Clement of Alexandria · a new plain-English translation from the original language
Therefore it is altogether necessary that you, the haughty and powerful and rich man, set over yourself some man of God, as a trainer and a pilot. Show reverence toward at least one such man, fear at least one, take pains to listen to at least one who speaks with frank boldness, both chastening and healing at once. For it does not even benefit the eyes to remain forever unrestrained, but they must sometimes weep and smart for the sake of greater health. So too nothing is more ruinous to the soul than unbroken pleasure; for it is blinded through this wasting away, if it remains unmoved by the word spoken with frank boldness. Fear this man even when he grows angry, and be grieved when he groans, and revere him when he checks his anger, and forestall him when he would beg off from punishing you. Let him keep watch many nights on your behalf, interceding for you before God and, as it were, working upon the Father by his accustomed prayers of entreaty; for God's inmost heart cannot hold out against his children when they beseech him. He will pray for you with a pure heart if he is honored by you as an angel of God and is grieved by nothing from you, but suffers only on your behalf. This is repentance without hypocrisy. 'God is not mocked,' nor does he attend to empty words; for he alone examines the marrow and kidneys of the heart, and he hears those who are in the fire, and he listens to those who supplicate from within the belly of the sea monster, and he is near to all who believe, and far from the godless, unless they repent.
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