He said to me: "You know," he says, "that you who are the servants of God dwell in a foreign land; for your city is far from this city. If, then, you know," he says, "your own city in which you are to dwell, why do you here prepare fields and costly furnishings and buildings and useless dwellings?
Foolish and double-minded and wretched man, do you not perceive that all these things belong to another and are under another's authority? For the lord of this city will say: 'I do not want you to dwell in my city; depart out of this city, because you do not abide by my laws.'
You, then, who have fields and houses and many other possessions—when you are cast out by him, what will you do with your field and your house and all the rest that you prepared for yourself? For the lord of this land rightly says to you: 'Either abide by my laws or depart from my land.'
What, then, will you do, having a law in your own city? Will you, for the sake of your fields and the rest of your possessions, utterly renounce your law and walk by the law of this city? Take heed, lest it be unprofitable to renounce your law; for if you should wish to return to your own city, you will not be received, because you renounced the law of your city, and you will be shut out from it.
Take heed therefore: as one dwelling in a foreign land, prepare for yourself nothing more than the self-sufficiency that is enough for you, and be ready, so that whenever the master of this city wishes to cast you out for having opposed his law, you may go out from his city and depart to your own city, and there make use of your own law without insult, rejoicing.
Take heed therefore, you who serve the Lord and have him in your heart: do the works of God, remembering his commandments and the promises which he promised, and believe in him that he will perform them, if his commandments are kept.
Instead of fields, then, buy souls that are afflicted, each according to his ability, and visit widows and orphans and do not overlook them; and spend your wealth and all your furnishings on such fields and houses as you received from God.
For to this end the master made you rich, that you might fulfill these ministries for him; it is far better to buy such fields and possessions and houses, which you will find in your own city when you come to dwell in it.
This is a fine and holy extravagance, having no grief nor fear, but having joy. The extravagance of the nations, then, do not practice, for it is unprofitable for you who are the servants of God.
But practice your own extravagance, in which you can rejoice; and do not counterfeit, nor touch what belongs to another, nor covet it, for it is evil to covet what belongs to another. Rather do your own work, and you will be saved.