Chapter VI.—By death I shall attain true life.
All the pleasures of the world, and all the kingdoms of this earth,380 shall profit me
nothing. It is better for me to die in behalf of381 Jesus Christ, than to reign over all the ends
of the earth. “For what shall a man be profited, if he gain the whole world, but lose his own
soul?”382 Him I seek, who died for us: Him I desire, who rose again for our sake. This is the
gain which is laid up for me. Pardon me, brethren: do not hinder me from living, do not
wish to keep me in a state of death;383 and while I desire to belong to God, do not ye give
me over to the world. Suffer me to obtain pure light: when I have gone thither, I shall indeed
be a man of God. Permit me to be an imitator of the passion of my God. If any one has Him
within himself, let him consider what I desire, and let him have sympathy with me, as
knowing how I am straitened.
All the ends of the world, and all the kingdoms of this earth,384 shall profit me nothing.
It is better for me to die for the sake of Jesus Christ, than to reign over all the ends of the
earth. “For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?” I long
after the Lord, the Son of the true God and Father, even Jesus Christ. Him I seek, who died
for us and rose again. Pardon me, brethren: do not hinder me in attaining to life; for Jesus
is the life of believers. Do not wish to keep me in a state of death,385 for life without Christ
is death. While I desire to belong to God, do not ye give me over to the world. Suffer me to
obtain pure light: when I have gone thither, I shall indeed be a man of God. Permit me to
be an imitator of the passion of Christ, my God. If any one has Him within himself, let him
consider what I desire, and let him have sympathy with me, as knowing how I am straitened.
380 Literally, “this age.”
381 Literally, “into.”
382 Matt. xvi. 26. Some omit this quotation.
383 Literally, “to die.”
384 Literally, “this age.”
385 Literally, “to die.”
Chapter VI.—By death I shall attain true life.
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Chapter VI.—By death I shall attain true life.