For God loved men, for whose sake he made the world, to whom he subjected all things in the earth, to whom he gave reason and mind, to whom alone he granted to look up toward himself, whom he formed after his own image, to whom he sent his only-begotten Son, to whom he promised the kingdom in heaven—and he will give it to those who have loved him.
For happiness does not consist in lording it over one's neighbors, nor in wishing to have more than the weaker, nor in being rich and using force against those who are inferior; nor can anyone in these things imitate God; rather, these things are outside his majesty.
But whoever takes upon himself his neighbor's burden, whoever in that wherein he is stronger is willing to benefit another who is worse off, whoever furnishes to those in need the things he has received from God—becoming a god to those who receive them—this one is an imitator of God.
Then, though you dwell on earth, you will behold that God has his citizenship in the heavens; then you will begin to speak the mysteries of God; then you will both love and admire those who are punished because they will not deny God; then you will condemn the deceit and error of the world, when you come to know what it is truly to live in heaven, when you despise what here seems to be death, when you fear the death that is real, which is reserved for those who shall be condemned to the eternal fire, which will punish to the end those delivered over to it.
Then you will admire those who endure for righteousness' sake the fire that is temporary, and you will count them blessed, when you come to know that other fire.