But thou, O widow who art without discipline, thou seest the widows
thy companions, or thy brethren, in sicknesses, and thou carest not to fast
and pray for thy members, to put thy hand and to visit them ; but thou
makest thyself as if thou wert not in health, or as if thou wert not sufficient,
and with others who are in sins or who have gone out from the Church,
because they give much, thou art ready to go joyfully and to visit them.
Therefore ye ought to be ashamed, ye who are such, ye who wish to
be wiser and more intelligent not only than men, but also more so than
the Elders and the Bishops. Know then, O sisters ! that in obeying all that
the Pastors command you, with the Deacons, ye are obeying God, and in
all that ye take part by the order of the Bishop ye are blameless before
God, as also every brother of the laity, when he obeyeth the Bishop and
submitteth unto him, because they will give account on behalf of all men,
but if ye obey not the mind of the Bishops and the Deacons, they will be
clear from your faults, and you will give account of all that you have done
of your own will, or of yours, O ye widows !