Sheep for the slaughter
Likely we shall be reproached too, and hear: 'Where is your God? You suffer, you are tortured, you die — where is the help from him?' (Psalm 44:14–18 (LXX 43)) But the Psalms taught us beforehand to bear reproach: 'Thou madest us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to them about us.' (1 Peter 4:14) We have not forgotten thee, nor dealt unrighteously in thy covenant; our heart turned not back. For reproach for Christ's sake is glory: 'If ye be reproached for Christ, blessed are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.' (Psalm 44:14–18)
Greek
ν ἢ ὁμολογητέον, γένηται ἐν ἡμῖν" 10 ἕνα μὴ χαὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ τοῦ Ἡλίου λεχϑῇ λόγος οὕτως ἔχων" »ἕως πότε ὑμεῖς χωλανεῖτε ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς ἰγνύαις; εἰ ἔστι χύριος ὁ ϑεὸς, πορεύεσϑε ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ." XIX. Εἰχὸς δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ ὀνειδισϑήσεσϑαι ὑπὸ Zee καὶ μυχτηρισϑήσεσϑαι ὑπό τινῶν χυχλούντων ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν κχεφαλὴν 15 ®g ἐπὶ ἀνοήτοις κινούντων ἡμῖν. ἀλλὰ τούτων συμβαινόντων ἡμεῖς λέγωμεν πρὸς ϑεόν" ,ἔϑου ἡμᾶς ὄνειδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν, μυχτη- ρισμὸν καὶ γέλωτα τοῖς κύχλῳ ἡμῶν. ἔϑου ἡμᾶς εἰς παραβολὴν ἐν τοῖς ἔϑνεσι, χίνησιν κεφαλῆς ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς. ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἢ ἐντροπή μου κατ᾽ ἐναντίον μου ἐστὶ, καὶ ἡ αἰσχύνη τοῦ προσώπου 20 μου ἐχάλυψέ με, ἀπὸ φωνῆς ὀνειδίζοντος καὶ καταλαλοῦντος, ἀπὸ προσώπου ἐχϑροῦ καὶ ἐχδιώχοντος.. uaxapıov δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις πᾶσι συμβαίνουσι τὴν ἀπὸ παῤῥησίας τοῦ προφήτου ἐπιφερομένην αὐτοῖς φωνὴν εἰπεῖν τῷ ϑεῷ τήν" «ταῦτα πάντα ἦλϑεν ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς. καὶ οὐκ ἐπελαϑόμεϑά σου, καὶ 00x | ἠδικήσαμεν ἐν τῇ διαϑήχῃ σου, 25 καὶ 00x ἀπέστη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν."
About this text
Written to imprisoned friends: why martyrdom is the highest prayer, and how not to fear it.
English follows Paul Koetschau, Origenes Werke I (GCS, 1899). This is a reading translation for study, not a new critical edition.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Koetschau, Origenes Werke I (GCS 2, 1899) (Greek · Exhortation to Martyrdom)
- Checked print Archive.org OCR of GCS 2 (Greek · Same print)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.