Letter 118: Chrysostom congratulates imprisoned bishops and presbyters on suffering chains for God.

You live in prison, wear chains, and are shut up with people made filthy by misery. What could be more blessed for you than these things, when they are endured for God's sake? What golden crown on the head is equal to a chain wrapped around the hand for him? What grand house can compare with a dark and foul prison, if that prison is borne for the same cause? Leap, rejoice, be crowned, and be glad. The painful things that have happened are an occasion for great profit. This is sowing that promises an unspeakable harvest, an athletic contest with victory and prizes, a voyage that brings rich cargo. So, most honored and reverend masters, rejoice and give glory to God in everything. Strike the devil at the right moment and lay up for yourselves a great reward in heaven. The sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory to come.

ΡΙΗʹ. Ἐπισκόποις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις τοῖς ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ. ∆εσμωτήριον οἰκεῖτε, καὶ ἄλυσιν περίκεισθε, καὶ μετὰ τῶν αὐχμώντων καὶ ῥυπώντων ἐστὲ κατακεκλεισμένοι· καὶ τί ἂν γένοιτο μακαριώτερον ὑμῶν τούτων ἕνεκεν; Τί γὰρ τοιοῦτον στέφανος χρυσοῦς κεφαλῇ περικείμενος, οἷον ἅλυσις δεξιᾷ περιπλεκομένη διὰ τὸν Θεόν; τί δὲ τοιοῦτον οἰκίαι περιφανεῖς καὶ μεγάλαι, οἷον δεσμωτήριον ζόφου καὶ ῥύπου γέμον, καὶ πολλῆς τῆς ἀηδίας, καὶ τῆς θλίψεως διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ὑπόθεσιν; ∆ιὰ ταῦτα σκιρτᾶτε, ἀγάλλεσθε, στεφανοῦσθε, χορεύετε, ὅτι πολλῆς ἐμπορίας ὑμῖν ὑπόθεσις τὰ συμβάντα λυπηρά. Τοῦτο σπόρος ἄμητον προαναφωνῶν ἄφατον, τοῦτο παλαίσματα νίκην ἔχοντα καὶ βραβεῖα, τοῦτο πλοῦς ἐμπορίαν πολλὴν προξενῶν. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα ἀναλογισάμενοι, κύριοί μου τιμιώτατοι καὶ εὐλαβέστατοι, χαίρετε καὶ εὐφραίνεσθε, μὴ διαλίπητε τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι δοξάζοντες, καὶ καιρίας τῷ διαβόλῳ διδόντες πληγὰς, καὶ πολλὴν ἑαυτοῖς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς προαποτιθέμενοι τὴν ἀμοιβήν. Οὐ γὰρ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι εἰς ὑμᾶς. Γράφετε δὲ καὶ ἡμῖν συνεχῶς. Σφόδρα γὰρ ἐπιθυμοῦμεν γράμματα δέχεσθαι παρ' ἀνθρώπων διὰ τὸν Θεὸν δεδεμένων, τὰ παθήματα ὑμῶν ἀπαγγέλλοντα, καὶ πολλὴν ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ διατρίβοντες, καρπωσόμεθα τὴν παράκλησιν.