I recently came across a new translation of the works of Diadochus, Bishop of Photike in Epiros. I have his ten definitions to be very helpful, so seeing them in English as a new translation is great.

I am taking the quotes from the book Following the Footsteps of the Invisible - the Complete Works of Diadochus of Photike: Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.

The Other version I have is something I found on the Internet and have found myself reading over and over again since I found it.

Here is the original text I have: The 10 Definitions:

Faith: dispassionate understanding of God. Hope: the flight of the nous in love towards that for which it hopes. Patience: with the eyes of the mind always to see the Invisible as visible. Freedom from Avarice: to desire not to have possessions with the same fervor as men generally desire to have possessions. Knowledge: to lose awareness of oneself through going out to God in ecstasy. Humility: attentive forgetfulness of what one has accomplished. Freedom from anger: a real longing not to lose one’s temper. Purity: unwavering perception of God. Love: growing affection for those who abuse us. Total Transformation: through delight in God, to look on the repulsiveness of death as a joy.

Here is the new translation:

Faith: an impassible consideration of God. Hope: an emigration of the intellect in love, moving towards those things that await us. Patience: to steadfastly persevere in seeing with the eyes of the mind the invisible as well as the visible. Detachment from riches: to want to possess nothing with as much desire as those who want to possess. Knowledge: unawareness of oneself in the ecstasy of God. Humility: to forget constantly your successes. Meekness: a strong longing not to get angry. Purity: to sense continually being united to God. Charity: to grow in friendship towards those who insult us. Complete transformation: reveling in God’s delight while joyfully considering the gloom of death.