Chapter 10
| 1 Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, ποιήσωμεν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ καλέσαντος ἡμᾶς, ἵνα ζήσωμεν, καὶ διώξωμεν μᾶλλον τὴν ἀρετήν, τὴν δὲ κακίαν καταλείψωμεν ὡς προοδοιπόρον τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, καὶ φύγωμεν τὴν ἀσέβειαν, μὴ ἡμᾶς καταλάβῃ κακά. |
Therefore my brothers, let us do the will of the Father who called us, in order that we may live;
and let us rather pursue virtue, but forsake evil as the forerunner of our sins, and let us flee from ungodliness, lest evil things overtake us. |
| 2 ἐὰν γὰρ σπουδάσωμεν ἀγαθοποιεῖν, διώξεται ἡμᾶς εἰρήνη. | For if we are eager to do good, peace will pursue us. |
| 3 διὰ ταύτην γὰρ τὴν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν εἰρήνην ἄνθρωπον, οἵτινες παράγουσι φόβους ἀνθρωπίνους, προῃρημένοι μᾶλλον τὴν ἐνθάδε ἀπόλαυσιν ἢ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἐπαγγελίαν. | For this reason, no man is able to find peace, they instill human panic, preferring rather the present enjoyment rather than the coming promise. |
| 4 ἀγνοοῦσιν γὰρ ἡλίκην ἔχει βάσανον ἡ ἐνθάδε ἀπόλαυσις, καὶ οἵαν τρυφὴν ἔχει ἡ μέλλουσα ἐπαγγελία. | For they don’t know how great a torment the present enjoyment brings, and what delight the coming promise brings. |
|
5 καὶ
εἰ
μὲν
αὐτοὶ
μόνοι
ταῦτα
ἔπρασσον,
ἀνεκτὸν
ἦν·
νῦν δὲ ἐπιμένουσιν κακοδιδασκαλοῦντες τὰς ἀναιτίους ψυχάς, οὐκ εἰδότες, ὅτι δισσὴν ἕξουσιν τὴν κρίσιν, αὐτοί τε καὶ οἱ ἀκούοντες αὐτῶν. | And if they alone were doing these things, it would be endurable; but now they continue teaching evil to innocent souls, not knowing that both they and their listeners will have double punishment. |
Summary
In this passage, the author issues a strong exhortation to pursue virtue (ἀρετή) and renounce vice (κακία), contrasting short-sighted earthly indulgence with the lasting glory of God's future promise.He sharply criticizes false teachers who succumb to human fear (φόβοι ἀνθρώπινοι) and prefer immediate gratification over eternal life.
The author warns that their offense is doubly severe because they mislead innocent believers, incurring a dual condemnation for both their own actions and the corruption of their followers.
Significant Greek Expressions
διώξωμεν... διώξεται ἡμᾶς εἰρήνη ("let us pursue... peace will pursue us"):
The author uses wordplay with the verb διώκω (to pursue, strive for). When believers actively pursue virtue (διώξωμεν τὴν ἀρετήν), divine peace will in turn chase down or pursue them (διώξεται ἡμᾶς εἰρήνη).
προοδοιπόρον τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ("forerunner of our sins"):Προοδοιπόρος literally refers to a guide, scout, or herald who clears the path ahead of a traveler. Vice (κακία) is personified as an advance scout that prepares the way for deeper, habitual sins (ἁμαρτίαι).
τὴν ἐνθάδε ἀπόλαυσιν ("present enjoyment / temporary gratification"):Ἀπόλαυσις denotes luxury, pleasure, or self-indulgence. The author contrasts transient earthly pleasure (ἡ ἐνθάδε ἀπόλαυσις) with the far superior delight (τρυφή) of the coming kingdom.
κακοδιδασκαλοῦντες ("teaching evil"): A rare compound verb (κακοδιδασκαλέω) meaning to teach corrupt or misleading doctrines. It highlights the grave responsibility of leadership, targeting those who actively distort Christian moral teaching.
τὰς ἀναιτίους ψυχάς ("innocent/guiltless souls"):Ἀναίτιος means blameless, guiltless, or unsuspecting. Misleading impressionable or simple believers within the community is viewed as a particularly heinous crime.
δισσὴν ἕξουσιν τὴν κρίσιν ("they will incur a double judgment"):Δισσός means twofold or double. False guides face a compound sentence at the final judgment: one measure for their personal disobedience, and another for dragging their hearers (οἱ ἀκούοντες αὐτῶν) down with them.