The Knower will at all times practice almsgiving and be ready to do good. And, if he lacks money, he will shake the branches of his soul.

Because in all things it is his nature to do good by means of money. This is what was not done by the five virgins whose lamps went out.

If only the Knower could, at the time when he interprets the Scriptures, be free from anger, hatred, sadness, bodily suffering and anxieties!

Avoid, before becoming perfected, meeting many people or frequenting them overmuch, lest your intellect be filled with images.

Those things among what relates to praktike, physike, and theologike that are useful for our salvation, [we are] invited to speak about and to perform unto death. But those things that are indifferent it is not necessary to speak about or to perform, because of those who are easily scandalized.

To priests alone, [and only to those who are among the best, reply if they question you what is symbolized by the mysteries they perform and which purify the interior man: the vessels which they receive designate the passionate part of the soul and the rational part; concerning their inseparable mixture, the power of each, and the accomplishing of the activities of each in view of a single purpose.

And tell them, too, who is the symbol of that which perfects them, and who they are who, with him, repel those that those who erect obstacle[s] to pure conduct; and, among living beings, who have the memory and some do not.

It is necessary that you have the matter for the explanation of what is said, and that you embrace everything, even if a part escapes you. For it is indeed proper to an angel that nothing of what is upon the earth escapes it.

It is necessary also to know the definitions of things, especially those of the virtues and vices; this, indeed, is the source [and the beginning] of knowledge and ignorance, of the kingdom of heaven and of torment.

It is necessary to search, therefore, concerning allegorical and literal passages relevant to the praktike, physike, and theologike.

[1] If it is relevant to the praktike it is necessary to examine whether it treats

[1a] of thumos and what comes from it,

[1b] or rather of epithumia and what follows it,

[1c] or again of the nous and its movements.

[2] If it is pertains to the physike, it is necessary to note whether it makes known one of the doctrines concerning nature, and which one.

[3] And if it is an allegorical passage concerning theologike it is necessary to examine as far as possible whether it provides information on the Trinity and whether it is seen [in its] simplicity or seen as The Unity. But if it is none of these, then it is a simple contemplationor perhaps makes known a prophecy

It is good to know also the customary [terminology] of the sacred Scriptures, and to establish them as far as possible by means of proofs.

It is necessary to know this: that all texts of an ethical character do not comprise a contemplation of an ethical character; no more does a text concerning nature [comprise] a contemplation on nature; but such as is of an ethical character comprises a contemplation of nature; and such as treat of nature comprise a contemplation of ethics, and the same for theology.

What is said, in effect, of the fornication and the adultery of Jerusalem, the animals of dry land and waters, and the birds, the clean and the unclean, the sun that "rises, sets, and returns to its place," relate :

in the first place to theology;

in the second place to ethics;

and in the third place to physics.

Now the first text relates to ethics and the two others to physics.

It is necessary sometimes to feign ignorance because those who question are not worthy of an answer: and [in this] you will be truthful, since you are linked to a body and you [thus] do not yet possess complete knowledge.

[Concerning] those who dispute without having Knowledge: it is necessary to make them approach the truth by proceeding not from the end, but from the beginning; and it is not necessary for gnostikoi to tell the young anything, nor to let them touch books of this sort, for they are not able to resist the falls that this contemplation entails. That is why, to those who are still besieged by passions it is necessary to speak not words of peace, but how they will triumph over their adversaries: indeed, as Ecclesiastes says, "there is no discharge [from service] on the day of battle."Those, therefore, who are still afflicted with the passions and who peer into the logoi of bodies and incorporeal [beings] resemble invalids who [carry on] discuss[ions] concerning health. For it is when the soul is [only] with difficulty shaken by the passions that it is invited to taste these sweet rays of honey.

These [should] not be the same occasions: - [1] that of explication and [2] that of [investigative] discussion. And it is necessary to reprimand those who prematurely raise objections; for this is indeed the habit of heretics and those who [enjoy] controversy.