45:1
Ἴδωμεν δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ὁποῖα καὶ τῷ Νοουάτῳ διεχάραξε, ταράττοντι τηνικάδε τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀδελφότητα. ἐπειδὴ οὖν τῆς ἀποστασίας καὶ τοῦ σχίσματος πρόφασιν ἐποιεῖτο τῶν ἀδελφῶν τινας, ὡς δὴ πρὸς αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τοῦτ ἐλθεῖν ἐκβεβιασμένος, ὅρα τίνα τρόπον αὐτῷ γράφει· Διονύσιος Νοουάτῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ χαίρειν. εἰ ἄκων, ὡς φῄς, ἤχθης, δείξεις, ἐὰν ἀναχωρήσῃς ἐγών. ἔδει μὲν γὰρ καὶ πὰν ὁτιοῦν παθεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ διακόψαι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ἦν οὐκ ἀδοξοτέρα τῆς ἕνεκεν τοῦ μὴ εἰδωλολατρῆσαι γινομένης ἡ ἕνεκεν τοῦ μὴ σχίσαι μαρτυρία, κατ ἐμὲ δὲ καὶ μείζων. ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ μιᾶς τις τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς, ἐνταῦθα δὲ ὑπὲρ ὅλης τῆς ἐκκλησίας μαρτυρεῖ. καὶ νῦν δὲ εἰ πείσαις ἢ βιάσαιο τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἰς ὁμόνοιαν ἐλθεῖν, μεῖζον ἔσται σοι τοῦ σφάλματος τὸ κατόρθωμα, καὶ τὸ μὲν οὐ λογισθήσεται, τὸ δὲ ἐπαινεθήσεται. εἰ δὲ ἀπειθούντων ἀδυνατοίης, σώζων σῶζε τὴν σεαυτοῦ ψυχήν. ἐρρῶσθαί σε ἐχόμενον τῆς εἰρήνης ἐν κυρίῳ εὔχομαι. ταῦτα καὶ πρὸς τὸν Νοουάτον.
Let us see what manner of things the same man wrote also to Novatus, who at that time was disturbing the brotherhood of the Romans. Since, then, he made some of the brethren the pretext of his apostasy and schism, as though he had been forced by them to come to this course, observe in what manner Dionysius writes to him: “Dionysius to Novatus the brother, greeting. If, as you say, you were led on unwillingly, you will prove it by withdrawing willingly. For one ought indeed to suffer anything whatever rather than rend the Church of God; and the martyrdom undergone to avoid causing schism would be no less glorious than that undergone to avoid idolatry—nay, in my judgement, even greater. For in the one case a man is a martyr for the sake of his own single soul, but in the other for the sake of the whole Church. And even now, if you should persuade or compel the brethren to come to concord, your setting-right will be greater than your fault; and the one will not be reckoned against you, while the other will be praised. But if you cannot, because they will not obey, then by all means save your own soul. I pray that you may fare well, holding fast to peace in the Lord.” Thus much also to Novatus.
讓我們來看看，這同一位人士又向諾窪圖斯寫了甚麼樣的話；那人當時正在攪擾羅馬眾弟兄的團契。原來，他把幾位弟兄當作自己背道與分裂的藉口，彷彿是被他們逼迫，纔走到這一步的。請看狄奧尼修斯怎樣寫信給他：「狄奧尼修斯向弟兄諾窪圖斯問安。你若如自己所說，是被不情願地牽引而去，便要藉著情願地退出來證明這事。因為人寧可承受任何事，也不該分裂神的教會；那為避免分裂而受的殉道，並不亞於那為避免拜偶像而受的殉道，照我看來，甚至更為偉大。因為在前一種情形，人不過為自己一人的靈魂作殉道者；在後一種情形，卻是為整個教會作殉道者。如今你若能勸服或強使眾弟兄歸於同心合意，你的補救必大過你的過失；那過失必不歸算與你，這補救卻必受稱讚。但你若無能為力，因他們不肯順從，那麼你總要救自己的靈魂。我祈願你安好，在主裡持守和平。」這些話也是向諾窪圖斯說的。