Chapter XII.—Ye are superior to me. May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to any of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus Christ in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty231 of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous man is his own accuser.”232 May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty233 of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous man is his own accuser;”234 and again, “Declare thou first thine iniquities, that thou mayest be justified;”235 and again, “When ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants;”236 “for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”237 For says [the Scripture], “God be merciful to me a sinner.”238 Therefore those great ones, Abra- ham and Job,239 styled themselves “dust and ashes” 240 before God. And David says, “Who am I before Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast glorified me hitherto?”241 And Moses, who was “the meekest of all men,”242 saith to God, “I am of a feeble voice, and of a slow tongue.”243 Be ye therefore also of a humble spirit, that ye may be exalted; for “he that abaseth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be abased.”244 231 Literally, “are reverent.” 232 Prov. xviii. 17. (LXX). 233 Literally, “are reverent.” 234 Prov. xviii. 17. (LXX). 235 Isa. xliii. 26. 236 Luke xvii. 10. 237 Luke xvi. 15. 238 Luke xviii. 13. 239 Some read, “Jacob.” 240 Gen. xviii. 27; Job xxx. 19. 241 1 Chron. xvii. 16. 242 Num. xii. 3. 243 Ex. iv. 10. 244 Luke xiv. 11. Chapter XII.—Ye are superior to me. 178 Chapter XII.—Ye are superior to me.