The Chasm

Χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται μεταξὺ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦ πλουσίου τιμωρουμένου, ὁ Αβραὰμ ἀπεκρίνατο, τὴν τῶν δικαίων πρὸς τοὺς πταίοντας διαφορὰν ἐνδεικνύμενος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, φιλόξενος ἥν καὶ φιλόπτωχος, τοὺς μακρὰν ἀπῳκισμένους δεχόμενος· ὁ δὲ πρὸ τῆς θύρας ἡλκωμένον, ἀνιλεως ἐκτρεπόμενος. Ὡωπερ οὖν ἐναντίαι αἱ προθέσεις, οὕτως ἀμιγὴς ἡ μετάστασις· τῶν μὲν, τὴν ἄνεσιν· τῶν δὲ, τὴν κόλασιν δεξαμένων. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΟΒ', Ἀρχοντιῳ

A great chasm is fixed between the rich man in torment and himself, Abraham replied,1 showing here the difference between the righteous and those who err. For he was a lover of guests and the poor, receiving them from afar, and the other mistreated those at his door, mercilessly turning away. And as they had opposed characters so they are removed to different places, the one to peace, the other receiving a place of punishment. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book1, Letter 172, to Archontius 1 Lk 16.26