Chapter 30
Live a holy life
| 1 Ἁγίου οὖν μερὶς ὑπάρχοντες ποιήσωμεν τὰ τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ πάντα, φεύγοντες καταλαλιάς, μιαράς τε καὶ ἀνάγνους συμπλοκάς, μέθας τε καὶ νεωτερισμοὺς καὶ βδελυκτὰς ἐπιθυμίας, μυσερὰν μοιχείαν, βδελυκτὴν ὑπερηφανίαν. | Therefore, since we are the special portion of the Holy One, let’s do all things that pertain to holiness, forsaking slander, filthy and impure liaisons, drunkenness, rebellions, foul adultery, disgusting pride. |
| 2 Θεὸς γάρ, φησίν, ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν. | "For God," it says, "resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" {Prov. 3:34}. |
| 3 κολληθῶμεν οὖν ἐκείνοις, οἷς ἡ χάρις ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ δέδοται· ἐνδυσώμεθα τὴν ὁμόνοιαν ταπεινοφρονοῦντες, ἐγκρατευόμενοι, ἀπὸ παντὸς ψιθυρισμοῦ καὶ καταλαλιᾶς πόρρω ἑαυτοὺς ποιοῦντες, ἔργοις δικαιούμενοι, μὴ λόγοις. |
Let’s cling to those to whom grace has been given from God. Let’s clothe ourselves in harmony, being humble, self-controlled, keeping ourselves away from all backbiting and slander, being justified by works and not by words. |
| 4 λέγει γάρ· Ὁ τὰ πολλὰ λέγων καὶ ἀντακούσεται· ἢ ὁ εὔλαλος οἴεται εἶναι δίκαιος; |
For it says, "He who says much will also hear much in return. Does the talkative person think he is righteous? |
| 5 εὐλογημένος γεννητὸς γυναικὸς ὀλιγόβιος. μὴ πολὺς ἐν ῥήμασιν γίνου. |
Blessed is the person who is born of a woman but lives only a short time. don’t be extra talkative. |
| 6 ὁ ἔπαινος ἡμῶν ἔστω ἐν θεῷ καὶ μὴ ἐξ αὐτῶν· αὐτεπαινέτους γὰρ μισεῖ ὁ θεός. | Let our praise be in God and not in ourselves, for God hates those who praise themselves. |
| 7 ἡ μαρτυρία τῆς ἀγαθῆς πράξεως ἡμῶν διδόσθω ὑπ' ἄλλων, καθὼς ἐδόθη τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν τοῖς δικαίοις. | Let the testimony to our good deeds be given by others just as it was given to our fathers who were righteous. |
| 8 θράσος καὶ αὐθάδεια καὶ τόλμα τοῖς κατηραμένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐπιείκεια καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνη καὶ πραΰτης παρὰ τοῖς ηὐλογημένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. | Boldness, arrogance, and audacity are for those who are cursed by God; but graciousness, humility, and gentleness are with those who are blessed by God. |
Summary
In Chapter 30, Clement seamlessly builds upon the ecclesial election identity established in Chapter 29 ("an elect portion") by applying its imperative moral obligations. Because the church forms a "portion of a Holy One" (Ἁγίου μερὶς), its members are called to display a holy lifestyle through active ethical discipline, fleeing both sensual sins and divisive verbal vices.
Clement identifies pride (ὑπερηφανία), gossip/backbiting (καταλαλιά, ψιθυρισμός), and rebellious ambition (νεωτερισμοί) as the primary drivers of the factional crisis in Corinth. Quoting Proverbs 3:34 LXX ("God opposes the proud...", also cited in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5) and Job 11:2–3 LXX, he contrasts two opposing moral postures:
The Cursed Posture: Marked by self-praise (αὐτεπαίνετοι), arrogance (θράσος), and self-will (αὐθάδεια).
The Blessed Posture: Marked by mutual concord (ὁμόνοια), humility (ταπεινοφροσύνη), gentleness (ἐπιείκεια), and meekness (πραΰτης).
Clement famously asserts that believers are "justified by works and not by words" (ἔργοις δικαιούμενοι, μὴ λόγοις), emphasizing that genuine covenant standing requires visible, peacemaking action rather than boastful rhetoric.
Significant Greek Expressions
Ἁγίου μερὶς (A portion of a Holy One): Directly grounds ethics in identity. Belonging to God’s set-apart portion demands conduct aligned with God’s holy character.
νεωτερισμούς (Passions for innovation / revolutionary schemes): From neōterismos (political innovation, insurrection, or revolutionary activity). In Greco-Roman civic contexts, it denoted political unrest or attempts to overthrow established constitutional order—here applied to the young rebels upending presbyterial leadership.
ἐνδυσώμεθα τὴν ὁμόνοιαν (Let us clothe ourselves with concord): Employs the metaphor of dressing oneself (endyo), mirroring Pauline language (e.g., Romans 13:14, Colossians 3:12). Clement treats homonoia (concord/harmony) as a indispensable garment for community life.
ἔργοις δικαιούμενοι, μὴ λόγοις (Justified by works, not by words): A striking formulation in Clement’s ethical exhortation. Rather than contradicting Pauline soteriology, Clement uses dikaioō in the sense of moral vindication—arguing that true piety is proved through tangible fruit rather than empty factional debates.
αὐτεπαίνετους (Self-praisers / Self-commenders): Combines autos (self) with epaineō (to praise). God abhorrently rejects those who validate themselves; authentic honor must come from God and external witnesses (ὑπ̓ ἄλλων).
θράσος καὶ αὐθάδεια καὶ τόλμα (Arrogance, self-will, and boldness): A triad of vices characterizing factional agitators: thrasos (rashness/overconfidence), authadeia (obstinate self-pleasing/arrogance), and tolma (reckless audacity). These are contrasted directly with epieikeia (reasonableness/gentleness) and tapeinophrosynē (humility).