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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza

Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913

Chapter 9

Now when he had received from me the money and the other things which I had brought, and sold the raiment and had made precious vessels¹ out of the more part of the silver money, he gave away the remainder within a little time to them that were in need, not only in the holy city, but also in other cities and villages and monasteries, especially to them that are in Egypt; for the monasteries there were very poor.² But to the strangers also that dwelt in the place he became a second Abraham.³ Thus it came to pass that in a very short time he gave away all his superfluity, so that he himself was in want of his daily food. Therefore he applied himself unto the craft of the shoemaker, dressing and sewing hides, in all ways after the pattern of that divine apostle,⁴ who would not eat bread for naught; and notwithstanding he could have earned his living from some other handicraft, yet he desired in all things to follow the example of the aforesaid glorious man, in afflictions and labours and persecutions and perils by sea and risings up of the heathen.⁵ But I besought him to live with me in common (for I had a superfluity out of mine occupation), but he suffered it not, saying, ‘We brought nothing into this world, neither can we carry anything out.’⁶ And again he would say, ‘If a man worketh not, neither shall he eat.’ ⁷ But I waxed bold, and said unto him, ‘Wherefore then when thou hadst plenty didst thou not work nor suffer me to work?’ And he answered me, ‘That former work⁸ which I did was greater by many times than that which I do now; for this present work sustaineth one or two, but the former did sustain countless numbers, and not only those multitudes, but did also provide spiritual sustenance for mine own soul.’

Notes

precious vessels. Presumably church plate.
the monasteries there were very poor, but according to the Historia Lausiaca (ed. Butler, p. 30) Pambo told his steward Origenes to distribute Saint Melania’s gifts of money in Libya and the islands, but not in the more wealthy Egypt (διὰ τὸ εὐπορωτέραν εἶναι τὴν χώραν).
Cp. Gen. xviii. 1 f.
Cp. 2 Thess. iii. 8.
Cp. 2 Cor. vi. 4; xi. 26.
1 Tim. vi. 7.
2 Thess. iii. 10.
That former work. The point seems to be: ‘I did work then, and the work which I did then,’ &c.