Letter 559

To Aricaleus the Chief Man [a leading citizen or magistrate]. To those who have loved his appearing [cf. 2 Timothy 4:8], Jesus, the God and Lord of all, has promised a crown of righteousness. And what could this crown that has been spoken of be, but assuredly perfect righteousness, and holiness, and incorruptibility, and immutability, and immortality, and the delight that endures forever?

Τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσι τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ, Ἰησοῦς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τε καὶ Κύριος, στέφανον δικαιοσύνης ἐπήγγελται. Τίς δ’ ἂν ὑπάρχει ὁ εἰρημένος στέφανος, ἢ πάντως ἡ τελεία δικαιοσύνη, καὶ ἁγιωσύνη, καὶ ἀφθαρσία, καὶ ἡ ἀτρεπτότης, καὶ ἡ ἀθανασία, καὶ ἡ τερπνότης ἡ διαιωνίζουσα;