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Tuesday March 04 2025, 16H25
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They used to say about Abba Paphnutius that he would not readily drink wine, and that on one occasion he came by chance upon a band of thieves, and found them drinking; and the captain of the thieves recognized him, and knew that he never drank wine; and he looked closely at him [and saw that] he was a man of great ascetic works. And the captain filled a cup with wine and, taking a sword in his hand, he said to the old man, 'If you will not drink I will slay you'; and the old man knew that the grace of God wished to work on the captain of the thieves through him, and sought to do good to him, so he took [the cup] and drank [the wine]. Then the captain made excuse to him and said, ' Forgive me, father, for having distressed you'; and the old man said to him, ' I believe, by God, that through this cup God will forgive you your sins.' And the captain of thieves said to him, 'I believe, by God; from this time forth I will never vex any man.' Thus, because for God's sake Paphnutius gave up his own wish, he was able to do good to all that band of thieves.
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