the fowls of the air and the fish of the sea (Psalm 8:7-9).47 The Prophet also calls them servant, since it is said in another place of the prophecy: "He gives to cattle their food, and grain for the benefit of man" (Psalm 146:8-9). But God adorned man with the gift of freedom, so that he who is enslaved to you by custom and law has equality with you according to the dignity of nature. He did not receive existence from you, he does not live by you, he does not borrow physical and spiritual strength from you. Why then does your irritation rage rise up against him so much, if he has been lazy, or has left you, or, perhaps, has shown disdain to your eyes? You must look at yourself, what you have been like before the Lord, Who created you, brought you into the world through birth, made you a partaker of these miracles in the world, offered you the sun for your enjoyment, gave you all the means of life from the elements: from earth, from fire, from air, from water, provided you with the gift of understanding, impressionable feeling, knowledge of those who distinguish between good and evil? And what happened? Are you not obedient to such a Lord and stubborn against Him? Have you not departed from His dominion? Did you not flee to sin? Have you not exchanged good dominion for evil dominion for evil? Did not, as much as it depended on thee, leave the Lord's house empty, leaving that which thou hast been commanded to cultivate and keep (Gen. 2:15)? And is it not in the presence of the omnipresent all-seeing witness God that you either commit enumerated sins, or say, or think what you ought not to do? And then, when you are such and burdened with so many debts, do you consider it a great thing to show mercy to a slave like you by ignoring some of his sins against you?

Therefore, if we intend to offer God a prayer for mercy and forgiveness, let us prepare the boldness of conscience, let us present our lives as an intercessor for the prayer we pronounce, so that we may truly say: as we also forgive our debtors.

What is the meaning of what is added to what has been said? I consider it necessary not to leave this without consideration, so that, knowing whom we pray to, we may pray with the soul, and not with the body. And lead us not into temptation,48 but deliver us from evil (Matt. 6:13). What, brethren, is the power of what has been said? The Lord, it seems to me, calls the evil one in many ways according to the difference of evil powers, calling him by many names: the devil (Matt. 13:39), Beelzebub (Matt. 10:25), mammon (Matt. 6:24), the prince of peace (Jn. 14:30), the murderer (Jn. 8:44), the evil one, the father of lies (Jn. 8:44) and other similar names. Therefore, perhaps, one of the names understood about it is this: temptation. And this conjecture of ours is confirmed by the word-composition in what has been said; for the Lord, after the words: "Lead us not into temptation," adds a petition for deliverance from the evil one, as if both signify one and the same thing. If anyone does not enter into temptation, he is certainly beyond the power of the evil one; and whoever is in temptation is necessarily in the power of the evil one, then it follows that temptation and the evil one are one and the same in meaning.

What does such a teaching of prayer inspire us with? – To stand outside of what is seen in this world, as He tells His disciples in another place, that the whole world lies in evil (1 John 5:19). Therefore, whoever wishes to become outside the power of the evil one is necessarily transmigrated from the world. For temptation has no opportunity to touch the soul, if this worldly care, like some kind of bait, is placed on a treacherous bait, and does not stretch out to the greedy. But this idea will become much clearer to us from other examples. The sea is often frightening with its waves, but not for those who live far from it. Fire is destructive, but only for the substance placed in the fire. The war is terrible, but only for those who have joined the military ranks. Whoever avoids the calamities that befall in war prays that he will not fall into the necessity of war. Whoever fears fire prays that he may not be in the fire. Whoever trembles at sea prays that there will be no need for him to set sail. In the same way, he who fears the inclinations of the evil one, let him pray that he may not be in the power of the evil one. And since, as we said before, according to the words of the Scriptures, the whole world lies in evil, and in worldly affairs there are reasons for temptation, then he who prays for deliverance from the evil one does well and properly when he asks that

47 This is how the text is read from the manuscript.

48 Εί̉ς πειρασμὸν: into temptation.

He will not be tempted. For, without greedily attracting the bait, it is impossible for anyone to swallow the hook on the bait.

But we, too, when we arise, will say to God: Do not lead us into temptation, that is, into the calamity of this life, but deliver us from the evil one who has gained power in this world, whom we also may be delivered by the grace of Christ, because His power and glory are with the Father and the All-Holy, Good, and Life-Giving Spirit forever and ever.49 Amen.

49 The doxology is translated from the manuscript.

The end and glory to our God!

SEVEN DEADLY SINS ABOUT SINS THAT LEAD TO THE DEATH OF THE SOUL, AND ABOUT THE STRUGGLE WITH THEM ACCORDING TO THE TEACHING OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH: WHAT IS CONSIDERED A SIN If you do not believe that it is I, you will die in your sins.

In. 8:24 Sin is a transgression of the law of God, a failure to fulfill the holy commandments of God. "Everyone who commits sin also commits iniquity; and sin is iniquity" (1 John 3:4).

A person can sin in various ways: in deed, word, thought, knowledge, ignorance, will, and bondage.