Chapter 21
A further appeal to right living
| 1 Ὁρᾶτε, ἀγαπητοί, μὴ αἱ εὐεργεσίαι αὐτοῦ αἱ πολλαὶ γένωνται εἰς κρίμα ἡμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ἀξίως αὐτοῦ πολιτευόμενοι τὰ καλὰ καὶ εὐάρεστα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ποιῶμεν μεθ' ὁμονοίας. | Watch out, brothers, lest His many benefits turn into judgment against all of us as will happen if we don’t live worthy of Him and do those things with harmony which are good and well-pleasing in His sight. |
| 2 λέγει γάρ που· Πνεῦμα κυρίου λύχνος ἐρευνῶν τὰ ταμιεῖα τῆς γαστρός· | For He says somewhere, “The Spirit of the Lord is a lamp searching the depths of the belly” {Prov. 20:27}. |
| 3 ἴδωμεν, πῶς ἐγγύς ἐστιν, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲν λέληθεν αὐτὸν τῶν ἐννοιῶν ἡμῶν οὐδὲ τῶν διαλογισμῶν ὧν ποιούμεθα· | Let’s consider how near He is and how none of our thoughts or plans escape Him, either of our thoughts or of the plans that we make. |
| 4 δίκαιον οὖν ἐστὶν μὴ λειποτακτεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀπό τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ. | It is right that we shouldn’t be deserters from His will. |
| 5 μᾶλλον ἀνθρώποις ἄφροσι καὶ ἀνοήτοις καὶ ἐπαιρομένοις καὶ ἐγκαυχωμένοις ἐν ἀλαζόνεέιᾳ τοῦ λόγου αὐτῶν προσκόψωμεν ἢ τῷ θεῷ. | Instead of offending God, let’s offend foolish and senseless men who exalt themselves and boast in the arrogance of their words. |
| 6 τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, οὗ τὸ αἷμα ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη, ἐντραπῶμεν, τοὺς προηγουμένους ἡμῶν αἰδεσθῶμεν, τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τιμήσωμεν, τοὺς νέους παιδεύσωμεν τὴν παιδείαν τοῦ φόβου τοῦ θεοῦ, τὰς γυναῖκας ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν διορθωσώμεθα. |
Let’s fear the Lord Jesus Christ whose blood was given for us. Let’s respect our rulers. Let’s honour our elders. Let’s instruct our young men in instructions which lead to the fear of God. Let’s guide our women toward what is good. |
| 7 τὸ ἀξιαγάπητον τῆς ἁγνείας ἦθος ἐνδειξάσθωσαν, τὸ ἀκέραιον τῆς πραΰτητος αὐτῶν βούλημα ἀποδειξάτωσαν, τὸ ἐπιεικὲς τῆς γλώσσης αὐτῶν διὰ τῆς σιγῆς φανερὸν ποιησάτωσαν, τὴν ἀγάπην αὐτῶν μὴ κατὰ προσκλίσεις, ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν τοῖς φοβουμένοις τὸν θεὸν ὁσίως ἴσην παρεχέτωσαν. | Let them display their lovely characteristic of purity; let them exhibit the pure purpose of gentleness; let them demonstrate by silence the moderation of their tongue; let them show their love, not in partiality but equally to all who fear God in holiness. |
| 8 τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ παιδείας μεταλαμβανέτωσαν· μαθέτωσαν, τί ταπεινοφροσύνη παρὰ θεῷ ἰσχύει, τί ἀγάπη ἁγνὴ παρὰ θεῷ δύναται, πῶς ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ καλὸς καὶ μέγας καὶ σῴζων πάντας τοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ ὁσίως ἀναστρεφομένους ἐν καθαρᾷ διανοίᾳ. | Let our children share in the instruction in Christ; let them learn that humility is strong with God, that pure love is powerful with God, and how the fear of God is good and great and saves all those who live in its holiness with a pure mind. |
| 9 ἐρευνητὴς γάρ ἐστιν ἐννοιῶν καὶ ἐνθυμήσεων· οὗ ἡ πνοὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστίν, καὶ ὅταν θέλῃ, ἀνελεῖ αὐτήν. | For He is the searcher of the thoughts and desires; His breath is in us and when He wants to do it, He will take it away. |
Summary
In Chapter 21, Clement translates his grand theological exposition of cosmic order (Chapter 20) into immediate, concrete household and ecclesial ethics (haustafel). Having demonstrated that all creation maintains ordered peace, he warns the Corinthians that enjoying God’s rich benefactions without walking worthily (ἀξίως πολιτευόμενοι) converts those very blessings into divine condemnation (κρίμα).
Clement reminds the church of God’s omniscience—citing Proverbs 20:27 LXX to show that the divine Spirit scrutinizes the hidden depths of human intent (ταμιεῖα τῆς γαστρός). He frames the Corinthian rebellion not merely as a social dispute, but as military desertion (λειποτακτεῖν) from God’s sovereign order. To restore communal health, Clement outlines an all-encompassing schema of social and ecclesiastical respect:
Ecclesial Leaders & Elders: Reverence toward Christ, respect for leaders (προηγούμενοι), and honor for presbyters (πρεσβύτεροι).
Women: Exhorted to purity, gentleness (πραΰτης), speech guarded by silence (σιγή), and impartial love free from factional favoritism (κατὰ προσκλίσεις).
Children: To be catechized in the power of Christian humility (ταπεινοφροσύνη), pure love, and holy fear.
Significant Greek Expressions
ἀξίως... πολιτευόμενοι (Living lives worthily as citizens): Uses politeuomai (to conduct oneself as a citizen of a commonwealth; cf. Philippians 1:27). Clement views the Christian congregation as a heavenly polis governed by divine laws, where factionalism violates civic duty to God.
μὴ λειποτακτεῖν (Not to desert our rank): From leipotakteō (a technical military term for abandoning one’s post or deserting the ranks). Clement frames obedience to ordained church order as maintaining one’s assigned military post in God’s army.
ἐπαιρομένοις καὶ ἐγκαυχωμένοις ἐν ἀλαζονείᾳ (Exalting themselves and boasting in arrogance): Couples epairō (self-exaltation) with alazoneia (pretentious boasting), continuing Clement’s vivid diagnosis of the psychological and moral root of the Corinthian schism.
τοὺς προηγουμένους... τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους (Those who lead... the elders): Distinguishes or highlights leadership roles (proēgoumenoi, those leading/governing, paired with presbyteroi, the ordained elders). Clement reinforces that legitimate governance must be respected to maintain church order.
μὴ κατὰ προσκλίσεις (Not according to partiality / inclination): Uses prosklisis (inclination toward one side, partiality, or factional bias; cf. 1 Clement 47.3; 1 Timothy 5:21). Clement warns against dividing Christian affection along party lines or personal cliques.
ἐρευνητὴς... ἐννοιῶν καὶ ἐνθυμήσεων (Searcher of thoughts and desires): Denotes God’s deep inspection of human interiority (ennoia, mental intent; enthymēsis, inner deliberation or impulse). Because God holds human breath (pnoē), all secret motives will be brought to light.