighbor, so that you may boldly say: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12).

16. The ascetic, seeing a certain demoniac who could not fast, being moved by love for God and seeking not his own, but his neighbor's benefit, prayed that a demon would pass into him, and he would be freed from him; and now God heard his prayer; instead, the ascetic was burdened with a demon; he continued the fast, practicing prayer and asceticism, and chiefly for his love, after a few days God expelled the demon from him.

17. Two brothers were in their cells; There was one elder and asked the youngest, saying, "Let us dwell together, brother." And he said to him, "I am a sinner, and I cannot abide with you, Abba." And he urged him, saying, "Truly we can." The elder was pure and did not want to hear that the monk had a prodigal thought. And his brother said to him, "Give me a week, and then we will talk." The elder came a week later. The young man, wishing to test him, said, "I have fallen into great temptation this week, Abba; Going out on duty to the village, I fell with a woman. And the elder said to him, "Is there repentance?" His brother said to him, "Yes." The elder said to him, "I will bear half of the sin with you." Then the brother said, "Indeed, we can dwell together." And they remained together until their death.

18. One of the Fathers said: "If someone asks you for a thing, and you force yourself to give it to him, try to make sure that your thoughts are well disposed to give it away, as it is written: "If anyone understands you in one field according to your strength, go with him two" (Matt. 5:41), that is, if anyone asks you for something, give it to him with all your heart.