and made supplication it was revealed unto one of the saints that, “Unless that deacon who is hidden among us come forth, the waters will not rise.” So they went and brought him out from the place where he was hidden, and when he had come, and had made a prayer, straightway the river rose, and those who had been formerly offended by him were now edified the more, and they profited through him greatly and glorified God.
Chapter XXXII: Of A Certain Excellent Bishop Who Fell Into Fornication, And The People Having Walked Upon Him He Was Forgiven
THERE was a certain bishop in one of the cities, who through the working of the Calumniator fell into fornication; and one day when the congregation was in the church, although no one knew of the Bishop’s sin, he voluntarily confessed it before all the assembly, and said, “I have fallen into fornication.” Then he took off the vestments which were on him, and laid them upon the altar, and said, “I cannot, henceforward, be your Bishop.” And all the people cried out with tears, saying, “Let this sin be upon us; only remain thou in thine episcopate.” And he answered and said unto them, “If ye wish me to remain in my episcopate, do ye that which I shall say unto you”; and he commanded, and all the doors of the church were shut with the exception of one, and he threw himself down upon his face, and said, “The man who goeth out from the church without walking upon me shall have no portion with God”; and they did according to his word, and when the last man had gone out, a voice was heard which said, “Because of his great humility I have forgiven him his sin.”
Chapter XXXIII: Of A Certain Brother Who Was A Neighbour Of Abba Poemen
WHEN Abbâ Poemen came into the countries of Egypt to dwell there, it happened that he took up his abode by the side of a brother who had a wife, and though the old man knew of this he did not rebuke him. And when the time had come for the woman to bring forth, and this was known to the old man, he cried out to a younger brother, and said unto him, “Arise, take this jar of wine and carry [it] to our neighbour, for he will have need thereof this day.” Now the matter was not known to that brother, but he did as the old man commanded him. And the brother [who had a wife] groaned and repented in his mind, and after a few days he dismissed the woman, and gave her whatsoever he happened to
