Against Heresies: Against Jews and Samaritans

and the nations original: "ethnôn" — often used to refer to Gentiles or pagans. You have many enemies; you have many points of attack original: "epilabás" — literally "grips" or "handles," referring to vulnerabilities an opponent might seize upon. Be attentive, therefore, lest in some other way an enemy be found against you after death. Do not, then, let your whole person original: "sôma" — literally "body," here likely referring to the whole self be filled with hatred toward heresy; fight against the Jews. And while your weapons are ready, your most ready sword is the Law original: "nomon" — referring here to the Torah or Mosaic Law, which Byzantine Christians used as a rhetorical tool to argue against Jewish interpretations. Give glory to the Good through this struggle against heresies, so that you may receive that which is sought after—so that they may not be overcome by the truth being spoken, and so that heresy may become unsubstantial original: "anupostatos" — having no "hypostasis" or essential reality; a phantom belief. For see! Hear from us this thing also:

learn what is being said and guard the lesson. Do not be ignorant of anyone's agreements original: "sunthêkas" — can also mean compositions or the "schemes" of an argument, and through practice learn divine things and intentions ennoias?. But if we are negligent today, saying "we will learn tomorrow"—from where? pothen? i.e., "how could we possibly learn then?". If you do not apply your mind original: "noun" — the highest faculty of the soul, capable of direct spiritual perception, you will be ignorant of things to come, nor will you be taught the teachings. If you are negligent today, when will you ever be set right? Let us consider it like a tree original: "dendron" being transplanted; if you do not look to the place, how else is such a thing able to preserve its most beautiful fruits? Consider that your soul original: "psychên" cannot be built up unless you give me the foundations original: "themelia". Let us thus agree to build the house original: "domon"; for let it not be that the building is rotten and crumbling due to porousness? The Greek "chauro" is difficult here; it likely refers to a loose or porous texture in the stone or mortar. But they throw down the—