The abbot answered him:

"These are the people who steal, kill, swear, dishonor their wives... These are people who do all kinds of evil...

"Does this mean," the robber interrupted the elder anxiously, "that I, too, will go to hell?"

"As it seems to me," the abbot replied to him, "you yourself strive there.

"Is it possible to avoid torment?"

— Yes, you can.

"How?"

"Repent of all your sins, confess, take communion, begin to struggle in order to avoid evil and do good.

"Where can I do all this?"

"Here, in the monastery.

Hearing this, the ataman turned sharply to the gang that had come with him and said to them:

"I'm staying here."

The robbers left the monastery, and their ataman confessed to the elder, and he tonsured him a monk. The abbot also gave him a rule – not to do anything without the blessing of the elder-monk, with whom he would be in obedience.

Once the elder sent him together with another monk to the mountains to prepare fuel for the winter. They had to chop wood and bring it to the monastery. The brothers took the donkey with them and set off. Climbing the mountain, they chopped wood and put it on the animal's back. However, when they were about to make their way back, they were suddenly attacked by robbers. They beat the monks and took their donkey along with firewood. The ataman-monk was angry, but before doing anything, he asked his companion:

— What is written in books, what should we do now?

The monk answered:

— Ничего. Христов закон говорит, что если кто ударит тебя по одной щеке, обрати к нему и другую [52].

Разбойники со своей добычей ушли, а монахи, израненные и с пустыми руками, отправились назад в монастырь. Увидев их, игумен сильно опечалился, но не сказал ни слова. Спустя несколько дней он снова, дав им другого осла, послал их в горы за дровами. Но… повторилось то же самое. Игумен был в недоумении и не знал, что предпринять. Однако, поскольку становилось все холоднее, он с трудом нашел еще одного осла и снова послал братьев в горы. В тот момент, когда они уже собрались, нагрузив осла вернуться назад, опять появились те же самые разбойники. Они забрали осла, начали бить монахов. Терпение атамана–монаха было на пределе, но он опять спросил спутника:

— Скажи мне быстрее, что говорит Писание, что нам делать?

— Ничего, закон Христов предписывает терпение и любовь к врагам.

Однако его ответ не удовлетворил атамана–монаха.