I told you, he said, that the creatures of God are twofold; for self-control too is twofold. For in some things one must exercise self-control, but in others one must not.
Make known to me, I said, lord, in what things one must exercise self-control and in what one must not. Hear, he said. Exercise self-control in regard to evil and do not do it; but in regard to the good do not exercise self-control, but do it. For if you exercise self-control so as not to do the good, you commit a great sin; but if you exercise self-control so as not to do the evil, you work great righteousness. Exercise self-control, then, against all wickedness, working the good.
Of what sort, I said, lord, are the wickednesses from which we must exercise self-control? Hear, he said: from adultery and fornication, from lawless drunkenness, from wicked luxury, from many foods and the extravagance of wealth, and boasting and haughtiness and arrogance, and from lying and slander and hypocrisy, grudge-bearing and all blasphemy.
These works are the most wicked of all in the life of men. From these works, then, the servant of God must exercise self-control; for the one who does not exercise self-control from these cannot live to God. Hear, then, the things that follow these.
Are there yet, I said, lord, other wicked works? Indeed many, he said, there are, from which the servant of God must exercise self-control: theft, lying, fraud, false witness, covetousness, evil desire, deceit, vainglory, boastfulness, and whatever is like these.
Do these not seem to you to be wicked? Indeed, very wicked, I said, for the servants of God. From all these the one who serves God must exercise self-control. Exercise self-control, then, from all these, that you may live to God and be enrolled among those who exercise self-control in these matters. These, then, are the things from which you must exercise self-control.
Make known to me also, lord, I said, the power of the good things, that I may walk in them and serve them, that by doing them I may be able to be saved. Hear, he said, the works of the good also, which you must do and not exercise self-control against.
First of all, faith, fear of the Lord, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, endurance: nothing is better than these in the life of men. If anyone keeps these and does not exercise self-control against them, he becomes blessed in his life.
Then hear the things that follow these: to minister to widows, to look after orphans and the needy, to ransom the servants of God from their distresses, to be hospitable (for in hospitality good-doing is at times found), to oppose no one, to be quiet, to become more needy than all men, to revere the aged, to practice righteousness, to preserve brotherhood, to bear insult, to be patient, to bear no grudge, to comfort those who are sick in soul, not to cast off those who have stumbled from the faith but to turn them back and make them of good cheer, to admonish sinners, not to oppress debtors and the needy, and whatever is like these.
Do these things seem to you to be good? What, I said, lord, is better than these? Walk in them, then, he said, and do not exercise self-control against them, and you shall live to God.
Keep this commandment, then: if you do the good and do not exercise self-control against it, you shall live to God; and all who do so shall live to God. And again, if you do not do the evil and exercise self-control against it, you shall live to God; and all shall live to God, as many as keep these commandments and walk in them.