Clement of Alexandria · a new plain-English translation from the original language
So that you may take courage, having thus truly repented, that a trustworthy hope of salvation remains for you, hear a story that is not a story but a true account concerning the apostle John, handed down and preserved in memory. For when, after the death of the tyrant, he moved from the island of Patmos to Ephesus, he used to go out, when called upon, also to the neighboring regions of the nations, in some places to appoint bishops, in others to fit together whole churches, in others again to allot to the clergy some one man of those pointed out by the Spirit. So then, having come also to one of the not-distant cities—whose name too some report—and having in other respects given the brothers rest, he at last turned his gaze upon the bishop who had been established there, and, seeing a young man, sturdy in body and comely of face and fervent in soul, said, "This one I entrust to you with all earnestness, in the presence of the church and of Christ as witness." And when the bishop accepted him and promised everything, John again urged and solemnly charged him with the same words. Then he himself set off for Ephesus, while the presbyter, taking the young man entrusted to him into his own house, reared him, kept watch over him, cherished him, and at last enlightened him with baptism; and after this he relaxed his fuller care and watchfulness, as having set over him the perfect safeguard, the seal of the Lord. But to him, having seized upon this freedom before its proper time, certain idle and reckless age-mates attached themselves, men habituated to evil deeds; and first they led him on through costly banquets, then they took him along with them going out at night for street robbery, then they began to require him to join in something greater still. And he, growing accustomed to it little by little, and through greatness of natural spirit swerving from the straight road like an unbroken and strong-mouthed horse that has bitten down the bit, was carried the more headlong toward the precipices. And having utterly despaired of salvation in God, he no longer contemplated anything small, but, having resolved on some great deed, since he had already perished once for all, he thought it fitting to suffer the same fate as the rest. So taking these very men and forming them into a band of robbers, he was a ready chief of brigands, most violent, most bloodthirsty, most savage. Time passed in the midst of this, and when some need arose they called John back. And he, when he had settled the other matters for the sake of which he had come, said, "Come now, bishop, restore to us the deposit which I and Christ entrusted to you in the presence of the church over which you preside as witness." The bishop was at first astounded, thinking he was being falsely charged about money he had not received, and he could neither believe an accusation concerning something he did not have nor disbelieve John. But when John said, "I am demanding back the young man, and the soul of the brother," the old man, groaning deeply and even shedding some tears, said, "He is dead." "How, and by what death?" "He is dead to God," he said; "for he turned out wicked and ruinous, and, in a word, a robber, and now, instead of the church, he has taken possession of the mountain with a band of soldiers like himself." Then the apostle, tearing his garment and striking his head with great lamentation, said, "A fine guardian of a brother's soul I left behind! But let a horse be brought to me at once, and let someone be my guide on the road." He rode off, just as he was, straight from the church. And coming to the region, he was seized by the robbers' outpost, neither fleeing nor begging off, but crying out, "For this very purpose I have come; lead me to your leader." The leader, meanwhile, was waiting, armed as he was; but when he recognized John approaching, he turned to flee in shame. But John pursued him with all his strength, forgetting his own old age, crying out, "Why do you flee from me, child, your own father, unarmed and old? Pity me, child; do not fear; you still have hopes of life. I will give an account to Christ on your behalf; if it must be, I will willingly undergo your death, as the Lord underwent death for us; for you I will give my own soul in exchange. Stand, believe: Christ has sent me." And he, hearing this, first stood still looking down, then threw away his weapons, then, trembling, wept bitterly; and when the old man came up to him, he embraced him, pleading for himself with his groanings as best he could, and being baptized a second time with his tears, hiding only his right hand. But John, pledging and swearing that he had found forgiveness for him from the Savior, beseeching him, falling on his knees, kissing that very right hand as now cleansed by repentance, led him back to the church, and, entreating for him with abundant prayers, joining battle for him with continual fasts, and charming his mind with the varied spells of his words, did not depart, as they say, until he had established him in the church, giving a great example of true repentance and a great token of regeneration, a trophy of a visible resurrection.
...radiant, rejoicing, singing hymns, opening the heavens. And before all of them the Savior himself comes forth to meet them and welcomes them, stretching out a light that casts no shadow and does not fail, leading them into the bosom of the Father, into eternal life, into the kingdom of the heavens. Let a man believe these things, both on the word of God's disciples and on God who is their guarantor, on the prophecies, the gospels, the apostolic words; living together with these, and lending them his ears, and practicing their works, at the very moment of his departure he will see the fulfillment and the demonstration of these teachings. For the man who here admits the angel of repentance will not repent then, when he leaves the body, nor will he be put to shame when he sees the Savior approaching with his own glory and his host; he will not fear the fire. But if anyone chooses to remain sinning further at every turn for the sake of pleasures, and prefers the delight found here to eternal life, and turns away from the forgiveness the Savior offers, let him blame neither God any longer, nor his wealth, nor his own fall, but his own soul, perishing of its own will. But to the one who looks toward salvation and longs for it and asks for it with shamelessness and force, the good Father in the heavens will grant the true cleansing and the unchanging life. To him, through his child Jesus Christ, the Lord of the living and the dead, and through the Holy Spirit, be glory, honor, power, eternal majesty, both now and unto generations of generations and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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